I Believe?

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Believe. Obey.

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Both of these words are verbs. Both are also commands; biblical commands.

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I confess I do not obey what I believe.

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I believe that eating over 1000 calories worth of sweets a day is unhealthy. I eat roughly 1000 calories worth of sweets a day because I can burn it off.

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I believe that keeping the apartment clean is my responsibility since I’m usually there studying. The apartment is presently a mess due to my presence there studying.

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I believe that as a citizen of the USA I should be up to date with the news and the state of our republic. I haven’t read a newspaper, watched the news, or looked up current events online in months because I don’t get a paper, have television or the internet in my apartment.

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I believe that procrastinating is wrong. I am presently procrastinating since I don’t always have the internet.

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I believe that lying is wrong. I lied yesterday to exaggerate, but it might have been true.

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I believe in prayer. I often doubt my prayers do anything when it comes to BIG things…like debt.

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I believe in God. I act like I don’t.

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Based on my actions: eating 1000 calories of sweets is great as long as I don’t get fat, being a slob is acceptable as long as I’m legitimately preoccupied, being uninformed with current events is okay since it’s not readily available, procrastinating is not wrong, dishonesty is fine in some situations, and prayer is powerful for intangible things (like confession, repentance, receiving forgiveness, intercession, and direction), but not for stuff like money. Money is evil...right?

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I’ve got a problem. It’s not with my head. I believe the right things. It’s with my hands. I don’t do the right things.

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I don’t obey my beliefs.

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“Whoever BELIEVES in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not OBEY the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” John 3:36

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Belief is not enough. I must obey, for by my obedience I will reveal my beliefs.

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“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith BY my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed BY his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’--and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is JUSTIFIED by works and not by faith alone.” James 2:17-24

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(This is not saying [and I am not saying] that Christians are not saved by faith alone, but that we can't be justified by faith alone. Yes, there is a difference. Go figure it out.)

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Believe. Obey. These are one in practice. They are a gift from God and must be continually given.

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“…Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12c-13.

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Obey. Believe.

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It’s time for me to consume less sugar, wash the dishes, catch up on the news, tell the truth, pray with sincere belief in God, and avoid procrastinating in the process.

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May we act in accordance with our confession and confess in accordance with our actions and may both be in accordance with God’s Word. Amen.

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