Walking the Walk!

Nobby · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 10:24 am Post subject: Walking the Walk!

"Faith That Doesn't Show Itself By Good Works Is No Faith At All." James 2:17 TLB

Are you walking the walk or talking the talk? The Bible says, "what's the use of saying....you are Christians if you aren't proving it by helping others. Will that kind of faith save anyone?
It isn't enough just to have faith. You must do good to prove that you have it.
"Faith that doesn't show itself by good works is no faith at all."
" Faith without works is dead."

People are more impressed by your actions than your words.
I'd rather see a sermon, than to hear one any day. Very Happy

I may misunderstand high advice someone gives me, but there's no misunderstanding, how they act & how they live. " Think about it!
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Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Nobby · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 4:14 pm Post subject: Walking the Walk!

Fake, the only probem with works is, they won't save you !
But a professed born again Christian, you should see & expect good works.
Nobby

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Nobby · Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 7:16 pm Post subject: Walking the Walk!

Hi Fake,

Dshadna · German Shepherd Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 344

James 2:14-18; 26
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do
26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

I think, personally, what is being said here is that if you see someone in need, we are required, or at least we ought to do something to help them in one way or another. That if you see they need something and walk away, that your faith then is not enough...it must be accompanied by actions.

The way that we win a person to Christ, is not just by *preaching* the Word, but by living the Word. I guess a simple way to explain is by remembering an old saying I've heard.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Can be used in context with something such as we can say we will help the poor, the hungry, the needy, but until we actually do, who will believe us?!

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

RevJP · Moderator Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 7005 Location: USA

Well Fake, I hope your pity train takes you to the places you want to go. I don't know you or the true nature of your life, however, if I were to draw conclusions based on your posts I would have to say that you are a victim, you try to be a good person, help everyone (possibly to your own detriment) and wallow in pity, that you are such a good person but no one appreciates it and now you are 'forced' to believe in God if you are to get the reward you feel you so richly deserve.

But, that might not be you, just a conclusion based on what you've said on this board.

For me, I see God's grace as a reprieve from a life of pain, suffering, torment, and unsatisfaction. I see it as God standing there patiently holding out his hand to a drowning person, offering that person help from certain death, and that person chooses to be helped or choses to continue drowning.

Nothing in God's grace is with condition - it is freely given out of love, you have placed conditions on it. "I will accept your love and grace only if it is given on my terms, in my time, by my design."

Now to dthe original post:

I read James 2:17 thusly:

17 ~ So also faith if it does not have works (deed and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power - inoperative, dead.

I don't read it has faith without works is not faith, I read it as saying that we can have faith, but a powerless faith, a faith that does not provide everything promised, if it is not backed up by works. Does this mean that we have to follow the law, or work in a soup kitchen to reap the benefits of our faith? Not really. But works for the Christian must include living a Godly life.

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Nobby · Posted: Sat May 17, 2003 10:41 am Post subject: Walking the Walk!

Hi Rev,

millerbussey · Posted: Tue May 27, 2003 3:16 pm Post subject:

Fake, if God were as hateful as you say, He would have swatted you when you said all of those terrible things about Him. but you have a choice in what you believe. His love is voluntary. and so what if He says catastrophic things will happen to you eventually, if you are disobediant to His commandments? you don't believe in Him anyway. Right?

Dshadna · German Shepherd Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 344