Monday, August 1, 2011

James 2

Why did you allow God to save you? “So I can go to heaven when I die” is the first response of many people. Some others go a little deeper and say “so God could deliver me from the power of sin and death.” Others will focus on relationships, ‘so I can be in a right relationship with God.”

Maybe the better question to ask is why did God want to save us? God’s answer will be inclusive of all of the above responses, but His answer will be more focused. God created you and He wants you back in His family. He wants all of His family to join Him in the family business.

God’s family business is called, “New Creations.” First, he creates His children anew. “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17) Second, the purpose of our new life in Christ is to prepare for the coming Kingdom of God. How? Look back to July 30 and the mediation on 2 Thessalonians.

The point James is making is that if you have accepted what God is doing in Christ to give you new life there will be evidence of your faith. Your faith does not earn your new life in Christ, but your good works are evidence that you do have faith in what God wants to do in you.

Why does James make such a big deal out of this? Because, “nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself."

What does today’s reading reveal to you about God?
What does it reveal to you about yourself?
Think about what God wants you to do or remember about this passage.

Does God want you to change anything in your life?

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