God's Mighty Men This has been a discussion that has been in the back of my mind for a few weeks now… Faith Verses Works – What does that mean?
As Christians we know that it is only by Faith that we are Saved and not by our Works so as that we can Boast. I understand how that works – it is the greatest gift that is given to us.
My Pastor (Shaun) has been preaching through Hebrews 11 for the last few weeks and verse one has always been my favorite Bible Verse:
Hebrews 11:1 – Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Now comes my hardest question for myself – How do I live that in my daily walk with Christ… Chapter 11 talks about Faith in Action and gives accounts for several People in the Bible that lived this.
My Promise Keepers study Bible has a section on this Chapter and I would like to share a couple of Paragraphs:
“As followers of Jesus Christ we’ve been called to a life of faith. When the Bible’s writers discussed faith they weren’t merely writing about thinking positively, being an optimist or following through on a hunch. They spoke of faith as the rock-solid internal assurance that unseen things are real, and that promises made would come to pass. – Ultimately, the only way we can please God is by faith. Religious activity apart from faith doesn’t please God. Neither do good deeds. Only faith and the kind of life that flows from faith pleases God.”
As I read this and thought of Pastors Shaun’s explanation of a few of the People in the Bible that lived and showed this – it started making Sense.
- Moses: He had to depend on the promises of God that he would get him through all that was ahead of him. When you read the Journey that Moses took – it was built on Faith and Action… As the verses stated about the People of Israel walking across the Red Sea on Dry Ground it tool allot of faith – As Pastor Shaun stated – can you imagine doing that and what it looked like.
- Rahab the Harlot: She was giving Shelter for the Spies – she could only go by the Faith in what she had heard about – and then take action. As Shaun stated – look what came out of her linage (You will need to look this up).
All the people mentioned in this Chapter had Faith – but you were able to see their Faith by their actions… The passage in James describes what Faith and Works should look like.
James 2: 14>26: 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
18 But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. 20 Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, that faith apart from works is barren? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, 23 and the scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness”; and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.
The scripture above really puts it into perspective what an Active Faith Should look like.
So my only hope to my questions from above is that: “I know I am saved by my Faith – but I will live a Life that is pleasing to God so that he can see my Faith by what I am doing. People will see Jesus in me.”
Bobbyg
