The Evidence of Faith

 

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

 

She was teaching on the sovereignty of God and making a point about how the nation we live in does not acknowledge that sovereignty.

As an illustration she said she is longing for a day when the weatherman on TV will say,  “The Lord is bringing us rain this week.”

It makes us smile, but we also have to admit that it is true that we do not acknowledge God in our own day to day conversations any more than the weatherman does.  When we fail to acknowledge that God brings the rain , we have lost the truth that He also brings – or does not bring – the harvest.

Our words are a clear indication of our faith. In our prayers, do we thank God for what he is doing in our hearts and minds as He convicts us of sin? Have we mentioned to anyone else that we are grateful to God for these beautiful temperatures this week, or even that He has been consistently putting food on our table every day? He provides everything.

Do our neighbors know we have this kind of understanding about who God is? Our own neighbors know we go to church on Sunday because they see us leave and return.  They have, hopefully, heard some of what we believe in conversation, but do our actions line up?  Do we display our faith as well as we talk about it. Words are good but James says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”  (James 2:14)

Do our neighbors see us do anything that says we live our faith outside the walls of the church? It’s a frightening question.  Verse 17 in the same chapter of James says, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Of our close neighbors I can see that one might be lonely, another may be hungry or perhaps ill, as I see  he has lost weight this winter. There is one I know has a chronic illness, and several are busy Moms of small children. This should provide plenty of opportunities to do some good works.

As Christians, we have other responsibilities, too. We are to be busy with our families at home and willing to stand against the evil going on around us, not to mention serving one another in our respective churches.

Christians are called to a life that glorifies God in words and deeds.  James also says we are not to just say, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” when we can see someone’s need for clothing or food. He asks, “What good is that?”

Our faith should be evident in our words and our deeds. One without the other is only half the package.

Do those around you and me see any evidence of our faith, even with regard to the weather?