“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” — James 2:17
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Great coaches can draw up great plays, you can practice them endlessly and you can watch all the film you want, but at the end of the day, it’s all about execution — making the right play at the right time, when it counts, in the face of extreme adversity. This same principle applies to your Christian faith. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
Many people call themselves Christians, many say they believe in Christ, but what does their life look like “on the court” where it counts? These are cultural Christians. They may have gone to church when they were younger, but today are shallow and uncommitted to living up to the calling they claim. Still others may even attend church when they have time, but they are mainly distracted by the opportunities and demands of their life pursuits, little of which involve living out the faith they claim to have.
If you really believe in your coach’s philosophies, game plan and plays, you will run them with all your heart. If you really don’t, you really won’t. It’s that simple. If you really believe in God’s Word, you will work hard to learn it, understand it and do what it says. That’s the evidence of real faith. That’s why James declares faith without deeds is dead (James 2:17-18).
If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
— Jerry Birch, Cleveland Cavaliers chaplain
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