Dead Faith

Growing up in church, I always heard, "All you have to do to be saved is believe in Jesus. Just believe and have faith." And while I believe that statement is true, I don't think it is ALL of the truth.

Here are a couple verses from James 2:

14: What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if people claim to have faith but have no deeds? Can such faith save them?

17: Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

26: As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James is pretty clear. You can have faith without actions, but it is a DEAD FAITH.

Dead=Not living

Not living=incapable of producing fruit

We are created to know God and produce kingdom work to bring glory to God. If our faith is dead, this will not happen.

These actions that James talks about are not some sort of legalistic list to make sure we do. You know, read 1 chapter of the Bible a day, pray for at least 10 seconds in a row without distraction, go to church, don't cuss, don't flip people off who are jerks when driving... The list could go on and on. 

James is talking about something deeper. He is speaking of actions that flow out of a deep ad overwhelming sense that we are God's hands and feet in whatever place we find ourselves. If we meet a hungry person, we cannot just pray for food for them. We must answer the prayer! That's what living faith does.

Let's shake off any dead faith that tries to sterilize us and live in the power of a God who calls us to a living, active, world-changing and shaking faith.

"Give me Christ or else I die!"