Lay a foundation
Leave the elementary
Mature, build, grow up
-Hebrews 5:11-6:2
The first elementary teaching Paul mentions in Hebrews 6 is repentance from dead works. The first step for every Christian is accepting the work of Christ on their behalf. No one can work their way into heaven. This truth sets Christianity apart from every other religion on the planet. For millennium humans have tried various means to obtain their god's favor. If I pray enough times in the correct way...if I wear the right clothes...if I chant the words enough times...if I live enough lives...if my good outweighs my bad - then I will earn an eternal reward. If not, I will get eternal punishment. I challenge you to find a human religion that doesn't fall into that category. People spend their lives trying to win God's favor or appease His wrath. These are dead works; they are motivated by fear.
True Christianity is not about that. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith, not of works so no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Salvation is God's free gift to His children. We rest securely knowing that every mistake, every wrong thought and wrong action has been paid for and removed by Christ's blood on the mercy seat in heaven. Our faith and love for Jesus is expressed through living works! That is what James is talking about. When I have a living, love relationship with Jesus, it must bear fruit. Fruit is evidence of vitality. Living works are an expression of the love of Christ in me working it's way out and touching other people. When I love someone, everybody knows it. I think about them at work, at school, at the grocery store. They invade so much of my thought life that it affects how I act. That's what our love affair with Jesus should be like. He invades our thoughts so much, our actions are affected.
Living works and dead works can look the same on the outside. Even Christians can fall back into dead works. It's the motivation that determines which category they fall into. The good news is God will transform our hearts when we repent from trying to earn His favor and ask Him to help us. He's so good!
Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10: 19-25
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