The Word

The Simplicity of Faith

🌟 Scriptures 🌟
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 2:14-26 ESV
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Matthew 22:8-14
"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, 'How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?' The man was speechless. "Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

🗣️The Message📜

When God called us to Himself, and when we got saved God didn't want us to continue to do what we used to do in the world. He wants to change us, cleanse us, and help us to become more like His Son, Jesus. He wants to clothe us in righteousness, He wants to clothe us in His unfailing love.

Sadly, some people come to the Lord and believe but won't allow Jesus to change them. They believe God lives but don't believe or do what He says. They don't want to change or put in the work that it takes to be holy.

It reminds me of James 2:14-16 when the author talks about the ignorance of a person saying to go in peace and be warmed and filled without doing anything to help them. The person in need could represent our spirit when we don't nourish it, we can talk about what we're going to do or wish to do but if nothing is done, nothing will change. If we put a seed in the ground and cover it with dirt without watering it won't grow or change. Faith without works is dead. How can you say you have faith without showing it? Just as when we see healthy fruit on a tree we know it's healthy, because it's been nourished we should also be able to see the fruits of the Spirit from a person being nourished by God's Word. The Bible says one plants another waters but God gives the increase, but how can something grow that hasn't been watered?

God wants us to be healed, He wants us to be delivered, and He wants us to tell others about Him so they can also know this freedom because He loves us. In Matthew 22:1-14 there is a wedding feast and those that the king initially invited rejected his invitation, so he decided send people out to bring anyone good or bad to this wedding feast the only requirement was to come and wear wedding clothes. But one person came and didn't have the wedding clothes on. He was invited and was allowed to stay for a while, but he didn't put on any wedding clothes so when the king finally came and saw all of his guests wearing wedding clothes except him, the king said,

"Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?'

The man had the choice to wear the wedding clothes and didn't, he was disobedient, and he had no excuse for it. Just as when we are called to come to Christ it's a decision and we know the requirement is to change and repent. Making the decision that instead of being friends with the world we will be an enemy to it and instead of looking like the world we'd work to look like Christ with His help.

Now if we look back at the wedding feast we can see that this man was called but he didn't want to change and that he looked the same way since he came in. When a person does this they aren't allowing Jesus to cloth them in righteousness, they aren't allowing Jesus to clothe them in His love, and they are refusing to be cleansed.

As a result of his disobedience, the man was cast out of God's presence and into utter darkness. Now, what are these wedding clothes in our day and time? It's spending time with God and obeying Him. You have to water a plant or it will die. The kings requirement was just to come and be dressed then you could enjoy the wedding. In the same way God's requirements weren't to be good, perfect, and clean, or to be sinless, but to come and believe so Christ can change you and give you the clothes of white. Come to Jesus and let Him clothe you in righteousness and love that cleanses the dirt of sin, perfects you, and saves you. Putting on those clothes and coming to the wedding probably isn't an easy task just as forsaking the world and coming to Christ isn't easy, but with Christ we can do all things and the reward is freedom and a relationship with the creator of the world!

Lord, help us to despise our old lives and allow you to cleanse us and make us more like Your Son. Thank You for allowing us to be Holy as You are Holy. In Jesus' name Amen.