2) help others do the
works of faith
 |
| photo credit Dean Williams 2012 |
Do we know
Christians who have waited to be “moved by the Spirit” before they lifted a
finger to help a brother or sister in Christ? What a lame excuse used to disguise self-deception
(James 1:22)!
To claim that the
Spirit did not "move" us makes us “judges with evil thoughts”; thus we “hold
the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ…with partiality” (James 2:1-4 NIV). Scripture
clearly rectifies such self-deception, “…to him who knows to do good and does
not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17 NKJV). Nowhere in that verse does it
say to wait for the “moving” of the Spirit in order to lend a hand to another
person in distress. At its basic level, it is opportunity—and not the “moving of the Spirit”—that requires we do
good. The apostle Paul concluded, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do
good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal.
6:10).
Mature Christians
need not wait for the Spirit to “move” us. We are fruit-bearers. The fruit of
the Spirit alone—love, joy, peace, long-suffering (patience), gentleness,
goodness (kindness), faith, meekness, and temperance (self-control) (Gal. 5:22,
23)—is sufficient for us to “move” ourselves because we’ve been busy “being
fruitful in every good work” (Col. 1:10 NIV)!
Do we “hold the
faith of our Lord Jesus Christ…with partiality” (James 2:1-4 NIV)? Look closer.
The fruit we bring forth reveals the condition of our hearts (Matt. 7:17, 18).
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Scriptures from The King James Version of the
bible unless otherwise stated.
