How do you know if your life has truly been changed by the power of God? Well—how do you know if a high-voltage power line has touched you? You know. And everyone around you knows. That’s how it is when someone encounters the living God through Jesus Christ. The transformation is real. It’s visible. It’s impossible to miss—for you and for the people close to you.

James 2:26 gets to the heart of the matter: faith that is alive always produces something. Just like a body without breath is lifeless, so is a faith that doesn’t show up in how we live.

Paul also addressed this in Romans using Abraham as an example. Abraham wasn’t made right with God because of his good deeds, but because of his belief—his trust in God’s promise. As Paul puts it: “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” “To the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.” (Romans 4:3, 5)

So is Paul contradicting James? Not at all. Paul emphasizes the root of our salvation—faith. James emphasizes the fruit of that salvation—action. Paul shows us the fire; James points to the smoke rising from the chimney. One is the cause, the other is the effect. Both matter.

So we ask: Is your faith alive and active? Does it affect your choices, your relationships, your priorities? Can the people around you tell that you love Jesus—not just by what you say, but by how you live?

Reflection Question:

If someone followed you around for a week, what would they see that points to your faith in Christ? Where might God be calling you to make your faith more visible?

Prayer Focus:

Lord, increase the faith of every Gateway member so that it’s clearly visible to the world around us. Pray Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”