Faith That Works

Yesterday was another busy day for us.  Early morning, we played badminton with Ram and Bro. Jun, also with Justin and Matthew at Agnes building.  We had to move a lot of stuff from our church office in Port Coquitlam to Agnes building, we finished probably close to 12 noon.   I slept for a few hours in the afternoon and then I woke up around 6pm to write this message and when I woke up,  I can barely move my arms and my whole body was aching.  I was thinking --- I shouldn’t have carried too many heavy things, I’m getting too old for this, I can just show up there and boost their morale instead but leave the physical jobs to the younger men…but when I sat down in front of my computer and realize my topic… Faith That Works, I just thanked God for the protection and for the strength that I was able to help and in my own little way, was able to demonstrate a little bit about the principle of Faith That Works.

As Christians, we know that our mission is the Great Commission.  We share the Gospel and we make disciples.  However, based on centuries of experience by Jesus’ followers – when we share the Gospel, before the person even starts opening the Bible that we gave, we know that the first Bible they will actually read is our life.    Our lives become the open Bible for these people, especially the unbelievers.  They will read us.  They will analyze us. Study our every move.  They will try to make sense of what we are saying by how we live our lives. Do we practice what we preach?  Do we walk the talk?  Do good works come out what our so-called faith?

Jesus said the world will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.  LOVE is an action word.   It’s the greatest commandment, loving God.  But we cannot say we love God and we have faith in Him but if we don’t do anything to show that love and faith for God --- it is nothing, it’s dead and it’s useless.

For most of us who were attending the Catholic church before, the five solas were basically among the main doctrinal differences of Christian or protestant churches.  One of the major contention between Catholics and Protestants is how is a person saved?  Is it by FAITH ALONE or Sola FIDE or is it Faith + Works?

First of all,  it says that the only time the phrase “faith alone” is mentioned in the Bible is even saying to the contrary or negative is in James 2:24.   Well, the Bible does not need to contain the precise phrase “faith alone” in order to clearly teach salvation by faith alone.  It’s the same thing we don’t find the word Trinity in the Bible but we believe in Trinity or we don’t find the word Rapture in the Bible but we believe in the Rapture.  We don’t find the word “faith alone” in the Bible supporting salvation by faith alone but there are numerous other verses that prove and support this specific doctrine.   Second, the context of James 2:24 is not arguing against the doctrine of salvation by faith alone.   It actually supports it.  

There is also an ongoing debate among Bible scholars between Paul vs. James regarding the issue of salvation.

They seem to have  a different view on being justified.


It is a fundamental Christian belief that we are justified by faith.    

It is the completed work of God.  He does this by crediting--by reckoning the righteousness of Jesus to the sinner. This is done by faith. That is, when the sinner puts his faith in the sacrifice of Jesus and trusts in Him and not himself for righteousness, then God justifies him. "And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," (Rom. 4:3)

But, if the Bible teaches that we are justified by faith, does it also teach we are justified by works as James "seems" to imply? Is there a contradiction? The answer is a big NO! There are two Latin words that describe these kinds of faith.  These are:
                                   Ascentia and Fiducia


This is the kind of faith that a Christian has in Christ. A Christian, therefore, has fiducia, that is, he has real faith and trust in Christ and not simply an acknowledgment that He lived on earth at one time.  Another way to put this is that there are many people in the world who believed that Jesus lived: ascentia. But they do not believe that He is their Savior, the one to whom they should look and trust for the forgiveness of their sins. Ascentia does not lead to works. Fiducia does.   Ascentia is not of the heart. Fiducia is.

This sentiment is emphasized in 1 John 2:4 which says, "If you say you have come to know Him, yet you do not keep His commandments, then the truth is not in you and you are a liar."

Good works is a natural result of real faith.  There is no disagreement between James and Paul.  James simply expounded what Paul was saying about faith.  James simply made some logical illustration of the same faith that Paul was talking about using the same example of Abraham.

Prayer

Wherever you are, whatever you situation you may be -- you need the love of Jesus in your life. Please say this prayer sincerely from your heart:  

Father God, I confess all my sins to you today.  Please forgive me.  Today, I open my heart to your Son Jesus Christ.  I accept Him in my life as my Savior and as my Lord.  May the Holy Spirit come to my life and make me the kind of person you want me to be.  In Jesus Name, I pray. 

 Amen.

The above article is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at WCCC Richmond during its service on  

Sunday, September 20, 2015.

I apologize if there are grammatical and spelling errors. I also apologize if I have missed acknowledging or making proper references to my sources, if any.  as it is purely unintentional.

If you are looking for a church in British Columbia, Canada please visit our website at:

 www.wordchristiancommunity.com

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