TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 1:14-18
We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. - John 1:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Today's verse says that Jesus was full of grace and truth. In this, the Son was just like His Father. The Old Testament portrays God as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth” (Ps. 86:15, nasb). He gives grace to the humble (Prov. 3:34) and offers grace to the wicked (Isa. 26:10). “The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion” (Num. 14:18), yet “He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth” (Ps. 96:13).

We saw yesterday that the gospel is full of grace and truth, and that's because God Himself is full of grace and truth. The characteristics and essential glory of the Father and the Son are the same, which is why the Son is the fullest revelation of the Father to humanity (v. 18). Jesus embodied this in the miracle of the Incarnation. The “Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (v. 14). After the testimony of creation, law, history, and the prophets, God became a man to show Himself even more clearly to us. John actually saw this revelation—he was an eyewitness to this amazing truth!

“Grace and truth” correspond to the Hebrew virtues of love and faithfulness used to describe God's unfailing covenant love (Prov. 3:3). There's nothing halfway or stingy about grace. John struggled to put into words God's generosity: “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another” (v. 16). The nasb uses the phrase “grace upon grace” to translate this richness.

We can say many things about Jesus: He saved us. He's in our hearts. He walks by our side. He's our example. He's our prize. He's at the right hand of God, interceding for us. He will return one day in power to rule the world. All these are truths of grace and show the grace of truth.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As Christians, or “little Christs,” one of our deepest desires should be to become more like Him with every passing day.

From today's reading, then, several questions follow: If Jesus was full of grace and truth, how can I also become full of grace and truth? In His words and actions, how did He demonstrate grace and truth? How can I imitate that? What areas of my life need to be changed in order to be described as “grace-filled” and “truthful”?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 15:11-32
His father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. - Luke 15:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
Psychology professor Paul Twelker had this reflection on the father in Rembrandt's painting,

The Return of the Prodigal Son:
“Look at the father, his back stooped by the years and his hands stiffened by old age. His eyes are closed, but an almost overwhelming sense of kindness is apparent. Here is a man who shows mercy and love and compassion to a son who acted as though he had wished him dead . . .

• ur gaze moves toward the father, and it is there that we rest in our search for meaning. You see it in his occluded eyes. You see it in his arms, as they tenderly embrace the undeserving son. You can sense unrelenting mercy and love and forgiveness.”

The story known as the “Parable of the Prodigal Son” should perhaps be titled the “Parable of the Loving Father.” The younger son in the story behaved abominably. He was greedy, disrespectful, self-indulgent, immoral, proud, and rebellious. But by the end, he had been transformed into a humble, repentant, and wiser man. His older brother began better, by remaining loyal to the family and working hard. But at the end he was actually an unloving, self-righteous, and small-minded person.

It is the father who stands out as the true hero of this parable. He was forgiving, patient, generous, and joyful over his son's return (vv. 20-24). He didn't roar with anger when the boy insultingly asked for his inheritance early. When his son returned home, which the father no doubt knew would happen only if his heart changed, he ran to meet him, throwing aside dignity to show love. He welcomed him back with no hint of retribution, returning him immediately to full family status. The robe, ring, shoes, and celebration feast are a vivid picture of the lavish grace our Father shows to all who repent and turn to Him, to all of us who were spiritually dead and are now alive in Christ.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
One way to make this parable come alive is to rewrite it in modern terms—for example, as a film script set in an urban environment. If you have a video camera and a project like this sounds interesting, we encourage you to work with your family, friends, or Sunday school class to make a movie of this story, perhaps specifically for unbelievers with no Bible background knowledge. You'll be using up-to-the-minute methods to tell timeless truths.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 111
He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate. - Psalm 111:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Have you seen those magnetic poetry kits? You buy a small box with 100 or more words, each one separately mounted on a magnet. These can be stuck onto a large metal surface such as the side of a refrigerator or filing cabinet. Then anyone who's feeling creative can try to arrange the words into sentences or poems. It resembles the classic game Scrabble, but at a sentence level and with an artistic bent.

We can't see it in our English translations, but the poet of Psalm 111 had a similar kind of fun, though at a higher level of artistic craftsmanship. Today's reading is an acrostic psalm, meaning that each line begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, following the 22 letters in order. The psalm's main theme is the praiseworthiness of God, praised by a psalmist who loves God. In recent days, we've explored how grace and merciful love characterize God.

