Christian Universe ™
Home | Christian Resources | Christian Links | Links | Site Map
Faith With Works
March 30, 2014
Many emphasize faith in Jesus as being the only step to becoming and remaining a Christian for life. Faith is only the beginning of what God asks of us. It puts us upon the pathway to righteousness, but is foundational. We need it first, but we need to prove our faith by doing what God has told us to do. One might talk about his or her faith, but do their works substantiate their claims? God will judge according to the deeds that we have done while in this fleshly body. - Bernie Parsons
Faith With Works
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to Globe church of Christ on 03-30-2014
Presented to Load church of Christ on 04-20-2014
We have been looking at
working our faith. God made us to work. He brought forth believers in Christ
to do His wonderful works. Let’s look at some of the ways that we can do His
work.
Doing the work of God can be
as simple as giving a cup of water to a thirsty person.
Matthew 10:41 "He that
receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's
reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man
shall receive a righteous man's reward.
42 And whosoever shall give
to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name
of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."
Note that it is not merely
the giving of a cup of cold water, but doing it in the name of a disciple.
The context here is to support the work of the Lord as we live among the
unblelievers.
Taking it to a more
complicated level, it can mean using one’s talents and resources to help
others who are worse off, as did the lady named Tabitha, at Joppa.
Acts 9:36 "Now there was at
Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called
Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
37 And it came to pass in
those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they
laid her in an upper chamber.
38 And forasmuch as Lydda was
nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent
unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.
39 Then Peter arose and went
with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and
all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments
which Dorcas made, while she was with them."
You begin to see that the
context is one of helping the less fortunate, whether that help is on a
simple level and involves little work, as in giving the cup of cold water,
or making clothes to give to those who need them, which entails more work
and cost.
Doing the Lord’s work can be
complex, such as rendering assistance to someone who is severely injured,
and seeing that later needs are also met.
Luke 10:25 And, behold, a
certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?
26
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 And he answering said,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as
thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou
hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify
himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said,
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves,
which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving
him half dead.
31 And by chance there came
down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the
other side.
32 And likewise a Levite,
when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other
side.
33 But a certain Samaritan,
as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion
on him,
34 And went to him, and bound
up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he
departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto
him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again,
I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three,
thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that
shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."
In the above account, several decisions to do God’s work took place.
First, the Samaritan made a decision to possibly put his own life in danger
in order to check on the injured man.
Second, he administered what amounted to first aid, saving the man’s life.
He took time out of his own journey and business to do this, spending his
own resources to save the life.
Third, he transported the man to a safe place where he could receive
continued medical care.
Fourth, he left money to pay for the care, and promised to pay anything
above and beyond what he left with the caretaker.
The truth is that our faith is meaningless unless we exhibit that faith in
the lives that we live, and the assistance that we provide others during
their times of need.
James 2:14 "What doth it
profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can
faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be
naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto
them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them
not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath
not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou
hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I
will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there
is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain
man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father
justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith
wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was
fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by
works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not
Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers,
and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without
the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
We say that we have faith.
Let us “put our money where our mouths are”. Our deeds will prove our faith.
Abraham believed God, and so prepared to offer his son as a sacrifice. Will
we step forward and do even less than that by responding to the pain that
our brothers experience?
Talking about love is not the
same as performing love. Hoping that someone’s needs are met is not the same
as seeing to it that their needs are met. Wishing someone well is not the
same as relieving the suffering that they are enduring.
Some tell me that God will
take care of His own, but they fail to understand that God largely does His
work through His children here on earth. We are taught to take care of each
other, to make the troubles of life more bearable, and to alleviate
suffering as we encounter it. Christianity is not just saying that we
believe that Jesus is Christ, the son of God, but also living as people that
God will claim as His own.
How else will we persuade the
unbelieving?
