Boolean Operators and Salvation, Faith, and Works

This came across my head recently:

In programming, if you want to compare the values of two different things to see if they true or false, you can use what's called "Boolean operators" in programming.  They consist of AND (&&), OR ( || ) , and NOT (!) as a modifier.  Lately I've had some trouble getting past some programming problems because logical operators can be a hassle to work around, especially the && operator.

Usually boolean operators are found within if-else statements.  It works the same way you would think: IF this is true, then do these things.  ELSE, do these things.  To determine which statements get executed, you use boolean operators.

For instance (in pseudocode):
IF the sky is blue
      it is a sunny day;
ELSE
     it is a rainy day.

If we look up and see that the sky is blue, it is most likely a sunny day, no?  Else, that is to say, if the sky is NOT blue, then it is probably raining.

Well sometimes you want to combine two different tests:
IF the sky is blue AND there are no clouds
     it is a good day
ELSE
     it is not a good day

If the sky is blue and there are no clouds, I would consider it a good day.  Or else it would be a bad day.

Now the trick with the boolean operator AND is that for it to be a good day, BOTH tests must pass: the sky must be blue AND there must be no clouds.  If any of them are false, then it is not a good day.
Also, another kink with AND.  It tests the arguments in order, so it will check if the sky is blue FIRST, then it will check if there are no clouds.  So if the first test fails, then it automatically skips to the ELSE w/o having to test if the sky is blue.

I was thinking how this pattern is like our salvation.  Let's say that we think we are saved.  Of course, we learn from the Bible that by grace and faith alone are we justified, and that our good works is a product of our faith in Jesus.  But during our struggles and inner conflicts with sin, how do we know if we are genuine Christians or not?  That's a natural question to ask yourself.

I put that question in the form of an if-else statement, and it actually fit quite nicely.  If we have faith in Jesus' death and resurrection and our faith produces good works, then we are mostly likely genuine Christians.  If not, then we are not genuine Christians.

Faith is followed by works.  If any of these is false, then our ELSE statement gets executed, and we conclude we are not genuine Christians.

Interestingly though, but shouldn't come to a surprise, the order of which faith and works is evaluated is the same way the boolean operators in an if-else statement are evaluated.

This is the way the evaluation is:
IF we have faith in God AND our faith produces good works...
     we are genuine Christians

Let's suppose we have faith in God, but our good works fails the test, then the statement that we are genuine Christians is not true, because BOTH faith and works must be there.

Now let's say we have good works, but we DON'T have faith in God.  Earlier I said that the first check will get evaluated first, and if it fails, the whole statement fails by default.  If in our lives our faith fails to meet the test, then we automatically are not genuine Christians.  It doesn't matter if you have good works; a lot of unbelieving people in this world have good works, but because they are without God, they are not Christians.

This is a call for us to check our own spiritual walks more closely to determine if we pass this if-else statement.  If we have faith and no works, then a reminder that James tells us that faith without works is dead.  You have faith in God, but do not carry out His will, and therefore that's just like not believing Him in the first place.  Because God has put you here on a mission to save souls, and not trying to accomplish that is rejection of His purpose for you.  We are called to work out our salvation.

On the flip side, if you don't have faith to begin with, then this is a call to repentance, to realize your depravity before a holy God, and to come before Him with humility and brokenness so that He may reconcile you to Him.  Your works isn't good enough to be reconciled to God. Isaiah 64:6 says, "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment."  It's not enough.  We must have faith.

For those who know people in these situations, that's what accountability and evangelism is for; surely these are the will of God.