A Year of Grace

1 Corinthians 4:1 – So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. ² Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. ³ As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. ⁴ My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 

⁵ So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. 

⁶ Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. ⁷ For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? (NLT)

In this passage Paul is wrapping up his thoughts about the manner in which the Corinthians were dividing themselves according to their preferred church leader.  Paul knew that not everyone in Corinth approved of Paul, indeed, there are few churches, if any, in which every member approves of their leaders!  He writes something quite interesting in verse four, but first let me ask a question.  Does having a clear conscience mean that you are right?  Not at all!  Consider verse four: “My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.”

While Paul is writing about Church leaders, we can apply this spiritually to all Christians.  We must live our lives in such a way that we have a clear conscience, but we must always be open to God’s correction.  We must seek God’s direction daily, so that we will know if we need to make any corrections.  

Let’s look at verse five: “So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time.” Let’s put this into its proper context.  Paul is addressing those who are being critical of their church leaders.  Paul warns them not to judge them too quickly because – it is implied through his remarks on a clear conscience – their leaders are prayerfully leading them.  This is good advice.  We may not always understand the actions of our church leaders, but if they have proven to be godly in their lives, then we must not be quick to criticize.  If they are godly, then they are either correct in what they are doing, or will most likely listen to God’s correction.

Today, let us pray for our church leaders.  Let us pray that they would always seek to be guided by God’s Spirit, and let us not be quick to judge them.  

Posted by Ramón Torres 

1 Corinthians 3:1 – Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. ² I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, ³ for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? ⁴ When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? 

⁵ After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. ⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. ⁷ It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. ⁹ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

¹⁰ Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 

¹² Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. ¹³ But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. ¹⁴ If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. (NLT) 

As we continue in 1 Corinthians, let us note that Paul is addressing members of the local church.  These are men and women who have been baptized, yet notice what he says about them: “you are still controlled by your sinful nature.”  Could the church have people who had been baptized and had become members yet they remained spiritually immature? Of course!  Maturity is a process, and for some people the process is lengthier than for others.  Church membership is not something reserved for the spiritually mature, rather church membership affords us an opportunity to mature spiritually under the guidance of spiritual leaders. 

In verse four we hear again one of the causes of their divisions: “When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?”  We may learn under a number of wise Christian leaders, but we follow only Jesus.  Paul makes this clear in verse eleven: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.”  Remember last weeks reading where Paul said he decided to only preach Jesus and the cross?  Jesus and the cross – this is our foundation, and all Christian teaching must begin there.  

Paul then discusses the work of Christian leaders, those who ‘build upon the foundation using various materials’.  I love this spiritual application of this passage – God did not make Christian leaders all the same.  According to verse twelve, some build using gold, some using silver, some using jewels, but all build.  Paul does, however, mention other materials of cheaper value.  The real test of the Christian leader is whether or not the work remains when testing comes.  No matter what materials a Christian leader uses to build a congregation, no one will withstand testing unless the foundation is Jesus Christ.

Today, let us remember our foundation – sin separates us from God; Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins; because of Jesus we can be made right with God.  Amen!  

Posted by Ramón Torres 

1 Corinthians 2:1 – When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. ² For I decided that while I was with you, I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. ³ I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. ⁴ And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. ⁵ I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. 

⁶ Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. ⁷ No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. ⁸ But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. ⁹ That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”

¹⁰ But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. ¹¹ No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. ¹² And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

¹³ When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. (NLT) 

When we read chapter 17 of the Book of Acts, we learn that Paul first preached in Athens before he went to Corinth.  He spent much time there debating the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers (Acts 17:18). Paul was very well educated, and he spoke to them using their philosophical arguments.  The results, however, were not very good.  This experience seemed to have taught him a valuable lesson.  That is why he writes in this passage: “When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. ² For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.”  

The message of salvation through Jesus really is quite simple.  Paul learned that lesson, and in Corinth he decided to only preach Jesus and his work on the cross.  A great lesson for all Christians to learn!  In verse four he makes it clear that Christianity is not so much about the words we use, but rather it is allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us.  Like Paul, when we share with others about Jesus, our speech should be plain, and we should rely upon the Holy Spirit. 

