Faith and Works....

This concept is often quoted by people, believers and non-believers, and often misused. Faith and works. People think “works” earn brownie points with God. They think If I do this more or that a little more, God will love me more, He will bless me materially if I just do a little more. That’s the wrong kind of attitude to have. Works are evidence of our faith, not the substance of our faith. Faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed. Christians place their faith in Jesus. He is the only Object worthy of our saving faith. The rewards we receive because of our faith are the intrinsic feelings we experience when we put others before ourselves in carrying out God’s will in our lives. It’s the satisfaction we get in seeing the relief in others’ faces when we provide a financial contribution in the last hour, or a meal to a hungry family, or even a hug in the most desperate hour. Works only prove our faith is real. Not only to others, but to ourselves as well. Here’s the true test of faith and works: ask yourself, “is my sole purpose to glorify God by giving of myself in helping others, or is there something in it for me?” If the latter is true maybe you need to really examine your faith. Maybe your faith needs a little work to become real.

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. 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?21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. James 2:14-26