FAITH AND ACTION

FAITH AND WORKS




WE all know
That we are SAVED
BY FAITH ALONE


But we also all know
That faith not enhanced
BY REAL WORKS
Is not REAL FAITH at all


As CHRISTIANS
We are to be there
For our brothers and sisters
In Christ


GOD CALLS US
Jesus call us
To TRANSLATE
Our words into actions
And LOVE one another


In chapter 21 of Saint Matthew's Gospel
About the wretched tenants who:


“SEIZE the servants
Beat one-kill another-and stone a third” Matthew 21:35


So the landlord
Sends his son
To collect the debt


But the wretched tenants
Take him-throw him out of the vineyard
And “kill him”


So the landlord
Throws the tenants out
“And rents the vineyard
To other tenants”


We are called
To be Christians


We are called
To be tenants
IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD


We are called
To be Christians
To TRANSFER our words
Into actions
And produce FRUIT
For the kingdom of God


IF we do not
TRANSFER our faith into action


And produce fruit
For the kingdom of God


I AM-we are
Just like the wicked tenants
Bound to be REPLACED
By someone else


THIS parable of the wicked tenants
UNDERLINES the importance
Of our responsibilities
HERE on earth


WE are called on to LOVE GOD
And to LOVE ONE ANOTHER


“A NEW COMMANDMENT
I give unto you
LOVE one another


AS I have loved you
You MUST love one another


By this
ALL MEN will know
That you are my disciples


IF you
LOVE ONE ANOTHER” John 13:34-35


WE must remember
That love is NOT only a noun
But is also a VERB


Which means ACTION
Which means
We MUST LOVE our neighbor
In whatever way that we can


And we must seek FORGIVENESS
WHEN we harm another-
And forgive those who harm us


PASSIVE acceptance
Of Jesus' teachings
IS NOT ENOUGH


We must actually LOVE
Those that are
DIFFICULT to love


And forgive those
Who are difficult to forgive


“THEREFORE-I say to you
The kingdom of God
WILL be taken away from you
And given to a people
That will PRODUCE its FRUIT” Matthew 21:41


We need
to have FAITH


But even more so
We need to
PUT OUR FAITH INTO ACTION


Robert P. Wallman
11-19-14




Ps INSPIRED by an article in LIVING FAITH MAGAZINE by Paul Pennick