Many Christians worry about how to talk to non believers.  Our task is not to convince anyone, but to be a faithful vessel.  Our faithfulness in our witness includes nurturing the Holy Spirit within us, so that when the opportunity presents itself, we will be prepared by the very presence of God!  Paul tells us in verse twelve: “And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.” 

What can we do to nurture the Holy Spirit within us?  We nurture the Holy Spirit through prayer, Bible study, fellowship with Christians, and worship.  Then, we must witness.  Like the priest carrying the Ark of the covenant into the Jordan (Joshua 3), when we move forward in faith, God will supply what is needed. 

Today let us nurture the Holy Spirit within us.  Let us prepare so that our witness may be understood.  

Posted by Ramón Torres 

1 Corinthians 1:20 – So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. ²¹ Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. ²² It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. ²³ So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. 

²⁴ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. 

²⁶ Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. ²⁷ Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. ²⁸ God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. ²⁹ As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

³⁰ God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. ³¹ Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” (NLT)

Continuing in chapter one of 1 Corinthians, Paul touches upon another division within the church in Corinth, that of education.  We must understand that Paul was not one to put up with anyone claiming to be superior to anyone else, and it certainly shows in this passage!  The Greeks prided themselves on their wisdom, and often called the uneducated ‘foolish’.  With this background, consider the opening verses of this passage:  So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. ²¹ Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. ²² It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. ²³ So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. 

To both the Jews and the Greeks, the cross was a sign of weakness, but to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.  The word used in this verse for ‘called’ was often translated as invited, which I prefer.  God invited us to share in God’s Saving Grace.  The way this verse reads, ‘but to those called/invited’ leads some believe that since some were invited, other were not.  This is not the case.  All are invited, but not all answer the invitation.  We have plenty of other Scripture verses that of speak God inviting all (2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16, just to name a couple). 

In a strong stance towards those who would separate by level of education, Paul asserts that, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.  Then in verse twenty-eight Paul states that God even chose things counted as nothing at all – ‘things that are not’ in other translations.  He was actually quoting a popular phrase used by Greek philosophers to make his argument that God uses all people to make God’s message known.  This is Good News, but also challenging to each of us.  We are being told that each and every one of us has something of tremendous value to share – our knowledge of Jesus Christ.  

Today, let’s share some of our knowledge of Jesus, not boasting in our knowledge, (verse 29) but humbly sharing.  

Posted by Ramón Torres 

1 Corinthians 1:10 – I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. ¹¹ For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹² Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”

¹³ Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! ¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power. (NLT) 

Today we take a look at the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Church in Corinth.  Paul had a close relationship to the Christians in Corinth, having spent eighteen months there establishing the church.  Corinth was one of the largest cities of its time, and became very instrumental in the spread of Christianity.  The Church in Corinth may very well have been one of the largest congregations of the first century.  It was not, however, without its problems.  The biggest problem that this church had was with members seeking to divide themselves.  Unfortunately, this problem plagues Christianity still today.

Christians, like all people, will use just about any reason to divide themselves.  In this passage, Paul is addressing just one of the reasons that the Corinthian Christians were using to divide – baptism.  It appears that some who had been baptized by certain individuals were claiming a loyalty to that individual.  They may have even been picking some minute details in that individuals’ preaching to further divide themselves.  While this may seem strange to some of us, still today many Christians follow a preacher as if that preacher were the second coming of Christ!  Paul makes it clear that no matter how much we may admire a Church leader, only Jesus died for our sins (verse 13), and therefore only Jesus deserves our ultimate loyalty.  This is why Paul asks in verse thirteen: “Was I, Paul, crucified for you?” 

I’ve often joked that the original Greek says, “Wherever two or more are gathered there will be division!”  Sadly, in some churches this seems to be the case.  We should strive to live up to the calling of verse ten: “Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.”  Our purpose is to glorify God in all things, and dividing ourselves does little to glorify God.  In fact, divisions and fights within churches have often chased people away from Church – and away from Christ.  This is a tragedy of huge proportions.

