Keep The Faith-Don’t Let The Enemy Win

“Ye see then now that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”  James 2:24

The greatest obstacle to fear is faith.  We can’t be fearful and faithful at the same time.  Those two terms are contradictory to each other.  Fear says, “I am afraid of what’s going to happen” and faith says, “Whatever happens, I know that God has the situation under control and will work it out for His purposes.  He knows how to take care of my family and me, and He always works in the best interest of folks.”  The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28 that “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”  If you will notice that there is a caveat or rather a requirement in that promise, and that is that we must love God if we desire that He work in our best interest.  It always irks me when people ask where God was in some catastrophic event when all the rest of the time they couldn’t care less where He is.

Speaking of faith, how can one show that he or she has faith except through living a life as Christ lived upon earth, that is, doing good works, helping, and loving people.  People act on what they believe.  If they truly believe on Christ and His finished work on the cross, then they will be compelled to follow His example of good works.  Just doing good works does not save a person.  Paul made that clear in Ephesians 2:8-10.  He wrote that we are saved into God’s family by God’s grace through our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His sacrifice on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin.  There are no works or following the law that can save us so that we cannot take credit for our own salvation.

It was God’s intention all along that those who trusted in His Son would use their lives to follow Christ’s example of good works in service to Him and our fellow human beings.  If our good works could save us, then why in the world would Christ have to suffer and die?  James wrote that our works justify us and not faith only.  The Greek word used here for justify is “dikaioo” which means to show one as innocent.  Therefore what James is saying is that works show whether we have faith or not.  He had already said in James 2:18 that a person shows his or her faith by his or her works.  Basically doing good deeds, helping others, spreading a little sunshine, allowing others to go ahead of you in the cashier’s line, giving of your time, talents, and money, not complaining and whining, staying positive in trials, like our current pandemic, and being kind to all people is how one shows that he or she has faith.  I suppose one could do all of these good works without knowing Christ, but He makes it a lot easier.  His love compels His followers to show forth His goodness consistently through putting their faith into action.  The old saying is so true:  “Only one life, ’twill soon be past; Only what’s done for Christ will last.”