Ron Graham was called home on March 14, 2013. He began writing this commentary before his death and had asked me, Nathele Graham, to continue his service to our Lord by finishing what he began.

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Christianity is not a religion. No rituals or works can add to the finished work of Christ on the cross. Once a person accepts Christ’s free gift of salvation there are things that should be done out of love for Christ. We are the instruments He uses to show His love to others. For instance, we know that we need to spread the gospel to all corners of the world, so we put some money into an envelope and send it off to a missionary group.

They use that money to spread the gospel in some far away country and we feel as if we have done all we need to do. That’s all well and good, but too often we forget to take care of a brother or sister in our own congregation who has a need.

“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” (James 2:15-17).

When James uses the term “brother or sister” he is talking about fellow Christians, not some far off strangers or even the unsaved in your neighborhood. Missionary work is an important part of doing Christ’s work. But if we overlook the need of a brother or sister in our own congregation then shame on us.

James says without works, faith is dead. Our works are a result of our love for God and they should come instinctively. As believers born from God we should be passionate and driven by a desire to please God and to yield our lives to Him.

So how do we know whether or not our faith is dead?

Our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be a living faith. Not just words, but action. Jesus tells us to love one another. If we show no compassion toward others, or if we can’t seem to get motivated enough to help a fellow Christian who is in need, then our faith may very well be dead. In fact, you might want to examine whether or not you have truly accepted Christ.

“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18).

Works will not save us, but our faith in Jesus Christ should result in doing good works, and that includes helping fellow Christians. The first Christians knew what it meant to take care of each other. There was no government handout to support them and once they had accepted Christ they were no longer welcome at the Temple. What did they do? They took care of each other.

“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32).

Today we don’t usually need to sell what we have in order to help a brother or sister in need, but we can take the time to help when help is needed. Take a look at the people in your congregation. Is there an elderly man who needs help to prepare ground to plant a vegetable garden? How about a widow who needs a faucet replaced? Is there someone who could use a card to cheer them up? It is easy to blindly send money somewhere else and think we have fulfilled our duty as Christians, but we often overlook brothers and sisters near us who have great needs.

Many Christians are non-participants in God’s plan for mankind. They speak words that sound pious and holy, but it is another thing to put words into action. “I’ll pray for you” is a commonly heard phrase in the Christian community. All of us need prayer, but many situations need action not just words. If a fellow Christian needs a ride to the doctor but only prayer is offered we have failed to live our faith.

We can quote Scripture to someone all day long but if we don’t help a brother in need then our words are sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal our faith may be dead. Action requires something from us. We may have to give up some of our time in order to help, but that’s what happens when words become action.

Love is something that every Christian needs to show through action. Words are needed for encouragement, but action demonstrates Christian love.

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death” (1 John 3:14).

John is talking about fellow Christians here. Missionary work and reaching out to the unsaved are necessary works for a Christian, but don’t forget to show love to the brethren in your own congregation who have a need. If you do not love your brothers and sisters in Christ, then you abide in death. Maybe you need to ask yourself if you have really accepted Christ.

So how do we know whether or not our faith is dead? A professing believer who ignores the need of a brother or sister may have a dead faith or no faith. Our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be a living faith. What does that mean: living faith? It’s faith that is placed in the living God and it is not just words, but action.

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men” (Titus 3:8).

Are you careful to maintain good works? Works are not for your own glory but for the glory of God. If you won’t help someone in need (maintain good works ), your faith may very well be dead.

Our conversion/rebirth puts us forever in the hands of Jesus Christ. It’s essential that our words become action in order to produce good works. The more we grow in our Christian walk the more we will accomplish for the Kingdom of God.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:13-14).

Jesus gave everything for us. He loved us enough to step out of heaven and enter this fallen world where He knew He would be rejected and crucified. Accepting His act of love is the
only way we can have eternal life with Him. Shouldn’t we also give of ourselves? Works don’t save us, but works should certainly follow our born again experience. If they don’t, maybe you need to ask yourself if you truly are a Christian.

We need to share God’s gospel, but we also need to aid those near to us. If there is no active doing of good works in a believer’s life then something is wrong.

“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16).

No matter how many times you say you love Jesus, if you don’t put your words into action—you deny Him. If you deny him then you can’t belong to Him. Look around you; there are fellow Christians everywhere who are in need of something. Don’t deny Christ by neglecting to do good works.

