Faith is active and visible, not something that occures "in your heart".

Ultimately, there shall be a winner and a loser, but both will come to learn. I should first interject and let it be known to the audience that I am Jewish convert; however, I was raised in a Catholic private school- meaning: I am well versed on the New Testament and the general theme of Christianity. Thank you. As a prerequisite in the discussion of faith, it should be fully understood a similar definition of faith. While the host may disagree and supply his own source, I present the following definitions of 'religious faith', provided by Merriam-Webster: (1) : Belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : Belief in the traditional doctrines of religion With this definition accepted, both sides are represented and requires of us to make an argument on the application of faith/doctrine in it's relation to achieving Salvation. To begin, the premise that Salvation is to be the sole purpose of faith creates a fundamental contradiction in the nature of religion. It presupposes that the cause of being faithful, and/or to follow doctrines, is to reap the benefits of rewards promised by God. Morality, a standard by which God's word provides us, is absolute. Whatever you choose to consider, the axiom remains the same: an action may not be claimed as righteous and proper in one instance, but in another instance vice and improper. The purpose of understanding morality is due to the subject, as true faith results in a moral being. Examine the following example: If a starving man, who happens to be rich, breaks into your home to eat your food- is his act less sinful as the starving man, who happens to be poor, that breaks into your home and does the same? The answer is no, that the act remains the same; that there is no justification for evil to be considered good. Equally, when a man chooses to do good, to follow the doctrines of faith, but only for the reward of Salvation; is his greed to be considered less than the man who seeks only the material rewards of this earth? Do you now see the nature of the aforementioned contradiction? A love of life- it is not an equivalent to the fear of death. One who acts and follows in accordance to doctrine for the lust of Salvation- he does not do so out of love for his life and this world, but rather out of the fear of death. When true faith in God is possessed, one most equally have faith in all His creation. This means: they believe God is good, and thereby, all that which He has created is too, good. A man who has faith does good simply because it is the right thing to do- not because he seeks a reward. He sees this world and all it's people as good because he believes that God has created it as so; he acts accordingly not because he has been commanded to do so, but because his faith calls him to love God and all of His creation. As a result, the man who has true faith will love this world, his life and the life of others, causing him to do good deeds simply because it is the right thing to do. If a man does not posses true faith, then religious doctrine is of no use to him. If he has the strength, and his faith is never to be broken, then the religious doctrine equally serves no purpose to him- he is already living as the man God intended him to be. Should his faith be broken or lost and he cannot find the moral thing to do, it is then scripture to which he resorts to find his answer. When God appeared to Moses, he was given a command; lest God appear to you, do not mistake scripture as a command. Doctrine is man's standard of morality and the compass to proper living, but faith is the cause. God's word is not a list of goals and objectives to be accomplished to achieve Salvation, but a guide to follow when faith is waning. We have freewill not so that we may be commanded what to do, but so that we can find and of our own volition choose to live the life God has revealed to us. To have faith means to not fear death, and, to fear death means to have no faith. The Son of God did not fear death: He was so compelled by His love of life that He died so that we could live. The purpose of life is not too seek the Salvation of death- it is to live and love life in the way Jesus had shown us. "Therefore Jesus answered them and was saying to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son does in like manner'. " -John 5:19