Pipiripi
Member
DO YOU HAVE A FAITH WHICH WORKS BY LOVE?
There are many sermons available today that speak of faith, and salvation through faith alone, which is true. But you rarely hear a sermon that shows us from the Bible what faith should LOOK LIKE in our lives. Christians are so afraid of doing works today, because deceivers have come into a sleepy faith that brings no glory to God. "Just believe!" we are told, and the message goes no further and people are left languishing in a 'faith' that does not allow Jesus to work His mighty works in and through them (Colossians 1:29). So what is obedience? Is it merely conforming to a set of rules, because 'God said so'? No! Everything done in our lives, must be of faith, in love. The apostle Paul put it this way:
Galatians 5:6.
Can you see what the apostle is saying above? What does true faith do? It WORKS. And not just that, it works BY LOVE. There are many professed Christians in the world who are in two categories, and BOTH categories are NOT of faith. The one says that we just need to 'believe' in Jesus, going no further, and not experiencing a true sanctifying life of faith. And the other says that we must do works to be saved. I would not want to be in either category. No, what the apostle Paul confirmed is what REALLY COUNTS, and that is a "FAITH that works BY LOVE." .
We are not saved by faith AND works, we are saved by grace through faith. But true faith in Christ Jesus will produce works of love. It is Christ who works in us (Philippians 2:13). So to have faith in Christ and do no works, when we have opportunity, is not faith at all. To be just is to be righteous, and a righteous man will do righteous acts. That is the fruit of righteousness. But how does he do these works? By faith:
By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice - Hebrews 11:4.
By faith Noah moved with fear preparing an ark to the saving of his family - Hebrews 11:7.
By faith Abraham obeyed and he went out not knowing where he went - Hebrews 11:8.
John 8:39.
Mark this point well - Who resides in us by FAITH? Jesus Christ through the Spirit. So who will LEAD us each day? Jesus Christ. And what will the Lord lead us into? Sin? Laziness? Worldliness? Entertainment? Selfishness? NO! - Obedience and good works. So if we have a true, living faith, we will gladly DO as the Lord DIRECTS! Yet is not us doing the work. It is the Lord through the Spirit. We simply have to ALLOW Him to do His work in us. The problem is, many of us are NOT allowing for Lord to work in us. Surrender and sacrifice is what we need!
Philippians 2:13
Now there are many who like to quote what Paul said of Abraham, but don't like quote what James said of Abraham. So let us look at both, so we can receive the WHOLE council of God. Both Paul and James were inspired by the Holy Spirit right? So we must use them both and thus gain a clear understanding:
Romans 4:2-3. James 2:21-24.
Is there a contradiction between Paul and James? No, as James also confirms that righteousness was imputed to Abraham due to his faith in God. But James takes it a step further, a step that many Christians today are afraid to take. James confirms that Abraham's faith "WROUGHT with his works". Now that word 'wrought' in the original language means to 'help'. In other words, Abraham's faith (of which was imputed to him righteousness), HELPED him to work. And that's what true faith will do for all of us. It will CAUSE us to work. Abraham was 'doer' of God's Word (James 1:22), BECAUSE he believed in God and His promises.
Hebrews 11:8
Abraham had a "FAITH that works BY LOVE".
Jesus confirmed Himself what James said and complements both Paul and James. Look at what Jesus said in John 15:4-6.
Matthew 25:33-45.
So if we abide in Christ, then we will bring forth fruit [works], because Christ will be in us doing the work. But if we are not bringing forth fruit, then shows we are NOT abiding in Christ and will be 'cast into the fire'. This is a serious message that we must understand.
Many are so quick to take the odd verse from Paul which speaks of 'faith only', and yet they ignore what the REST of the Bible, including Paul's writings, say about what faith LOOKS LIKE in our lives. Can we be saved merely professing faith yet continuing to live in sin? Can we be saved merely professing faith and yet doing no good works, if we have the chance to? [NOTE: The thief on the cross did not have a chance to SHOW his faith in Christ]. Let's take a look at what Jesus said:
John 14:12.
Now I asked this question to people who have been professing Christians for a long time. Are you doing the 'works of Christ'? Can you 'boast' of having faith and being saved and yet at the same time manifest no good works in your life? Look at the apostles and disciples of Christ. Did they simply boast about having faith? No! They were DOERS of the Word. They laboured day and night for the gospel and allowed Christ to perform His works in and through them. Look at my pioneers church. Did they simply boast of 'faith'? No! They too laboured day and night for the gospel, allowing Christ to work in them. They all had true faith - a "faith that works by love".
1Corinthians 15:10. Colossians 1:28-29. Galatians 6:8-9. Titus 2:13-14. Titus 3:4-8.
