FAITH AND WORKS OF OBEDIENCE
The Word of God states: “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” (Luke 6:46).
Yet it says, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14-26). Furthermore,, the Lord Jesus Christ asks, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). The biblical Word of God gives us different examples of faith with obeying, and faith without obeying the Lord God.
BIBLE EXAMPLES OF FAITH WITH WORKS OF OBEDIENCE
ZACCHAEUS, a tax collector, who cheated people out of their money, believed in Jesus and did works of repentance. Being short, Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus as he passed by in a crowd of people. Jesus ask Zacchaeus to eat at his house. As Jesus was eating in Zacchaeus home, he recognized Jesus as Lord and was convicted of his wrong doings. He told the Lord, I give half of my possessions to the poor, and I will pay back four times the amount to anybody I have cheated. Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:1-10).
ABRAHAM’S faith in God was affirmed by obeying God in taking his family to live in a land that only God knew where (Genesis 26:1-5). Abraham’s faith was further affirmed when he prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac on an altar in obedience to God (Genesis 22:1-12). Abraham believed and obeyed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6; Galatians 3:6).
EXAMPLES OF FAITH WITHOUT WORKS OF OBEDIENCE
SAUL was a King of God’s people, but showed a lack of true faith by not obeying God. The Lord instructed Saul to wait for the prophet Samuel to offer a burnt sacrifice before going to war. When Saul saw his soldiers scattering, and the prophet not having yet arrived, Saul offered up a burnt offering, seeking to gain God’s favor. Samuel arrived just as Saul had finished making the offering. The prophet told the king, “You have done a foolish thing…You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.” (1 Samuel 13:5-13).
On another occasion, King Saul did not obey God. Saul did not destroy all the enemies and their possessions as God told him to do (1 Samuel 15:1-23). When Samuel confronted him on his disobedience, Saul said, “The soldiers…spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.” The prophet of God replied: “To obey is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:1-22).
DEMONS. The Bible tells us that even demons know that Jesus is the Son of God; but they still do works of the devil (Matthew 8:28-29; Acts 19:13-15; James 2:19-20). And it tells us the devil is the father of people who do not obey the Lord (John 8:44).
OUR SHOW OF FAITH AND WORKS OF OBEDIENCE
Those of us who truly believe in the Lord, recognize that God loved us so much that he gave his only begotten Son to die for our sins (John 3:16). We repent of our sins and ask God for forgiveness (1 John 1:8-9). We do not willfully go on sinning that God’s grace may increase; but we ask God to strengthen us against our weaknesses (Romans 6:1).
We recognize others as our brothers and sister; and love them as Jesus loves us. We tell others the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16). And we endeavor with all our heart, mind and soul to obey and please our loving Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. (Matthew 22:37-39; John 14:15)
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