How does that title strike you?
It’s true.
Paul said it this way, For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).
Now, before your biblically trained mind blows a gasket, let me explain.
Obviously Paul was not thinking about or talking about anger, porn, or flying into buildings when he wrote that sentence.
He was actually discussing secondary issues like eating meat, drinking wine, and celebrating certain days.
He concluded his remarks at the end of the chapter, which is the verse I referenced.
Paul was teaching that whatever you do, you must do it from a heart of faith.
That is, you must believe what you are doing is the right thing to do. That is the essence of biblical decision-making: all your decisions must come from a belief system that says it’s okay to do the thing you want to do. You must proceed (move forward) from a conscience of faith before you can move forward.
The real question we need to ask is in regard to the importance of faith. Why did Paul make a big deal about faith? What is it about faith that is instrumental to how we live in God’s world?
