Monday, February 27, 2006
True Faith
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. —James 2:17
The Great Blondin, probably the Evel Knievel of his day, was notorious for his incredible, death-defying acts. On one occasion, he strung a tightrope across the
They all said, “We believe! We believe!” So he walked across the tightrope and came back again. The people applauded, thrilled by his tremendous feat,
Then he said, “How many of you believe that I, the Great Blondin, can not only walk back across that tightrope, but this time do it while I push a wheelbarrow?”
“We believe!” they yelled louder, wanting to see him do this.
Then he said, “How many of you really believe it?”
“Oh, we really believe it!” they shouted back. One man was yelling a little bit louder than all the others, so the Great Blondin pointed to him and said, “Then get in the wheelbarrow.” The man quickly disappeared.
That is how a lot of people are today. A lot of us will say, “I believe! I believe!” But how many are truly willing to get into God’s wheelbarrow, so to speak?
Some people have a pseudo-faith, but not real belief as the Bible would require. Therefore, it is of the greatest importance that we know what true faith is. The Book of James points out that there is such thing as a phony faith, a dead faith. And any declaration of faith that does not result in a changed life and good works is a false declaration.
It is faith alone that justifies. But faith that justifies can never be alone.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org.
Copyright © 2006 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.