Chopper
Member
James 2:17 "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Recently, I have been counseling a number of precious Souls concerning tragedy in their lives. I'm speaking of suicide confronting about 3 people, desperate childhood experiences that effect their every day life as grown ups. And certain events that defeat God's Children trying to live a positive Christian life today.
I feel that there is an answer to all of this in the "faith" that we think that we have. Let me explain....The above Scripture is my foundation to this instruction.
There are two kinds of faith. One is called "historical faith" and the other is called "biblical faith". The difference is that historical faith is simply trusting that a chair will hold me if I sit down on it. Biblical faith starts out as a gift from God to be used as we trust in the active works of the Son of God dying and shedding His own Blood on the cruel old cross for our sins remission.
Biblical faith will produce works of righteousness, where as historical faith cannot produce righteous works.
Now, having said the preceding, there are those of whom I've counseled in the past that because of their poor attitudes toward their present life in general, I have found that, what they believe is biblical faith, is nothing but historical faith because their faith is dead, that's right! They have been deceived by modern evangelism in it's presentation of a luvy, duvy, warm and fuzzy relationship with a non biblical Jesus.
Today, in many watered down presentations of the gospel, folk are simply making an empty profession of a California beach buddy called Jesus. The biblical Jesus is the Master Owner of those making a biblical approach to God for their Salvation thru Jesus Christ.
Repentance is an important key to an approach to Salvation. If a person is not willing to turn over their lives to be controlled by the Master Jesus Christ, and to turn away from all their sins, they are not worthy of God's Salvation. Faith? The real faith has no problem with becoming a servant to Christ Jesus, turning from their sins, and living a new life as a new creature, born a new.
Now, I'm going to be brutishly clear about biblical Salvation. I have preached & taught for 40 years, "Do you know for sure that you are biblically saved?" You would be surprised at the number of folk who thought they were true believers in Jesus, only to be convicted by the Holy Spirit under correct teaching, that they were not really saved. Their lives changed as a result.
I've counseled those who are all gloom and doom, living defeated so-called Christian lives. So, where's the "works"? True faith produces works. I find it simple. No works = no faith. No faith = no works....James makes a great statement...
James 1:2 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
As I continue this trumpet call from a human historical faith to a Holy Spirit energized faith that produces righteous works. The following statement by a Church Father John Gill says a lot of what I'm getting at....
"Faith is an inward principle in the heart; an hidden thing, and cannot be seen and known but by external acts; and where it is right, it is operative, and shows itself by works, which is not practicable in those who have none."
Look folks, I'm not bashing people who say they believe in Jesus but have problems with showing good works. The opposite may be true. They have been trapped by what we call "Easy Believeism" I was born in 1940 and became born again in 1974. It seems to me that the Baby Boomers generation became deceived by Satan's easy believeism. As a result, that was a false gospel. Today, many believe in Jesus BUT....James 2:19 "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"
Please heed this warning. Does your belief in Jesus produce works of righteousness? Or does your belief in Jesus produce doom and gloom? Evaluate your position with Jesus Christ. If in doubt, Ladies, ask Reba how to be biblically saved. Men, ask my friend Eugene. There are others that can help you, now is the time to be sure.
.
2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
Recently, I have been counseling a number of precious Souls concerning tragedy in their lives. I'm speaking of suicide confronting about 3 people, desperate childhood experiences that effect their every day life as grown ups. And certain events that defeat God's Children trying to live a positive Christian life today.
I feel that there is an answer to all of this in the "faith" that we think that we have. Let me explain....The above Scripture is my foundation to this instruction.
There are two kinds of faith. One is called "historical faith" and the other is called "biblical faith". The difference is that historical faith is simply trusting that a chair will hold me if I sit down on it. Biblical faith starts out as a gift from God to be used as we trust in the active works of the Son of God dying and shedding His own Blood on the cruel old cross for our sins remission.
Biblical faith will produce works of righteousness, where as historical faith cannot produce righteous works.
Now, having said the preceding, there are those of whom I've counseled in the past that because of their poor attitudes toward their present life in general, I have found that, what they believe is biblical faith, is nothing but historical faith because their faith is dead, that's right! They have been deceived by modern evangelism in it's presentation of a luvy, duvy, warm and fuzzy relationship with a non biblical Jesus.
Today, in many watered down presentations of the gospel, folk are simply making an empty profession of a California beach buddy called Jesus. The biblical Jesus is the Master Owner of those making a biblical approach to God for their Salvation thru Jesus Christ.
Repentance is an important key to an approach to Salvation. If a person is not willing to turn over their lives to be controlled by the Master Jesus Christ, and to turn away from all their sins, they are not worthy of God's Salvation. Faith? The real faith has no problem with becoming a servant to Christ Jesus, turning from their sins, and living a new life as a new creature, born a new.
Now, I'm going to be brutishly clear about biblical Salvation. I have preached & taught for 40 years, "Do you know for sure that you are biblically saved?" You would be surprised at the number of folk who thought they were true believers in Jesus, only to be convicted by the Holy Spirit under correct teaching, that they were not really saved. Their lives changed as a result.
I've counseled those who are all gloom and doom, living defeated so-called Christian lives. So, where's the "works"? True faith produces works. I find it simple. No works = no faith. No faith = no works....James makes a great statement...
James 1:2 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
As I continue this trumpet call from a human historical faith to a Holy Spirit energized faith that produces righteous works. The following statement by a Church Father John Gill says a lot of what I'm getting at....
"Faith is an inward principle in the heart; an hidden thing, and cannot be seen and known but by external acts; and where it is right, it is operative, and shows itself by works, which is not practicable in those who have none."
Look folks, I'm not bashing people who say they believe in Jesus but have problems with showing good works. The opposite may be true. They have been trapped by what we call "Easy Believeism" I was born in 1940 and became born again in 1974. It seems to me that the Baby Boomers generation became deceived by Satan's easy believeism. As a result, that was a false gospel. Today, many believe in Jesus BUT....James 2:19 "You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"
Please heed this warning. Does your belief in Jesus produce works of righteousness? Or does your belief in Jesus produce doom and gloom? Evaluate your position with Jesus Christ. If in doubt, Ladies, ask Reba how to be biblically saved. Men, ask my friend Eugene. There are others that can help you, now is the time to be sure.
.
