21 February 2014 - faith in, works out

21 February 2014 - faith in, works out

So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.

We are surrounded with too many empty words.  Too many empty words fill our thoughts.  Our minds are filled with the vacuous, fixated on the trivial, and ensnared by the unimportant.  Even words that wish others well are not enough.  Positive thoughts and good intentions that don't go any further than words are not helpful.

If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,”
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?

Faith is initially the accepting of God's truth.  It is learning to see reality with God's eyes.  But it is completed, as it was for Abraham, by works.  Faith are not meant to be separated.  To separate them is, in fact, demonic, because even "the demons believe that and tremble." 

But if we try to respond to faith with the works of which we are capable, with the works we can do in our own strength and by our own power, we will quickly find ourselves exhausted.  We will quickly fail. 

Like Abraham, we are called to put God first.  God wants us to be willing to sacrifice every good thing and blessing for his sake.  In this we follow him who gave everything for us.
Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the Gospel will save it.

In order to do this, we need the power of the Kingdom of God.  We need the power that transforms fear to courage, tepidity to love, and silence to evangelism.

He also said to them,
“Amen, I say to you,
there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in power.”

This is why Jesus tells the apostles that, after he ascends, they are not to leave Jerusalem until they receive power from on high (cf. Luk. 24:49).  This the power that sends them out with more than just words.  Now they can say to the poor, "Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (cf. Act. 3:6).

Their words have power now, a power which can only come from the Holy Spirit.  Now they won't speak words that say "keep warm, and eat well" but do nothing.  Their words will lead to actions in themselves and even in those who here them.  Their words become like God's word which does not return to him without effect (cf. Isa. 55:11).

The Holy Spirit is the only way to greatly delight in the Lord's commands.  Without the Spirit they are an impossible burden.  They only serve to teach us of our own weakness.  But in the Holy Spirit the commands of the LORD are amazing blessings.  They are light in the darkness, shining for us and for the whole world.

Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.