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).

Turning words into action may not come naturally to all Christians, but if you love Jesus you should desire to serve Him. We serve Him by serving others. Pray for God to show you a need someone has and He will. Then turn your words into action and fill it. That need may be big or
small, but it is still a need.

What we do after becoming justified for God’s Kingdom is what James considers to be works. We are adhering to God’s will by following His commands. Works will not save us, but someone who is not a believer may see your good works and decide to find out more about Christianity. If your words are turned into action then you are doing God’s will.

James’ admonition that faith without works is dead isn’t a contradiction of the other Scriptures that plainly state we are saved by grace through faith:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
It is only the grace of God through our faith in Jesus that saves us. We cannot do anything to save ourselves, but good works result from our faith.

When you do a good work, don’t be prideful or boast. All glory goes to God. Many people do a multitude of works thinking that’s what makes them good enough to get to heaven. They believe this puts them in a right relationship with God. No, not even close. It is only our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that saves us, but works are a result of that faith. A truly born-again believer “in Christ” will find no drudgery in following God’s will. Words become action.

Our love for Jesus should motivate us to serve Him by serving others. First do the “work of God.”

What is the “work of God?”

“Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John 6:29).

Simply believe in Jesus Christ. That seems easy enough. Say yes to Him and it’s a done deal, you will spend eternity with Him. Then your words should turn into action. let that belief in Jesus live. Don’t allow your faith to be dead faith, but living faith.

Works cannot save anyone. Neither can empty words. Where faith abounds the fruit of the Spirit also abounds.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25).

Are you missing out on the joy of the Lord because your faith is dead?

When you crucify the flesh, that means that you stop putting yourself first. If that means you take time to help a brother or sister in need even if it cuts into your leisure time, then so be it. There is real satisfaction in serving the Lord. Let your words result in action and your actions glorify God.

What kind of faith do you have? Are you one of those who James addresses whose faith is dead or are you alive with the Spirit of God and following His commands? We should all give it some serious thought: Words vs. actions.
Are you all talk or do you let your works show your faith?

God bless you all,

Ron & Nathele Graham

Ron Graham was called home on March 14, 2013. He began writing this commentary before his death and had asked me, Nathele Graham, to continue his service to our Lord by finishing what he began.

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“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

Throughout history people have wanted to design their own god rather than serve the Creator of the universe. Joshua knew the LORD and only served Him. He also warned others about designing their own god. The false gods he spoke of were satanic, as are all false gods, and designed to make evil seem right.

Today there are many people who want to design a god that fits their lifestyle and makes no demands upon them to turn from sin. Those designer gods may be easy to follow but they demand a huge price. In the end they can do nothing for you except cause you grief and lead you to Hell. Only the one true God is worthy of worship, honor, and praise. Like Joshua, serve the LORD

Throughout history we see that Israel sometimes worships the LORD, but other times they rebel and design their own gods to worship. Over and over we see that when trouble came those designer gods are useless.

“But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah” (Jeremiah 2:28).

A god for every city. What a shame to a nation that the LORD had done so much for. What god do you think Sodom worshiped? Or Babylon? What designed god today is embraced by San Francisco or Mecca? Certainly not the one true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Clearly many people create their own god–one of their own design which will conveniently suit their personal sins.

People often make the proclamation “My god would never send anyone to hell, he’s a loving god.” Know this, God doesn’t send anyone to hell; our own choice sends us there. In speaking of Jesus, Peter told the truth when he said:

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

If you choose to design your own god instead of placing your faith in Jesus you have made your choice to spend eternity in hell. The father of all lies has an agenda to convince humans that he is god and that he would never send anyone to Hell. Live like you want, or as the mantra from the ‘60s went “If it feels good, do it.” If you design your own god then you can embrace whatever sin you want and still think you will get into heaven. You can commit adultery and it’s OK. Homosexuality is okay. Murder is Okay. The list goes on.

Satan certainly isn’t God, but he is very efficient and persuasive when it comes to promoting his lies. His lies began in the Garden of Eden when Eve made the big mistake of talking to him.

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1).

