“You see that faith
was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.” – James
2:22
Faith and works have such an intimate relationship in the
Christian life. They are inseparable and
like marriage the two become one. They
interweave themselves together with the purpose of being fruitful and
multiplying, producing more Christian offspring.
Do you suppose faith is like man? Like Adam being made the first of mankind, so
faith appears first in God’s creation of our new lives in Christ. We must have faith that only Jesus, God’s
provision and way, can connect us with the holy and perfect God. We can do absolutely nothing to earn a place
in heaven. As man was created as the
last creature adding spiritual life to the world, so faith adds spiritual life
to us. Our deadness is cast aside and we
are made alive. Adam was given the job
of stewarding God’s world, as well as being the head of the soon-to-come
family. Do you suppose our faith has the
responsibility to steward and keep charge of our works, preventing
self-righteous and empty ambitions?
Do you suppose work is like a woman? Like Eve was created after the man, so works
appear after faith. Our gift of
redemption and faith in a forgiving and loving God, causes us to live a life of
gratitude. We live wanting to please God
and yet recognize that we ourselves still can’t do anything on our own. Any good, even after faith, is due to God
working in our life. As woman was
created as the crown of creation adding beauty, so works crown our faith. Works beautify this world and show God’s
faithful hand and caring touch. Eve was
given the job of helper-completer and life-giver as she submitted to her head,
Adam. Do you suppose our works complete
and give life to our faith? Do you suppose
that keeping our works submitted to our faith keeps them from being selfish and
aimless?
Faith and works have a holy bond. May we keep them in perspective and offer
them to our Savior as a sweet offering.
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