Hello Advent Family,

 

What is something that you truly believe in? The thing about believing in something is that it affects your behavior inevitably. You believe you can accomplish something so you go out and do it. You are afraid of something so you avoid it. What we believe affects how we live. James talks a lot about this in his letter. Let’s look at chapter 2 together today. 

 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

 

Of course our faith should be followed by works. James is not saying that it is our works that save us. He is pointing out that if, in fact, our faith is genuine it will of course be accompanied by works. When you love someone of course you want to please them. When we love God we want to follow His word by loving others. When we live lives of love our lives are filled with good works. We serve others, we help and encourage others, and we meet each other’s needs. When we authentically believe God and His word we do something about it. Today and every day let’s seek to live out our faith by being people of love – it’s why we are here!

 

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave