Study Desk

You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering.

Great blessings belong to those who are tempted and remain faithful! After they have proved their faith, God will give them the reward of eternal life. God promised this to all people who love him.

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters. God chose the poor people in the world to be rich in faith. He chose them to receive the kingdom God promised to those who love him.

My brothers and sisters, if a person claims to have faith but does nothing, that faith is worth nothing. Faith like that cannot save anyone.

It is the same with faith. If it is just faith and nothing more—if it doesn't do anything—it is dead.

But someone might argue, "Some people have faith, and others have good works." My answer would be that you can't show me your faith if you don't do anything. But I will show you my faith by the good I do.

You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing. Do you want me to prove this to you?

So you see that Abraham's faith and what he did worked together. His faith was made perfect by what he did.

This shows the full meaning of the Scriptures that say, "Abraham believed God, and because of this faith he was accepted as one who is right with God." Abraham was called "God's friend."

So you see that people are made right with God by what they do. They cannot be made right by faith alone.

A person's body that does not have a spirit is dead. It is the same with faith—faith that does nothing is dead!

If such a prayer is offered in faith, it will heal anyone who is sick. The Lord will heal them. And if they have sinned, he will forgive them.