One interesting feature of this psalm is how it intertwines grace and works. We often perceive a tension between the two. But in God's very nature grace and good works are seamlessly woven together, a truth that can be seen throughout Scripture and is particularly on display in today's psalm. Who He is and what He does are one and the same.

The unnamed poet glorifies God's works as majestic, powerful, and faithful. He recounted the good works God had done in Israel's history. God provided food in the wilderness, ordained and remembered His covenant, and gave victory so the people could enter the Promised Land. These works flowed from His character, and so the psalm also extols His righteousness, graciousness, compassion, and trustworthiness. In response, His people ponder, study, delight in, and worship who God is, what He does, and how blessed we are as a result (v. 10).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verse 10 of today's psalm is found in parallel words in several other locations in Scripture (see Job 28:28; Prov. 1:7; Prov. 9:10; and Prov. 15:33). When God takes the trouble to repeat something that often, it must be important!

Jot down one of these verses, keep it where you'll see it often, and set a goal of memorizing it by the end of the week. After all, to be one of those “who follow His precepts,” we must know them well.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 6:26-40
The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent. - John 6:29
TODAY IN THE WORD
Last year a New York Times investigation found that some managers illegally delete hours from employees' time cards, resulting in lower pay for the workers. They use computers to secretly shave hours, thus lowering paychecks and increasing profit margins. Some of the companies implicated by the report included such familiar names as Toys R Us, Family Dollar, Pep Boys, Taco Bell, Kinko's, and Wal-Mart. Companies don't officially endorse the practice, but managers still feel pressured not to exceed hourly targets and thus sometimes take chances.

Reading such news, we feel indignant or outraged. Americans generally have a strong belief that workers deserve fair wages. But in the case of salvation, we should be glad that believing in Jesus helps us escape from the “wages” we deserve. What we deserve is death for our sins, yet by trusting on Christ we instead receive His gift of eternal life.

We've already learned that believing wrongly misses out on God's grace, while believing rightly is a work of His grace. Yesterday we saw that grace and good works go together in God's nature. In today's reading these two threads meet as we find that right belief begins the work God requires of us. Right belief is the first step on a road of right actions.

This passage is from the Bread of Life discourse given after the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus rebuked those who followed Him looking for another free lunch: “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (v. 27). Thinking “work” was the key idea and they could earn it, they asked how to get such food. Jesus, however, responded, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent” (v. 29). Significantly, that One, Jesus, did God's will and worked for His honor (v. 38). Those who believe rightly must imitate His example and do the same.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior can take comfort from Jesus' promises at the end of today's reading. He said: “I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (v. 39). Often called “assurance of salvation,” the confidence suggested by these words can sustain us against Satan's accusations and the doubt in our own hearts (1 John 3:18-20; Rev. 12:10). You can have peace and joy in this truth today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Titus 2:11-14
[Grace] teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives. - Titus 2:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
British scientists recently invented a kind of glass that cleans itself. Pilkington Activ glass is coated with a very thin layer of titanium oxide, which absorbs ultraviolet radiation and reacts with light, a process that breaks down organic dirt. In addition, when water hits this special coating, the water droplets are attracted to one another and form a sheet, that also cleans off the dirt—this is called a hydrophilic effect. This innovative and environmentally friendly product is only about 15 to 20 percent more expensive than regular windows.

We might wish our spiritual lives had a similar self-cleaning feature, but that's not how holiness is achieved. According to today's reading, it's achieved by grace. As we see in today's verse, we are able to live correctly through the instruction of grace. This description suggests the process of childrearing, that is, we should picture not so much a teacher and classroom as a parent and child. The training is holistic; the purpose is to instruct and transform all aspects of a child's character. The ideas of chastening or correcting are also included here—the same word is translated “discipline” in Hebrews 12:6-7. We are the children; grace is our family tutor.

“Wait a minute,” you might be thinking, “I thought grace was a gift. This sounds like works.” That's right. Grace is a gift, and it teaches us to do good works. In fact, if grace does not bring forth right actions, it wasn't real grace. Grace proves its genuineness by empowering and motivating us to refuse sin and to pursue holiness. What other fruit could a holy God's grace bear in our lives?