In our relationships we will always have differences.  We must look beyond our differences.  Paul tells us in Colossians: “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ¹³ Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ¹⁴ Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace.” (3:12-15, NLT). 

Today, let us look beyond our differences, cling to our common hope in Christ Jesus, and seek to glorify God in all our relationships.

Posted by Ramón Torres

Psalm 24:1 – The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.The world and all its people belong to him.
² For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas
and built it on the ocean depths.

³ Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴ Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies.
⁵ They will receive the Lord’s blessing
and have a right relationship with God their savior.
⁶ Such people may seek you
and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.

⁷ Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
⁸ Who is the King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty;
the Lord, invincible in battle.
⁹ Open up, ancient gates!
Open up, ancient doors,
and let the King of glory enter.
¹⁰ Who is the King of glory?
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—
he is the King of glory. (NLT) 

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”  Here is the basis of our belief.  Indeed, the very first verse of the Bible affirms this: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).  We must recognize this basic fact of our relationship with God – God is our creator, and God is the creator of all things.  Seven times in the very first chapter of the Bible we are told that God looked at what God created and said that it was good.  What has been created is Good Stuff!  

Recognizing that God created all things, we must also recognize a responsibility that God has given to humanity – to care for God’s creation.  In Genesis 1:28, God gives humanity dominion over the earth.  We are given the responsibility to care for God’s creation.  Certainly we have a responsibility to care for humanity, but our responsibility goes beyond humans.  Our responsibility is for all things created. 

Many churches do great work in their care for humanity, but we must not forget the rest of God’s creation.  As Christians, we do have a responsibility to be good stewards of our natural resources.  In fact, if we are better stewards of our natural resources, we will be better able to care for humanity.  

Psalm 24 affirms several times that God is the King of glory.  Psalm 104:31 tells us:  “May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made!”  God does take pleasure in all that God created.  God wants us to take pleasure in creation, as well.  So that future generations of God’s children may take pleasure in creation, we must be wise stewards of the created world.  There is, indeed, a correlation between being a Christian and caring for the environment!  Today, let us be mindful of God’s creation, doing our part to conserve and recycle.  

Posted by Ramón Torres 

Acts 4:18 – Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (NLT)

Why do many Christians resist sharing the Good News of Jesus with others?  I’ve often asked this question to various people, Sunday School Classes, and church groups. Common answers that I have received include: we don’t want to appear judgmental; we don’t want to seem hypocritical; we are afraid of being rejected; we don’t know how!  I’ve heard other answers, as well, but the overwhelming theme seems to be fear of failure.

In today’s passage from Acts, we have a picture into the Church in its infancy.  There is something striking about the early church – their dependence upon the Holy Spirit!  In the first five chapters of Acts alone, we encounter the work of the Holy Spirit over fifteen times. Here, in chapter four, Peter is speaking before the Jewish leaders, defending the actions of the followers of Jesus.  We are told in Acts 4:8 that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit before he began to speak.  Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, let us note what Peter says in verse twenty: “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Peter was human. I think that it is safe to say that before receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter had a healthy level of fear of failure within him. That all changed when he was filled with the Holy Spirit! Because of the Holy Spirit, Peter could not help himself.  Perhaps this is why so many mainline Christians fear the Holy Spirit!  The Holy Spirit will move us forward.  Consider the last verse of this passage: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”  Sharing God’s truth – and even living God’s truth – takes a boldness that we most often cannot find within ourselves.  Jesus tells us, however, that the Holy Spirit is available to us, and that the Holy Spirit will help us (John 14:16).

When we are weak – or scared – the Spirit strengthens us.  Today, let us seek the Holy Spirit, that we might be bold in word and action.

Posted by Ramón Torres

James 5:1 – Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. ² Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. ³ Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment. ⁴ For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

⁵ You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. (NLT)

Ouch! James has gone from practical faith to downright meddling!  Or so it seems when we consider this passage from a human point of view.  Does the Word of God condemn the rich?  Compared to most of the people in the world, and certainly when compared to even the rich of James’ day, we are the rich who live in luxury.  Do we not have most every desire of ours satisfied?  Then what are we to do with this passage that appears to condemn most middle and upper-class Americans? Let us remember, while Jesus certainly challenged the rich, there was only one person that he ever told to go and sell all that he had and give it to the poor.  Jesus was not anti-wealth.  The Word of God is not anti-wealth.  The Word of God is, however, opposed to those who value wealth over people.

