Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
James 2:18
Today, notice again that James uses the same terminology. He says, “a man may say” speaking of the person who claims to have faith and displays it with works. Here, James is saying that this man’s claim to faith is legitimate. It’s actual faith because it shows up visibly in his life. The works don’t create the faith; rather the works help to show the authenticity of the faith that is claimed.
I played basketball throughout my high school years. I lived for it. One of the things I used to do a lot is go to the park to play with whoever showed up. Many times there would be guys who off the court would talk a big game. They would talk about how much they loved basketball and how good they were at it. The truth in those claims showed up once we started playing the game. If they were true, it showed up in the way they played. My dad and coaches used to tell me “Let your game do the talking.” Sometimes in the middle of games the other team would “talk trash.” If we were winning the only response that was needed was one word–“scoreboard”!
It’s the same with our faith. If it’s real faith, you won’t have to say it for it to show up. We should talk about our faith, but that shouldn’t be the only evidence that it exists.
Application:
Is your faith authentic? Do you just talk a good game, or does your faith show up in your daily life? Does your faith show up in your schedule? In your bank statement? In your conversations and testimony?
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
This passage is saying that somepeople have faith and some people have works, but god is gonna judge you or shew you by his faith and his works or someone will shew you by there faith or works, but what does works mean in the passage??
Works here just means visible actions that benefit God and others…Visibly seeing people do what is right and not do what is wrong….Does that make sense?
Ok my faith i believe is authentic! Authentic means that something is real, it’s not fake. I don’t play the game called church, I actually got saved 3 years ago, on september 15th in Pastor Ben’s office @ 7:15pm!!!!!!! 🙂 then Mrs.Bales was there with Pastor Bales, and mrs.bales toke $20 out of her pocket and gave it to me! Then she asked what r u going to buy first? Then I said I wanna new bible! 😀 thts fo’real here! Because it happened when I ignited with God!!! I just was on fire for God!!!!!!!!!!!! And I couldn’t wait for more! And I still do! There is so many things he has given us like the bible for example! To learn about him from it!!!!! 😉 thts what I got out of the passage today!!!!! 😀 love u guys and U guys tmrw!!!!!!! ❤
Hehe I LoVe you too!!! 🙂 <33
My faith is Authenic!! I got saved about 3-4 years ago in abbey’s front yard!! (dykeman) im on fire for God!! Like tristian said,i don’t play the game called church! NEVER!!! i love 2 share my faith everywhere i go! I can’t wait 2 see what else God has to share w/ me from the bible!!! and 2 other people!! love u guys and see u guys tmrw!! 🙂 ❤
What this is saying is that people say they have faith they love God but really there just acting we all tend to do that but a good way to show you have faith is to go tell other people about God. KNOW,GROW,SERVE, GO.
KNOW GROW SERVE GO! ! ! ! ! ! ! !!
I’m digging it B-LAKE!
I’ve been saved for a long time, but I think just recently my faith has been showing up in my everyday life. About a year ago, I did play that game called church! I just went to church because it was fun and I was a Christian. I thought “Christians go to church, I’m a Christian, so I go to church.” I never really went to learn about God, although once in a while I would learn something. I mostly went because it was fun, and my friends were there! I think now it’s totally different! Now I LOVE going to church and learning about God! I learn a lot now, compared to before and I’m really working on putting my faith into actions! I think it was the same way with my devotions. I did my devos because I felt like I had to, now I love doing my devos because I learn so much! These online devotions have really been helping too! 🙂
I think lately my faith is becoming more and more authentic, but I still have a long way to go! I feel like I say that a lot, but it’s true! My faith has definitely improved so much over these past couple months, and I hope I will continue to grow and put my faith into actions! 🙂
Very transparent… I like. We all have a long way to go, but part of what can help keep us going is the excitement of what we learn along the way. 🙂
The example about basketball is totally relevant to these verses. It’s so easy for us to say that we’re a Christian by just saying, “I’m a Christian.” Would others know that I’m a Christian because I told them, or because I display Christ in my faith and actions? Like Pastor Ben said, we shouldn’t have to say I have faith in this so it should happen. We should just have the faith in our hearts that God will make it happen. Same thing with displaying Christ to our peers. We shouldn’t have to tell everyone we’re Christians for them to know we are, we should be displaying godly traits to others and when people see that we’re different they’ll know it’s because of Jesus. Faith is a such an important thing to grab ahold of. We did a whole devotional series on, “Authentic faith” and just when we thought we knew everything about it, it comes up again, with more stuff to it! That shows how important faith is. I’ve been struggling with something for the past few days now, and God has really tested my faith. He’s asking me do I have faith in Him that He’ll get me through this, or will I give up because I don’t think it’s possible. I’ve been praying and praying because I know God’s testing my faith. He wants me to stand up against this situation, and to continue to follow Him. Not to give in to the doubtful flesh, but to the hopeful heavenly father! My faith is not always what it should be to those around me, and I think we all struggle with that. I pray that God would have me to use my faith as a testimony to those around me, so not only can I bring the lost, or others who doubt Him, back to Him, but so that when others look at me, they see that the faith I have in God, is not because I say I have it, but because my actions display it! I pray for authentic faith!
