Faith without works?

We are at the point in the year

where alot of people lend a helping hand.

Wether it be food drives or giving coats/clothing

to those who need it or gifts for around the Christmas

season to children in need.

All of which is great to see, and really

we as "Christians" should always be there,

like the good "samaritan"...lending a helping hand

year round. Of course it's inevitable when someone

brings up doing "Gods Will" and helping out

your fellow man, the word "works" is brought up..

and of course, whenever someone starts talking

about doing "works"

people are quick to shout out "Legalism".

Granted there are a lot of people who

do works and think they are saved by them,

essentially they help others and do works

not because they want to help, but rather

because they want to feel better about themselves

and save there souls.

The fact that we all know, or should know,

is you can't be saved by the things you do,

we all were saved by the blood of Jesus Christ

and only through him are we/can we be

saved.

At the same time though, just because you "Know Jesus"

doesn't mean you are saved, we are suppose to be changed

when we come to "know Jesus"

we are suppose to live for HIM,

and put others above our own needs.

If you say you "Know Jesus"

and yet you continue to act like the world

and you don't show the love you are suppose to show,

then essentially you are just lying to yourself,

because you don't "Know" Him at all.

I'm not going to sugar coat it for you, if you claim to be a

"Christian" and to "Know Christ" don't say it...LIVE IT.

Trying to live more like Christ, and helping others

isn't about getting salvation, it's about proving

the truth and the spirit that lives in YOU.

Jesus said in Matthew 25

"Then the King will say to those on his right,

'Come, you who are blessed by my Father;

take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared

for you since the creation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you invited me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed me,

I was sick and you looked after me,

I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you something to drink?

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in,

or needing clothes and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison and go

to visit you?'

"The king will reply, 'I tell you the truth,

whatever you did for one of the least of these

brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew 25:34-40

Jesus was talking about helping the poor and those

who need help, not doing it for your salvation/yourself..

but doing it for CHRIST. People seem to get it twisted

far to often, this generation of christians, (the majority that is)

are on one of two sides...

one side refuses to do any works and thinks they can continue

living however they want because they "know" Jesus,

and then there is the other-side that chooses

to try and live like pharisees and think

they can save themselves

by living by the law and doing works.

Both sides are technically wrong..

What good is it, my brothers, if a man

claims to have faith but has no deeds?

Can such faith save him?

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes

and daily food. If one of you says to him,

"Go, I wish you well: keep warm and

well fed,"

but does nothing about his physical needs,

what good is it? In the same way,

faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by

action, is dead.

but someone will say,

"You have faith; I have deeds."

Show me your faith without deeds,

and I will show you my faith by

what I do. You believe in one God.

Good! even the demons believe that- and shudder.

James 2:14-19

This is where people become confused

even marten Luther himself

was troubled by this passage in James.

Paul talked about Justification by FAITH

and James wasn't arguing that at all.

Yes we are saved by faith, we are saved because

we have full assurance in the heart that our

Lord and savior Jesus Christ laid down his life

for our sins, and we are freed from that bondage.

HOWEVER how are we judged?

by the fruit..right? If we are of Christ

then we should be living like it..correct?

we will produce good fruit..

one who has true faith in Christ wont produce BAD FRUIT!

Just like james was trying to explain...

If a man claims to have faith, but doesn't show it

he is nothing! If I came across a child on the side of the road

who was beatin within an inch of his life,

and I just looked down upon him and said

"God be with you" but I didn't look to help him..

how can you look at me and call me a "Christian"

how can you say I was living as Christ would?

I'd be full of shit if I claimed myself to be of Christ

and did nothing for the child.

If I have faith, and true faith in God,

i am made into a new creation,

not living for myself,

but living for the truth inside me.

We don't prove our faith by what we say...

we don't prove christ is living in us by saying

"I'm a christian" we prove it in the things we do,

in the actions we choose to take.

We don't choose to live like Christ and do "Deeds"

for our salvation, because that comes free,

we do it because the spirit and love we've accepted

into our lives changes our very being into

a new creation.

We are called to show the love that was shown to us.