Faith, Works, Both?

"Faith Without Works is Dead." This saying is used quite often, if not all the time. Even those who don't necessarily profess themselves to be christian use this verse as well. But on my journey with Jesus, I realized this verse is frequently used to feed our wants more than faith itself. You here this verse all throughout the prosperity gospel and if you haven't heard about the prosperity gospel, allow me to give you a brief summary:

The prosperity gospel is a gospel of wealth and success. There's nothing wrong with being wealthy or healthy but when the focus is only about being rich and "getting yours", there's an issue. I've noticed there are quite a few pastors that preach about this kind of gospel, and in my opinion, It's not necessarily bad all the way, however, there doesn't seem to be enough time spent on cleaning the heart and building your own personal relationship with Jesus. Instead we're believing that God will come through and we haven't even touched our bible, and if we did it was to move it over to clear space.

What does the bible say in James 2:18-26?

"But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only... For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (NKJV)

By just reading this scripture we can easily draw the conclusion that if you have faith to be rich, you better work for it, if you want to be famous on Instagram, you better believe this will happen and began your marketing strategy, and if you have faith to find a wife, you better start looking brother, "he who finds a wife, finds a good thing." But, what if God says to be still and he will bring it to you. That's when things get a little shaky.

For example, someone may have stage four cancer. Faith without works is dead still applies to them. Why, because they will need faith to believe by Jesus's stripes they are healed, furthermore, most likely they are going to have to war in prayer for what is rightfully theirs through the blood of the lamb. Since the devil found a way in, the person has to kick him out. What if He say's I will pay your bill if you will just stay put and wait. Will you wait?

On the contrary, if God gives you a strategy, tells you to move and you don't move, then your faith is all you really have. You believe but you don't believe enough to follow through, to actually confirm your faith. There is Abraham? God told him to to offer his son, Isaac, and he believed in God, in whatever plan that He had, that it would be perfect. So Abraham worked and did what God told him. Thankfully, it was just a test. Then there's Job. He lost everything and at first his faith in God was waning but in the end he believed again and prayed asking for repentance of unbelief, not only for himself, but for his friends as well. God restored to him double of what he had before.

It isn't easy believing that God will come through or God will heal you when it feels like your world is falling apart, but that's why we work, to back up our faith. It may take prayer, sweat, or tears, but at that end of the day when you put your foot down and walk with Jesus, anything is possible. After all, He is the God of impossible. Listen for his voice and follow him like Abraham did to the best of your ability. Work your faith, whether He told you to "be still and know that I am God", or if he is saying go forth in a certain direction, take action,etc. Work your faith.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6