WALKING OUR FAITH

 

READ:
Romans 2:17-24 Behold, you are called a Jew, & rests (have confidence) in the law, & makes your boast of God. And knows his will, & approves (judges) the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; & are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness. An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which have the form of knowledge & of the truth in the law. You, therefore which teaches another, teaches not yourself? you that preaches a man should not steal, do you steal? You that says a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? you that abhors idols, do you commit sacrilege (rob temples)? You that make your boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonors (brings shame) to God? FOR THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES THROUGH YOU, as it is written.

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Do you see that faith was working together w/his works, & by works faith was made perfect? -James 2:22
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Often we Christians are urged not just to "talk the talk" but to "walk the talk." The same advice may be expressed in these words: Don't let our behavior contradict our professed belief. At other times we are admonished to be sure that life & lip agree. If our conduct doesn't harmonize w/our confessions of faith, however, that discrepancy nullifies the testimony of the gospel which we proclaim.
As far as we can know, Mahatma Gandhi never became a Christian, but he made statement that we who follow Jesus would do well to ponder. When asked to put his message into 1 short sentence, he replied, "My life is my message."
Certainly we should explain the gospel message as clearly as possible. Yet the clearest explanation isn't going to win hearts for our Lord unless His love is embodied in our lives. To quote the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." And holding himself up as a pattern, he wrote in Philippians 4:9, "The things which you learned & received & heard & saw in me, these do, & the God of peace will be w/you."
Pray, then, that like Paul we may live out our saving faith before the watching world.
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me-
All His wonderful passion & purity!
O You Spirit divine, all our nature refine,
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
In Jesus' name.
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The world is watching us-
do they see Jesus?

If we learn to accept & love ourselves it will help us to accept & love others.

Love your neighbor as much
as you love yourself.
Matthew 22:39 TLB