These verses are so crucial and important! God is so great to give us a book filled with His word, and a guide to life! 🙂
I think my faith in the past few years has grown tremendously! I trust God with everything, even thru the bad times. I just know in my heart that no matter what God will be there with me & help me thru it. When i was little, i got saved, & grew up in a “christian” home, with all God’s morals and i knew what God wanted me to do & what not to do. But when i started coming to Sonshine 2 years ago (seems ALOT longer lol) i just started to realize what true authentic faith is! Im living my life for God, and to be faithful to Him, not for myself! Sometimes i wish i was more of an example to others at school, but as i grow to love God more and more, it shows to my peers! I dont have to do good works exactly to show it, which i find cool! Good works are obviously awesome, but if we do it for the glory of God and not just for an image 🙂
“Actions speak louder than words. Talk is cheap” These are phrases that we all have heard at least once in our lives, but I am sure many more times than that. They are really true. It kind of relates to the verses that speak about telling someone to “be warm and filled” when they are hungry and naked. The words there don’t really mean anything because we are not acting on the thoughts that come out of our mouths. I think as believers we struggle with follow through. I know I do. We tell someone that we will pray for them, but do they cross our minds the next day, or was it just something said to make everyone “feel” better? These verses are huge because we get to come out and live like Christ through our actions. If we believe what we say then we will act upon what we have said. The more chances we have to show our faith through trials and tribulations, the more that our faith will become real and authentic in our lives. Its a wonderful cycle.
I have been challenged through these verses to 1. ACT upon what I am saying, have follow through; 2. LOOK for more opportunities to ACT upon my faith so that others might see Christ living in me.
I’m digging your use of CAPITALIZATION!
My faith is Authenic!! and people say they know about God and they really dont care they use that as a mask for other people. But why do people do that if you know God than do what he wonts us to do. By not doing what God wonts you to do is like not really caring about it, people also think that cause God is not right there with you or watching you they think he is not there at all and thats wrong he is there and he is watching you every move you make he is there watching you. But than agin I know I was like that at when I was little I really didn’t know that much about God, But pastor Hardy when he was a Pastor at our church he is the one who helped me get saved with a bounch of other kids and I really didnt get it even after that and I still didn’t think God was there with me. But thte point is evrry body should have faith in God and should never let that go. Go out and tell people so they can have fath in God and they don’t have to play the God and Church game they can go out and tell other people
i agree w/ kendra! We need 2 show REAL authenic faith!! if we r just playing a game called church,we need to get real! If we say we know God and say that 2 other people but we really don’t and then at church u say u do cause u want 2 fit in at school or anywhere else thats wrong!! we need 2 get rid of that mask and show authenic faith and know God!! 🙂 i also agree w/ blake too!! we need to KNOW.GROW.SERVE.GO. we need 2 KNOW God’s word and apply it.we need to GROW in what he’s teaching us.we need 2 SERVE God with the word.And we need 2 GO and tell others about him!! 🙂 I just want to take a minute or two to tell u guys how much i appreciate you.it is SUCH a blessing 2 hv u guys as my church family.u guys r ALWAYS there 4 me and each other in times of sorrow and in pain.Im NEVER gonna find ANYBODY else like u guys! EVER!! this is coming from my WHOLE heart!!not the bottom!! hehe!! 🙂 u guys r the best ever!! 🙂 p.s., could u guys please pray 4 my sis!! she has pinworms in her stool! 😦 love u guys!! ❤
Thanks! 🙂
Good post Allie. I prayed for your sister!
welcome!! 🙂
“stop talking about it and be about it!” that’s want my uncle says and it is so true sometimes we just talk to impress people but we should be doers of the word and not hearers deceiving your own selves.