We Have Come this Far By Faith: Part Two, The Faith Habit

James 2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!  20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

There has always been misunderstanding about belief and faith. There are a lot of people who believe in God and say they have faith in God, but are actually lost. James described the full sense of having faith, not that we work for something, but that our actions give evidence to our faith. Those actions are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Faith in God produces a change in the heart, one’s life, and one’s lifestyle. Faith is not just belief or something we do on Sundays or Easter, faith is a habit. 

Habit Defined: A settled or regular tendency or practice.

There are good and bad habits.