Still waters reach no oceans; PUT YOUR FAITH INTO ACTION!

Is it good enough just to have faith? Will faith alone save you? These are questions that quite often see Christians of different denominations at ends with each other, and both sides offer their arguments for and against.

Faith is a gift, a grace, that without a doubt or single hesitation has to be used! Faith is our soul and spirit's muscle. What happens to a muscle that is not exercised? It's one thing to think or say that you're physically strong, but how are you going to go about showing it? In the same way, it's one thing to think or say that you have faith, but how are you going to go about showing it? What good is strength if you don't use it; what good is faith if you don't put it into action?

I can remember back to my days as a university student where I wasn't all that physically active, and while maintaining a pretty good weight, I become unbelievably unfit and over time my muscles, mainly in my arms and legs, almost went in to a state of atrophy. How did I know this? Well, when I did get involved in physical activity from time to time (e.g. the odd game of basketball, football, cricket, etc.), my legs would tire very easily, my back would stiffen, my arms would become increasingly heavy to lift, and so on. Why? Because I hadn't been maintaing my body to cope with bouts of physical exertion...

"...The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak!" (Matthew 26:41)

What poignant words Christ uttered when he spoke to his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane that evening, but he wasn't just telling his mates to stay awake. Just before that, Christ instructs his disciples to "Watch and pray, that ye not enter into tempation". Jesus is telling us to remain vigilant, because our faith and our spiritual resolve will be tested.

If we want our faith to grow and to strengthen, we have to put it into action and put it into action often, or else it becomes like a body that receives no exercise; it becomes flaccid, weak, sluggish, prone to collapse under pressure, etc. The same can happen to our faith! We may never lose faith, so to speak, but it certainly may diminish (i.e. lessen in size or magnitude), become flaccid, weak, sluggish, prone to collapse under pressure (i.e. spiritual attack).

Those who are strong in faith are the ones that put their faith into action; their faith becomes more than a feeling and their words, thoughts and actions become faith driven!

Consider what Abraham did when God asked him: "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." (Genesis 22:2). Abraham didn't hesitate! He didn't question God, flinch or bat an eyelid! He simply did as God told him to. It does make you wonder, however: what would have happened to Abraham if he said to God, "Why should I?" or "Isn't it enough that I have faith in my heart?" When we read ahead, it becomes easy to ascertain what might have been if Abraham refused God's instruction:

"And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." - Genesis 22:10-12

Abraham's faith was put to the test. If faith alone is enough, then why would Abraham have been tested in the first place? Why would God ask Abraham to offer his own son, that he loves, as a sacrifice?

Consider Peter when he, with his fellow disciples, saw their Lord walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-34). Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water" (v28). Jesus beckoned him to come:

"And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." (v29-30)

In faith, Peter stepped out, but because he became afraid of what he saw and what was around him, he began to doubt!

"And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" (v31)

Peter's began to sink because his faith went into remission; it became weak and prone to collapse under pressure, and this begs the question: if Peter had maintained his faith, his resolve, would he have been able to stand and walk on the water as Christ himself did? It was only when Peter started to doubt that he began to sink. But just taking a step back for a moment, if Peter had not willed himself to step out of the boat in the first place (put his faith into action), he would never have known whether he would have been able to walk to Christ on the water or not.

I think James 2:14-26 is the clearest and most concise message telling us that a faith not put into action - a faith not exercised - is a useless faith:

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

If you have faith, don't let it go to waste; put it into action and give it a good work-out!