Faith Without Deeds Is Dead

APRIL 2008

What is our mission as Christians? Why has God placed us on this earth? Our mission statement here at St Paul Church is to “know God, serve others, grow disciples.” How effectively are we as a congregation carrying out this mission? I've always believed that the true measure of our congregation is not in the number of pews filled or the money in the offering plate, but in the spiritual strength of our members. It is we as individual Christ followers that make up the body of our congregation and that of Christ's Church. We, individually, are the true measure of the strength of our congregation. How well do we live up to our mission statement? This is a question that has weighed heavy on my personal life for some time now. Am I doing God's will in all that I say? In every action? It is with sorrow that I admit no. There are things in my life I could be doing to know God better. I am certainly lacking in serving others and growing disciples as I should. But what is the standard against which we measure?

God, do I pray enough? No. Do I worship enough? No. Do I study Your Word? Surely not as much as I could. But will how much I do get me by? I must follow your command more than that guy over there. Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” We must not compare ourselves to others, as individuals or the church. For in the end, it will be us that is judged. Instead, let us make the one comparison that truly matters. Let us hold ourselves against Christ. How do we measure up then? For it is not by our deeds that we are saved, but by His sacrifice. Our salvation is through Him. The apostle John writes, “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

So why do we follow His command? Our salvation rests only in Christ and His sacrifice. “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” It is not by our deeds that we are saved, but by our deeds we show our faith in that salvation. By what we say and do, we stand before God showing that we have assurance of salvation in Christ, through Christ. “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

By our actions, we show our dedication to God. By our conviction we express our faith in Christ's resurrection as our one true path to eternal salvation. By our deeds, we display God's chosen life for us, that it may be a guiding light for those around us. It may serve as a reminder that we are disciples in Christ. May we continue to grow, as individuals, as a congregation, and as a church toward that mission.

To Him Be All Glory!