Evang Ps. Kenneth Nandoha
And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:8-10
Salvation is God’s free gift to us. And once we receive Christ, God works an inside-out change in us that proves to others the reality of our faith in Christ. The commitment Zacchaeus made to make things right and help those in need was cited by Jesus as evidence that his faith was genuine.
There is no real faith that does not produce a result in our lives. James wrote, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).
James Henry Jowett said, “There is something more in this abandonment than the desertion of an old road. We cannot turn from that road as though nothing had been accomplished in it. A certain life has been lived and certain damage has been done. No man can leave that road where ruin has been wrought and turn away as though nothing has been done. The abandoning of the old road must be accompanied by the rectifying of the old wrong. So far as restitution is possible, it is part of our forsaking the old life. Here, then, is where repentance begins.”
If there are people we have harmed in the past, we have a responsibility to do whatever we can to make things right. While this is not always possible, we should not be content until we can truly say that we have made that effort. God freely and completely forgives all of our sins through the blood of Jesus, but He leaves us the duty of living out our faith, not just toward Him, but in our dealings with others.
Today’s Prayer
God teach me true faith in Christ to always produce action and change in my life as led by your mighty hand. To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night; for You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. O LORD, how great are Your works! and Your thoughts are very deep in love of salvation, through Jesus Christ, Amen.
