	Bob Hostetler > Devotions

Trust and Obey

by Bob Hostetler

You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did (James 2:22, NIV).

The wrong amount of sodium on your food every day will end up killing you. The wrong dose of choride added to your diet will kill you, too.

Sodium and chloride are two chemical substances that, taken separately, are deadly poisonous to humans. Combine these chemicals, however, into sodium chloride, and it becomes a substance that, taken in moderation is necessary for human survival: common table salt.

In that respect, sodium and chloride resemble the twin traits of faith and deeds spoken by James in the New Testament: "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" Faith without deeds is like sodium without chloride; it can kill you. Likewise, deeds without faith is like chloride without sodium; it's poisonous.

James cites Abraham as an example of how necessary it is to combat faith and deeds. Abraham did not become righteous only by believing the right things; he also acted on his beliefs. His faith made him obedient.

Only when we combine faith and deeds, as Abraham did, can we become "the salt of the earth."

Thought: God calls us not to faith or works, but to a faith that works.

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