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The Working Christians
I write a little series called the weekly run. Sometimes, God influences me to write a similar short teaching. This is one of those teachings. This teaching is about work and faith. The Bible makes it clear that we can not earn or work our way to heaven. Jesus is the way and the only way to God. Belief that Christ died for our sins is the only thing that God requires for our salvation outside the death Jesus suffered on the cross.
However, James 2:17 tells us that faith without works is dead. The question I now place before you is, “Are you willing to approach the throne of grace with dead faith?” If we study Matthew chapter twenty five we find two parables and one statement of fact that the parables are meant to prepare us for. The first parable is about five smart virgins and five foolish virgins. Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Five of the virgins lacked the initiative to prepare for the wedding to come. When the bridegroom came the foolish virgins had to go and get oil. They missed out on the wedding.
The second parable is about God investing in our lives. The two who put
their talents to work were rewarded while the foolish hid his talent and was punished. Now Jesus goes on to point out that the goats don't and the
sheep do Many times Christians will claim Christianity on what they don't do as opposed as to what they do. At the same time that they are saying that they don't drink or smoke for example, they fail to mention they don't read their Bible.
Think about a hamburger. Is it a hamburger because it doesn't contain
pork? We think of hamburgers because of what they are as opposed as
to what they are not. Why then do most Christians define their faith by what they don't do? Listen, does your testimony begin with I believe? Tell me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a person who really believes in the Bible at least read it? And wouldn't a person who really loves Jesus do something to show it?
Start showing your love of Christ by loving one another. By the way, if that sounds familiar, it is because Jesus said something very similar. Then help others in the name of Jesus. Find a good reason to serve. Help out in your church as opposed to just sitting in the pew. The average church has about 10% workers and 90% laborers. It should be the other way around.
The bottom line here is that we should be doing Christians as opposed to not doing Christians. Many people don't drink or smoke and are not Christians. However, people the really do things in the name of Jesus
usually are Christians. Which do you want to be?
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