TOPIC: FAITH WORKS BY LOVE
Bible Reading: Nehemiah 9-11; Acts 4:1-22
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” – Galatians 5:6
When it comes to salvation and everything that Jesus has accomplished for you in redemption, there is absolutely nothing you can do to merit it or qualify. Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”
The moment you work for a gift, it loses its status as a gift and it becomes a wage or a reward. Romans 4:4 (TPT) says, “When people work, they earn wages. It can’t be considered a free gift, because THEY EARNED IT.” Nobody can ever work to earn forgiveness, healing, favour, prosperity, children etc. from God and by works scripture is referring to self-efforts.
The frustration of some believers is when they try through their moral strivings and self-efforts to earn or merit what the grace of God has already freely given them. Because what grace freely gives; you must receive by faith.
You need faith to receive and according to James 2:17 (KJV) , “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” The works in this verse refers to works or acts of love towards God and people as we receive what God’s grace freely gives.
In James 2:21-24 we see the example of Abraham who through faith received a child from God in his old age, but it was a beautiful thing that he could still trust God enough to offer that same son – Isaac to God, as a burnt sacrifice because of how much he loved and trusted God. While you don’t ‘work’ to receive from God, faith that is alive will require you to walk in love towards God by honoring His instructions and reaching out to be a blessing to others. According to James 2:15-16, when your faith is matched with works of love, it will rise to a whole new dimension because all that matters before the Father is not your religion but your faith lived out in love.
Today’s text says that faith works by love! Let the communication of your faith be made effective by the prompts in your heart to demonstrate the love of God.
Prayer: Father, let the faith in my heart towards Your Kingdom be made perfect by Your Love in me.
Pastor Alfred Samuel