Faith that works

SCRIPTURE: James 1-5
“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” (James 2:22)
There is no such thing as true faith that does not work itself out in love.
If I say I believe in the grace and love of Jesus, yet I don’t live it out, I show I don’t believe it.
Faith that does not express itself in good deeds in incomplete… and therefore not faith.
James makes this point multiple times in this letter.
He seems to be responding to a problem among believers… what Bonhoeffer called ‘cheap grace’.

“Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession… Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

So many people claim to be ‘born again’ or ‘saved’, but do we see evidence of it in the world?
Why is it that the lives of Christians often seem little different from the lives of non-Christians?
This is not just about adding a few good deeds to your resume, so you can look good before God and others.
It is a heart that overflows with love for others, including the unlovable.
It is an eagerness to bless others, to share with others, to help others, to care for others.
It is a heart changed by God’s undeserved love and mercy, eager to let others experience it too.
The Lord is gently challenging me to look into my own heart: is it overflowing with God’s grace?
Is faith and action working together in me, is action completing my faith?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to go through my day eagerly looking for opportunities to put my faith into action by loving and blessing others.