Thursday, July 8, 2010

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS...(is dead)


SCRIPTURE

James 2:14-26 (NRSV)

Faith produces good works

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.


DEVOTION

I've heard it said, "Lot's of people can talk the talk, but it ain't real, if they don't walk the walk." (giggles)

We understand this folk wisdom to be true in many different circumstances. If my child says she wants to be a Truth-Teller, but lies at every opportunity, I will doubt her. If a thief claims to be reformed and then picks my pocket, I will doubt him. If my husband were to tell me that he loves me, then cheats on me with another woman, I would...(well, you get the picture!)

What we say we believe is not as important as how we ACT what we believe.

If we say that we believe that God is Love, then we must broadcast God's love to others. If we say that we believe that Jesus is Lord, then we must allow His Lordship in every area of our lives. If we say that God wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must DO LOVE to those same neighbors, no matter how much they may choose to sin against us.

I think that many Christians are confused about James 2 because we know that we can't BUY our eternal salvation. But, in an effort to magnify the Amazing Grace of God, we act like we don't need to act in love toward God and neighbor. This is a fallacy.

Whilst we are most certainly saved by the GRACE of God and FAITH in Jesus Christ, this is not a pass to do no good works.

Rather, it is an opportunity to do good works, for the sake of good works. We are not trying to buy our pardon. We are not trying to earn a ticket to heaven. We are not trying to earn brownie points with God.

Rather, we know and acknowledge, that JESUS has already done all that is necessary to ensure our eternal life.

When we put all of our hope in Jesus, we are saved! Because Jesus lived, died on the cross, and rose again on the third day, our sins are forgiven and we are gifted with eternal life.

That is a done deal. HALLELUJAH!

But, in a free-will response to God's gift of salvation, Jesus invites us to partner with Him in sharing the Love of God on earth, until He comes from Heaven.

This is clear in scripture when Jesus said, "When you do it unto the least of these (e.g., feed, water, clothe, house, visit), you've done it unto me.

My friends, we don't HAVE to do good works, we GET to, and that is an important distinction!

Won't you make up your heart and mind to put all of your faith in Jesus, sharing love with others throughout your day?


If so, let us pray:

Thanks God for allowing my faith to mature into good works. Because I believe in your love revealed on the cross, I know that I am called to be loving. It's as simple as that. Please help me to love you, and neighbor, as myself. In Jesus' Name, Amen.



INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta




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