During the weekend message, we were reminded that “faith is trusting God enough to do what He says.” Indeed, when we have faith in God, we do what He says. A refusal to do what He says and obey Him indicates a lack of faith. After all, one main reason we do not obey God is that we do not trust Him and His plans for us. This truth that obedience is an indicator of our faith is taught throughout Scripture. For example, a man in John 9 demonstrated this kind of faith that leads to obedience when Jesus came to Him and offered healing.
In John 9, we meet a man who had been born blind. When Jesus and His disciples saw the man, Jesus explained to His disciples that this man was born blind "so that the power of God could be seen in him" (verse 3). What happened next was strange and nothing short of miraculous. Scripture tells us that Jesus "spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man's eyes" (verse 6). Then, Jesus gave this man an instruction: "Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam" (verse 7). Remarkably, this man immediately obeyed Jesus without wavering or expressing unbelief. He trusted Jesus and had faith in Him, so he obeyed. His faith in Jesus led to his obedience. After this man obeyed Jesus, he "came back seeing." What a remarkable story of tremendous yet simple faith that trusted Jesus enough to obey.
When speaking about how faith and obedience go hand-in-hand, James said it this way in the book James, “Faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless” (verse 17). It is true. Our faith is “useless” if it does not prompt us toward obedience. Lack of obedience, after all, demonstrates a lack of faith.
Still today, obedience always follows genuine faith. What about you? When it comes to your faith, is your faith demonstrated by your obedience? Does your obedience to God display the faith you have in Him? What step of obedience is God calling you to take right now? Will you obey Him today?
Memorize James 2:17. Bring this verse to mind often. Let it serve as a reminder that genuine faith always results in obedience. Commit to being a Christ follower who always obeys, having faith that God’s plan is always trustworthy.
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.
25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
