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Sunday, July 15, 2012

A TRUE Saving FAITH - James 2:14 - 26

If you have read my previous post,  I talk about Jesus Christ as our Passover, I talk there how we are Justified(made righteous by God) because of our faith in Him. Now, we will talk more about FAITH here., so hope you will learn a lot from this!

Start of the Story

As I drove going to Brgy. Salvacion to fetch few teens and children(my wife's relatives) this morning using my motorcycle(10km away), I was thinking what will be our Pastor's message for this day. What again will I learn that can help me grow more on the Faith in Jesus Christ and stand for it. I already learned a lot of things from the Word of God and I'm sharing it to my loveones and I have eagerness to speak., but I still have a much desire to learn more to help me stand for it and defend it! And just this morning, our Pastor adds it the more! And I know there were still many things I need to learn in this life.

I am so blessed with the message that our Pastor had preached, and what I knew is that, I now understands  of what kind of Faith that I have. It is TRUE in the Bible that FAITH in Christ Jesus on what He has done on the Cross is the Way of Salvation, but the question is, is that the kind of FAITH can SAVE YOU?

At the end of this post, you should learn these things:
  1. Salvation IS NOT by Faith PLUS Works(synergy).
  2. 3 Different Kinds of Faith
  3. Salvation is by Faith(a TRUE SAVING FAITH) that RESULTS(FRUITS) Proper Works(the Works mentioned here can't save but are the fruit of Faith.)
  4. Conclusion of TRUE SAVING FAITH.
Please ask God's help for you to understand these things and don't push yourself by trusting your natural wisdom(1 Corinthians 2:14)


There are many misconception of other religious groups that Salvation can be attained by FAITH plus WORKS(paningkamot), meaning we must Trust Jesus Christ alone but that's not enough(which is WRONG!). And even some of religious groups claim that their Church is the TRUE Church and can SAVE by becoming a member(i.e. Iglesia Ni Kristo, Jehova's Witnesses, Mormons,etc) - I'll PROVE that they're WRONG!.

The TRUTH about SALVATION is NEVER be of FAITH PLUS WORKS(read Ephesians 2:8-9), but by FAITH alone. And in this post, you will determine what kind of FAITH I am talking about.

Now if this FACT lies beyond our natural understanding and you want to fully grasp the entirety of this message, then be with the Spirit and don't rely on your own knowledge but in the Word of God(ask God for it James 1:5).

In this post, I'm gonna share to you the Three Kinds of Faith that our Pastor had preached this morning. There are more other types of faith but they can be categorized into this three and here are they.

3 Kinds of Faith

1. DEAD FAITH


Let's read James 2:14-17., what James referring to in this passage is the FAITH that is DEAD(no evidence).

This kind of faith is all talking about LIPS service, in which people most likely bragging of their faith in Jesus Christ(in words), bragging their works, what is his/her position in their respective churches, that even share the Gospel and even stood in front of many people who's been wanting to hear the Word of God but has never been put into their own lives. They teach salvation, but even themselves aren't sure of their salvation because they can't prove it. They teach that the Word of God changes life, but there's no change that can be seen in their own lives.

I'm talking about those Pastors, Preachers, priests, ministers and even each of us individuals that teaches the wrong kind of faith. This is the faith that no results of true repentance and action. I can also call it, an only word faith.


Let's have a clear example in the life of the people in Jericho quoted by James in James 2:25, how that a Dead Faith exposed an d a TRUE Saving FAITH determined.

People of Jericho as an Example of DEAD FAITH

In Joshua 2:9-10, The event here(please read the entire Joshua 2) was, Joshua sent two men to spy the land of Jericho. And those who spied have heard a great testimony from Rahab about the GREATNESS of the LORD(Joshua 2:10), how that God dried up the read sea, how they conquered the Amorites, etc.

This event here told us that ALL the people in Jericho already heard about the POWER and GREATNESS of God, and yet., they never come into repentance toward God except Rahab. They murmured a lot, they talk a lot about it, they believe that it was true, but they still put their trust in their ownselves(OWN WORKS) not of what God can do for them(TRUE SAVING FAITH).

