Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Why "Saving Faith" Means "Saving Face"

Why "Saving Faith" Means "Saving Face"

Last updated on: April 30, 2013 at 8:30 am by Brad Vaughn

Why "Saving Faith" Means "Saving Face" 2013-04-30T08:30:07-07:00 Brad Vaughn

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Should Christians want to “save face”?

This post clarifies a part of my previous post that might sound confusing the first time one hears it. Last time, I looked at John 5:18, 22–23. I said,

“Saving faith is saving face. In particular, I’m referring to God’s face. The goal of our faith is seeking God’s glory by honoring Christ. Paradoxically, there is a way in which we are supposed to seek honor. How then do we purse face in a way that is godly?”

In essence, I want us to consider what it means to have “saving faith,” the kind of faith required for salvation. If we have “saving faith,” we will seek to “save face.” Whose face? I refer both to God’s face and our face.

Saving God’s Face

Ultimately, being a Christian means seeking and delighting in God’s glory and honor. This is simply another way of saying that we are people who seek to give God face. This is the essence of Christian faith. We are people who boast in Christ, not ourselves, our families, jobs, country, etc.

This would seem to contradict the second aspect of saving faith––seeking to save our face. In fact, the second is linked to the first.

This is the goal of our salvation––that we would see Christ’s glory. Think about Christ’s own prayer in John 17:24,

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Above all, God seeks to glorify his name. Accordingly, it is entirely appropriate to say that Jesus died to save God’s face. In this sense, no one was more faithful than Christ.

Saving Our Face

From one perspective, one could say that sin fundamentally means seeking our own face. However, the problem is not that we seek honor and glory. Rather, the problem is how or in what do we seek face.

I’ll explain by making two comparisons.

1. Recall Paul’s Jewish opponents.

Their problem was not that they were trying to obey the Law. After all, God commanded them to keep the Law. The problem was how they tried to keep the Law. They used he Law both to exclude Gentiles and as a means of boasting in themselves. Think back how often the theme of boasting emerges in Romans (especially in chapters 2, 3, 5).

2. Consider what John Piper has termed “Christian Hedonism.”

His basic idea is that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. As Piper explains in both Desiring God and Future Grace, we absolutely are supposed to pursue our gain and our joy. Jesus often used reward to motivate people to follow him (e.g. Sermon on the Mount).

When 1 Cor 13 says that love is not self-seeking, Paul’s meaning is that loving people do not seek gain to the exclusion of others. Instead, we are supposed to find our joy in the joy of others. Ultimately, our greatest joy consists in seeking and savoring Christ.

How does this apply to our lives?

The applications of this point are countless. I’ll offer a brief thought or two. Add your own in the comments.

Everyone seeks face (i.e. honor, glory, praise, respect). The only question is what kind of face.

As I’ve said before on the blog and in my book, we gain and lose face in two ways. It is either achieved (based on individual actions) or ascribed (based on one’s relationships or position in a group). Westerners emphasize the first. Easterners tend to stress the latter.

When we seek face based on ourselves (or ethnicity, title, etc.), we begin to feel a sense of fear that we might lose it. We feel the pressure to protect it—which means doing more, maintaining appearances, or perhaps excluding outsiders. This is C. S. Lewis’ point when he spoke of the “inner ring.” It is the excluding of others that inherently gives an “inner ring” its value). For many people, they only feel important or valuable if someone else is excluded. This makes them feel “special.”

On the other hand, if our face comes from Christ, then it cannot be lost.

His honor is perfect and unceasing. When we identify with him, we share both in his shame (humanly speaking) as well as his glory. We certainly ought to seek glory, but only that glory which comes from God through Christ.

The unbeliever seeks face apart from Christ. This brings fear and insecurity. The one who has faith in Christ pursues a kind of face that is not “achieved” by himself or his community; instead, the believer is ascribed honor by the Father. In short, God regards the Christian as having face.

Photo Credit: Flickr/PhotoAtelier

Having Faith and Saving Face (John 5:44) (www.patheos.com/blogs/jacksonwu)

Previous Post

April 25, 2013

Having Faith and Saving Face (John 5:44)

Next Post

May 2, 2013 Faith Means Placing Your Face in the Father (John 5:39, 44–47)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atonement Biblical Theology Book Reviews China Chinese Church Chinese Culture Chinese Language Collectivism Contextualization Culture (General) Ecclesiology Evangelism Gospel Honor & Shame (Face) Interpretation/Exegesis Justification/Righteousness Missiology Mission Methods One Gospel for All Nations Other Practical Contextualization Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes Resources Romans Salvation (General) Saving God's Face Seeking God's Face The Cross in Context Theological Contextualization Theological Education Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What river did Jesus get baptized in?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Nile Jordan Euphrates Tigris

Books by This Author Books by Brad Vaughn

See All Titles »