Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

Reading From James 1-5

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 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…his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  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. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” —Excerpts from James 2:14-24

The relationship between faith and good works for salvation is not an either/or situation. One produces the other. Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works lest any man should boast. How does this passage from Ephesians square with the truths expressed in James? Genuine faith (belief and trust in Jesus) is necessary to experience justification (right standing with God) by grace (the undeserved favor of God).

This grace is not passive or permissive, grace is transformative. When we are born again we become new creations in Christ Jesus and God takes up residence in our hearts and lives by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspires us with His love and empowers us by His supernatural strength to lead holy lives and do good unto others.

We do these things not to earn God’s favor or earn our position in His Kingdom. We do these things because of His favor and our position. Both are purchased for us by the blood of Jesus. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. Nothing any human can do can add anything of value to what the Lamb of God has already accomplished.

Genuine faith produces good fruit in our lives. Faith produces works. We prove that we are Christians by our love and if we claim to love God, we will obey Him, according to the book of I John. John the Baptist said to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

James uses the example of Abraham as did Paul. Paul used the patriarch as an example of salvation being by faith from first to last. James uses him as an example of how Abraham believed and his faith was proven to be genuine by his actions. Abraham believed God and put action to his faith by leaving His home and traveling to Canaan. He further proved the veracity of his faith by his willingness to give up his son.

“Heavenly Father, in You we live and move and have our being. I pray that Your children would surrender to You and yield to the movement of the Holy Spirit in and through their lives. Without faith it is impossible to please You. Bear good spiritual fruit in our lives. May we prove our faith and trust to be genuine by our compassion and sharing Your love and message with others. Amen.”

See, the enemy is puffed up;
    his desires are not upright—
    but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness

—Habakkuk 2:4

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. —John 13:35

Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. —Luke 3:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. —Ephesians 2:8-10