Faith and Deeds in Christ Jesus!

“… faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” – James 2:17 NIV

All of us ought to know that faith and deeds have to work together (James 2:14-26), when we are living out our ordinary lives. Otherwise, we are considered to be obsolete people on the earth. However, this can affect our spiritual lives as well, especially when we want to follow Jesus Christ. This is because the word of God states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) This means if we have only faith in Christ Jesus, we are saved but not fully saved and at the end of the age, we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. This is because Jesus proclaims:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. (Matthew 16:27)

Secondly, if we only have deeds, we are possibly feel like we are living in the truthful way but we are completely dead spiritually. This is because it is based on religion. In addition, religious activities cannot make us to be saved and take us into the eternal kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:22-23). The word of God urges many times to us about believing in Jesus Christ until the end of the age, such as John 3:16-18 and John 11:25-26 since He proclaims to be the way of the truth and the life (John 14:6). Furthermore, Jesus declares:

The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent. (John 6:29)

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

Therefore, God, our heavenly Father (Ephesians 4:6) has given us His Spirit to abide, in order to transform our desires and passions into godliness (2 Peter 1:3-11). “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8) He also has given us His Word so we may abide in it and know how to become righteousness of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 1:17) “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) Thus, for these reasons, the Spirit (Romans 8:1-13) and the Word of God (Matthew 7:24-27) are extremely important for us, especially for those of us who want to be intimate with Jesus Christ and follow Him until the end of the age (Philippians 1:27-29). Hence, He have said,

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. (John 10:27-30)