Faith in the Jewish mind requires action. It's not simply believing something is, making faith a state of mind, it's doing or acting on belief. I think that is exactly what James was pointing out. So when Jesus said do this, or don't do that, our faith should make us act on his words. It has nothing to do with works based salvation like many people claim.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 1John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1John 3:8,9 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. v.9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s[fn] seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. Let us not be fooled! We do not want to be one of those who will be turned away on that day when men stand before God. The way is narrow, and the road is straight, and FEW be that find it. Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Verse 22 MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Verse 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matt 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it. Our sin has set us all on the road to hell and no amount of good will fix the sin we have done. We have ALL sinned. It is not about the type of sin or how much sin. It is about the fact that we have sinned. For that reason we all need a Savior. If we want forgiveness for our sin and peace with God. If we want to escape eternal hell. If we want to go to heaven we must understand the following. We DO NOT get saved (go to heaven), get right with God, forgiven, by being good, by being religious, by just believing in God, by praying a prayer, being baptized, asking or accepting Jesus into our hearts, accepting Jesus as our personal Saviour, confessing our sins, joining a church, cleaning up our lives, doing penance, taking the bread and the wine, or doing all these things accumulative. Salvation is a gift that is given to those who repent and come to faith. Eph. 2:8,9 Salvation takes repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 20:21. testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Make no mistake. We cannot be a friend of Christ and remain a rebel against God and unless we repent we remain a rebel. The word repent, from the Greek word “metanoia”, means a change of mind or direction. God is not receiving those who almost or kind of repents. It is like the word About-face which is a 180 degree turn. We turn from not wanting God fully in our lives to willfully surrendering to Him to lead our lives. When any person comes to the place where they are broken over their sin toward God to the point that they want to get right with God no matter what it will cost them they are in a state/spirit of repentance toward God. Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. The repentant heart would walk away from anything or any one to get right with God. We then take that willing repentant heart we have towards God and place it on the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Master, because He paid the price for our sin, and that becomes faith. At that moment God’s grace through Christ is freely applied to us and we are born again, saved from eternal hell and sealed by the Spirit so that we will never again return to the practice of sinning. 1John 3:9,10. Our first command after salvation is to be baptized. Repentance of sin is the result of the new birth/salvation and will be part of the sanctification process and our new life with the Lord Jesus Christ, Eph 2:10. While we may sin from time to time after salvation it will never again be our practice 2Cor. 5:17, 1John 3:9,10. John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. REV. 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. It all boils down to are we sorry/broken enough over our sins against God and do we want to get our hearts right with Him or not. Let us be sure that tomorrow does not belong to us.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patients of the saints, here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith in Yashua. 1 John 2:3-4 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.He that saith I know him and keeps not his commandments is a lier and the truth is not in him. Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wrath with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed. On those who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Yashua. Don't follow Paul ,follow Yeshua.
