Faith and Good Works: A Synergistic Approach to Salvation in Orthodox Christianity

The path to salvation in Christianity has been a subject of theological debate for centuries. One of the most enduring questions revolves around the relative importance of faith and good works in achieving salvation. This essay will explore the Orthodox Christian approach to this question, which emphasizes a synergistic relationship between faith and good works, both being necessary for salvation.

The Orthodox Church adheres to a view known as synergism, which emphasizes the cooperative nature of faith and good works in the process of salvation. God's grace initiates this process, offering humanity the opportunity for salvation. However, human response through faith and good works is necessary to receive and cooperate with this grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 states that “ጸጋው በእምነት አድኖአችኋልና፤ይህም የእግዚአብሔር ስጦታ ነው እንጂ ከእናንተ አይደለም፤ማንም እንዳይመካ ከሥራ አይደለም::’’ This verse emphasizes that salvation, initiated by grace through faith is a gift from God, separate from deeds, to avoid any sense of pride or boasting. On the other hand, James 2:14-17 proclaims that “ወንድሞቼ ሆይ፥ እምነት አለኝ የሚል፥ ሥራ ግን የሌለው ሰው ቢኖር ምን ይጠቅመዋል? እምነቱስ ሊያድነው ይችላልን?...እንደዚሁም ሥራ የሌለው እምነት ቢኖር በራሱ የሞተ ነው።” This verse calls attention to the importance of actions accompanying faith, stating that faith alone is "dead" without works. Additionally, James 2: 24 asserts that “ሰው በእምነት ብቻ ሳይሆን በሥራ እንዲጸድቅ ታያላችሁ”. This verse is interpreted as true faith must be accompanied by good works. Faith without works is considered dead faith.

Church Fathers like Saint Basil the Great (329- 379 A.D) provide clarity on the Orthodox perspective. He compares faith to the foundation of a building, while good works are the building itself. Just as a foundation without a building is useless, so too is faith without good works. Saint Augustine (354- 430 A.D), though emphasizing grace, also saw good works as a natural response to God's grace.

The Orthodox Church teaches that faith is the initial step, receiving God's grace and initiating the journey of salvation. Genuine faith then produces good works as a natural fruit, demonstrating love for God and neighbor. Both faith and good works are essential for salvation. Faith without works is dead and works without faith are empty. Salvation remains a gift from God, but it requires a human response through a life transformed by His grace, reflected in good works.

In conclusion, the Orthodox Church views faith and good works as inseparable companions. True faith leads to a transformed life, which is evident in good works. Both are necessary for the ongoing journey of salvation. This synergistic approach emphasizes the importance of God's grace while acknowledging the active role of humanity in cooperating with that grace through faith and good works.