“My brothers, what profit is it if a man says he has faith and does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and if one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what good is it? Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself. But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith from my works” Jas 2:14-18.
I have sometimes wondered about this scripture on faith without works. I began to ponder and ask the Lord about this statement, the Lord dropped the word obedience in my spirit and the penny dropped…. Faith without works is dead, invariably also means Faith without obedience is dead.
There is no doubt that it is through faith which is a gift from God that we are saved. I am convinced by Paul’s statement that we are saved by Grace not by works. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:28 “…..that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law”.
On the other hand our obedience is what demonstrates our genuine faith. We are saved by grace to then go on and do good works as the Lord commands. Hence this scripture in James which tells us that “faith without works is dead” . Our obedience is therefore a true reflection that we have faith in God. We can not say we have faith and hold back when God is giving us a key to our breakthrough. Your breakthrough is tied to his command. When God says act it is because He has a plan, a supernatural plan.
Over the years many of us have lost out, we have not received what we have believed God for because we have either not listened to or have disobeyed Him. Many years ago as we were believing God for a car, God asked us to sow into getting our Pastor a car. It was at a time when we were struggling financially. We obeyed and even when we felt we should stop, we were prompted to continue. It was therefore no coincidence when we were blessed with two cars in one month.
Faith will cost you; it will cost you your time and your comfort.
Faith makes you step out of your comfort zone at the command of the Lord.
Faith makes you give your last flour and oil, not knowing whether you will have anything to eat after the prophet is eaten and gone.
Faith will ask you for everything, even your last penny.
Faith will ask you to go the extra mile.
Faith will ask you to love the unlovable.
Faith will ask you to forgive the unforgiving.
Faith will ask you to obey, when it does not make sense.
J H Oldham says “A living faith is not something you have to carry, but something that carries you”. Your faith in God should propel you to obedience. When God says jump, you don’t ask why, you ask how high? Because you know He has something planned for you. Your obedience is the key to God’s fulfillment of His promise.
To the children of Israel He said if you are willing and obedient, you will eat the fruit of the land…Isaiah 1:19 If Peter had not stepped out of the boat how would he have experienced the miracle of walking on water? If the little boy had not given his five loaves and two fishes how would he know that through him thousands could be fed and 12 baskets left over? I want to challenge you today that the key to your restoration is faith and obedience.
“Faith will ask you for total obedience to God, even when it doesn't make sense to your natural mind. You obey God and pay the cost anyway. When you do this, you've just opened the door to God's supernatural provision, even in the midst of what seems totally impossible.” - A quote from Shirley Williams.
Hear and obey. So you have faith, but you are not obedient, is it not fruitless? Faith is an action word, not passive.
