“My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people claim they have faith but don't act like it? Can that kind of faith save them? Suppose a brother or sister has no clothes or food. Suppose one of you says to them, ‘Go. I hope everything turns out fine for you. Keep warm. Eat well.’ And you do nothing about what they really need. Then what good have you done? It is the same with faith. If it doesn't cause us to do something, it's dead.” (James 2:14-17 NIrV)
Imagine being handcuffed and hauled away out of your place of employment or taken into custody as you were having dinner with family or friends. The charge; we have been suspected of acting like a Christian in public and now must face those charges in a court of law. We will be allowed to call witnesses on our behalf and the accusers will bring their witnesses against us. How many will be convicted, GUILTY AS CHARGED? Could we garner enough people to say they know without a doubt where our allegiance lies? Would our accusers be able to bring overwhelming evidence against us that we do not live like a Christian?
Having witnessed many court cases over my lifetime and heard varying stories as well, I am amazed how judges react in the courtroom. Some seem disinterested. Others believe they are god-like and possess all the power in the world. Then there are those who take a genuine interest in the people and lives they are about to judge. They make careful study of character, facial expressions, word usage, appearance, and the physical support (people) the accused brings with him.
So if we stand before a judge (and we will one day!) facing charges of believing in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, what will he see in us? How will he perceive the evidence brought forth? Does our faith have the physical works to back it up? While many good people do tremendously good things, if they do not know Christ, they will never be convicted of being a Christian. Yet here is a rather difficult question to ponder:
If one who claims to know the Lord shows no evidence of that faith in His life, will the judge be convinced to rule that that person before him is indeed a believer?
I know God judges the heart. I also know that He requires sacrifice, service, and labor for Him. He pleads with us to turn from our wicked ways; to take up our cross, and to follow after Him (Matthew 10:38, Luke 14:27). Have we done that? Have we placed our light upon a hill for all to see and experience (Matthew 5:14-16) or hidden it under a bushel basket, inside our SUV or under our pin-striped suits?
Our faith in Christ should cause us to do good. Charged with being a Christian…Innocent of all charges or GUILTY AS CHARGED?
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