Eve should have walked away; better yet she shouldn’t have even said one word to that old liar. Because Eve listened to Satan he was able to get her to twist God’s Word and confuse her. God was made to seem like the deceitful one, Eve ate the fruit, Adam joined in her sin, and Paradise was lost. From that point on Satan has deceived many people by convincing them to design their own gods.

People who design their own god don’t want anything to do with the God of the Bible. His “rules” cramp their lifestyle, but when they are dying of AIDS they blame Him for not protecting them. It’s the same lie Satan used with Eve…design your own god, be your own god. Because God provided for them, Adam and Eve had plenty to eat but they were given one rule…don’t eat the forbidden fruit. Satan stepped in and made that fruit sound wonderful. He manipulated Eve with lies:

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis 3:5-6).

Satan still uses that lie today. Design your own god, be your own god. The trouble is, that god leads to death.

When God confronted Adam about eating the fruit, Adam blamed God not Satan.

“And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Genesis 3:12).

According to Adam, God gave him the woman so God must be to blame. Don’t ever blame God Almighty for your own choices. Eve was deceived, Adam chose to sin, and Satan thought he won because they were evicted from the Garden of Eden. God had a plan of redemption. Just as honey is sweet and water is wet, God is love. Because He loves us so much He stepped into His creation and took our sin upon Himself. He shed His own blood so anyone who accepts His sacrifice will be saved from eternal damnation. No designer god can do that.

Things haven’t changed since the Garden of Eden. We like to design our own god so that we can try to condone our sin. A big issue today that permeating society is homosexuality. God uses strong words to condemn this choice.

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13).

That’s crystal clear, yet Satan twists God’s words and corrupts the simple minded to believe homosexuality is not an abomination. If you say you are a Christian yet embrace or condone the homosexual lifestyle, you have listened to satanic lies. You have designed your own god and have rejected the one true God. This is true of any sin:

“Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13).

Crystal clear, isn’t it? Yet how many babies are murdered in the womb each day?

“Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).

In order to make sexual sin acceptable we have to design a god who doesn’t condemn the sin of adultery. Take a hard look at your life. What sin is in you that you have designed your own god to accept it? When He died on the cross at Calvary, Christ took your sins and mine upon Himself in order to give us the only way of salvation. Why would you want to serve any other god? Why design one that can do nothing for you except bring you misery and death?

Jesus Christ, God Almighty, gave His life for your salvation and faith in Him is the only path to eternal life with Him in heaven.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Arguably this is the most quoted verse in the entire Bible, and one that should be thoroughly understood. God loves you so much that He paid the price for your salvation. You cannot design a god that can bring salvation to you. Maybe you don’t want to give up your sin so you’ve designed your own personal god who will let you live a sinful life without any consequences. You might want to rethink placing your faith in some nonexistent god. Don’t design a god that leads you to hell, but embrace Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. There is salvation in none other.

You are the only one that can choose where your eternal destination will be. You cannot design your own god and expect to spend eternity in heaven. Like Eve, you have a choice. You can believe Satan’s lies and send yourself to hell (which is eternal pain and suffering in the lake of fire) or you can accept Jesus Christ, who is God incarnate, and live eternally with Him. There is no other way to enter heaven than through Jesus:

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Don’t be deceived by Satan’s lies and design a god who cannot lead you to the Father. If you have fooled yourself into thinking that you can say you accept Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as atonement for your sin and yet you stay in that sin you are wrong. You are still worshipping your designer god. You want it both ways…forgiveness of sin but no condemnation for staying in that sin.

When the woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus for Him to condemn her, He showed His love and forgiveness. He convicted her accusers of their own sins and then asked her who condemned her.

“She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).

Yes, she was forgiven but Jesus did not tell her to go ahead and keep living in her sin. If you still worship your designer god who allows you to remain in rebellion to God, then maybe you haven’t truly accepted Jesus as your Savior. Study your Bible to see what God’s word says, then conform your life to Him…not to a god you have designed.

The last thing Satan wants is for you to believe in the God of the Bible; he wants you to design your own god and continue in your sin. He’s working hard to deceive you into believing his lies. Eve listened to him and convinced Adam that God was wrong. Thanks to Satan we live in a fallen world where disease, hatred, and death surround us. Satan wants you to design and worship your own god and join him for eternity in the lake of fire. On the other hand “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

God bless you all,

Ron & Nathele Graham