Faith in Action

“There are many paths to God,” some say, “so no particular belief is ‘right’ or ‘wrong,’ as long as you sincerely seek Him.” And that, according to Scripture, is sincerely wrong! Sincerely place your trust in any means, or any person, other than Jesus Christ who shed His blood for our sins, and God will not receive you . . . sincerely (see John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). If that sounds harsh, let me offer two perspectives for your consideration.

First, the Lord is loving and kind, but He is also just. He is a very discriminating heavenly Father who has been specific in how we are to come to Him, but He could not have made that way any less complicated. He provides the free gift of salvation, paid for by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, and has left nothing for us to pay. He’s done everything that needs to be done, leaving us no requirement but one: receive the gift. That’s about as harsh as a billionaire demanding that you allow him to give you all of his money. Grace abounds.

Second, faith demands action. If you really believe God, you will do what He says, when He says it, and how He wants it. Cain came in his own way. Abel came God’s way. The manner in which both men approached God revealed the authenticity of their faith. Later in the Bible, the author of Hebrews explains it this way:

By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith he still speaks, though he is dead.

11:4 NET

True faith is marked by obedience.

Charles R. Swindoll, Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011).