If you are SAVED through FAITH, then it should start to GROW(become mature) and it will be FRUITFUL(change of life - results  are good works and righteousness).

Now let's go further with the other kind of faith.

2. SATANIC FAITH


James 2:18-19, James here is asking and challenging them(the hearers, us) of the proof of their FAITH which is the FRUIT(not to EARN Salvation).

And in James 2:19, James spoke of the devil having FAITH and Trembling to God. It is the kind of FAITH that hears the word, being convicted, being pricked in their hearts and go into remorse instead of repentance! And never has the willingness to submit to God.

To relate it on the people at the OLD time at Jericho(Joshua 2:11), the people already heard those GREATNESS and POWER of God and did melt their hearts, neither did remain any courage! This is their kind of faith, only hears and fears about God and still going into rebellion.

Now let me tell something here., what I'm referring who had the Satan's faith are those who hears the Gospel of Christ, said that they are saved and believed that Christ is the Lord and savior but yet, NEVER CAN TURN their LIFE from those WICKED things(DRUNKARDS, CIGARETTES,GAMBLING,IDOL WORSHIPPERS(mga REBULTO sa balay - satan is the author of these things!!!))

If you are SAVED, you have to read the Holy Word of God and believe in every Truth of it. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21 these are the WORKS of the FLESH, and means we have to cease from them and hate them., and you should have the Power to do so because you are SAVED. If you CAN'T then, check your kind of faith, you're having the faith of Satan's.

3. DYNAMIC FAITH(the TRUE Saving FAITH) 


Thirdly, the TRUE FAITH that SAVES or what we call the Dynamic FAITH! Again, a TRUE SAVING FAITH tend to GROW, Produces and bare FRUITS(Matthew 7:20). We are justified righteous in the eyes of God by our FAITH(not of our Works), but then again a true FAITH that I am referring to is a FAITH that bare FRUITS.

Let's put ourselves back to Abraham's life as James made him as an example here on James 2:21. James told us that Abraham was justified by his works and indeed, it's because of his saving Faith. Now let us go deep into the scripture to better understand it.

What James referring to is the event from Genesis 22:10(Please read the entirety of Genesis 22) when Abraham offer his only beloved son Isaac. Now, Abraham was saved not on this EVENT., but he was saved from the very beginning of Genesis 15:6 when Abraham believed(the True saving Faith) God and it was counted to him for righteousness. He has the faith of the Promise of God from Genesis 15:5.

Then it was the time on Genesis 22, came his faith into testing. In this event, everything God told him to do, he evidently hear and obey. As you can see, there is the TRUE perspective of how Abraham justified by his Works.

Going to Church every Sunday, reading your Bible regularly desiring to learn more of the Savior and desiring of the Cleansing Power of His Words, Prayers, ceasing to VICES are ALL good works! Yet they can't SAVE you but they should be the RESULT of your FAITH in JESUS Christ that He is the Lord and Savior of your LIFE(not yourself righteousness and good works) because if you have the true Faith, the RIGHTEOUSNESS and SINLESSNESS of Jesus Christ will be imputed(put into account) to YOU by God(2 Corinthians 5:21). How Gracious and Merciful GOD! My tongue can't express my thankfulness to God's grace he bestowed upon me! Read that verse carefully, digest and mediate on it and you'll know it!

As Christians, the very thing of our FAITH is through HEARING the Word of God(as Abraham did), BELIEVING the Word of God(as Abraham did), and OBEYING the Word of God(as Abraham did).

We are NOT nor CAN be SAVED by our Works, we are JUSTIFIED from it but it all comes from the RESULT of our TRUE FAITH in Christ Jesus.

How was your FAITH? Do you put first the things that will put you into financial prosperity and making God the second?(why not make Him a Partner?) Don't you have time reading the Word of God? Don't you have time or forget the time of Prayer? God is calling you to repentance and asking you to put your trust in Him., turn to Him and He will give you rest! Jesus Christ is our eternal rest. 


May God showered you with blessings from His Words. I have FAITH in Jesus Christ and what he hath done on the Cross for me and for you and I can prove it by my works but I never rely on my own GOOD WORKS! It's ALL to JESUS and Him alone! To God be the Glory and Honor Forever!!! Amen.


--
Clint

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