What Is Living Faith?

What doth it profit, my brethren,

though a man say he hath faith,

and have not works? Can faith

save him? if a brother or sister 

be naked, and destitute of daily

food, and one of you say unto them,

depart in peace, by ye warmed and 

filled; not withstanding ye give them

not those things which are needful

to the body; what doth it profit? 

Even so faith if it hath not works,

is dead, being alone. Yea, a man

may say, Thou hast faith, and I

have works: shew me thy faith

without they works, and I will shew 

thee my faith by my works. Thou

believest that there is one God: thou

doest well: the devils also believe, 

and tremble. But wilt thou them know,

O vain man, that faith without works

is dead?

James 2:14-20

     I apologize for not being able to write my blog for the last two days. I was being seen by a doctor for a problem that arose  when I had my last surgery. It looks like another surgery coming up. Will know more after I meet with the doctors at the Veterans Hospital at Mather Field in Sacramento. So pray that all goes well and that from this my faith will demonstrate Jesus Christ to all who attend to me and to those friends that do not believe.

     "Can faith save you?" This is a good question as James under inspiration wrote those words and made this statement. So, what is meant? Let us look at the word "faith," so that we have an understanding of it how it is used. First, faith is confidence, or a trust in a person or thing and is not based on proof. If you have proof of a thing or person you have no need to have faith in that person or thing. To simply say that you have faith is nothing more than words and another person has no reason to believe in what you say to be true. Faith without works is a "dead faith," for it has no substance that demonstrates what is said. "Can faith save you?" Yes! If that faith is built upon a truth even if you cannot see that proof in reality, or person. This is true for one to have faith in Jesus Christ. We cannot see Him, but we can see what He did, and know what He said, and by our checking this out we can have a faith that is assured. Do you have faith? Is your faith accompanied by works? You cannot work your way to heaven or salvation, but your faith can demonstrate what you say is true for your faith. 

     I have recently due to my surgeries and time away from the congregation found that people say that they will pray for you, that is, if they took the time to know that you need prayer. Yes, pray is a way to demonstrate your faith in God, not that He will answer your prayer, but that you believe in Him, have faith in Him, that He is providential and will work all things for good. What I did find out was that no one took the time to check on me and in a time where electronic technology makes us a dial away from another person. Now, this example, a true example, shows that for many people going to Church will go to hear a sermon, (and then after hearing it never to speak of it again), and to have fellowship, but no one is taking time to check out why a person is not at Church, and if they can help. But they will "pray," (go in peace, be warmed and filled) seems to be the way most people go to Church and will not "bother" themselves to be involved in other peoples lives. This is one of our responsibilities as a Christian, and Authentic Christian and to do less means that you say you have faith but it is a dead faith for there is not works attached to it. 

     Works, the Greek has two words used for works, one is poiew which means more to the object and end of an act, to accomplish, to do a thing once for all: i.e., to build a house. The other word is epyon, that means to toil to have and effort, in other words to work. This word used by James is important for it is simply telling us to be a person of action especially towards those in your congregation, and to extend that to others as well. To be one who is accomplishing works is one that has taken time to examine the needs and to develop a way to handle those needs. There is more to this: and I have found many people denigrating Jehovah Witnesses for going about door to door or to sit with a tripod with literature ready to discuss their faith with anyone who will ask (1Peter 3:15). I do not know what his denigration, are they not putting their faith into action? Yes! Where are the Christians who attend various Churches doing this as well? Some things are done, but for the most part, most Christians do nothing, so their faith is dead. Are you equipping yourself so that you can take the Gospel to the world as we have been commanded to do? 

     James is not letting us off the hook. We must consider what he wrote and determine if we are demonstrating our faith by our works. Are we willing to take time to go out and speak to others about our faith? Yes, you may have to make other arrangements to make this time to "work" but what else do you have that is more important? Jesus commanded us to do this, and the Holy Spirit had Paul, Peter, and James especially to remind us or our responsibility as an Authentic Christian. We must make a decision: will we have "live" works, or will or faith be a dead faith? It is all up to us. Salvation does not come by works but due to our salvation we have, or should have, a desire to bring what saved us to our world, to others. Apathy will not be tolerated by God. 

