Obedience that accompanies faith
Key Verses: 1, 8, 13,
17, 23, 26
Showing
favorites is another way of saying prejudice with actions attached. John points
out that prejudice based on wealth is an easy target. We see it being played
out in the political arena every day. Taxing the rich, paying their fair share,
opportunity for all to rise. These are all words expressing prejudice based on
wealth.
But the
solution is not for the government to redistribute wealth. John states it
simply, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Being Christ-like is the answer. But
we live in a post-Christian society. We can’t expect non-believers to act the
way we ourselves are not willing to act. If we lived this out, people would be
drawn to Jesus. “They will know we are Christians by our love.”
But too
often we are not willing to love this way. We judge by looking at someone and
choosing not to give to them in their hour of need because they fit a certain
profile. We think we deserve the wealth and they don’t because ______. You can
fill in the blank with any number of things. It is still showing favoritism.
Biblical
faith is a faith that is alive and active in our lives. It matches our words
with deeds. Faith always moves us to action. Faith that just sits in the chairs
on Sunday is dead faith. Faith that changes us on the inside, changes us on the
outside as well. That is the way it has always been.
John
gives us the example of Abraham. If it is true of Abraham, then it must be true
for us. Abraham had the knife raised to sacrifice his son. At that point, even
though he had had faith in his heart before, God showed him the ram caught in
the thicket. When we put our inner faith into action, then we have Biblical
faith.
Rahab the
prostitute is an example of faith in action. She put her own life at risk to
obey God. Faith isn’t always comfortable or safe. Sometimes our faith put into
action will put us at the crosshairs of someone’s aim. In those moments God
promises to preserve our eternity, not our life. Some die.
We are
talking about the kind of faith here. If someone says they have faith in
Christ, but their lives are not moving, questions arise about the quality of
faith. Biblical faith always moves us forward, outward, reaching toward God and
others. We can’t stagnate and continue to say we have faith. Faith must be
growing, changing us and challenging us to do something about the plight of
others.