Right belief vs right actions

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Marie5890

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I find myself thinking about this as I watch a very close family member, who identifies himself as a Christian and uses language accordingly, act in a very unChrist-like and uncharitable manner chronically. Im not talking about making mistakes here and there as is part of human failing.

Im talking about who he is as a person to the core.

IE he does talk to the talk, but the day to day actions are not consistent with Christ teachings.

So it has me wondering, the whole idea of which is more important, right belief or right actions.
 
I question one’s true beliefs if their actions don’t align with them.
 
Marie5890 said:
I find myself thinking about this as I watch a very close family member, who identifies himself as a Christian and uses language accordingly, act in a very unChrist-like and uncharitable manner chronically. Im not talking about making mistakes here and there as is part of human failing.

Im talking about who he is as a person to the core.

IE he does talk to the talk, but the day to day actions are not consistent with Christ teachings.

So it has me wondering, the whole idea of which is more important, right belief or right actions.
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Not sure if this is exactly what you’re looking for, but here’s my $0.02 worth…

Matthew 21:28-31 *“What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” *

Matthew 7:1-3 Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
 
Marie5890 said:
I find myself thinking about this as I watch a very close family member, who identifies himself as a Christian and uses language accordingly, act in a very unChrist-like and uncharitable manner chronically. Im not talking about making mistakes here and there as is part of human failing.

Im talking about who he is as a person to the core.

IE he does talk to the talk, but the day to day actions are not consistent with Christ teachings.

So it has me wondering, the whole idea of which is more important, right belief or right actions.
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Right actions. Because right actions flow out of love, which is the essence of justice for man. Right beliefs merely involve knowledge. IOW, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2). Or, as Augustine put it, “Without love faith may indeed exist, but avails nothing”.
 
It’s a false dilemma, because you can’t have charity without faith (S.T. IIa, Q. 65, a5), even though you can have faith without charity as fhansen points out. But if you must compare the two, St. Paul says that “the greatest of these is charity” (1 Cor. 13:13).
 
Marie5890 said:
I find myself thinking about this as I watch a very close family member, who identifies himself as a Christian and uses language accordingly, act in a very unChrist-like and uncharitable manner chronically. Im not talking about making mistakes here and there as is part of human failing.

Im talking about who he is as a person to the core.

IE he does talk to the talk, but the day to day actions are not consistent with Christ teachings.

So it has me wondering, the whole idea of which is more important, right belief or right actions.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t put it like that exactly … but I would like to observe that sometimes there is SO much emphasis on talk.
 
Marie5890 said:
I find myself thinking about this as I watch a very close family member, who identifies himself as a Christian and uses language accordingly, act in a very unChrist-like and uncharitable manner chronically. Im not talking about making mistakes here and there as is part of human failing.

Im talking about who he is as a person to the core.

IE he does talk to the talk, but the day to day actions are not consistent with Christ teachings.

So it has me wondering, the whole idea of which is more important, right belief or right actions.
Click to expand...
My walk talks, and my talk talks, but my walk talks louder than my talk talks!
 
gazelam said:
Not sure if this is exactly what you’re looking for, but here’s my $0.02 worth…

Matthew 21:28-31 *“What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” *

Matthew 7:1-3 Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
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Thanks for this, gazelam.

I do think it’s important to give the full teaching of Matthew 7 to keep Christ teaching clear. He teaches us how to probably exercise righteous judgement
  • a “Stop judging,* that you may not be judged.b
    2
    For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.c
    3
    Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?
    4
    How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye?
    5
    You hypocrite,* remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.
 
Ad_Orientem said:
It’s a false dilemma, because you can’t have charity without faith (S.T. IIa, Q. 65, a5), even though you can have faith without charity as fhansen points out. But if you must compare the two, St. Paul says that “the greatest of these is charity” (1 Cor. 13:13).
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Thanks Ad O.

I’ve been contemplating this a great deal. And when timing is right, and the situation presents, I will pray for a way to exercise fraternal charity, as it is a spiritual work of mercy.

Sometimes I forget that. That charity, true charity, includes fraternal correction. The challenge is doing it in a Christ like manner.
 
Charitable fraternal correction, is not easy.
But it is a spiritual work of mercy.
 
Ad_Orientem said:
It’s a false dilemma, because you can’t have charity without faith (S.T. IIa, Q. 65, a5), even though you can have faith without charity as fhansen points out. But if you must compare the two, St. Paul says that “the greatest of these is charity” (1 Cor. 13:13).
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Ditto, both and, not either or.
 
Marie5890 said:
I find myself thinking about this as I watch a very close family member, who identifies himself as a Christian and uses language accordingly, act in a very unChrist-like and uncharitable manner chronically. Im not talking about making mistakes here and there as is part of human failing.

Im talking about who he is as a person to the core.

IE he does talk to the talk, but the day to day actions are not consistent with Christ teachings.

So it has me wondering, the whole idea of which is more important, right belief or right actions.
Click to expand...
Sometimes I believe there can be reasons behind these actions that we may be unaware of and so in my view we need to exercise patience and maybe offer to that person our time to allow them to ventilate and maybe in a selfless way assist them in exploring what is behind this anger and how can the person rebuild a new strategy or approach to whatever is bothering them.😉
 
“Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
  • Matthew 7:21 Douay-Rheims
 
arthra said:
Sometimes I believe there can be reasons behind these actions that we may be unaware of and so in my view we need to exercise patience and maybe offer to that person our time to allow them to ventilate and maybe in a selfless way assist them in exploring what is behind this anger and how can the person rebuild a new strategy or approach to whatever is bothering them.😉
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Not if their actions are abusive. 🤷
 
Matthew_Light said:
“Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
  • Matthew 7:21 Douay-Rheims
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That is one of several scriptures that have come to mind. Sometimes people who think they are following the Lord, aren’t, and thus need our prayers.
 
100% both 100% orthodoxy and 100% orthopraxy, Christ wants us to be like the saints. Sure we may fail to live up to that, but the point is that we should strive for it with all our strength.
 
I see the example in the OP as no different than any other person, a sinner.

We all are sinners, those that think not, are guilty of the most dangerous sin - pride.

For action to align with belief takes God’s Grace.

We are built to action in our nature, even if through sin.

We are blessed to action God’s nature through us with Graces.
 
Marie5890 said:
That is one of several scriptures that have come to mind. Sometimes people who think they are following the Lord, aren’t, and thus need our prayers.
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And there’s more too. Jesus continues his discourse. 🙂

MJ
 
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