13 For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.
Faith in Action
14 Dear
friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the
right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith
indicate that a person really has it?15 For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved16 and
say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the
Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup
of soup—where does that get you?17 Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?
18 I
can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take
care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.” Not
so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I
can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and
faith, fit together hand in glove.
19 Do
I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then
observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something
wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do
them?20 Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut
faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?
21 Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar?22 Isn’t
it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith
expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”?23 The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.”24 Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?25 The
same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s
spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and
doing—what counted with God?
26 The very
moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate
faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'm
grateful that so many of you have messaged me privately, called me or
told me in person that these notes/posts are encouraging to you. I
appreciate that a great deal. I would love to hear your thoughts on
this passage...comments or questions welcome. Prayers, praises and
prayer requests also welcome. I am working on the directive to "take
every thought captive" and so would also appreciate any encouraging
words or things that speak to you. Share away.
Random thoughts from a woman who wears many hats...Christ follower, wife, mom, working professional, friend, most of the time herbivore, sometimes raw foodist... trying to juggle it all, keep it together and look good doing it. Taking life one day at a time.
Now glory be to God!
By his mighty power at work within us,
he is able to accomplish infinitely more
than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
Ephesians 3:20
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Thursday, March 29, 2012
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