Since we are living in the time between Christ's Incarnation and Second Coming, this is how we live: by grace, toward righteousness (v. 13). We have been redeemed from sin to goodness, purified from unclean to clean, and raised from death to life!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
During your time with God today, think through hymns, praise songs, or choruses you know that reflect on the grace that we've been given. You may choose to sing some of these songs aloud, but even just recalling the words and melody can be a great encouragement in our constant journey by grace toward righteousness. As we live between Christ's First and Second Comings, we can be thankful for what He has done and what He will do!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Romans 6:1-7
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. - Romans 6:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
When a customer left a sack of jewelry in his cab, Chicago taxi driver Mohammed Hussain proved himself honest. The bag contained 42 pieces worth an estimated $230,000 and had been left behind by the co-owner of a jewelry company. When Hussain discovered the valuables in his trunk, he found the man's e-mail address on some paperwork and contacted him immediately. As a reward, the businessman presented Hussain with a check and a pair of sapphire earrings, which he said he planned to send to his parents in India.

We may not make the newspaper, but we're faced with moral decisions, whether large or small, every day. Grace unfailingly guides us toward the right choices.

You may be asking the question that Paul anticipates at this point: “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” (v. 1). If God's grace is a free gift, as we've emphasized, then why not keep choosing to sin so we can receive more? Grace will cover us, right? Wouldn't more sin = more grace = more glory for God? “By no means!” Paul answered (v. 2). The spiritual logic of grace does not flow from our selfish desires, but rather from the character of God and the nature of His saving work in us.

To choose to keep sinning would profoundly contradict who He is and what He's done in our lives. As we saw yesterday, true grace will produce changes in our actions. After all, someone who had been given the gift of life would never choose death—a lesson symbolized in baptism (vv. 3-4). Our new life must be lived in the power of Christ's resurrection.

The basis for this imperative is our union with Christ (vv. 5-7; cf. Col. 3:9-10). As redeemed people whose “old selves” have been put to death, we have been freed to live according to our new nature and identity in Him. Grace teaches us the foolishness of returning to the slavery of sin.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since grace has given us new selves and made us new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), why not respond by creating something new?

You might create a work of art—perhaps a song, a poem, a letter, or a painting—that expresses to the Lord your desire for righteousness or holiness. Let your creativity remind you of your identity as a new creation in Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:4-10
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. - James 4:7-8
TODAY IN THE WORD
One weekend more than twenty years ago, aerospace engineer Lonnie G. Johnson was at home tinkering around with ideas for a cooling device. Instead, he ended up inventing the Super Soaker, a powerful and popular squirt gun which can shoot water up to fifty feet. Though it took him until 1989 to get his idea onto store shelves, the toy remains an American summer favorite to this day. Johnson used his profits to set up his own company so that he could continue to tinker and invent things.

In fighting the fires of temptation, grace is the Super Soaker that can put out the flames. That's because righteousness is an effect of grace in our lives, which means grace gives us the strength to resist temptation. Today's reading holds the key to understanding this: “But he gives us more grace” (v. 6). “But” indicates that grace is contrary to what came before—as we see in this passage, it's the proud and spiritually “adulterous people” who are friends with the world, who even seek out sin (vv. 4-6; cf. Ezek. 16:32-35).

Other translations can help the intent of this verse become clearer. The niv offers this alternative: “that the Spirit he caused to live in us longs jealously.” Similarly, the nasb renders it: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us.” In keeping with the sexual purity motif in the passage, this means that the indwelling Holy Spirit is jealous for our purity and wholehearted commitment as Christ's future bride (cf. 2 Cor. 11:2-4).

This purity or righteousness turns on the hinge of grace (vv. 7-10). The way sinful people live is exactly the opposite of who we are, should be, and want to be. We should live humbly, submit to God, fight the good fight against Satan and his temptations, and confess and repent over sin. Our chief longing should be to draw near to God. All these are the fruits of grace!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you stop at a newsstand with a questionable magazine, will you stop, look, and lust? If you receive praise, will it feed your pride or cause you to look down on others? If someone does that thing that annoys you, will you give in to anger?

Thinking hypothetically can help us practice resisting temptation. As you think about situations that are specific problems for you, prepare yourself in advance to say “no” and resist the Devil in this area.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 2:1-10
It is by grace you have been saved, through faith. - Ephesians 2:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
No doubt you've seen those before-and-after pictures in hair product ads. A photo on the left shows a bald man and one on the right shows the same man with a thick, wavy head of hair. The product being advertised made the difference, of course, and the implication is that the man is now enjoying more self-confidence and a more successful social life. The before-and-after photos are “proof” of the product's effectiveness, the evidence that may persuade others to buy it.

