2012 STEWARDSHIP AT FAITH
By Brian Jones
Stewardship
Our Stewardship ministry plans and conducts the annual program to receive
pledges of time, talents and financial support (in conjunction with the Finance
ministry's budget preparation.)
2012 STEWARDSHIP AT FAITH
By Brian Jones
“If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?” James 2:14
We are not saved by our works. God's grace is not given basis upon a heavenly score card that tracks our daily activities and determines if we are worthy of this gift. As Pastor Scott stated during a recent sermon, "You can't earn your way into heaven".
The popular Christian author Max Lucado put it like this, "It's not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian". As Christians, we are to carry out good works in service of others and to answer God's call for servant hood and stewardship. Such works, however, are not the means through which we will receive God's grace and mercy when the time comes for us to be judged. They are not little "get out of jail free cards" that can be used to offset our otherwise sinful behavior.
This passage from James also tells us in rather blunt fashion that talk is cheap. At my office, we often repeat the phrase "Don't talk about it, be about it" and I think we ought to credit James with coining this phrase in some fashion.
We have been given so much by God. When I am having one of those rare moments of clarity and viewing my life in the context of the gifts God has given me, I am almost embarrassed to think of how truly blessed I have been. I have a great family, a good job, a great church family and health for myself, my wife and my daughter. In the face of all those gifts, there is simply no denying that I have been given much by God and that in return I should give much as well.
As we continue our "descent into greatness" during 2012, let it be that we answer God's call to share our faith with others and not just with our words but with our works as well.