Back it Up

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

I’ve hired a bunch of people during my life, and normally, somewhere during an interview, people have the tendency to boast about their abilities. When I look over their resume, I might ask them why they would like this type of job, and many times they will explain that they are a good salesperson, very helpful with customers, and an extremely hard worker. Although these types of statements perk up your ears as an employer, sometimes the potential candidate is only saying these things in order to get a job. But if they are going to make these types of statements, then they will be required to back them up when they show up for work. They will have to prove in real life that they are the person that they claim to be on paper

This reminds me of the Christian Life.

How can you possibly show somebody that you are a mechanic unless you fix their car for them? How can you possibly show somebody that you are a good cook if you never make them a meal? Works define what we are, and in Christianity, they are the outward evidence of an inward faith. The Apostle Paul was a preacher, and the things that he did proved it. Timothy was a minister, and the things that he did proved it. James was a servant of Christ and the things that he did proved it. There’s an old saying, put your money where your mouth is. If you claim to be a Christian, then you had better have evidence to back it up. 

“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.”  James 2:18

For many years, certain forms of false Christianity have preached that we are saved by faith alone, but the Apostle James who learned the true Faith directly from Christ Himself, preached that faith without works is dead. I find it incredible that someone would actually believe that works are not a part of our own salvation, simply because works are what define that you are a Christian. Those who follow Christ Jesus will be filled with works, just as He was, and is!

John 14 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.

“But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” John 5:17

It is through the works of many different men that we have the teachings of scripture that we have today. It is through the faithful and obedient works of Moses that played a part in delivering the Israelites out of Egypt. You would have to conclude that Noah was saved by his works. It was his belief in the approaching judgment of God that resulted in building an ark, which saved both him and his family from the flood. After all, if he hadn’t done anything, he would have perished. Works in the Christian Life are incredibly important because they play a part in our own salvation. Works of obedience to the will of God prove our love towards Him, because without works, Faith doesn’t really exist at all.

James 2 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.

The Apostle teaches that faith without works is vain. Vain means purposeless and without effect. Just knowing that Jesus died on the cross to deliver us from our sinful condition should cause a person to renounce sinful living, but for many reprobate Christians, that is not the case. They really believe that they are on the way to heaven, while their works completely deny that.

Titus 1 ¹⁵ Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. ¹⁶ They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

These people are worse than complete unbelievers because they sin willfully against the knowledge of God, and probably would have fit right in with the people who dwelt in Capernaum. If you truly possess faith righteousness, it will result in mortifying the sinful deeds of the flesh. This is because you know in your heart that God will destroy those who won’t. Faith righteousness is when you believe in God enough to turn from your wicked deeds. If you never turn away from sin, then you really never had faith in the first place. 

Many people have reduced the Christian Life to just claiming that they believe in Jesus, but without conversion and repentance, they will come short of eternal life. This is because the faith that they profess is really not Faith at all. They just want to obtain eternal life but do nothing that is required on their part to obtain it. I call that a lazy faith, although technically it’s not Faith at all. The Apostle James calls it vain.

It reminds me of people who come to work and expect to get paid by sitting around and doing absolutely nothing. They demand more money, but won’t do what is required on their part to reap that type of reward. People are not going to get paid at a job unless they get up and go to work. People are not going to get corn in from the field unless they go out and harvest it. The backyard isn’t going to cut itself unless you pull out the lawnmower and start cutting. Yet in many forms of false Christianity, they have adopted this type of foolish and lazy mentality. It’s the do-nothing to obtain something attitude which goes completely against the teachings of scripture. The Christian Life requires effort on our part, because without Spirit-filled activities, the faith that they profess is void and vain. The Apostle Paul warned about this type of attitude.

“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:1

When you believe in something, it’s going to result in an action of some type. If I believe that we will go fishing tomorrow, I will hook up the boat and put our supplies in the truck. My faith in future events resulted in my actions today. If I believe my tire is going to go flat on my truck, I’ll swap it out with my spare before heading into town. My faith in future events resulted in my actions today. If somebody believes that God is going to judge people at judgment Day, their faith in future events will result in a drastic change today. Without a change in your lifestyle, without turning from sin, without an effort to obey the will of God, the faith that one professes is vain. Those who teach such things are going to lose any hope of eternal life, along with those who hear them.

Christianity is more than knowing the will of God, it is about a complete transformation into what God wants us to become. It’s more than faith alone, but being filled with works of obedience to the teachings of Christ. It’s more than having a good interview or even a good resume; it’s having the works to…..

….. Back it Up

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious goups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️

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