Preaching by Works

Canon EOS 350D, f1.4, 1/5 sec

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, to profess faith without showing works? Such faith has no power to save you. If a brother or sister is in need of clothes or food and one of you says, 'May things go well for you; be warm and satisfied,' without attending to their material needs, what good is that? So it is for faith without deeds: it is totally dead.

"Say to whoever challenges you, 'You have faith and I have good deeds; show me your faith apart from actions and I, for my part, will you my faith in the way I act.' Do you believe there is one God? Well enough, but do not forget that the demons also believe and tremble in fear!

"You foolish one, do you have to be convinced that faith without deeds is useless? Think of our father Abraham. Was he not justified by the act of offering his son Isaac on the altar? So you see, his faith was active along with his deeds and became perfect by what he did. The word of Scripture was thus fulfilled, Abraham believed in God so he was considered a righteous person and he was called the friend of God.

"So you see, a person is acknowledged by works and not by faith alone.

"So, just as the body is dead without its spirit, so faith without deeds is also dead."

JAMES 2:14-24, 26

"Equip Your ministers, Lord Jesus,
with a sensitive and responsive heart for their flock
so that You can build Your church through them."

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