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.
Up here in Northern Minnesota, when we believe that winter is coming, we will make sure that we have all of the wood that we need in order to get through the cold months. When we believe something with all of our hearts, it leads to actions. If you believe that it’s going to rain sometime during the day, you will go outside and bring in all of the clothes from the clothesline. When we believe something with all of our hearts, it leads to actions. If you see a large dead tree that’s hanging over the roof of your garage, you will hook up cables and cut it down before it damages the building. When we believe something with all of our hearts, it leads to actions.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
When someone truly believes in the Lord Jesus, it’s going to cause a huge reaction in their lives, just as it did in the life of the Apostle Paul. Genuine faith will cause you to depart iniquity, renounce sin, and become a doer of God’s Word.
James 1 ²¹ Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ²³ For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: ²⁴ For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. ²⁵ But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
The teachings of scripture can save us, but only if you apply them to your life. This is exactly what the Apostle Paul taught Timothy.
“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Timothy 4:16
As we study God’s Word, we are learning about the man that God wants us to become. Through an obedient heart, we are transforming from a sinner into a saint. There are many people who are very familiar with the teachings of scripture, but you must remember that knowledge by itself doesn’t save us. For example, you might know the posted speed limit on the highway, but then choose to drive 40 mph faster, resulting in the ire of the patrolman. People can understand the will of God, but then leave the church, and live their lives exactly the way they want to, rather than the way God wants them to. There’s a great difference between knowing God’s Word, and abiding in God’s Word. Those who possess genuine faith in their hearts, will believe in the teachings of scripture enough to repent of their sins and lovingly submit to the will of God. Without obedience, it’s only lip service Christianity.
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46
Repentance is the outward evidence of inward faith. Repentance is so important that without it people will perish. That means no matter how much time that they spent sitting in a pew, no matter how much money that they gave to a church, no matter how many deeds that they have done for the Lord, if they never repented of sin, they will be turned away on Judgment Day.
Matthew 7 ²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Incredibly enough, many of the people who were very religious, didn’t believe in Jesus or John the Baptist enough to turn away from their own sins.
Matthew 21 ²⁸ But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. ²⁹ He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. ³⁰ And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. ³¹ Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
Genuine faith will result in actions that produce fruitful works of obedience towards God. For example, Noah’s huge faith in God resulted in a huge Ark. The faith of Moses resulted in leading all of the children of Israel out of Egypt. Works are the outward evidence of an inward faith, by which we can become pleasing unto God, and find grace in His sight. People can quickly profess that they believe in Jesus, but without works that are led by a sincere and obedient heart, their faith is dead.
James 2 ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
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.
Genuine faith is much more than saying “I believe.” It is more than just hearing the teachings of scripture. Those who truly believe in the Lord, will have the evidence of repentance, and the works to back it up, because wherever you find real faith…..
……Actions will Follow
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 groups. 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 all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
tlkjbc.com
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 