Thirdly, we must put what we have learnt from the Word into action. This is not an option, for the Bible teaches us how to live. The Bible makes it very clear:
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."
James 2: 17-18.
Do not be confused here; it is not our works that earn our salvation. That is grace. What the Word means here is that faith and works are inextricably linked- faith must lead to works, otherwise it is not true faith. When Jesus told His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him, He certainly would not have been pleased if His disciples had spent hours meditating upon His words and nodding their heads in earnest belief, and not moved an inch from where they were. If we truly believe in what the Word, and for that matter what God tell us, we would want to put it into action. I think it would be even clearer if we read on in James:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?" James 2:21-22.
If Abraham had convinced himself in his heart that he would be willing to sacrifice his son Isaac as God commanded, but not taken the long pilgrimage to the mountain, what would his faith be? Nothing but empty promises! But as the Word says, his faith was perfected by his works. In the same way that faith leads to works, it comes full circle when works perfect faith.
I want to testify of this, that it is just as applicable in our everyday lives as it was in Abraham's life thousands of years ago. I receive God's commands primarily through meditation upon His Word, but they are at that point head knowledge that my heart believes in. It is only through trying to carry out those commands in my life that they truly become meaningful, like a bud that blossoms into a flower. When I make the effort to practise it, it moves from "head to heart" so to speak- it gets burned deep within my heart and soul. And it is through practising it that I understand far better and deeper the meaning of the Word. For example, I can understand very clearly what it means to love my neighbours from the Word, but it is only until I struggle to put it into practise, that it truly becomes part of me. From the Word I know that I must trust God with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding, but it is not until I struggle with every breath to practise it in the face of every adversity that I learn how to do it. You can learn all there is to know about flying a plane, but it is not until you sit in the cockpit yourself and take to the air that you learn how to do it.
Jesus Himself said, "I must work the works of him that sent me..." John 9:4.
"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."
James 2: 17-18.
Do not be confused here; it is not our works that earn our salvation. That is grace. What the Word means here is that faith and works are inextricably linked- faith must lead to works, otherwise it is not true faith. When Jesus told His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him, He certainly would not have been pleased if His disciples had spent hours meditating upon His words and nodding their heads in earnest belief, and not moved an inch from where they were. If we truly believe in what the Word, and for that matter what God tell us, we would want to put it into action. I think it would be even clearer if we read on in James:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?" James 2:21-22.
If Abraham had convinced himself in his heart that he would be willing to sacrifice his son Isaac as God commanded, but not taken the long pilgrimage to the mountain, what would his faith be? Nothing but empty promises! But as the Word says, his faith was perfected by his works. In the same way that faith leads to works, it comes full circle when works perfect faith.
I want to testify of this, that it is just as applicable in our everyday lives as it was in Abraham's life thousands of years ago. I receive God's commands primarily through meditation upon His Word, but they are at that point head knowledge that my heart believes in. It is only through trying to carry out those commands in my life that they truly become meaningful, like a bud that blossoms into a flower. When I make the effort to practise it, it moves from "head to heart" so to speak- it gets burned deep within my heart and soul. And it is through practising it that I understand far better and deeper the meaning of the Word. For example, I can understand very clearly what it means to love my neighbours from the Word, but it is only until I struggle to put it into practise, that it truly becomes part of me. From the Word I know that I must trust God with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding, but it is not until I struggle with every breath to practise it in the face of every adversity that I learn how to do it. You can learn all there is to know about flying a plane, but it is not until you sit in the cockpit yourself and take to the air that you learn how to do it.
Jesus Himself said, "I must work the works of him that sent me..." John 9:4.
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