Looking for proof or evidence is part of the way we think. It's part of the way God set up the spiritual realm too. Today's reading teaches that while good works are useless for earning salvation, they are the inevitable and indispensable evidence for the reality of salvation. These verses are the cornerstone of this month's study. They make clear the relationship between grace and good works: we are saved by grace alone so that we are able then to do good works (vv. 8-10). Grace and good works are a package deal—you cannot have one without the other. Good works cannot be ignored as a consequence of grace any more than salvation can have any basis other than grace through faith. To think of grace as a “free ticket to heaven” doesn't understand grace at all.

The entire history and panorama of redemption reveal this truth. Death and life, old and new, slavery and freedom . . . the dividing line is enormous and irrevocable. We were helpless sinners, proper objects of God's wrath (vv. 1-3). But He mercifully stepped in and raised us with Christ to eternal life in order to “show the incomparable riches of His grace” (vv. 4-7). And His grace will be glorified not only in how He rescued us, but in how we live afterwards. Good works are so important that He prepared them in advance for us to do!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Ephesians 2:8-10 should be in the “treasure chest” of every Christian. If you haven't memorized these verses before—or if you've only memorized verses 8-9, which is often the case—we encourage you to do so today.

As God's Word dwells in you richly, you'll be increasingly able to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” and to do all, “whether in word or deed,” for Christ's name and glory (Col. 3:16-17).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Proverbs 3:27-35
He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. - Proverbs 3:34
TODAY IN THE WORD
C. S. Lewis wrote about discovering humility: “When I first became a Christian . . . I wouldn't go to the churches. . . . I disliked very much their hymns, which I considered to be fifth-rate poems set to sixth-rate music. But as I went on I saw the great merit of it. I came up against different people of quite different outlooks and different education, and then gradually my conceit just began peeling off. I realized that the hymns . . . [were] being sung with devotion and benefit by an old saint in elastic-side boots in the opposite pew, and then you realize that you aren't fit to clean those boots.”

Humility and grace go hand in hand, as we see also in today's passage. In these verses, grace is on the side of a lifestyle of wisdom and goodness; in fact, it is given by God for the very purpose of living such a lifestyle (v. 34).

A life full of grace means doing good whenever possible for “those who deserve it,” including the poor, widows, orphans, and others. (cf. Gal. 6:10). It means giving freely to those who ask. Grace helps us walk uprightly, humbly, and wisely. Ungracious people, by contrast, use sinful means to gain selfish advantage, for example, by plotting against their neighbor, falsely accusing him, or imitating the example of “a violent man.” They are perverse, proud, and foolish. As one would expect, these two groups come to very different ends. The Lord detests and shames the wicked, but He blesses and counts as His friends the righteous (v. 32; cf. John 15:12-17).

Receiving God's grace transforms our actions. Here “gives grace” literally means “shows favor.” That may not sound like much, but consider whose favor it is! As the psalm says: “The Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Ps. 84:11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today might be a good day to look back at the Bible and devotional readings and review what you've learned so far from our study on grace and good works. Using these insights, write out a prayer for more grace and more of its fruit in your life.

If you don't want to compose your own prayer, you can pray through some key Scripture verses, laying them before the Lord as the desire of your heart.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Colossians 1:24-29
To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. - Colossians 1:29
TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the largest electrical blackouts in North American history took place on August 15, 2003. An electrical surge led to a cascade effect of power failures that hit eight states in the Northeast and Midwest and turned off the lights in New York City, Cleveland, Detroit, and Toronto. The power outage affected subways, airports, hospitals, and other essential services, though some were able to scrape by with emergency generators. Altogether, 50 million people were left temporarily in the dark.

Thankfully, God's grace never loses its power. As we see in today's reading, grace acted in Paul's life to bring forth hard work and committed service (v. 29). It seems a paradox that a free gift of God would lead to all-out labor for God, but the Christian life is made up of many such wonderful paradoxes. Grace made Paul passionate about doing good works, yet He continued to give God all the credit. As he said elsewhere: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me” (1 Cor. 15:10).

