Doing Faith

(John 13:34-35) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

The one thing that proves we are followers of Jesus is our love for each other.

(John 17:20-23) “I pray... for those who will believe in Me... that all of them may be one, Father... May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me.

The one thing that proves Jesus is the Son of God is our complete unity with each other.

GETTING ALONG

When I get along with my brothers, I prove Jesus is the Son of God, and I’m one of His followers.

(James 4:1-3) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (11-12) Brother, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you - who are you to judge your neighbor?

1. Start Asking My Savior

A. Why don’t I have?

(2c) You do not have, because you do not ask God.

B. Why don’t I ask?

(Mark 9:22-24) “If You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If You can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

It’s far better to ask with doubt – than not to ask at all!

C. Why don’t I receive?

(3) When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

2. Stop Feeding My Sins

(James 1:13-15) When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

A. God is not to blame for my sinful desires.

B. I inherited my sinful desires from my ancestor.

(Romans 5:12) Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.

(Psalm 51:5) Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

C. If I yield to my sinful desires - I SIN!

(James 1:14-15) Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin.

D. If I continue to yield to my sinful desires – I become quarrelsome and argumentative.

(4:1-2b) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight.

3. Start Blessing My Siblings

(James 4:11-12) Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you - who are you to judge your neighbor?

(Ephesians 2:22) In Him you... are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

(Romans 12:45) In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

(Galatians 3:28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

(1 Corinthians 1:10) I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

(Ephesians 4:3) Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

(Romans 12:10) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

(Colossians 3:13-14) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

(2 Corinthians 13:11) Be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

(1 Peter 3:8-9) Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing,... so that you may inherit a blessing.