Title: Faith And Works_1
Scripture: Jms. 2:14-26
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To the Christian and may be several non-Christians too, the word “faith” cannot be strange. Probably the only major Christian word that carries a definition that can be traced to the Bible, it is defined as the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen – Heb. 11:1.
Going by this definition of faith in the King James version of the Bible, the following conclusions can be made about faith which are that, there is a substance of faith and there is an evidence of faith. The use of the word “substance” implies that there is a physicality and tangibility about faith. It is not an abstract but something that can be seen and so can be felt. The use of the second word which is “evidence” goes further to establish this notion that faith may be unseen but the expression of faith must be physical and tangible. Evidence which can be physical in nature or an available array of facts or information, must be sufficient to provide conviction of the existence of something. It implies that the physical or verbal evidence must be strong enough to transform faith from abstract to real.
It can thus be concluded that even though faith is not visible, its expression must be visible either because of its manifestation through a physical act or there is an array of facts and information that are sufficiently convincing to back its existence.
No wonder James the brother of Jesus in his biblical book to all people argued that he was ready to show his faith through his works than agree with those who claim to have faith with no evidence to prove it – Jms. 2:18. Work here will mean the product of an act. A process or some processes would have been carried out that will result in works. It is obvious that only a living being can have works as a dead being cannot carry out any process and so cannot have works. If faith is exercised by s spiritual active person, then it should have works to prove its existence. The nature of the work is a different issue completely.
Works with regards to faith will not be those done after what is being requested for in prayer has been received, but those done with the belief that what is being requested for will come. It is an action taken with the belief that what is been expected will come. A woman praying to have a baby will be deemed to be expressing faith, if after confessing to believe in a prayer made by/on her behalf, goes out to purchase all that a woman with a baby will need before there is even a sign of conception. A man who has faith in a prayer made for him to have a good wife and a happy home will put up acts that are associated with such a person, even when he is yet to be introduced or is yet to meet the lady to be married.
The level of faith will be at its peak when the request has zero chance of existing and will be at zero when the prayer expectation has been met or revealed. A woman cannot be an example of faith if she goes to acquire baby clothes, after she finds out that she is pregnant even though some may want to argue that she is expressing faith that she will deliver the baby safely. As true as this may sound, its validity will be enhanced if this is a woman with a history of inability to carry pregnancy to full term, else it is assumed that the natural process with several women is to carry a pregnancy to term without issues. It can also be argued that a woman who goes to buy baby clothes before getting married is not really demonstrating faith as most women are expected to get pregnant if they have intimate relationship with a man, so there must be history of long term expectation of pregnancy even after several intimate relationship with a man.
This implies that faith cannot be expressed in the midst of availability or surplus but will be expressed in the midst of scarcity and reduced or zero chance of the expectation being met. Pricing a car of one’s choice when there is no sign of earning an income with the belief that one will be able to afford it very soon will be an act of expression of faith by the person.
To be continued.
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www.crossandcrownchristianministry.org. You may also send your reactions to crossandcrownchristianministry@gmail.com.
