Now, I know you are all mainly continuing to read to see pics of Rina so I’ll try to oblige 🙂 This is Rina’s snowsuit, 0-3 months size. Too cute but a little big. We’re incredibly thankful for it, we’ve used it several times now to go out on walks and make sure she was nice and warm.
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Bryan and I have often talked about how it seems like the Church today keeps getting caught up in the fight that took place over 400 years ago. Faith vrs works. Now, believe me I am incredibly grateful for what God did through Martin Luther and the Reformation. BUT, it seems to me that THAT fight is not the main issue anymore in the Church today. So what is?
To be honest, I think we often end up asking the wrong question. For instance: what saves me – Faith or works? Well, we all know and often hear the Scripture passage “by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourself it is the gift of God not by works so that no one can boast…” (Eph 2:8-9) and we say end of question, faith saves me, therefore works are not important and have nothing to do with the issue of salvation. Oh, but maybe they do.
Who knows the rest of the sentence in Ephesians 2 – verse 10 goes on to state “for we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus TO DO GOOD WORKS which God prepared beforehand for us.” Hmmmmmmmm don’t usually hear that. Or what about this – Paul is stating his case before King Agrippa and giving his testimony. He says “… I preached that they should repent and turn to God and Prove their Repentance by their Deeds.” Hmmmmm, or this one in James 2 “… faith by itself if not accompanied by action is dead…. I will show you my faith by my deeds.”(17, 18) There are others but I’ll stop there.
Now, I am NOT stating that anyone can do anything good enough to get them in to heaven or save them. What I am stating is this – maybe it’s not the question of faith vrs works but are you PROVING your faith THROUGH your works. In Matthew 7:17-20 Jesus talks about how good trees give good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit “by their fruit you will know them.” So maybe my actions show/prove my faith.
It helps to understand what the Bible means when it says “faith.” In the Jewish mindset faith equals ACTION plus BELIEF. You may say you believe you can fly, but unless you put action to your belief and jump off your roof you do not have faith in your ability to fly. Faith would be saying I can fly and then going and trying to fly. Action plus belief. Anytime you see faith in Scripture say to yourself “action and belief together are faith.” Hebrews 11 the faith chapter uses example after example of a person doing something to show their great faith.
So, if the wrong question is “faith or works” then maybe the right question is “am I showing evidence of faith in my life?”