Pastor Logan has been spending sometime with us on the subject of Practical Christianity from the book of James. The book of James is an amazing book to study when it comes to this subject matter of faith in action. I want to keep what he spoke about on Sunday fresh in our minds this week in this blog by recapping what he has talked about.
James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?
James asks this question of what good is it if someone claim to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? It's a question we need to ask ourselves, what good is it if I claim to have faith but do not have works? What benefit does it have? If I don't have works to back up what I claim why even bother claiming to have faith?
It is vital that we practice what we believe. There has to be evidence of practicing faith. There has to be fruit being produced. If you claim but don't produce then whats the point of your faith?
Can such faith save him? No. Such faith alone without the evidence of works can't save you. If you tell me you have faith but no evidence it is the opposite of God. Look at Jesus & his ministry, everything he did involved faith in action. The miracles he performed, the healing of people, making the blind see, feeding the 5,000 with 5 loaves & two fish. He demonstrated faith in action.
Faith without does not have power or ability.
Look at verse 15-17 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed," but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 in the same way faith, if it does not have works is dead by itself.
This passage is a great illustration of someone who does not put faith in action. Imagine you was this person in need & someone tells you to go in peace, stay warm & be well fed & goes about their business without providing the need. Think of the story of the Good Samaritan from Luke Ch 10:25-37. Go & read it. But to summarize 2 people see this wounded man on the side of the road & walks on by but then this Samaritan stops & helps the wounded man & provides for his needs. The Church needs to step up & serve those in need. See the need & meet the need. That's putting faith in action.
The bible also says you can have faith as small as a mustard seed & you can speak to the mountains to move & they move. You don't need a lot of faith, you just need to take action. The challenge this week, serve someone. Put your faith in action. To make it no longer dead or dormant begin doing something productive.