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now

     thine ear be attentive to the

prayer of thy servant, and to the 

     prayer of thy servants, who 

desire to fear thy name: and prosper,

    I pray thee, they servant this day,

and grant him mercy in the sight of

    this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

                           Nehemiah 1:11

May this be your prayer

Richard L. Crumb

  

Learning How To Live In The Liberty Of The Gospel

For he that said, Do not commit adultery,

said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit

no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art

become a transgressor of the law. So

speak ye, and so do, as they that shall

be judged by the law of liberty. For he

shall be judged by the law of liberty. For 

he shall have judgment without mercy,

that hath shewed no mercy: and mercy 

rejoiceth against judgment.

James 2:11-13

     James who led the Jerusalem Church had a close relationship with the Jewish people, both inside the Church and those who maintained old Jewish theology and traditions and would not accept Jesus Christ or the Christians who followed Him. Jewish people followed an error of division of the law into great and little, and taught that if a man observed one great precept, it would compensate for the many evil actions, and conciliate the Divine favor. I often speak with Jehovah Witnesses who too hold to the need to the doctrine that only Jehovah is the name of God and no other name is to be recognized as to receive divine favor. Many Churches hold to doctrines, as indifferent as they may be, to be the only way that a person is to worship God as in the requirement that wine should not be used for communion while others say that it is alright to be used. This is divisive as it was for the old Jewish people that had divided the law into "great and small." No Christian should hold fast as a law or approved doctrine that is a matter of indifference. In Jesus Christ their is liberty, not without the law, but under the law (1Corinthians 9:21). Yes, we are to be "yoked" to Jesus Christ and to the law, but there is no burden associated, but there is rules to follow. The law is not an obligation in itself, rather it is to lead us to know what sin is and what pleases God for without the law there is no transgression and no need for a Savior (1John 3:4). Now if we give some sort of value: i.e., adultery is a 8, and murder is a 10, and to covet is a 5, etc., as did the Jewish people do to find a way to not feel as a transgressor then the law is invalid and man makes those values to fit their presuppositons and doctrines that may or may not be Scriptural. The Gospel freed us from the obligation of the law, not that we do not keep the law but that we have been freed from the curse of the law. If this was not so then a man or  woman, a child, could have will-worship, to have their works be pious when in actuality nothing more than self-conceit. 

     Understand this: You will be judged by the law of liberty. That is: how you exercise this liberty will be either a judgment to be condemned or to have the Lord says: "well done my faithful servant." Our good deeds will not save us and will not keep us from will not atone for our bad deeds, rather it puts in front of us the atonement, not from some other, rather upon Jesus Christ who paid the debt so that we can receive His atonement. 

     Mercy, oh, how this word is so misused and misunderstood. Are we to give mercy to everyone no matter the circumstance? No! Mercy means to be compassionate, to be kindly forbearing, it is to be an act of kindness. Now, if a person is say: a drug addict: would it be an act of mercy to let him/her to continue in their addiction? No! Mercy would be to be compassionate and to aid them to receive the needed help, to do anything other is not an act of mercy. In fact it may not be mercy to others who are affected by this person's addiction. We are to use Scripture and we are to be judged by the Gospel. Yes, where mercy is warranted then give it as did Jesus give to us mercy to save us, but if that person will after a strong attempt to be helped, then it may just be necessary to move on and find someone that will receive your help. Yes! We are to be merciful but not at the expensive to be ridiculous when our mercy is not received. God is merciful, but God also judges people according to their works, their beliefs, and how they exercise life. Some will go to heaven, some to Gehenna, God will show those who are His children mercy and by not extending that same mercy to the unrepentant God's children will see the Justice, Love, and mercy of God. 

