Faith and Works

 There is a direct connection between having a living faith and having the works that follow after that faith. Without the faith, there can be not true spiritual works. Without the works, there is no living faith. James makes this very clear here. (James 2:20) All we have to do is to use our heads and think about this for a minute. We should know we can't cut faith and works in two and end up with anything but a corpse, which is dead faith. This is so important I want us to see this, so we can know for sure about our salvation. 

There are many people who say they have faith in God or in the Lord Jesus, even, but there is no evidence of that faith. When we examine their lives, not being judgmental at all, just observing how they live, we do not see any works of the Spirit in them or through what they do. This is a clear sign of a lack of true faith. Once we have faith, there will be works, because the Spirit comes to live in us, and He empowers us and leads us to do those good works. They do not save us. We are saved by the grace of God as a gift, once we surrender to Jesus as our Lord and Savior in repentance and faith. However, the Word of God is clear that we are known by our fruit. If we bear good fruit, which is good works in the power of the Spirit, then we are saved. If there is bad fruit or no fruit, we do not know the Lord, so that change has not taken place in our lives. We have no faith or dead faith, which can't save anyone.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read James 3-5.