November 22
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DEAD FAITH
A poem by ILMA
What’s the use of faith if you claim you have it but don’t show it by your actions?
Does that kind of faith save someone or even show a sincere act of love?
Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing
Would you ignore their need and say farewell and have a good day?
So you see, If you claim you have faith but doesn’t produce acts, it is useless
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.”
How can you show me your faith if you don’t act on doing acts of kindness?
We show our true faith by the good deeds and loving acts that we manifest.
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
How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is dead?
Abraham was made right with God by his action to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.
You see, Abraham’s faith and his actions worked together, it made his faith complete
He was even called the friend of God because he had a faith that wasn’t dead
Rahab was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid the spies
Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
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MEMORY VERSE
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. – James 2:17
Read: James 2:14-26
Some people think that just by saying they believe in Christ and live in his grace is good enough to be shining for Jesus. We can’t say we have faith if it doesn’t manifest in our lives and in our actions. This is just like hearing the word and not doing it. Faith is dead without real acts of kindness and love.
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REFLECTION
• Why should actions accompany our faith? What happens when we don’t manifest the love and concern that is expected from those who claim they are believers?