The key to success is action, and the essential in action is perseverance.
- Sun Yat-sen
Acting on our faith is vastly underrated today. Particularly with the original sin of entitlement's newest manifestation of cultural Me-ism on the rise. Yet Scripture commands us to "spur one another on to love and good deeds." The reason for this directive, and hundreds of other similar passages, are numerous.
Suffice it to say that the great commandment to love God with our entire being cannot be fulfilled without demonstrating active faith. Best evidenced by loving our neighbor as ourselves. In fact the New Testament is clear that "whoever loves his neighbor has fulfilled the entire law" and thus God's requirements.
By definition living faith is a requirement of salvation from beginning to end. Yet like so many things in our physical and our spiritual lives, salvation and those things accompanying it, represents both an event and process.
The critical need to keep our faith alive is directly and indirectly discussed on nearly every page of scripture. As the Lord's half brother, James had a front row seat to observed Jesus all his life. While all the New Testament authors emphasize this truth, it's telling that James does so more than any other:
- "Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?" James 2:14-17 The Message
- "So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? James 2:17-19
On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!
Were these powerful verses all the New Testament had to say regarding the vital need for putting our faith into action it would be enough. Yet these represent only the tip of the tip of the iceberg. Paul, often misinterpreted as simply the apostle of grace, the meaning of which is also often misinterpreted, also weighs in heavily on the subject:
- "Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
- "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." Philippians 2:12-13
- "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things." 2 Timothy 2:3-7
Athletes, Farmers and Soldiers
In a single passage Paul likens Christians to athletes, farmers and soldiers as an example of the kind of dedication genuine faith requires. Notice such effort is not optional. He warns us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. He notes that without due diligence, even having been instrumental in preaching to others, he himself might become disqualified.
Of the three the least dedicated is likely to be the athlete. Soldiers have the most to loose, putting their lives and those of their units on the line. Farmers must also be diligent or face eventual bankruptcy or starvation. Athletes, particularly non professionals, have only the the honor of winning "the prize" at stake. Even so, what even amateur athlete doesn't train dozens of hours a week?
So how do modern Christians compare with even the amateur athletes Paul describes? Not well when the average devotional life of church attenders is only minutes a day. This begs the question, if we continue to neglect such easy tasks as talking to God or studying His word, how will we ever grow strong enough to be as diligent and hard working on behalf of the Kingdom as the radical disciples Jesus and His apostles direct us to become?
Action Quotes:
- A dream becomes a goal when action is taken toward its achievement. Bo Bennett
- When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. Confucius
- All action results from thought, so it is thoughts that matter. Sai Baba
- Action expresses priorities. Mahatma Gandhi
- Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you. Thomas Jefferson
- Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in. Andrew Jackson
- Action is the real measure of intelligence. Napoleon Hill
- The path to success is to take massive, determined action. Tony Robbins
- Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster. Theodore Roosevelt
- Action is the antidote to despair. Joan Baez
- Never confuse motion with action. Benjamin Franklin
- An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory. Ralph Waldo Emerson
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