Walking With Jesus (Faith) Намуна

Faith and Works 

We may be confused by the pair of faith and works. The book of Romans says that we are justified by faith and not by works. On the other hand, James asserts that faith without works is dead. Some people use these two Bible passages to argue against the infallibility of the Bible.

When faced with seemingly contradictory statements from the Bible, we should try to "reconcile" them. This means that we should not see them as a contradiction but as something that complements each other. Then, how do faith and works complement each other?

Suppose there is a woman who gets married and becomes pregnant. Will she relax, calm down, and do nothing? Will she sit still and wait for the baby to be born? Of course not, right? Pregnancy itself changes the mother's diet, lifestyle, and sleep patterns. Her whole life patterns completely changed when she found out about the pregnancy. The mother changes and adjusts to the pregnancy to prepare for the birth of the baby.

Believers are not much different from the pregnant woman above. We are conceived by the seed of God's word or the seed of God's promises. Just like that pregnant woman, we can't stay calm and passively wait for the fulfillment of the promise to happen as if it fell from the sky. Faith, like pregnancy, inevitably changes our entire pattern and lifestyle. If it is not cared for and maintained with the right pattern, the seed of faith can fall in the middle of the road, and we will not be able to participate in witnessing the fulfillment of God's promise. On the other hand, faith moves us to live as if the promise was already in our hands. As a result, we live earnestly. We prove our faith through our actions. Our actions are the evidence of our faith. Confession alone without real action makes that confession to be a figment. Acting without confession makes the culprit become a miserable person.

Therefore, faith must be equipped with deeds, and deeds are the evidence of our faith.

Reflection:

1. Do you have faith in Lord Jesus Christ? What do you do as evidence of your faith?

2. How can your actions affect someone's faith?

Application: 

Do you have faith? Do not just sit still – do something!