Faith and Works

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 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? 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. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 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. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (Jas. 2:14-26). It has been said that "money talks." Well I’ve got a saying better than that, and that is that FAITH WALKS, and it walks after the Spirit of God (Gal. 2:6; Gal. 3:11; Gal. 5:16; Rom. 8:14). And make no mistake my friend about faith and works, for the scriptures plainly and consistently state that we will all be judged according to our works (Eccl. 12:13; II Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:12). To believe that one’s works and doings of their life will not be the determining factor of whether they are saved or lost in the end, is to believe the most FAITHLESS of all doctrines. If you do NOT believe that, then read the above passage from James again, only this time slower and more honestly. If “the love of God [has been] shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost,” then it is going to motivate us and move us to do godly and righteous things in our lives (Rom. 5:5; Rom. 13:10; Tit. 2:11,12; Heb. 6:10-12). Prov. 4:23 says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” If God’s love has been shed abroad in our hearts, and we keep our hearts in that mode, then the “issues [goings forth] of [our] lives” will be those which are synonymous with that love. If that is not our case then we are going to be in a lot of trouble. Amen.