BELIEF PRODUCES ACTION
Carey Madding
Today's Scripture: “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.” Matthew 7:20-21, NLT
Theme: Actions indicate allegiance; those following Jesus and entering His kingdom are doing the Father’s will here and now.
WRONG ORDER
Have you ever been so eager to start an adventure or project that you didn’t prepare well? Or maybe you didn’t wait for all the pieces to come together? My parents used to say, “You’re putting the cart before the horse.” Of course, this means your preparations are out of order; or your priorities are wrong; or you are running with an idea before it has been fully thought out.
The author of Hebrews teaches us: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6, ESV). God has always required faith; salvation comes to us by faith. But I think many of us get “the cart before the horse.” We want to do good works and clean up our act to come to Jesus, when He says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, ESV). Come just as you are.
BEAR FRUIT
Once you have accepted --by faith--the free gift of salvation, your transformed life will be evidence of that new birth. Your words, thoughts, and actions will reflect the mind of Christ within you and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If not, the Apostle James warns us “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?” (James 2:20-21, ESV). We know Abraham is the first patriarch, the father of our faith. He believed, and it was "counted to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). But Abraham also acted out his faith, taking his only son to a far-off place and preparing to offer him as a sacrifice when directed by God.
Your faith, if it does not result in life change and good actions, may not be real faith. James says he can prove his faith: “I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18b, ESV). If you truly believe, your actions will follow. Your words and thoughts will reflect the new life inside of you. If not, something is entirely wrong. You may be hindered by ongoing sin, by fear, or by a shallow understanding of saving faith and the Lordship of Jesus Christ in your life. You can get help.
Make It Personal: Are you trying to act right? What motivates you? Is it faith in Jesus? If you claim to believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, what evidence of faith do you see in your own actions? Consider the ways you actually do the Father’s will and the ways that you still see room for improvement.
Pray: Father, thank You for giving us a way to measure the authenticity of our faith. Help me to trust You more fully and to live out my beliefs with action. I don’t want to fake it, trying to act “right” from my own strength. I want to “bear fruit” now, because of real faith, so that I will be prepared to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Help me to see and do what You want me to do--no more and no less. Thank You for Your kindness and patience with me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: James 2:14-24, Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-19
Weekly Memory Verse: “Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (Matthew 7:20, NLT)