Monday, March 29, 2010

Marks of Genuine Faith

Live with integrity. God expects us to practice what we believe and teach.
Jas.2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Show resilience in trials. God uses trials to mature our faith.
Jas.1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Resist temptation. God is not responsible for tempting us to sin.
Jas.1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Respond to the Scriptures. True faith shows when we respond to God’s Word by doing it.
Jas.1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Treat others without prejudice. Prejudicial treatment of other people breaks God’s commands and betrays His grace.
Jas.2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
Demonstrate your faith by good works. Genuine faith expresses itself in good works.
Jas.2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Use your tongue in God-honoring ways. Real faith will tame our tongues.
Jas.3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Pursue biblical wisdom and solutions. Wise counsel contributes to peaceful solutions.
Jas.3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Reject worldly thinking. Living a worldly lifestyle and loving God cannot mix.
Jas.4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Devote yourself to God. The fruit of repentance is restoration and joy.
Jas.4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Make plans prayerfully. We should always make plans in light of God’s will.
Jas.4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Exercise love and patience. Loving one another is the command of Christ and the ultimate proof for one’s faith.
Jas.4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Seek to restore the fallen. Brotherly love recovers a wayward brother from sin.
Jas.5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.