life-changing

it's all about Godly doctrine that will give our life a true meaniing for living. This eventually bring about a fulfilled life.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

HOW WORK RELATE TO FAITH

HOW WORKS RELATE TO FAITH (James 2: 14-26)

What can make a sinful human being become acceptable to a Holy and Almighty God? Can God be ever satisfied with my attempts to live a righteous life? Is faith a gift of God or a work of man? Does God look with favor on me because of my faith, because of my works, or because of both? Is God satisfied with my having faith or my having works or both? How do work relate to faith in the sight of God and in the sight of man?

Some of the questions raised above have agitated the mind of the church right from the first century. In fact, the first church/mission conference to be held in the history of the church (Acts 15) was over the question of how works relate to faith. And the great question that raged during the Reformation in the sixteenth century was whether justification before God was by faith or works. The disagreement over this question brought about the division of the church into two hostile camps, the Protestants and the Roman Catholics.

This question of how works relate to faith is therefore fundamental to the existence and effectiveness of the church. Does God approve of me because I have faith alone or because I have faith and works? If works is in the picture at all, how should it be regarded; as a mother of faith or a child of faith? Is works the twin brother of faith?

The passage for our bible study, James 2:14-26, tackles these questions. Also, in Titus 3:5-7 Paul says God “saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but by virtue of His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.”
The above passage shows the major thrust of Paul’s thinking on the matter of how works relate to faith. But that is not all that Paul has to say on the matter. In Ephesians 2:10 he beautifully sums up the kind of emphasis James is making in James 2:14-26. Paul says Christians are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” In other words, the real Christian exists for the sole purpose of good works This is how James understands real Christianity. To him, a faith that does not issue out in good works is dead and useless. In fact, James wants us to understand that this kind of faith does not change ones candidacy for hell, like the demons that also believe in the Trinity and shudder at the greatness of God.

Watch out for how works relate to faith part II.

4 Comments:

At 9:22 PM, Blogger Perez said...

Thanks Andy for your advice. I will have to read your posting later for it is late...I find it hard to have a blog only for God and my views on that...I just kind of mix it all in, God and my life...Kind of like my life-God Bless you and take care-perez

 
At 8:26 AM, Blogger Perez said...

I was asking what you did in Nigeria? I mean what was it like there and why did you go and what happned. I have never been out of the states before and I just wonder what it was like in Nigeria?

 
At 8:33 AM, Blogger Perez said...

Well your posting answered questions for me but again I have more...But I should read my bible before I ask them, maybe it might answer them

 
At 8:43 AM, Blogger Perez said...

Okay I read it and well I just have one question: What is the works? Is it the helping of a person? Is it a good work when I give the person on the freeway off ramp money and say 'God Bless'? I just dislike pushing anyone into my religion. I always hate when someone trys to make me A 7 day Adventist or whatever else. I just tell people God Bless and help them, Is that a good work?

 

Post a Comment

<< Home