real faith is visible…

for some people, faith is an intellectual trip – a matter to be studied, debated, talked over and discussed.  james here imagines this intellectual objector.  James 2.18 (niv), someone will say, “you have faith, i have deeds…

james is imagining some intellectual guy who says, “you’re into faith, i’m into works.  that’s cool.  different strokes for different folks.  let’s debate it.  you’ve got one thing, i’ve got mine.  to each his own way.  stimulate me mentally but don’t ask me to make any commitment.”

continue there in verse 18 (niv), show me your faith without deeds and i will show you my faith by what i do. 

real faith is visible.  you can see it.  it’s apparent.  if you claim to be a CHRISTian, people will be able to see it.  it’s visible.

we’ve got a lot of lady clairol CHRISTians – nobody knows for sure.  only GOD knows for sure.  faith is odorless, weightless, invisible so anybody can claim to have it. 

so how do you know for sure?  james says, show me.  if you claim to be a CHRISTian i have a right to ask you to prove it by looking at your lifestyle.  somebody said, “faith is like calories.  you can’t see them but you can see the results.”  you can’t see faith but you can see the results.

james would have made a good missourian.  the theme of the state of missouri is the “show me” state.  james is saying, you say you’re a CHRISTian?  prove it.  let me see your actions back up your words.

if i say, “i believe my health is very important.  personal health is a high priority in my life.  i believe that health is one of the most important things we ought to have.”

you say to me, “do you eat right?”  “no.” “do you exercise?  do you get your proper rest?  do you take vitamins?  do you ever go for a check up?”  “no.”  you see, it doesn”t matter what i say; it doesn”t matter what i think.  what counts are my actions. 

real faith is more than just something you think.  you can point it out and see it in people's lives.  

just a thought from the front porch…