Consider what the prophet Amos said to the rich women of the land.  “Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, and who are always calling to your husbands, “Bring us another drink!”  (Amos 4:1 NLT)  Now forget the word ‘women’, this is the Word of God, so it speaks to all, male and female.  Forget the ‘drink’ in “Bring us another drink”.  In fact, you can substitute anything you want in place of ‘drink’.  Amos was telling the rich people that because they were living lavish lifestyles while people were starving, they were wrong and sinful in the eyes of God. 

This is what James is telling us in this passage.  Because God cares for every human being, we must care for every human being.  To have much is not a sin.  To have much and not be willing to give to those less fortunate is a sin.  Well, then, some may ask just how much we are required to give.  That, my friends, is between you and God.  You should, however, seriously talk this over with God!  It is the will of God that all Christians be generous.  Consider 2 Corinthians 9:6 – “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Then in verse eleven Paul writes: “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God”.

Each of us, this very day, will be granted by God an opportunity to be generous.  Let’s be ready for that opportunity! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

James 4:13 – Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” ¹⁴ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. ¹⁵ What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. 

¹⁷ Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (NLT) 

Christian faith put into practice daily – that’s what the Book of James is all about.  In this short passage we have one of the most powerful verses concerning our daily lives, but first let’s consider the uncertainty of life.

None of us is guaranteed a tomorrow, today is a precious gift.  It is a gift to be lived to the fullest.  The Bible is full of such references to the frailty of mortal life.  Psalm 102:11 – “My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows.”  All too often we become so preoccupied with planning for the future that we miss out on living life to the fullest right now.

The powerful verse from this passage is verse seventeen: “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”  This brings the definition of sin to a whole new level!  We clearly know what sins of commission are – doing those things that are contrary to God’s will.  In verse seventeen we are taught about sins of omission – not doing the things that God desires.  We can live our lives with an appearance of godliness.  We can avoid, to the best of our human ability, sins of commission.  By our outward appearance many would consider us a fine example of Christianity, yet we can still be living a blatantly sinful life.  When we fail to do the things that God puts upon our hearts, we have sinned.  Was it God urging us to be more generous, and we failed to do so?  Was it God that urged us to speak to that person, and we didn’t?  When we know what we ought to do, but do not do it, we have sinned. 

We all need a Savior!  Thanks be to God that Jesus paid for our sins!  Today, let’s do two things.  First, let us thank God for grace and forgiveness.  Second, let us seek God’s Spirit to give us the strength to do what we know God desires of us.  By doing so, we will live life to the fullest, and that’s Good Stuff! 

Posted by Ramón Torres

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.”

¹⁹ You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. ²⁰ How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

²¹ Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. ²³ And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. ²⁴ So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

²⁵ Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. ²⁶ Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. (NLT)

I still remember the very first sermon that I ever preached.  The title was: Is Your Faith Practical?  I focused on the word practical, which means to be able to be put into practice.  The Book of James is about practical faith.  There are some who would argue that James and Paul are at odds with one another.  They claim that James contradicts Paul. Not so!  Consider what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:24 – “But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you.” 

Paul implies in that passage that faith is meant to be put into practice.  Paul dealt with many churches that emphasized that Christians are saved by the things they do.  That is not the case, and that is why Paul emphasizes salvation by faith alone.  However, Paul recognized that faith produces works.  Consider these Pauline passages:

Titus 2:7 – And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind.

1 Timothy 6:18 – They should be rich in good works.

Philippians 2:12 – Work hard to show the results of your salvation. 

We are not saved by our works, but by faith.  The faith that saves us will then produce fruit, and the evidence of that fruit is the work we do.  Today, let us let the world see the results of our salvation! 

Posted by Ramón Torres