The tragedy of the church of our day, are the people who claim to be Christian, but who do not live as Christians. There are many people (I would like to be wrong) who say that Christ is their Lord and Savior, that they have been baptized, that they attend church regularly and that they even have leadership positions, but that they do not follow or live for Christ. They are people who claim to be Christians but who do not try to lead a pure and just life, do not care about helping the needy or sharing the gospel with the lost (they are like Christians only in name). Before I misinterpret, I want to clarify that the above does not mean that the Christian is saved by works or that it must be perfect or that it never fails.
But a true Christian does not practice sin as a way of life, but fights against sin, repents, confesses and departs. All for the power and grace of God.
Today's message is simple, we will try to discover the faith that God wants and we will do it by answering two questions:
FIRST QUESTION
Can someone have faith in God and not have good deeds?
SECOND QUESTION
Can a faith without good works please God?
Every intelligent and sincere person would answer the previous questions with a resounding no.
In James 2:14 we have the same answer.
"My brothers, what will it profit if someone says he has faith, and has no works? Can faith save him? "
Dear Brothers, today it is very important that we are safe if we have the faith that God wants, or if we simply say that we have faith and it is not a true faith in God.
A person can have two types of faith: a true faith for salvation or a false faith for perdition.
True faith is spiritual and false faith is only intellectual.
True faith in God is not just saying that I have faith, true faith transforms our behavior and our thoughts (Romans 8: 9)
If we say that we have faith, but our life does not demonstrate that faith with good deeds, that faith is not true and does not please God (James 2:26).
True faith for salvation results in a life of obedience to the Word of God (1 John 2: 4-5)
Salvation comes through faith and nothing else. We are not saved by works, but a saving faith always produces works. (Ephesians 2: 8-10)
If we truly believe in Christ, we will do what Christ says and live a life centered on Christ.
We will act as Christians and we will do works of love in his name.
Matthew 7: 21-23 21
"Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, do we not prophesy? in your name, and in your name we cast out devils, and in your name we did many miracles? 23 And then I will declare to you: I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. "
CONCLUSION:
Do you have faith? What kind of faith do you have? Is your faith proven by your actions? Ask God to give you true faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life and to help you show it with good works. Amen.
