Thoughts for another day

April 24, 2012

Today's verse: James 2:22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

There's a great deal of discord between certain denominations of Christians about faith and works.  Some believe faith is the only ingredient that leads to salvation, while the other maintains, without impinging on the importance of faith, that works are more important.  Of course both groups take support for their arguments from the Word of God, using certain Scripture to reinforce their beliefs.

While it's altogether another thing that Christians shouldn't disagree on doctrinal issues, they yet do and the sooner they're illumined and cleared, the better it is. To that end our Scripture today makes a great contribution when it says that Abraham's faith was wrought with works and thus was made perfect.   Now, without getting into anything that'll provide fodder for protagonists or antagonists of one or the other view, I'd like to state that it's important for a Christian to know the God he serves for in that process he'll meet face to face with many truths.  One great truth for me is, when you're close to God and believe He reigns in your life, you work and act in a manner pleasing to Him.

Further, I'll say that undoubtedly faith in God is prima facie required to dialog with Him and learn from Him.  Once you have this faith in Him, then your work and your words will always be congruent with His ways.  For me faith is very important; for if I don't have faith, I cannot even talk the smallest thing about Him as that would amount to hot air.  The Bible clearly says, 'he that comes to God must believe that He is…'  If I don't believe then whatever I do isn't for God and could be for other reasons even though I may mouth that it is for God.  When you believe in God you automatically think, your language becomes better and your mannerisms become more like Jesus.  The propensity to be kind will take root in you and your intent will be to please God rather than man and so on.  So therefore I firmly believe that faith in God has to be accompanied by works, or else one may need to check what kind of faith he has.  And similarly, you may do all works but if you lack faith in God, it is to no avail.