Do people around or close to you ,ask about your faith? Have you had discussions about spiritual things where they tell you what they believe and you tell them what you believe? Some people believe that a relationship with God is only by having faith in Him and what He did for us, while other believe that if they do lots of good deeds, that this is good enough and all that God wants and expects from us. Our faith has to be practical and actable. It is faith in action!
Key Verses
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
James 2:14-25
Practical And Actable Faith From Us
Our life should show evidence, practically living our faith and showing by action, that we believe what we say we do.
Practical And Actable Faith From Abraham
- God promised Isaac to Abraham and Sarah after they waited many years
- God told Abraham to go sacrifice Isaac
- Abraham believed God. He sacrificed his only son, Isaac
- God told Abraham to stop suddenly when he put Isaac on the altar.
- God provided a substitute lamb in place of Isaac, since Abraham followed God’s Word and His plan
- Abraham called righteous by God! He believed God(practical) and took action(actable)
Practical And Actable Faith From Rahab
- Joshua sent two spies to look over the land, especially Jericho.
- The spies went to Rahab’s house(she was a prostitute). They stayed at Rahab’s house.
- The King of Jericho sent Rahab a message to bring the spies who entered her house.
- Rahab hid the spies instead. She asked that the men show kindness to her and her family. She knew that these spies were godly.
- God sent the spies in a different direction to go home.
- When God told her to do something, she obeyed Him.
- God called Rahab righteous because of her obedience.
- Rahab is in line of David and as a result, in the line of Christ.
- Rahab lived her faith practically and in action.
Show Me Your Faith Then!
What ways can you show your faith in a practical and actable way? Can people see in your life, that you are different? Today, and in the future, think about the way that you live your life. Are you following God in obedience, living and showing your faith to others in a real obvious way? Consider how you can best do this, so that God will call you righteous as well!