FAITH

And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment. —John 3:36

Most people live in denial, denial of what is going to happen after death. Those same “most people” also deny what the Lord Jesus has done at the cross for them so they could be forgiven of their sin, turn from their sin, have relationship with God through Jesus, have eternal life and be with Jesus in heaven after they die. Most people are just living life the way they want to live life. They may be religious or not. Actually, all people are religious. Religion defined is just a set of values. Everyone has values of some sort. Everyone is religious.

A person who truly believes in Jesus has eternal life and this belief or faith they have will be seen by obedience to Jesus. There will be evidence of “fruit” in their lives (Matthew 7:15-27; 14:21; John 15:1-17). If a person said they were a carpenter and you were to follow him around every day and they never did any carpentry work, well, you would question if that person was truly a carpenter. So it would be with a doctor or any other profession. Somebody can claim to be something, but it they never showed evidence of it, well there would be a huge question that they really are what they claim since what they say doesn’t line up with what they actually do.

So it is with those who claim to follow Jesus. Just because a person “says” they believe does not mean that they do. James puts it this way— “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” (James 2:14). The answer of course is “No, that type of faith cannot save him.” This is a clear passage that teaches that faith gives evidence through works and that works gives evidence there is faith (James 2:14-26). They go hand in hand and do not exist apart from each other.

Someone has said, “If you (or I) were accused of being a true follower of Jesus and had to be tried in court because of that accusation, would there be enough evidence to convict us?” What “fruit” or evidence or works or deeds are there in your life or mine that truly shows we follow the Lord Jesus? May there be no doubt of a conviction in court for us being a follower of Jesus!

Dear Father, please help me! Oh, that I would be the person You want me to be. May I truly show forth faith in You by evidence of my obedience to You and by fruit that comes through that obedience. May it be so!