"Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?"
James 2:21
Two men were prayer partners. One man said, "I have prayed for God to do some things in my life, but nothing seems to be happening." The other one said, "Maybe nothing is happening because God wants you to do something."
Faith is not passive but active. Faith that simply talks and does nothing is dead faith. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26). Prayer should always include these words, "Lord, what would You have me to do?"
Faith is not passive but active. Faith that simply talks and does nothing is dead faith. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26). Prayer should always include these words, "Lord, what would You have me to do?"
It is true that we are saved by grace through faith and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, verse ten goes on to say, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Someone has said, "Works are the fruit of salvation, not the root." God's work in us always begins by grace through faith. Works are the result, following a living faith.
A living faith is like a hand moving within a glove. We see the glove and not the hand, but we know that the energy moving the glove comes from the hand. When God's hand of grace works faith in our lives, the glove works and moves. The glove without the hand is lifeless. So it is with our faith. The works of faith are the outward result of God working within us. Only then do we have a faith that works.
Father, work in us both to will and do of Your good pleasure.
