WORKAHOLIC?

“You must perceive that a person is justified by his works and not by faith alone.” ––James 2:24

Jesus loves you (Jn 15:9; Eph 5:2). His Word is “living and effective” (Heb 4:12). It’s clear He will not lead us astray. Have you looked lately at judgment passages in the Bible? Our eternal destiny is linked to what we do in this life. It’s not up for debate:

• Are we ready for our life review? “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done” (Rv 20:12, RSV-CE; cf 2 Cor 5:10).
• Did we neglect to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and visit the imprisoned? “[Jesus] will answer…‘I assure you, as often as you neglected to do it to one of these least ones, you neglected to do it to Me.’ These will go off to eternal punishment and the just to eternal life” (Mt 25:45-46).
• Are we deceiving ourselves? “Your hard and impenitent heart is storing up retribution for that day of wrath when the just judgment of God will be revealed, when He will repay every man for what he has done” (Rm 2:5-6; cf 1 Cor 4:3-5).

How will we survive? It’s only because we have a merciful Savior ready to rescue us! “If we acknowledge our sins, He Who is just can be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong” (1 Jn 1:9). Repent!

PRAYER: Father, Your grace initiates good works that flow through me. Mold me into Your ever-faithful servant.
PROMISE: “Whoever would preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will preserve it.” ––Mk 8:35
PRAISE: Fr. Ben serves God as both a priest and a medical doctor.