Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Real Faith Has Works
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? (James 2:14 NIV).
Most surveys show that the vast majority of Americans self-identify as Christians and have faith in God. This is great, but James 2:14 puts this in context. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?”
In my Bible, the heading for Hebrews 11 reads “Faith in Action” and the first verse of chapter 11 teaches, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
I can tell you that I am a great baseball pitcher, but that self-identification does not necessarily make it true. James 2:14 is teaching us what is the use of telling others that you have faith if it is not reflected in how you live and what actions you take?
Please do not be mistaken and think that James is saying we are saved by our works. Scripture is very clear in this regard that we are saved by faith in Jesus, nothing more and nothing less. Galatians 2:16 reads, “Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” Our actions are a natural manifestation of our faith. They are the outward fruit. “For the tree is known and recognized and judged by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33).
Real faith takes action but does so out of love, not obligation or to curry favor with God. Real faith is different from pseudo faith because the former is active in ministry outside the church and the later simply attends church every Sunday.
Scripture contains thousands of promises from God to us. We cannot claim these promises with an insincere faith. We cannot expect God to hear our prayers if they are not offered in true faith. And “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).
So how do we know if we have real faith? We must look at our actions and see if they are in agreement with our beliefs. One of the most important things we can do in life is an honest self-evaluation. It is also one of the more difficult tasks we can do. But if we can successfully do this, then we can live out the Faith in Action of Hebrews 11. The right next step is to sit down with your pastor or Christian friend and help them guide you through the process. You will not regret this decision.
Prayer: Dear God, Help us to maintain at least the faith of a mustard seed on our darkest days. Amen.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics...
-
The Ministry Of Listening
The Ministry Of Listening “To answer before listening-- that is folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13 NIV). Most men like to take action to solve a problem. We tend to jump in and begin formulating a solution before we have even heard the entire story. Fixing a problem is great but before it is fixed, it needs to be felt. I think God wants us to feel the pain before we fix the pain. Have you ever been just seconds into a conversation about a problem and say, “I know how to fix this.” But that’s not loving. It has been said that people... -
Here I Am
Here I Am “The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am; you called me.’ But Eli said, ‘I did not call; go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down. Again... -
Why Are You Asking “Why?”
Why Are You Asking “Why?” “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me . . . I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance” (Job 42:2-3, 6 NLT). I suspect the most common question that people ask God begins with “why.” Why was my house destroyed in the fire? Why am I so unhappy? Why don’t...