The Christianity I Had Lost Sight of | Misconception 1 Part 3

If you have not read last week's post I suggest you do; otherwise this one will not make sense.

Last week I explained how I see James 2:14-26. Now I am applying that to this former misconception of mine: "Come as you are, and stay that way!" (Remember that only the second part of that sentence is the misconception.)

After I became a Christian, I certainly displayed many fruits of the Spirit. I payed more attention in church and enjoyed the messages. I called shut-ins. I wrote letters to lonely or sick people. But I believe I missed something.

When James is discussing works, he's not saying every so often a Christian should perform a good work or two to ensure no one doubts their salvation, and to make God happy (at least I don't believe that was the memo, do you?). The exhortation is that our very lives - our whole beings - should be devoted to living out what we believe, so we are living testimonies, not dead testimonies, as we are without a life of works.

I believe that one of the weaknesses of the church in Sardis, a church Jesus rebukes in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, was they were also lacking in lives of works, since Jesus refers to them as dead. There are at least two main characteristics to a dead Christian, one being an unawareness of spiritual surroundings, like spiritual dangers, and another being a lack of works, a lack of growth and progression in one's faith - a lack of a living testimony.

I did kind things for other people and read my Bible and prayed, but it was not consistent from me. And I wondered why I wasn't growing/progressing in my faith greatly. My issue was although I believed God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, I was not at all consistent in living it out.

Please note that complete consistency is impossible, as we still have our sinful natures within us that war against the truth within us. But what we can do is to daily intend to live out our belief - He is, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him - and through the power of the Holy Spirit, to walk closely with God and obey His commands. When we so do, it is living proof we believe God when He says He is and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I have to revisit this verse:

Hebrews 11:6:

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.