April 2, 2022 USELESS FAITH
James 2:14-20 “What use it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and is need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled, and yet do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, ‘You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
James does not mix his words; there is no way one could not get the message that James is conveying. James drives the point home very clearly; the faith that is of God is evidenced by works. Of course, we know that salvation does not come by works, but by the wonderful, undeserved grace of God. There has been an misunderstanding regarding grace that opens the door to sin. I have heard it said that “It does not matter what you do because we are under the grace of God.” That belief surely leads to shipwreck. As I read the passage above, I am compelled to examine my faith; do I just claim to have faith and yet not show my faith by works? Am I to busy or too unconcerned to put my faith into action; or too busy to even see a brother who is in need? We must understand, as James says, that faith without works is useless. The faith of God that we have is empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit-that is key. God is a God of action and a God who cares; and that same nature of God has been put into us-He has given us a new nature like His. As we go about life, we must be alert to the work of the Spirit as He leads us to be expressions of our faith. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Let us be on the look-out for the good works that God has prepared for us. Often, the good works we are called to do are very practical in nature; such as giving food and clothing, helping with a project, sharing a word, praying with someone, writing a letter or a note to someone, visiting the sick---and the list goes on. God has already equipped us to do the works He calls us to do. As we go about expressing our faith by our works, we will discover that that is what we are designed to do, and we will be blessed in the process. Hebrews 10:24 is a verse that the body of Christ needs to embrace-“And let us continue to consider how to motivate one another to love and good deeds.” Again, we are not to do good works as a way of trying to earn God’s approval; we do good works because faith is active and faith expresses itself through works. As James makes so clear; faith without works is a useless faith. May we be alert to the opportunities that would allow us to express our faith.
2 Thessalonians 1:11 “To this end we also pray for you always that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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