Doing God’s Will Is the Faith Working by Actions
David was richly blessed for doing God’s Will. “Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.”
God brought our salvation to pass.
“Then they [the Israelites] asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised.” Acts 13:21-23 ESV.
When we stand before Messiah Jesus at the judgment seat, he will determine if we did God’s will.
“When the Son of Man comes in His Glory and all the angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled in front of him, and he will cull them out, one from another, like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, because 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 welcomed me. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will say to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or see you naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ The king will answer them, ‘I tell all of youn with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46 ESV (Ephesians 4:1-32)
Doing God’s Will is the Faith Working by Actions
“What good does it do, my brothers [and sisters], if someone claims to have faith but does not prove it with actions? This kind of faith cannot save him, can it? Suppose a brother or sister does not have any clothes or daily food and one of you tells them, “Go in peace! Stay warm and eat heartily.” If you do not provide for their bodily needs, what good does it do? In the same way, faith by itself, if it does not prove itself with actions, is dead.
But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have actions.” Show me your faith without any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions. You believe that there is one God. That’s fine! Even the demons believe that and tremble with fear. Do you want proof, you foolish person, that faith without actions is worthless? Our ancestor Abraham was justified by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn’t he? You see that his faith worked together with what he did, and by his actions his faith was made complete. And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” And so he was called God’s friend. Youj observe that a person is justified through actions and not through faith alone. Likewise, Rahab the prostitute was justified through actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away on a different road, wasn’t she? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without actions is also dead.” James 2:14-26 ISV.
~ Bill Bremer
Bill Bremer is Founder and Managing Director at Kingdom Relationships Colorado.
@ Bill Bremer: Hey, too all a person has to do is read Hebrews 11 again to see the great roll call of faith of the cloud of witnesses! Then follow with chapter 12. The great cloud of witnesses were obedient.
Truly faith without works is dead. It has to be a balance act. You never can just have one without the other. I told someone yesterday like for 2 weeks the Lord has had me on the Book of Hebrews especially chapters 11 and 12.
Till the Holy Spirit releases me I will continue to study these chapters. God bless you. :)
@ Bill Bremer: Powerful, on the mark message. Thank you and may God richly bless you.
Thank you sister Joyce for both of your messages. God leads us to ponder certain chapters that draw our attention and edify us when we get it.