James 2 is one of those chapters that screams at me. It says, Put up or shut up! It doesn’t technically use those terms but it is quite clear that those who call themselves followers of Jesus should be about action.
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.[f] Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
The old adage is true…Actions Speak Louder Than Words. I’ve been around way too many Christians that can talk a good game but at the end of the day they don’t back it up by the way they live. James says that our actions are evidence of our faith. I want to make it clear…we are not saved by our actions. We are saved by placing our faith and trust in Jesus and His death, and resurrection. However, those around us can’t see our faith. Faith is like the wind. You can’t see the wind but you can see the effect of the wind.
One thing I love about the people of Lifepoint is that they put their money where their mouth is. I am constantly hearing stories about people from Lifepoint feeding the hungery, caring for the hurting, mentoring students, providing for families, investing in God’s Kingdom…the list goes on. Keep it up Lifepoint your faith is very evident!
In the words of Toby Keith, we need “a lot less talk and a lot more action.”
How about you? Which verses stood out to you?
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Toby Keith would be proud!
Our Mission found again in 2:8 – If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself”, you are doing right.
My favorite: “Be assured, then, that faith without works is dead as a body without breath.”
good article on faith and works – http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/sites/www.cslewisinstitute.org/files/webfm/reflections/Apr07.pdf