This week conservative politics suffered another black eye. A Controversial Senator under indictment for numerous crimes was almost expelled from the Republican Party. He was spared by members who claim to be Christians.
It is also been celebrated that the new house speaker is a professing Christian. Christian beliefs are popular amongst conservative politicians; however, few are willing to actually practice the Christian faith.
- Don’t bear false witness
- Be generous
- Honor thy father and mother
- Do not commit adultery
The problem is many people like Christian ideals, but don’t like to practice what they preach. They want the conservative vote, but they don’t want to be true conservatives. Like the Pharisees, they are whitewashed tombs.
I have noticed a lot of women think of themselves as ladies but don’t want to live ladylike. When the rubber meets the pavement, they reveal who they truly are. Our actions prove what we really believe.
Believe
believe is a verb and verbs mean action. It is flawed to think we can believe, yet do nothing; because all beliefs in the mind produce actions.
Believing is more than just an idea. When we really believe something, we will do something. This is why Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, they had all the head knowledge but they didn’t put it to work.
To really understand what Jesus was saying, we need to understand what it means to believe in Judaism. The Hebrew word used for believe in the Old Testament is ‘āman and it too is a verb.
‘Aman
It is the word many American Christians get their “amen“ from. However, in Hebrew, the idea is more than just an agreement or affirmation—it is to support, confirm, and uphold. So whatever you are agreeing with, you will also do!
You will hold firm to the ways of God and serve Him and not the ways of this world. The term is first used to describe the actions of Abram in the Torah. Afterward God renamed Abram Abraham which means father of many.
Fatherhood requires certain actions and not just a cognitive idea in our heads. God kept His promise and gave Abraham many sons who birthed the nation of Israel.
- Ishmael
- Isaac
- Zimran
- Jokshan
- Medan
- Midian
- Ishbak
- Shuah
Abraham did a lot of work. Eventually, Jesus would come through the lineage of Abraham (Matthew 1:1-2). Jesus continued this idea of believing is doing as He taught His followers the need to do what they were told (Matthew 28:16-20, John 14:12).
James noted the demons believe in Him and tremble (James 2:19). So we see that what we believe influences our actions. True faith isn’t held in our hearts or our heads, it’s lived out in our lives.
The Greek word used for believe in the New Testament is Pisteuō and it is also a verb. Part of the theme of the New Testament is our faith must be lived out. The Apostle Paul appealed to the church to work out their faith with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).
James concludes the matter by saying faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). If we have faith and believe then we will do the things of our faith in God.
Just Do It
In his second letter to the church John addresses the chosen “lady”, he talks about how she lives in truth and does everything the faith has required (2 John 1:-13). Many scholars believe John is addressing a specific church that was faithful to the cause of Christ.
This church didn’t just talk the talk; they walked the walk and lived in truth. Both the Old and New Testaments put a lot of emphasis on God’s people walking in truth and putting our faith to work.
Jesus stressed the importance of God’s people being the salt and light because both elements are active (Matthew 5:13-14). Our faith is an active agent in our lives.
- Changes
- Moves
- works
Jesus confronted the Pharisees because they didn’t live out their faith; they were just hypocrites who liked the attention and the power of their positions. Like many today they think about God, but don’t believe!
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