James 2:20: “You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?”
This is a transition verse. It bridges between dead and demonic faith to dynamic faith. A dynamic faith is one that is validated by works. It is a beautiful sight to see when our head knowledge and heart feelings match what our hands and feet are doing.
Larry Pierce describes a foolish person: “destitute of spiritual wealth, of one who boasts of his faith as a transcendent possession, yet is without the fruits of faith.” A foolish person has no purpose. Don’t be a fool. A friend of mine was sitting in a jail cell when his pastor came to visit him. The pastor challenged him to read through the book of Proverbs and ask himself one question: “Am I the fool that is described here?” Through this exercise, my friend realized he was a fool, placed his trust in Christ, and is now a pastor. The Bible pierced his foolish heart! Don’t be a fool.
Faith without deeds is truly useless. It is of no beneficial use to you. It doesn’t impact your thoughts, actions, or emotions. It doesn’t impact your ethics or morality. It is also of no benefit to those around you. They don’t see a difference between you and an unbeliever. Don’t be useless.
Some questions to consider:
-Are you a fool?
-What are the fruits of faith? What are the fruits of your faith?
Photo by Ryan Moulton on Unsplash
Scott Maxon 