Faith Without Works

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS

 

“Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

(James 2:17, NIV)

 

Napoleon Hill says that, “Whatever the mind can conceive

and believe can be achieved.” While this statement sounds

rather grandiose there is truth in it. It’s little different to

what Jesus said two thousand years earlier: “According to

your faith be it unto you.” (Matthew 9:29) But as James,

the brother of Jesus, explained, without action, faith is useless.

 

As the old saying goes, you can’t steer a ship or a bicycle anywhere

until it’s moving. Zig Ziglar in his book, See You at the Top, put it

this way: “The largest locomotive in the world can be held in its

tracks while standing still simply by placing a single one-inch

block of wood in front of each of the eight drive wheels. The same

locomotive moving at 100 miles per hour can crash through

a wall of steel-reinforced concrete five feet thick.”

 

The important thing is that we get moving! As James said

“Faith without works is dead.”

 

We can’t do everything. But we can all do something to help another

along the way, to give a word of encouragement to a friend, to hug

a loved one, to give a smile to every person we deal with, to be

“as Christ” in some small way to every life we touch. And we can

certainly pray for others and for the salvation of those who need

the Savior. When we do this, the Holy Spirit and Jesus join with us

in interceding for them on their behalf (see Romans 8:26 and

Hebrews 7:25).

 

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to be a doer of

Your Word and not just a hearer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”