Well, as I'd mentioned last post today's starting my fasting run. I pray that it will be more what I hope for; what do I hope for? For God to blow my mind :)
Last night I went to my church's Paradigm Bible study class where the leader spoke of the old and infamous argument of Faith vs. Works. Now granted I didn't dwell much on the issue prior to that night because well, I just never really gave it much thought. As Christians we're saved through our faith in Jesus Christ and we work to bring others to that grace right?
In James 2:14-26 he spoke of how well wishes won't cut it for Christians, what good is faith without action? We then turned to Romans 3:21-31 and it came to the agreement of with faith comes salvation, and works come about as a sigh of our faith. Though his main concern was whether or not that we had the right motivation when we perform these works (work without faith is dead {meaningless})
So if works are lower than faith, should we worry about the laws then? In Galatians 2, we read that we are "...not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ... that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law." Christ came to fulfill the law, and even moreso expanded it from what Moses received on the tablets. All things considered though, I consider following the laws and "works" in general to be two separate things so I'll leave the law alone for another time.
He then proceeded to go into a small story about the time he spoke with a young Catholic teen who had it figured that all he needed to do was ask for forgiveness and give hail Mary's on mass, and then he was free to do whatever he pleased. "But what if you'd died on a Friday?" he asked him, and the boy fell silent without an answer for a moment before coming up with something like "I would just hope I had enough time before the death to make my confessions."
After the story, he brought up Ephesians 2:8-9 which tells us that we are saved by grace and not by our works so that none should boast. It's a famous passage that most Christians have heard at least twenty times in their walk, but sadly most leave it just verse 9 even though the paragraph ends at 10 which reads as follows with the two prior verses:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." -Eph 2:10 KJV
So, end the end, there really is no argument of faith verses works. Those three small sentences in Ephesians puts it all to bed right then and there. We were created to do great works by God, but we are saved by grace through havign faith in Christ.
So then, what sort of work are we set to do then? Well, he finished off the night with that answer. 2 Corinthians 5: 18-21 gives us two jobs — the ministry of reconciliation, and ambassadors for Christ.
That has left me with a question of where's my ministry? As of late the only thing I can constitute as ministry is my article writing for Ten3 missions. Though I know better than to just limit there, I cannot say that my actions of late have been the best kind of ministry that I can do. So the prayer for today, that God will open my mind and heart for what He'll plan to show me and teach me in upcoming fasting period, and that I'll have the will power to stay on track. My mother found an interesting read on fasting and so sometime this week I plan to look into that, along with my Doulos book from last fall.
If anyone here wants to talk about this topic, feel free to start a conversation in the comments. I'd be more than happy to share opinions as it is good sharpen each other.
I ask that you, the reader, will say a prayer or two for me as I take my steps this month. If for any reason you need prayer, feel free to send me a message either here, facebook or my email. God bless, and may He watch over us this week.
~ John
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