Consider the Works And the Gifts

Consider the works that Jesus did, and then consider the works that we who say that we believe should be doing.

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do , he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father (John 14:13 NASU).”

James is writing to the church here.

¹³ “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;

¹⁵ and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:13-16 NASU).

¹⁷ “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”

(James 5:17-18 NASU)

Do we really believe? Then why do we still suffer? Does our unbelief hinder us? Is there a body of believers practicing these truths today? Or do we just have a “form of Godliness but deny the power thereof.”

Then James points to the prayers of Elijah as an example, a man of like nature as our own:

Where are the Elijah’s of today?

Now consider the gifts of the Spirit:

The gifts of the Spirit are for the edifying of the body of Christ, the church. Tell me, where are the gifts truly working in the church of today? We are not speaking of emotional demonstrations with no lasting results, but true gifts working with life changing results.

⁶ “There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

⁸ For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

¹⁰ and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

¹² For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”

(1^st Corinthians 12:6-13 NASU)

If we were baptized into one body and all made to drink of one Spirit then why are there divisions among us?Could it be because of carnal mindedness (1^st Corinthians 3:1-4) or unbelief (Matthew 13:58)?

Consider the works and the gifts---can we now say we believe?

Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief.

James C Sanford