Untitled Sermon (18)

SHALLOW FAITH

INTRODUCTION

OFTEN TIMES THOSE WHO HAVE SHALLOW FAITH THEY REMAIN OBSERVERS OF LIFE, INSTEAD OF ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS.

THEY HAVE A EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER’S WHO ARE IN THE CHURCH.

THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO GO DEEP ENOUGH IN THE WORD TO SEE WHAT CHANGES CAN HAPPEN IN THEIR LIVES.

THEY WILL SAY THEY HAVE FAITH, BUT HOW TO ACTIVATE IT IS ANOTHER THING.

JAMES SAYS JAMES 2: 14 WHAT DOTH IT PROFIT, MY BRETHREN, THOUGH A MAN SAY HE HATH FAITH, AND HAVE NOT WORKS? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM?

SOME MAY POINT OUT THAT PAUL SAID FAITH ALONE CAN SAVE YOU WITHOUT WORKS, AND NOW JAMES ARE STATING FAITH WITHOUT WORKS ARE DEAD.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THE KIND OF WORKS PAUL WAS STATING HAD TO DO WITH THE LAW IN A LEGALISTIC WAY.

PAUL WAS SAYING WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THOUGH FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST JESUS. EPHESIANS 2: 8-9

BUT JAMES IDEA OF WORKS HAD TO DO WITH CHARITY WITH THE IDEA OF NOT JUST SAYING YOU HAVE FAITH, BUT PUTTING TO ACTION WHAT YOU SAY.

SO THE QUESTION IS CAN FAITH ALONE SAVE YOU?

THE ANSWER IS NO YOUR COMMITMENT TO JESUS THROUGH WORDS ONLY CANNOT SAVE YOU.

YOU NEED TO PUT ACTION BEHIND THOSE WORDS YOU SPEAK. THE POWER IS NOT IN WHAT YOU SAY, BUT HOW YOU LIVE BEFORE GOD IN A WAY THAT PLEASES HIM.

JAMES SAYS IT’S LIKE SEEING SOMEONE IN NEED WITH THE ABILITY TO HELP THEM , BUT CHOOSE TO DIRECT THEM WHERE TO GET HELP FROM.

TOO MANY TIMES THOSE WHO ARE SHALLOW ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT GETTING SOMETHING BACK IN RETURN.

FAITH NEEDS EVIDENCE.

MATTHEW 7: 26 AND EVERY ONE THAT HEARETH THESE SAYINGS OF MINE, AND DOETH THEM NOT, SHALL BE LIKENED TO A FOOLISH MAN, WHICH BUILT HIS HOUSE UPON THE SAND:

27. AND THE RAIN DESCENDED, AND THE FLOODS CAME, AND THE WINDS BLEW, AND BEAT UPON THAT HOUSE; AND IT FELL: AND GREAT WAS THE FALL OF IT.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHALLOW FAITH , LIVES ON THE SURFACE, SO WHEN STORMS HAPPEN IN THEIR LIVES, THEY DON’T HAVE A FOUNDATION TO STAND UPON.

WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT TAKES MORE THEN JUST BELIEVING, BECAUSE EVEN THE DEVILS BELIEVED.

WHEN YOU ARE SHALLOW IT IS SO EASY TO SAY I BELIEVE IN GOD, BUT FAITH HAS TO SHOW ITSELF THROUGH WORKS PERFORMED IN FAITH.

SHALLOW CHRISTIANS IS THOSE WHO ARE NOT DEEP IN THE WORD. THEY ARE JUST CHURCH GOERS, THEY’RE SUPERFICIAL, WISHY WASHY, LACKING DEPTH. THEY PUT ON A ACT LIKE NOTHING AFFECT THEM DEEPLY. THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF DEEP FEELINGS OR INTELLECTUAL OR MENTAL DEPTH.

HEBREWS 11:17 BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS TRIED, OFFERED UP ISAAC : AND HE THAT HAD RECEIVED THE PROMISES OFFERED UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,

WHEN YOU ARE WILLING TO COME OUT OF SHALLOW LIVING , YOU WILL OBEY GOD WITHOUT SAYING A WORD. YOU WILL JUST DO IT, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL PLEASE HIM. THEIR WAS A OLD SLOGAN ACTION IS BETTER THAN WORDS. GOD REQUIRES FROM YOU TO MOVE UPON WHAT YOU SAY, BECAUSE THIS WILL SHOW EVIDENCE THAT YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY.