Even the demons believe

I want you to know something, we have something in common with demons. Much like we believe in Jesus so did the demons. Now I bet that you didn't know that and are wondering how we can be different becauseI don't want to be like demons and you probably don't want to be either.  Lucky for you and for me, there is a way that we are and can be different. Believing in something is having faith, so I have faith, you have faith, and demons have faith that Jesus is real. 

So what can make us different? Our deeds and our actions. 

What good is it, my brothers and sister, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? (James 2:14)

When someone claims to have faith, what he or she may have is intellectual assent-agreement with a set of Christian teachings-and as such it would be incomplete faith. We say all that we want, but without doing anything our faith isn't complete. True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If our lives remain unchanged, we don't truly believe the truths we claim to believe. 

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:17)

We cannot earn our salvation by the things we do. Serving the homeless or volunteering your time at a charity aren't things that solidify our spot in heaven. But such actions show that our commitment to God is real. Deeds of loving service are not a substitute for, but rather a verification of, our faith in Christ.

I hope that by now you are seeing that faith without deeds is dead and our true faith is going to be shown by our deeds and actions. It's not about claiming you have faith, but actually doing something about it. 

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Issac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not be faith alone. (James 2:21-24) 

James writes that Abraham was righteous because of what he did and Paul says that he was justified because he believed. Paul and James are completing each other here. We are not justified by what he do in any way. True faith always results in deeds, but the deeds do not justify us. Faith brings us salvation; active obedience demonstrates that our faith is genuine. 

Another person who demonstrated faith with deeds was Rehab. When Israel's spies came to the city, she hid them and helped them escape. In this way she demonstrated faith in God's purpose for Israel. As a result, she and her family were saved when the city was destroyed. 

Fatih -> Deeds -> Righteous -> God's Friend

When we have faith, and our actions show that our faith is genuine, we are considered righteous, and when we are righteous, we are called God's friend. I want to be God's friend every day and I hope that you do too. 

I hope this post was an impactful for you as it was for me. I know after writing it, I want to show that I have genuine faith because of my actions and deeds.