Does Faith and Deeds Work Together To Save? (Study of James- Part 1)

This past week, someone who claims to be a Christian, was making fun of me, for wanting to reach people for Christ. He follows the world’s way and laughs with someone else at me, for wanting to go across the country, in one of the most sinful places in USA, to preach the Good News about Jesus Christ. Well, people always takes me for a joke. Well, this time I got with it and said “Aren’t you an Christian?”. He then told me, “Once saved, and always saved”. I rebuked him and said, “You hypercritical Christian, don’t you know faith without deeds is dead in its self. You can’t talk the talk and not walk it.”

14 “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. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” (James 2:14-24) (NIV)

You can’t be a Christian, and have nothing in your life to prove that you’re a Christian. That’s the truth, because the word of God is the truth. It doesn’t matter if you believe in God or know Jesus died for you, even the devil knows that and the demons, but are they going to Heaven? God gave us his Word, called Jesus Christ and also a written word called the bible. Can’t pick one and not the other, have to pick both.

What are deeds?

Examples:

1) You can give to the homeless

2) Pray

3) Walk away from Sin

Anything that will glorify the Lord our God. Read the bible and do as it says, since Jesus tells us that those who do his father’s Will, those are the ones who will be saved, and not only that, but must believe in Jesus Christ as Lord of their life. It’s just like being sold-out to Christ.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’  24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matthew 7:21-25) (NIV)

God didn’t give us his word to be lazy and read it, but to get up and live it.

Are you Christian? If so, do you have Godly deeds to prove you’re a Christian and do people around you on an everyday setting, know you’re a Christian, by your actions?

Think about those questions. If you find yourself answering, “No”, to those questions, you need to go talk with God.