13-Feb-2024 – Do you have works corresponding to your faith?

Published by Sunil Binkam on February 13, 2024February 13, 2024

though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? – James 2:14

The Book of James is straightforward on many aspects, and today, we are going to delve into one of them: faith and works. It is true that we are saved by faith and not by works.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:8,9

It is also true that we are called to do some works.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them – Ephesians 2:10.

These both words are in the same chapter and they are together. So there is something God wanted to convey to us regarding the faith and works. When we consider a believers life, before he becomes a believer in Jesus Christ, he did not have faith in God. Because he was not having faith in God, he obviously did not know what is good in the sight of God, so he did not perform good works in the sight of God.

But when the gospel of the salvation through Jesus Christ came to him, the Holy Spirit convicted him of his sinfulness and he believed the message and put his faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and got saved and became a born again believer.

Till this point, his works could not qualify him to become a child of God but his faith in the finished work of Jesus could make him a child of God. This is is what Paul was talking in Ephesians 2:8,9. This salvation is not earned by our works but we got it freely when we believed the message of the gospel of our salvation.

Once we are born again, we are made the children of God and the Holy Spirit of God is given to be with us and within us, to guide us through the perfect truth via the word of God. If Holy Spirit has to guide us, then something is not complete with our salvation. So salvation through gospel is the entry point only. Now comes the second part which talks about the works that God ordained for us to do after we are saved.

These works are not to become children of God, but they are required from us because we are the children of God. How do we know that we are the children of God? by faith. How do we know how a child of God should behave? from the word of God. How do we behave like a child of God? by faith in the word we learned. In every step of our walk in our life, we will have faith in the teachings of the word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Now, how do we show our faith? By performing the actions according to our faith. For example, I have complete faith that God is motivating me to compile these daily devotionals and I have faith that the base word is given by the inspiration of His Holy Spirit. How do I show forth my faith? By doing the work of writing it as I received. This is what James was talking about the works. To specific these works are faithful works.

If a person says he has faith that God is capable of leading him victorious through the troublesome situations, how can he show his faith? By standing strong without being demotivated. That stature proves his faith. If he does not stand strong, his faith is in vain and it is equal to dead faith. This is what James was talking about. The best example for this kind of faith substantiated by works is the life of the friends of Daniel before the king.

The question for us today is – “Do you have works corresponding to your faith?”

Prayer

Dear loving heavenly Father, thank you for your love and grace. Today you taught me about the importance of works corresponding to my faith. Many a times, I could not stand on what I say I have faith in. But help me now to stand strong in my faith. When I stand strong, I am acknowledging that my God whom I trust in is capable of doing what I am having faith for. Help me to display this nature as a witness on this earth. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!