Whatsoever is Not of Faith is Sin

This exclamation by Paul in Romans 14:23 seems at first glance unlike any statement he made concerning faith. It is true that he speaks of faith in Christ most often as the way to obtain righteousness as opposed to the works of the law, which if done without faith do not account for righteousness. But to go so far as to say that whatsoever is not of faith is sin, seems at first glance to be rather harsh. Certainly our works should count for something even if done without faith! But a careful reading of Romans makes it clear that it is faith in Christ and only faith in Christ that counts for righteousness. And if anything other than faith in Christ does not count for righteousness, then it must be that it counts for unrighteousness and is therefore sin. This is consistent with the Doctrine of the Two Ways: either the righteousness of God, which is obtained through faith in Jesus Christ, or any alternative to the righteousness of God, which includes works without faith, and which, according to Paul, is sin.

Paul makes it clear that man is justified only through the righteousness of God, which comes through faith in Christ. He says that "There is none righteous, no, not one... (and) ...there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Romans 3:10-12). It is faith in Christ that is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:2-5). He makes it clear that it was not because of Abraham's obedience to the law of Moses that was counted for righteousness, but because of Abraham's faith.

He tells us that the Gentiles "attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith" but that "Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness" because "they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law" (Romans 9:30-33).

If it is true that whatsoever is not of faith is sin, then are the works we do without faith in Christ, sin? Can it be that doing our duty in our Church callings, if done without faith, is sin? Given the Lord's definition of Good and Evil, we are either doing one or the other, and He makes it quite clear that unless we work by the power and gifts of God, we do not do good (Moroni 10:25). And since there is only one other alternative, we must be doing what is not righteous, and therefore sinning.