You’ve often heard the phrase “love is action,” but I’d go a step farther and say that faith is action too. So many people like to throw around the phrase “I’ve got faith.” Even some secular songs speak of having faith. Yet, not everyone who flippantly uses the phrase has faith. Thus, the question must be asked, how can you tell if a person has faith?
As in all situations in life, the answer lies within scripture:
Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.
But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. James 2:18-24
New English Translation
Believing things does not constitute faith. EVEN DEMONS BELIEVE IN GOD. Would you say that demons have faith? I certainly hope you said ‘no.’ So, if believing in God, or even saying you believe in God, isn’t enough, then what pushes a person into the faith zone? Again, the scripture told you. If you read the entire excerpt above, then you already are starting to get an idea of the point here.
When a person comes to faith (salvation), there is a shift in that person’s life. They start to change, if they actually accepted a walk with God. See, Christianity is not about accepting yourself as you are. Sure, you come to Jesus with your crud and He loves you. You should never try to clean yourself up before coming to Jesus, that’s His job. However, He doesn’t accept you as “the mess.” he accepts you and wants to clean off the mess, make you new.
Check out this conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus:
Now a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’ The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:1-8
New English Translation
When Jesus was telling Nicodemus about the second birth, He was explaining to Nicodemus how when someone comes to salvation, they have to die to their old self and be made new. Jesus helps Christians to give up their old ways and take on His ways. That’s why a Christian should never look the same as they did in their past, and they should always be growing and changing with Jesus, because, admit it, there will always be room for improvement.
You may be wondering what new birth has to do with James’ talk on faith. It has everything to do with. If a person’s life does not reflect a life of change and growth, then they have no faith. That is why James says that faith can be seen by their deeds. Abraham was a perfect example of that. When he was Abram, he struggled to trust God and to follow His plan. But, he allowed God to grow and change him, which is why he then trusted God enough to follow a plan that made no sense, even though it meant being willing to sacrifice his son. Now, before you freak out, God did not make Abraham go through with it. When He saw how devoted Abraham was, He stopped him from killing his son and provided an animal for the sacrifice. We all good? Let out that breath you were holding. Now let’s move on.
So, again we ask, how can you tell when someone does not have faith? Same way you can tell if they do: by their actions. If a person lies, cheats, steals, commits adultery, mistreats others, disobeys God, or any other ungodly behavior, they do not have faith. Yes, people sin and God forgives them. However, there is a difference between giving into temptation and repenting (meaning turning from sin and asking God’s help in avoiding such behavior in the future; i.e. self change), and just doing the sins over and over again assuming you’ll be fine.
I’ve met people who tried to justify their sin by claiming God gave it to them or that God called them to it. Just because you throw it in a sentence with the name of God does not make it His will for you. When it puts you in a harmful situation, becomes a distraction to others in their walk of faith, or blatantly goes against what God has said and you say “God gave me” or “God called me,” you have taken God’s name in vain. This is not something to take lightly. When you put God’s name on an action, you better be doing something God approves of and asked you to do, because you’re not putting your reputation on the line, you’re putting His reputation on the line.
With all this in mind, look at your own life. Do you have faith? Does your behavior honor God’s reputation or throw mud on it? Would you be proud to tell God face-to-face what you’ve been doing? If not, you shouldn’t be doing it. Plain and simple. Also, I find in my life when I have to spend time rationalizing and explaining to myself why some form of behavior was ‘ok,’ it wasn’t. You don’t have to rationalize the truth and right behavior because it just makes sense. When you ask yourself about where you are with God and faith, be honest with yourself. You do not know when your life here on earth will end. I do not want you to have babied yourself and lied to yourself about you being ok and then end up in hell someday. I want you to be willing to deal with painful truths and allow God to work within your life. Sure, growing hurts, but it’s always worth it in the end.