Faith Alone is Dead...

Scripture:
James 2:14-17 (NIV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 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? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Devotional:

Faith alone is meaningless.  With just faith how does the body of Christ grow?  With just faith how do the hungry get fed?  How does the work of the Holy Spirit get accomplished?  James tells that faith without action or works is dead.

I firmly believe that our actions speak louder than words ever can.  I can say I am a Christian.  I can go to church on Sunday morning with everyone else.  On the outside it appears I am a believer.  Then the rest of the time I am living a life of the world instead.  What will people believe?  What are their thoughts about Christianity, or me?  There is nothing to show for my faith.  No one will believe me or really come to know Christ.

However, I can live a life of Christ and change lives.  People will see Christ in me.  They do not have to hear the words to know who Christ is.  They find Him in my life.  What do your actions say about your faith?  Are you living your faith?  Are you doing those things which Christ would have you do?  The question to ask, is the body of Christ feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, visiting those in prisons, giving shelter to the homeless?  Is the body of Christ doing its job?  Or is the faith within the body of Christ dead? 

I read one time where someone wanted to reach out to the homeless in their city.  They got tracts and flyers about Christ and what it meant to be saved.  They walked around passing them out.  In the end they couldn’t understand why their project failed.  They asked someone why no one seemed interested and just dropped the pamphlets.  The answer was a simple one.  People couldn’t eat paper pamphlets.  The pamphlets couldn’t give them any shelter.  Realizing that people needed their basic needs met was more important than receiving a piece of paper. 

Their next time around they provided food for them to eat, and a place to get warm.  They had a huge turnout.  After the homeless were fed and warmed up the gospel was shared.  Faith with works, or actions, will change the world.  Faith all alone is dead…