Will continue!
There are many sermons available today that speak of faith, and salvation through faith alone, which is true. But you rarely hear a sermon that shows us from the Bible what faith should LOOK LIKE in our lives. Christians are so afraid of doing works today, because deceivers have come into a sleepy faith that brings no glory to God. "Just believe!" we are told, and the message goes no further and people are left languishing in a 'faith' that does not allow Jesus to work His mighty works in and through them (Colossians 1:29). So what is obedience? Is it merely conforming to a set of rules, because 'God said so'? No! Everything done in our lives, must be of faith, in love. The apostle Paul put it this way:
Galatians 5:6.
Can you see what the apostle is saying above? What does true faith do? It WORKS. And not just that, it works BY LOVE. There are many professed Christians in the world who are in two categories, and BOTH categories are NOT of faith. The one says that we just need to 'believe' in Jesus, going no further, and not experiencing a true sanctifying life of faith. And the other says that we must do works to be saved. I would not want to be in either category. No, what the apostle Paul confirmed is what REALLY COUNTS, and that is a "FAITH that works BY LOVE." .
We are not saved by faith AND works, we are saved by grace through faith. But true faith in Christ Jesus will produce works of love. It is Christ who works in us (Philippians 2:13). So to have faith in Christ and do no works, when we have opportunity, is not faith at all. To be just is to be righteous, and a righteous man will do righteous acts. That is the fruit of righteousness. But how does he do these works? By faith:
By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice - Hebrews 11:4.
By faith Noah moved with fear preparing an ark to the saving of his family - Hebrews 11:7.
By faith Abraham obeyed and he went out not knowing where he went - Hebrews 11:8.
John 8:39.
Mark this point well - Who resides in us by FAITH? Jesus Christ through the Spirit. So who will LEAD us each day? Jesus Christ. And what will the Lord lead us into? Sin? Laziness? Worldliness? Entertainment? Selfishness? NO! - Obedience and good works. So if we have a true, living faith, we will gladly DO as the Lord DIRECTS! Yet is not us doing the work. It is the Lord through the Spirit. We simply have to ALLOW Him to do His work in us. The problem is, many of us are NOT allowing for Lord to work in us. Surrender and sacrifice is what we need!
Philippians 2:13
Now there are many who like to quote what Paul said of Abraham, but don't like quote what James said of Abraham. So let us look at both, so we can receive the WHOLE council of God. Both Paul and James were inspired by the Holy Spirit right? So we must use them both and thus gain a clear understanding:
Romans 4:2-3. James 2:21-24.
Is there a contradiction between Paul and James? No, as James also confirms that righteousness was imputed to Abraham due to his faith in God. But James takes it a step further, a step that many Christians today are afraid to take. James confirms that Abraham's faith "WROUGHT with his works". Now that word 'wrought' in the original language means to 'help'. In other words, Abraham's faith (of which was imputed to him righteousness), HELPED him to work. And that's what true faith will do for all of us. It will CAUSE us to work. Abraham was 'doer' of God's Word (James 1:22), BECAUSE he believed in God and His promises.
Hebrews 11:8
Abraham had a "FAITH that works BY LOVE".
Jesus confirmed Himself what James said and complements both Paul and James. Look at what Jesus said in John 15:4-6.
Matthew 25:33-45.
So if we abide in Christ, then we will bring forth fruit [works], because Christ will be in us doing the work. But if we are not bringing forth fruit, then shows we are NOT abiding in Christ and will be 'cast into the fire'. This is a serious message that we must understand.
Many are so quick to take the odd verse from Paul which speaks of 'faith only', and yet they ignore what the REST of the Bible, including Paul's writings, say about what faith LOOKS LIKE in our lives. Can we be saved merely professing faith yet continuing to live in sin? Can we be saved merely professing faith and yet doing no good works, if we have the chance to? [NOTE: The thief on the cross did not have a chance to SHOW his faith in Christ]. Let's take a look at what Jesus said:
John 14:12.
Now I asked this question to people who have been professing Christians for a long time. Are you doing the 'works of Christ'? Can you 'boast' of having faith and being saved and yet at the same time manifest no good works in your life? Look at the apostles and disciples of Christ. Did they simply boast about having faith? No! They were DOERS of the Word. They laboured day and night for the gospel and allowed Christ to perform His works in and through them. Look at my pioneers church. Did they simply boast of 'faith'? No! They too laboured day and night for the gospel, allowing Christ to work in them. They all had true faith - a "faith that works by love".
1Corinthians 15:10. Colossians 1:28-29. Galatians 6:8-9. Titus 2:13-14. Titus 3:4-8.
Will continue!
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