Category: Growth

What Does it Profit You

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” James 2:14

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17

What does it profit you if you only have faith and not works? What is James, the brother of Jesus, saying here with such conviction? I was told that faith is a verb. As a verb, it has action. If there is no action, in what we believe, then it will not profit or have any growth. No movement means it is dead, according to James. Thus, faith must have works associated with it to prove God’s will. This is where sanctification plays an important role in the Believer’s life.

Sanctification is to separate from the world and consecrate oneself unto God.  To sanctify means that it belongs to God.  Sanctification is through the redemptive work of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.  [from Inge's Bible notes]

Faith is related to what Christ did for us on the cross. It is believing in God’s sacrifice. Righteousness was imputed to Abraham, and it is imputed to us as well. The apostle Paul tells us that justification is separate from the Jewish law or {the letter of the law}, for if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void. God made the promise unto Abraham and his seed, that He would be the father of many nations [see Romans 4:17]. God gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not, as though they were.

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. Romans 4:20-21

Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving God the glory. Abraham believed fully that God would perform the promise. Abraham walked in faith, thus, his action was to take God at his word. As a child of God, we should do the works of God. As a child of God, the process of Sanctification continues for a lifetime. Being sanctified is the process of growth. To grow into godliness and good works. It is the scriptures that are profitable for correction and reproof. The apostle Paul tells Timothy the following;

That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:17

As a Christian, there should be growth in doing good works. Our walk in this life is to imitate Christ. Paul stated the following;

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthianas 11:1

Are we followers of Christ and the Apostle Paul? This is like what Jesus explains in John chapter 8, verses 37 to 39. The understanding here is that we imitate what our parents do. If we are followers of Christ, we do what He has done. We become doers of the word, spreading the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those around us.

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

We are not to deceive ourselves by becoming dormant in our actions. Our actions should be one of faith with expectations, knowing the will of God. We believe in the miraculous works of God. We stand grounded and rooted in the Love of God in envisioning good works and not evil works. We look to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. With Christ, we can do all things. The power is of God and not of our own selves. As the apostle Paul stated;

“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;”

We should have the same spirit of faith as Paul. We believe, and therefore we speak. Let us continue in our walk in faith, in doing good works, in growing to become more like Him. Let us gain knowledge in the word of God so that our faith continues to grow in doing good works. That all may profit from being continuously reconciled with God and with each other. Let our faith have action in believing in Jesus and seeing the promises of God unfold.

Please note:

Inge will be on sabbatical for two months. Therefore, there will be no new postings for that period. Please read other posts that you may not have read, or do the Bible Reading Plan. Take time to learn about Jesus. God bless you all and have a safe beginning of summer.

What is Hindering your Growth?

“Hear ye therefore the parable of the Sower.” Matthew 13:18

The parable of the Sower can explain the causes that hinders a believer’s growth. We are to grow into the image of Christ, for Christ is the incorruptible seed. The seed is grown into four different kinds of soil. The seed is the word of the gospel of Christ. This is the seed of faith. Faith in Jesus Christ who is the head of the church. This is the lively hope of an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that faded not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

1 Peter 1:3-5

We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, yet at times, we would with draw from the seed of faith to go a different way. The way of self is a person who has a strong will that professes to be a believer but has not fully surrendered their will to God. Many do not have the ear to fully listen to the truth about who Jesus is. Jesus spoke in parables because of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven [see Matthew 13:11]. Jesus said the “people’s heart is become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing,” [Matthew 13:15].

Has your heart become insensitive and your ears dull of hearing? Let us look at the four soils where the seed was planted. The first seed is on the wayside which has no root at all. It has no root because the wicked one has taken it away. This seed is the root of bitterness, criticism, doubt and unbelief. The second seed is sown in stony ground. This is a person who is moved by strong appeal and at first receives the message of the word with joy but falls away because of fear. They have not counted the cost of the gospel of Christ. They could not withstand tribulation and persecution.

The third seed is sown in thorny ground. This seed takes root but does not grow up to bear fruit. The thorns have sprung up around the plant and has overshadowed them. The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches have choked them from bearing fruit. The lust for other things has choked the word from bearing good fruit [see Mark 4:19]. The fourth seed is grown in good ground. This seed has roots and has grown up to bear good fruits in different amounts. Some bear 100-fold, while others bear 60 and 30-fold. This seed hears and understands the word of God.

It is said that a lack of cultivation is the cause of many believers to not grow up and bear good fruit. Lack of knowledge of the word of God has led to a lack of growth. Cultivation means to till and fertilize the land. The soil needs to be prepared by breaking up the hardness of the soil and feeding it with fertilizer to soften the soil for the seed. Remember, Jesus said that the heart has become gross. In otherwards the heart is dull or insensitive to know and understand the word of God, therefore it needs to be tilled and fertilized.

The importance of the Holy Spirit to come and soften the hearts of men and women is vital in receiving the word of God. We must pray for the Spirit to move upon our dull hearts to hear the truth of the word of God. If you find yourself in one of the three grounds that do not grow, repent and pray to be delivered from that ground of soil and come into the new ground and become a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Believe in the incorruptible seed, which is Jesus who will take care of you, for He is the good shepherd that gave His life for the sheep [see John 10:11]. Surrender your will to Him and He will make sure to take care of all your needs. Stay the course in faith and you will bear fruit. Remember the three soils where there is no fruit and pray that your heart and ear do not become dull of hearing.

John 15:16