When I was a child, I learned that Jesus was my friend—that He chose me, loved me, and wanted to be with me. As a confused teenager, I learned that Jesus is the One who saves and the One I can trust. As an adult, I have acknowledged Christ is Redeemer of my sins, the King of my life, and the Guide on my path. He is always with me, always teaching me, always showing me opportunities to live into His work in this world.
Because I have known the love of Christ in my life, I don’t sit back and say, “Well, I’ve checked the eternity box.” Once loved by Christ, I am called into a community of people who share that faith. Though I risk being called into unfamiliar experiences, I trust that God will show me how to respond. I surround myself with people who model active faith and help me mature in mine. Faith doesn’t ever stop growing; it learns to act.
We can see evidence of our faith as we actively pray with and for each other, study God’s Word together, and feed and clothe the stranger in our midst. Jesus told us that anyone who cares for our brothers and sisters in need will be welcomed into His kingdom (Mathew 25:34-40). Our works in this world reflect our faith in God’s provision.
The late Christian artist Rich Mullins wrote a great song lyric on the subject of faith and works. Check it out!
“Faith without works is like a song you can’t sing,
It’s about as useless as a screen door on a submarine...”