Faith

James 2:14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?
15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,
16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

This passage struck me today. The reason why is because we are raised to think one or the other. Salvation alone gets you to heaven OR Good Works gets you to heaven.

Ofcoarse, Salvation in Jesus Christ is how you have a relationship with Him, but if my faith is dead without works, what does that mean? How can some people say that they are Christians if they do not perform good deeds?

Here is the analogy that came to me.

Salvation is like a marriage.
1st step is:
1. You get married. Now once you are married. That's it. You can't say, "I am kinda married." Or "I think I am married." Once you are married, you are in! You are either married or not.
That is how salvation is. Once you accept Christ, are you in! You cannot say, "I kinda am saved". Or "I think I am saved." You are either saved, or not. There is no middle.

2. You give and take. Suppose you get married, but you never listen to the person. You never talk to the person. You never do anything for the person. And you are unfaithful to that person....are you REALLY married? Yes, you have the certificate and the ring, but let's face it, your marriage is dead. I wouldn't want to be in THAT kind of marriage.

This is like your relationship with God. Yes, you are saved once you ask Him into Your heart. But, if you never talk to Him(pray), and you never listen to Him (read your Bible), and never do anything for Him(good deeds), and are unfaithful,(putting anything before HIM), YOU RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS DEAD!

The wedding day is just the beginning of marriage. And Salvation is just the beginning of your walk with Christ. Your relationships are either inclining or declining.

I am not saying that you need to be Mother Teresa or live a perfect life. That is impossible. What I am saying is you need to be fruitful. Faith without works in dead. Your faith is dead unless you are DOING something for Christ. Just like your marriage is dead unless you are DOING something in the marriage.

So, instead of making excuses of why your relationship with God is not where you want it to be, DO SOMETHING. Don't blame it on the Pastor's "shallow teaching". Or your "busy schedule." Take the blame. Man up. You are responsible for YOUR relationships. No one else. YOU. So, like Nike says it: Just do it.

Start living OUT your faith. Stop talking and start doing. IN your relationship with God and others.