Faith and Works

admin November 15, 2020 0 Comments

James 2:26 ESV

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

“Work” typically has a negative connotation in my mind. I associate work with something I have to do but don’t feel like doing. I separate out work from play or fun. But with God, the word “work” couldn’t be more different. Work is designed to be the expression of our abundant, life-giving relationship with our heavenly Father. God doesn’t call us to work out of obligation or to earn his love, but to live our lives in response to his love. It’s for this reason that Scripture is clear about God’s intention for the marriage of faith and works.

James 2:26 says, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” What is our faith if it doesn’t produce action? What is the nature of our relationship with God if it doesn’t cause us to live differently? Often we have a misunderstanding about what it is God would have us do if we were to truly submit our life fully to him. And our misunderstanding veils our heart from receiving the fullness of life and enjoyment of the work God intends for us.

Often we believe if we were really to hand over our life to God in faith he would call us to do a lot of things we don’t want to do. Maybe we believe he’d call us to a foreign mission field, to make little to no money, or simply to live our lives awkwardly and intrusively. If you only remember one thing today, remember this: God will only ever lead you to a life perfectly, uniquely, and wonderfully designed to bring you and others around you the utmost fulfillment, purpose, passion, and joy. Everything he calls you to he intends to use to satisfy the desires of your heart. Maybe he is calling you to something you don’t fully understand yet, but if you will say yes to him, the very calling that you possibly feared most will be the satisfaction of a dream you didn’t know you had.