If faith without works is dead, how about works without faith?

Many of us believe that all we need to do is believe in God and study the bible and this should be good enough to make us  candidates for Heavenly rewards.  What we ignore is the part of the Bible that states  ’Faith without works is dead.’   To me, that means that I can believe until I’m blue in the face but if I do nothing about it, then my faith is useless.   Dead.  Which makes sense.  Why it makes sense?  Well with genuine faith and belief in Him comes the need to be like Him.  If we want to be like him then we have to exhibit good works.

Now if my faith is dead because I have no works to back it up,  how about if I do good works BUT I have no faith and/or belief in God?  I am a good person, right?  My works show that I am, so where do I stand?  That’s a good one.  One that we hear often.   I think that indeed if I go out and do good deeds, without a doubt, I am a good person.  Not Godly, but good.  So don’t I get some sort of reward for doing good? Maybe a free pass to Heaven?  Well consider this, you have a son who you love very much.  You give him whatever he wants and treat him as good as any kid would want to be treated.   Unfortunately, your son does not acknowledge you or love you.  He couldn’t care if you live or die.  But on the flip side, he is great doing his chores and homework.  He is otherwise a good boy.  Would you be satisfied?  Would his works be good enough to make you ignore the fact that he couldn’t care less about you?

My take.   And you, keep up the good work.

 

Related articles

• Faith Without Works is Dead (selfeducatedconservative.wordpress.com)
• Are We Saved By Works? (preacheroftruth.com)

Kirk Cameron has a take too.

After the furor over Kirk Cameron’s anti gay remarks,  I wrote a blog paying respect to him for standing up for his beliefs, popular or not. Read it here.  To quote a bit of Kirk’s controversial statement, he said homosexuality is ‘unnatural..detrimental, and ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization.”

Kirk, ever a true gentleman, defended his comments yesterday.  He blames the media and especially Piers Morgan for putting him on the spot with such a hotly debated and personal question. (I agree with him there). In his words,  ”I don’t change my feeling about the comments,” he said. “To take some answers, reduce an important and personal and sensitive issue to a four-second sound bite and toss it into a community to start a political bonfire and really upset people you’re looking to protect was disingenuous.”

I still applaud Kirk’s frankness, ( just like I would appreciate your telling me if I smell).  Whether we like it or not, it’s better to know exactly how the people around us feel about us and not assume everyone is our friend and embrace our lifestyle.

I do not have the intestinal fortitude to debate the lifestyle choice of others.  I am not even sure I have the qualifications to even do so.

Piers called Kirk’s statements ‘bigoted‘.  I failed to see that.   In my view, being anti something does not necessarily makes the person a bigot.  It’s just his take, respect it.

 

Related articles

• Piers Morgan Responds To Kirk Cameron: I’ll Let Others Decide If He Was ‘Stitched Up…Or Just A Bigot’ (mediaite.com)
• Piers Morgan Isn’t Having Kirk Cameron’s Victim ‘Moaning’: ‘I’ll Let Others Decide If He’s a Bigot’ (towleroad.com)
• Kirk Cameron Stands Behind Anti-Gay Comments, Blames Piers Morgan For Creating Hateful Soundbite (inquisitr.com)
• Kirk Cameron Clarifies Homosexuality Comments: “I Love All People” (seattlepi.com)
• Kirk Cameron Controversy Keeps Growing: Pains to Defend His Stance Against Homosexuality. (tinfoilhatman45.wordpress.com)
• Kirk Cameron clarifies alleged anti-gay remarks: ‘I love all people’ (digitalspy.co.uk)