Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Faith Should Produce Action

In the last verses of John 4, we have the story of the nobleman who comes to Jesus Christ and asks him to come to his house, so that he would heal his son. He asks this of Jesus at least twice (vs. 47, 49). Instead, Christ says to him in vs. 50, "Go thy way; thy son liveth." How does the man respond (vs. 50b)?

"And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way."
The story ends with the nobleman arriving home to a healed child, and the servants reporting that the child was healed in the same hour that Christ told him to go his way.

We tend to praise the nobleman's great faith, and we should; but notice the man's actions. First, the man believed. After Christ tells him to "Go thy way," he asks no more questions, makes no more requests. He does not demand rationalizations nor does he express doubts. He believes. He has faith. Second, he "went his way." Having learned Jesus's will, he promptly begins to do it.

Notice how this is a simple picture of how our Christian walk is supposed to work! When we are confronted with God's will for our lives, we should trust—have faith, believe—in what He has told us to do. As some of you know, I am currently between full-time jobs; once God makes clear to me what the next one is, I should have faith.....and then do! Faith should always produce actions in obedience to God. May we all remember that today.

No comments: