Belief in Action
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22 NLT
Insight
I learned something in a class recently that broke my heart. The predominant thought among sociologists who study religion is this: Christians care mostly about orthodoxy, or “right belief,” whereas other world religions are primarily concerned with orthopraxy, or “right practice.” When scholars examine our faith from the outside looking in, they see us squabbling over theological minutiae. When they study other religions, they notice people actively integrating their beliefs into their behavior. Why is that the case?
As it stands, the academy largely sees Christianity as a faith that is hyper-focused on thinking the “right things” rather than living out moral principles. People outside the Church see us with our heads stuck in our Bibles, but they don’t see us act on the wisdom we find there.
Christianity is meant to be a faith of action. We aren’t meant to simply hear the words of Jesus, nod our heads, and scribble down catchy platitudes in our journals. What we learn from our Savior needs to flow into our every interaction with those He loves. People should know what we believe, not because we profess it with our words, but because it informs our every move.
As Pastor Andy Stanley so astutely points out, Jesus doesn’t call His disciples to simply believe in Him; Jesus calls us to follow Him. As Christians, we must live as Jesus lived and loved as He loved. Otherwise, we are missing the point of the Christian faith altogether.
Jesus’ ministry wouldn’t have been nearly as impactful if He kept His distance from people and preached at them. The way His words informed His actions made His message irresistible. Yes, Jesus was a great orator, but what made Him great was how He gave Himself for the good of those around Him, even those who betrayed and persecuted Him. He asked God to forgive those who murdered Him in cold blood (Luke 23:34), and He bent down and washed the feet of those who would deny they ever knew Him (John 13:2-5). How great would the Church be if we embraced that kind of love, forgiveness, and humility?
God has grace for us when we fail to let our faith inform what we do. When we notice that what we believe doesn’t align with our actions toward others, we can receive His forgiveness and be encouraged. He will empower us to take the next right step.
Reflection
What does it look like to put your faith into action today?
Prayer
God, thank You for calling me to act on what I believe. Your Truth isn’t just meant to stay in my mind; it is meant to change my heart. Thank you for being a God who didn’t just preach the right things but actively loved those around You. Help me to remember Your Word when I encounter difficult people and situations. Empower me to be forgiving as You are forgiving. Empower me to be patient as You are patient. Empower me to be humble as You are humble. I love You, Lord, and I know I won’t always get this right. Thank you for having grace for me and teaching me, day by day, how to be Your follower. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today’s devotional.