"Living Faith" -5

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) It is easy to see the real meaning of things looking back and having the right perspective. Some of us are gifted in this area and can put things together so that they actually mean what they were meant to; and then there are others, who, although they might think they see the real meaning, it really only pertains to them. Who is actually in control here? It's not you or I, and it's not even the devil; although many might believe that he is. It is God who keeps the sun rising every day, and it is God who lets us keep rising each morning to see it! As far as our faith goes, it is based upon our trust in God for all the areas of our life; which are meant to cause us to walk in a particular way or fashion. It is not meant to be likened unto a light switch, that can be turned off and on at our discretion; but rather, is meant to be what we have become. I have seen this played out in my own life far more often than I would like to admit, and I have many regrets to show for it. What are you talking about Rich? Well, you might call it, Wearing our faith on our sleeve; which really means that it more for looks than for living. And the most fundamental problem with wearing our faith in any fashion, is that we can take it off and on, as a garment is changed to fit any occasion. A time for this, and a time for that, and a time to be His workmanship; but in reality, we are meant to be what we have been made into, at all times; not just when it is time for church, or time to be about His business. The difference between wearing our faith and living it, is that living our faith is something we cannot turn off, because it is what we have become; and any time that we might try to turn it off, we find ourselves feeling uncomfortable and out of place; kind of like wearing a tattered shirt in a room full of well dressed people; we feel very awkward, to say the least. Paul and James were in complete agreement with regard to good works being a part of our normal life in Christ; and looking at the verse above, we can see that Paul came at it from a little different angle to that of James, but the point was the same: Good works are a part of our new nature in Christ, and if they are missing from our life, then we have a problem... "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:24)