The Diploma

Good morning and welcome in. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture but before that I wanted to tell you a story.

Imagine that you wanted to be a car mechanic so you went off to school and studied at the Vo-Tech.  After passing all of your tests you eventually became certified and got your diploma.  You bought a small garage and placed your diploma on the wall behind your desk in your office, but then you never attempted to repair any vehicles in town.  

Being a mechanic is more than having a diploma, it’s about having works that show that you are a mechanic.  It’s about doing the things that a mechanic does.  It’s more than having a garage and the right tools, it’s about people from town bringing in their vehicles to you to be repaired and them going home knowing that you did a good job on their car. It is our works that define the kind of person that we are and what we believe.

This is very similar to the Christian Life.  Christianity is more than just hearing God’s Word taught and preached.  It’s about the application of the knowledge that you have learned that results in active works and faithful obedience to Christ and His Word.  It is our works that are the proof of what we really believe.

Heb 4:1-2

1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

As we discussed the other day, God extends to us the free gift of His grace and forgiveness, but that grace needs to result in faith towards God in order to get all the way home to heaven someday.  Salvation is by grace but remember, it’s through faith. 

God’s forgiveness is like a key to unlock a door to a hallway, but you must go through that door and begin that walk down that hallway in order to eventually reach the other side.  It’s like somebody giving us a free map but if you’re not going to use it and believe what it says then you are never going to get to where you want to go.

Forgiveness through Christ is only the very first step in a lifetime walk with God. When we get submerged underwater and baptized into the name of Jesus Christ our past sins are washed away.  When we rise up out of that water grave we are supposed to begin a new life with God. The forgiveness that we have received needs to result in faith towards Christ and the teachings of scripture.

God gives us grace so that we can become transformed and grow into what He wants us to become. This happens by believing what the scriptures teach enough that you want to do what it says and it produces results.  Christianity is more than just a profession of faith, it is a dedication to God and His Word.  Real faith will lead you to action.  Faith is something that you can see because it is your works that display your faith to the world.

John 14:11-12 

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

A lot of the New Testament that we have today was written by the hand of the Apostle Paul. His epistles were a direct result of his faith in action towards Christ.  If you profess to be a Christian, people need to see what you believe.  It is your faith that causes you to do something, motivated by a desire to please God and to do His will from your heart.  It’s more than just going to church. It’s more than just hearing the Bible preached.  It’s more than just memorizing passages of scripture.  It’s more than just head knowledge, but an application of what you have learned that results in action.  No works, no faith.

James 2:18-26

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Many people in the world profess to be Christian today.  James teaches the church that they profess to believe in one God, but the devils believe the same thing!  Christianity is more than this.  A vain man is a purposeless man.  It is by our works that our faith is perfected.  

Remember that we are saved by the grace of God but it is through faith.  Real faith will result in humble obedience to Christ and His Word.  Abraham truly believed in God and his works towards God showed it.  Noah was a man of great faith. We can see the result of his faith by his great works, it was a huge ark to save his family and the animals off of the Earth.  Faith is something that we can see through works, and this requires becoming a doer.

James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

When God’s Word is mixed with faith, action is going to happen.  When we believe something with all of our heart it will produce a result.  If I really believe in my heart that it’s going to rain overnight, I will walk up to the driveway and shut the windows on my truck. My faith led to an action.

If you really believe that it’s going to be extremely cold overnight you might plug in your vehicle. This is a faith that leads to an action.  Your works show that you truly believed. I like to call this a saving faith, because faith without any activities or works is dead.  Faith without works is only a display of unbelief.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

When you believe something actions are going to follow. They will be results that people can see.  The Apostle Paul would send Timothy to check on the churches and to report back on what he saw. 

Can people see what you believe?  What are your works that prove to others that you are a person of faith?  What is the evidence that you are a Christian?  

It’s more than just a diploma.

Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing, I’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.💖

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