Hammer on Anvil '

Chances are, you find yourself doing it. If you haven't ever noticed yourself doing it, ask the people closest to you to see if they have noticed (maybe a spouse or child, they tend to see us at our best and worst).

Well, wasn't that a great start? Makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside doesn't it?

I have been doing some thinking about what the Biblical author James says in his letter. Let's take a look at it.

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can that faith save him?...So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" James 2:14,17

We live in a world where it is okay to say you believe two things that are polar opposites. We believe that stealing is wrong, but there are certain things that are just okay to take (company pens, money we see fall from a lady's purse, online music). We know that lying is wrong, except maybe small lies that can help us advance in society. We are so quick to make excuses for ourselves. "I believe it is wrong, but in this case it was okay!"

I hear statements like this all the time. We are able to rationalize this kind of thought by living in a culture where we make up our own rights and wrongs. Believing these two opposites do not make us hypocrites, it's just the way we are. We make up our own rights and wrongs.

What really gets me is when Christians do this. "I believe in Jesus, but I am going to continue living in my old way of life. I will keep doing whatever I want, God will understand. At least I'm saved."

That way of thinking goes completely against Scripture. It is true, works do not save us but after we have repented of our sins, we are called to live the life God desires. Our actions, or works, should be a reflection of our belief.

James says later in chapter 2 that, "even the demons believe and shudder." He is pointing out that it is not good enough to simply believe in your mind that God exists. Satan and the demons are not disputing that point. What makes all the difference is how we live!

When we know something is wrong, yet we continue to do it, we are sinning and separating ourselves from God all over again. Put your belief into action and let go of that sin.

When we know we should be doing something, yet we neglect to do it, we are sinning. Get out there and do the work that God has prepared for you to do (Ephesians 2:10)!

One reason people do not come into the Church is because of the way we trash our faith in front of them. Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds. It is so important that we let go of our selfishness and our need to live however we choose and instead we cling to the one who has saved us and we begin to put our faith into action, because as James says "faith without works is dead" and I do not want to be caught with a dying or dead faith.