      The grace of God is unfathomable and this grace will not be conjoined with sin, this is abuse of grace and then grace will become your enemy. Pray, pray always that God would not deal with us according to our iniquities, our manner of dealing with Him or with men, and let us walk according to the Gospel and our love for Jesus Christ who showed us how we are to walk, and to live in this life. Until we reach heaven we are subject to the sinfulness of our soul, that original sin that plagues us and we fall on our knees before God that He would lead us to the truth and to a life that pleases Him and if we fail in some way that His mercy, grace, and love will give to us that repentance needed and that reconciliation that we need so that we live as Authentic Christians and our Faith is Authentic Christian Faith. 

Then Job answered the LORD, 

     and said, I know that Thou

canst do every thing, and that no

     thought can be withholden 

from Thee. 

              Job 42:1-2

Show mercy wisely

Richard L. Crumb

Learning To Give Respect To All In Our Churches

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord

Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect

of persons. For if there come unto your assembly 

a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and

there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

and ye have respect to him that weareth the

gay clothing, an say to the poor, Stand thou

there, or sit here under my footstool: are ye

 not then partial in yourselves, and are become

judges of evil thoughts?  

James 2:1-4

     How often has this been done in our Churches were one person is given preference over another and often due to their dress, or even their appearance. Too often a poor person will sit in the back of the Church because he or she is afraid of what others will think or say. How often is it that a person who can speak well with good English be given more preference to their words than to a person with a low education, or one who has trouble with words or speech? Yes, it is good that a person who leads the Church be able to speak well and should dress with respect as he would if he was to go before the President of the United States. Everyone who comes into the Church is not to be judged by dress or speech but rather by his heart, his actions, and what he may say in regards to doctrine. There is no special place in the Church for people who are poor and people who are rich. There is to be no partiality in the Church. Yes, we must have leaders who are educated in the Scriptures and should speak well, fluently so that the word of God is heard and understood by all. 

     James gives us this: "Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them" (James 2:5). No one gets a special place or seat in heaven! All those who are the bride of Jesus Christ are the bride of Jesus Christ with no respect to income, or ability to speak, or to what they wear. 

     Often rich people bring to court poor people or in the least oppress them so for a Christian to despise or look down on a poor man is wrong before man, and especially before God: "But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not the blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called" (James 2:7)?

      The Law, that is, the Ten Commandments is still in force. This Law of God is our foundation and responsibility as Authentic Christians. We are to keep it faithfully. The Law, even if you keep it faithfully will not save you. But by your faith and conversion to Jesus Christ the Law will give impetus to live according to the Law. Works are derived from the law and our love for our Savior Jesus Christ. James gives this admonition: "If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself, ye do well: but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:8-10). 

     God is good for He has given to us His will for us and how to please Him in all that we do and say. We are sanctified by God but we are, however, entirely not to be passive in the process. we are to cooperated with God in the work of sanctification by diligent use of the means which God has placed at our disposal. Our sanctification is complete in Jesus Christ but we have a process, even a lengthy process in this life even though we will not reach perfection in this life in this process our sanctification is complete in Jesus Christ. But, and this is important: we are not to be apathetic and passive waiting for our death or the return of Jesus Christ. We have been given a command to go forth to the world and bring the Gospel to the world. We bring to everyone, no matter their status in their life the Gospel. We do not give respect over one person to another. We were given the Gospel and our faith in the condition we were in when this occurred so this will be true of others. 

    Yes, we are to dress as respectfully as we can, and if we can we aid others to dress with respect, even to aid them to buy clothes that are called respectful clothing, giving to them a hand up and raising the bar of respect so that they too will not only feel good about themselves, they will be demonstrating a higher respect to God that the world will see: both the giver and the receiver play a part in this spreading of the Gospel and our love for Jesus Christ.

Commit they way into the LORD; 

     trust also in Him; and He shall

bring it to pass.

                  Psalm 37:5

Sit next to someone new Sunday

Richard L. Crumb