Does your belief determine your behavior?

Belief does not necessarily determine behavior, at least according to Scripture^{1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}. In particular, we have Jesus’ statement¹ to those who Scripture confirms had believed! These disciples were only “truly” disciples if they continued in the gospel word and did works in accordance with the will of the Father⁷. Paul effectively says the same thing to the Corinthians⁶ – he literally says their belief could be in vain. Likewise, Peter says the same thing to the scattered Christians⁸. All three of these explicit statements fly directly in the face of an absolute statement that “belief determines behavior.”

Good works⁵/obedience^3,8 (e.g. “behavior”) should follow belief/faith and indeed must if one’s faith is to be effective^1,5,6,9. However, as Jesus demonstrates² and James plainly states⁵, even demons believe (and obivously don’t “live for Jesus” as Pastor Morris puts it). Jesus¹, Paul^4,6 and Peter⁸ confirm this hopeful but not automatic relationship between belief and behavior, and Paul shares his own struggle with this – a constant battle in the flesh⁴.