“Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world RICH IN FAITH, and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to them that love Him?”  James 2:5 (emphasis added)

Faith that is not put into action is merely claimed and will bless no one.  By put into action I do not mean handing out water and building houses but the action of actually believing in God and HIS Redemption Plan to give us victory over the world, the flesh and the devil for whosoever will believe.  Please don’t misunderstand, giving water and building houses for those in need are a wonderful work indeed and as for me, I’m extremely thankful for such. However, the problem is too many have mistaken those good works for the spreading of the gospel and have placed their faith in those works.

“¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.

¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

¹⁹ You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

²⁰ But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”  James 2:17-20.

One cannot separate faith and works because proper works, that which is the Will of God, is a result of proper faith..faith in Jesus Christ and HIS redeeming work on Calvary’s Cross. Any other faith is dead faith.  Dead faith has no saving grace and produces a condemning work.  It is not a life giving work because God does not recognize this dead faith.

Just to be sure, any faith that is in any object other than Jesus Christ and His redeeming work for whosoever will believe is dead faith.  The profession of faith in the form of declarations or creeds is profitless when our faith is in the declaration.  Religious ceremonies are works that produce a lifeless faith because the object of faith is the ceremony and not the Lord Jesus.  Such things attempt to produce proper faith; life giving, saving grace faith, through the various creeds and ceremonies.  Again, such faith is not recognized by God.  It is condemning, dead, profitless, lifeless faith…it is dead faith that produces dead works.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2.

Faith that is authored and finished by Jesus Christ will make one rich…rich in the faith. Fight the good fight of faith.  Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12).  Faith and trust in money, decrees and ceremonies blaspheme the name of God and bring reproach to His Work because it will not save the sinner nor sanctify the Saint.

Saving Grace and Sanctifying Peace are found in the same place…at the foot of the Cross. Be rich in faith…faith in Jesus Christ, Who He is and what He has done on Calvary’s Cross.

Be blessed.

At the Foot of The Cross – Rachel Larson

-Donna Clark Warren