This blog WAS a review for video games. Now, however, i'm using it as a way to write essays, and for lack of a better term, sermons on different subjects in the Christian faith. For the next while I'll be focusing on Faith and its different aspects.

So, I was watching the west wing the other night. And the President had an issue: There were 29 illegal Chinese immigrants who hand landed in San Diego in 20x20 cargo boxes escaping religious persecution in China. They were christians.

The Chief of Staff wanted to know why the President was having the leader of the immigrants flown to the White House to meet with him. And the President answered with this: "Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right." Which is the King James Version of Judges 12:6.

I prefer a new translation, so here it is in NIV, NCV and the Messege.

NIV: "they said, "All right, say 'Shibboleth.' " He said, "Sibboleth," because he could not pronounce the word correctly, "

NCV: "they would say to him, "Say the word 'Shibboleth.' " The men of Ephraim could not say that word correctly. So if the person from Ephraim said, "Sibboleth,"  "

Messege: "Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan at the crossing to Ephraim. If an Ephraimite fugitive said, "Let me cross," the men of Gilead would ask, "Are you an Ephraimite?" and he would say, "No." And they would say, "Say, 'Shibboleth.'" But he would always say, "Sibboleth"—he couldn't say it right. "

Now, what the President was looking for was for the man to prove he wasn't coached. He wanted to see a demonstration of FAITH not a recitation of FACTS.

And it's here that we need to make the distinguishing statement. Recitation of Biblical facts is not a demonstration of Faith. It's not a part of faith, it's not even connected to faith at all. Yes, it's quite common for people of faith to have a lot of facts.  Apprently, my friends think, I'm one of those people. I knew a young man of great faith who did as well. Tom Hodgens.

But, being able to recite the books of the Bible, or Jesus deciples isn't faith at all. I don't even think its important to the aspect of faith at all, for one simple reason.

Romans 3:28 says " A person is made right with God through faith, not through the law."

So what is Paul saying here? He's saying that you can do all the good things you want in life, you can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, help an old lady across the street. All of these thigns are good. Their fine. Infact, their fantastic, and if you do this, I applaud you.

But, and I'm sorry to say, that's not enough, not NEARLY enough to get you into Heaven.  And some of you may say "But James said..." Yes I know what James said, but I'm going to tell you he needs to be taken in context. James says, sort of, the opposite of Paul.

James 2:14 "What does it profit, my friends, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can he be saved by faith alone?"  The answer to his question is two fold, and it agrees with Paul if you take him in context.

What James is saying is two fold. You cannot have faith without works. And if you have no works, you cannot be saved by this "faith" you have. Notice I put "faith" in quotations.  Infact, James goes on to say that faith without works is dead. BUT this does NOT mean that your works are what justify you! 

There's a simple reason for this.  And it's found in two verses. 

The first is one we've already examined. 
" A person is made right with God through faith, not through the law." 
That one is fairly self explanitory. But you have to ask yourself. What gives Paul the authority to say this? 

Well, it's GOD that gives him the authority, and he gave it to you and I to say aswell in the Old Testement, throught David. 

Psalm 14:3 "There is noone who does good. Not even one" (NIV)

The second thing we need to take into account, is that James is speaking of a Faith as the precussor to works. What I mean by this is that you need to look at what comes before, and what comes after this infamous verse. 

James 2: 14-20

"14 My brothers and sisters, if people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?15 A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food.16 If you say to that person, "God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat," but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing. 17 In the same way, faith by itself—that does nothing—is dead.
18 Someone might say, "You have faith, but I have deeds." Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do.19 You believe there is one God. Good! But the demons believe that, too, and they tremble with fear.

20 You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is worth nothing?"

What James is speaking of here is the same type of Faith that Paul spoke of, that Jesus himself spoke of. An ACTIVE, ABIDING, FULL, REAL Faith.  See, Demons have what I term to be an Idle faith which is something that permeates the church. 

Someone thinks that "It is enough to believe. I don't have to do anything."  If you are such a person, I am going to tell you that you have NO faith. At least none that I want a part in. Faith in Jesus is an active, ever changing thing. We all go threw slumps and highpoints. But it's what you do in these times that is going to reflect what kind of faith you have. 

If you do nothing, your faith is stagnent and you need to re-examine where you are! If you have the idea that you will be saved if you have faith alone you are wrong! If you have the idea that you will be saved/go to heaven by doing good things/being a good person, you're wrong! 

Faith is an active thing, and a living faith will produce works. Just as Jesus said that a good tree will produce much fruit. 

There is only one way you can be saved by works alone and Jesus mentioned it: You can be perfect like the Father. And for those of you who say "SEE MATTHEW?! You just said it yourself, works will save! Jesus said it." 

NO! Stop now. RE READ THAT!  Jesus said "BE PERFECT LIKE THE FATHER!"

But, look at what David said: "There is no one righteous, not even one."  

If we could BE PERFECT LIKE THE FATHER we would have had no reason for Jesus to come, and save. He wouldn't have had to assume this flesh, he wouldn't have had to be treated cruelly, tortured, bleed, be beathen, abused and cursed. And, most importantly, he wouldn't have had to be nailed to the cross.

Look at what Isaiah says in Isaiah 59:2

"But your INIQUITIES have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."

It's because of the iniquities that we are seperated from God and unable to justify ourselves through works. Infact, Isaiah makes this point in Isaiah 53:5

"But he was pierced for our TRANSGRESSIONS, he was crushed for our INIQUITIES; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."

Jesus was born, raised, and slaved because of our transgressions, our iniquities. Not the other way around. Because of US the Son of God was treated like chattel! Infact, as a former chef, I can tell you that cattle get treated better in an abatoir than we treated God Himself. 

So stop for a moment. God came to Earth in flesh, was beaten, tortured, insulted and killed, took sin (both mine and yours) on his shoulders, died, went to Hell, blew open the gates, set the captives free and ended the war and you think that just doing good deeds alone will save you? 

It's the FAITH in what Jesus did that saves you. It's an understanding, an appreciation that saves you! Good works are a result of this faith, and this indwelling of God! When you become a Christian the Holy Spirit enters into your body and changes you! You will WANT to do these works as a result of your faith! You won't want to do these works to obtain your faith and salvation becase you'll know you already have it! 

You'll want to do these things to demonstrate that you have this amazing gift.  Infact, while studying to write this, I've come across 4 things that are apprently needed to be saved.

1: Faith
2: Obedience
3:Repentance
4:Perseverance

First is obviously Faith. When you have FAITH in Christ you will REPENT of your sins you will be OBEDIENT to what he asks you to do (works) and you will PERSEVERE through whatever comes your way. These are the steps that I'm going to be looking at over the next few weeks. But, hopefuly, I've helped to clear up how faith and salvation are attained. Faith first. Works as a result. You will want do to these works because of your faith. As a demonstration of your faith. 

Or more over as an ACT OF WORSHIP. 

In closing, faith IS the true Shibboleth. It IS the password to get into God's camp. Anyone can do something nice for someone else and say "See God? I'm a good person. Let me in ok?"

But the only people who get in are the people who can say "Shibboleth." Nothing less, nothing else will do. Say "Sibboleth" and you'll be turned away. But have Faith, have "Shibboleth" and you will be accepted as a child of God.

So, yeah, that's what I have to say on the subject at the moment.  Any questions, comments, leave a comment here, send me a private messege on Thoughts, or e-mail me at summerdawnDE@hotmail.com

Thanks guys, 

God Bless.