But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
James 2:20
As Christians, we often cite John 3:16 as the key verse that leads to salvation.
Let’s read it together.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Every Christian in church on Sunday would agree with that.
I can hear them now,
“Hey brother, I believe in Jesus, amen!”
Unfortunately, that is simply faith without works.
In reality, a large portion of Christians will be back to fighting with family and friends come Monday. By Friday, they’ll be back in the bars or indulging in the ways of the world. Which many will try and justify.
Believe And Commit To Jesus
So let me ask, do those Christians really have belief in Jesus then?
If you truly believe in Jesus, then we honor Him, and prove our belief by living according to the Bible.
We should understand, the word “believeth” from John 3:16 can even mean “commit”. We are supposed to turn from the ways of the world, and “commit” ourselves to Jesus Christ.
Can you see the difference between “belief” and “commit” now?
“Commit” means we take action, not just acceptance.
Turn your Bible with me to,
James 2:19
Watch: James Chapter 2
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
James really brings the point home for us.
Look, even evil spirits believe in God, but they are going to hell.
Simply stated, belief is not enough.
Sure we are saved by faith, but we are rewarded by our works, (Revelation 20:12).
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Now good works are leading a life that is acceptable to God. Not just reading the Bible, but living by it, living by the words we read in Scripture, which includes raising our family in Christ.
Belief And Salvation
When I discuss the Bible with Christians, I typically hear, “all we need is Jesus”. This usually comes about when we begin to discuss the deeper aspects of the Bible. Not just the basics at the surface.
Unfortunately, many exhibit a trained response that is taught by the major denominations of the world. It is also one of the reasons why our world is so mixed up.
Look, we need Jesus, but our faith must be built on a strong foundation or it will be shaken and destroyed, (Luke 6:46-49). If all we know about the Bible is John 3:16, we are setting ourselves up for failure.
Works Prove Your Faith
This reminds me of the Parable Of The Sower, (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23). Jesus told us, some seeds were sown and fell by the wayside, stony places, thorns, and good ground.
The seed is symbolic for the Word of God.
All of the seeds started to grow, they found Jesus, but they were quickly destroyed by the elements of the world. They found the salvation message, yet, they had no foundation to build upon and those seeds perished.
A perfect example of “faith without works is dead”.
Only the seeds sown on good ground resulted in a strong healthy plant. These are symbolic of Christians who not only have belief in Jesus, but have a good foundation as well. These are the Christians who “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,” (2 Timothy 3:15).
A workman, not a faithman.
These are like the Berean’s who “received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so,” (Acts 17:11).
Without works, the world may just come along and snatch your faith from you.
Summary
Having faith is a wonderful thing.
However, it is the very basic tenet of Christianity.
Day by day we must build on our faith in God. We must expand our knowledge of the Bible which builds a strong foundation in Christ, documenting our works, and defending us from “the fiery darts of the wicked,” (Ephesians 6:16).
Ephesians 2:20
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;1 Timothy 6:19
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.