What did grace enable the Apostle to do? He suffered joyfully, served the church, carried out his commission to evangelize and plant churches, admonished and led others to a more mature faith, and in short, proclaimed Christ in everything he did. The suffering was for Christ's church, the call to ministry came from Christ's Father, and the content of his message was the mystery of Christ's redemption. All that sounds exhausting! No wonder Paul talked about “labor” and “struggling” in the chapter's last verse! But notice even here that he gives God the glory. The “energy” is “His,” that is, Christ's, working in Paul to accomplish God's will. Without it, Paul was just a power station without any electricity (cf. Eph. 3:7).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Grace in Paul's life resulted in hard work for the kingdom of heaven. Does it do the same in yours? For example, are you serving in your local church? If not, see how you can help out. Each of us has been given a spiritual gift for the purpose of serving our brothers and sisters.

Remember that this service isn't done through your own power and strength—even Paul accomplished all that he did for God's kingdom through the power of grace.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 6:1-10
Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. - Acts 6:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Scientists are working to perfect a new kind of “battery” that could be used in cell phones, notebook computers, and other portable electronic devices. A fuel cell using inexpensive liquid methanol could be easily recharged from a carry-along flask or cartridge. Such a power source would be environmentally friendly, producing only heat, carbon dioxide, and water as waste products. Fuel cells are not a new idea, but barriers such as consumer habits and methanol's current classification as a dangerous substance stand in the way of widespread use.

In today's reading, God's grace was Stephen's inexhaustible power source. We've already seen that grace brings forth godly qualities and actions, and we see here that it can also result in powerful miracles. These miracles that Stephen and others worked by grace were signs given by God to validate the truth of the gospel being preached (cf. Rom. 15:18-19; Heb. 2:4).

The context here is the early history of the Jerusalem church. An ethnic squabble had led to the choosing of deacons as part of the evolving leadership structure. While the apostles would focus on prayer and preaching, the deacons were to take charge of acts of practical service, such as distributing food to widows (vv. 2-4). These seven men—apparently all Grecian Jews in order to help ease the racial tensions—were chosen by the group and commissioned by the Twelve for this new office.

The deacons were described as full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and Stephen specifically was said to be full of faith, grace, and power as well. Clearly, their abilities weren't limited to practical service, as both Stephen and Philip are recorded in Scripture as having significant evangelistic ministries. Once again, we see an example of grace being linked inseparably with wisdom, faith, power, and the Holy Spirit.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Stephen debated with Greek Jews, who “could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke” (vv. 9-10). Grace gives us the boldness and ability to share and defend our faith. Even if you feel like the most timid person, the grace that empowered Stephen is the same grace available to you.

Pray today for the opportunity to share the good news of the gospel of grace with someone in your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 14:1-10
Speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. - Acts 14:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Cassidy family of Dundee, Illinois, work as “missionaries” without ever leaving home. They serve as World Relief hosts, welcoming refugees into their home and helping them adjust to their new life in the United States. As reported last year in Christianity Today, they have aided Bosnians, Iraqis, Sudanese, Cubans, and Serbians. As the father, Wes Cassidy, said, “It's our hope to impact our guests with a sense that we're living for Christ in a real way.” Althea, a teen-aged daughter, added, “People staying with us has helped me understand suffering. I can't believe what a step of faith it must be to start over.”

World missions comes in many shapes and sizes, but in all of those shapes and sizes God's grace is at the center. We're a bit further on in Acts today than in yesterday's reading. Paul and Barnabas had been sent out by the church at Antioch on a missionary journey, one that took them to such places as Cyprus, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. As with Stephen, we see that the spread of the gospel of grace came with powerful miracles of grace. The purpose of these miracles is summarized in today's verse—they confirmed the gospel, the message of grace.

As with Stephen and the other deacons, the results for Paul and Barnabas were both success—converts and the growth of the church—as well as opposition and persecution. The two missionaries had to flee Iconium for their lives, but God continued to bless their ministry, as seen in the miraculous healing of the crippled man (vv. 8-10). Jesus did not encourage people's desire for signs and wonders as sensationalism or entertainment, but He did work miracles in response to true faith, and His followers did the same (see John 4:46-50; 14:11-12). Given that the ultimate evidence of grace is the miracle of His resurrection, we shouldn't be surprised!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As we've seen in yesterday's and today's readings, God's grace reveals itself in powerful ways to strengthen our faith. What's one way that you've recently seen His grace and power in your life? It's all too easy to forget such times, so take steps to help yourself remember. You may write about it in your spiritual journal, share the story with others, or create something that will bring God's power to mind when you see it. These remembrances can help us live in the reality of God's grace.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11
God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Mary Williams, a retired Seattle librarian, has baked about 5,000 fruitcakes in her life. Over a period of more than 30 years, she spent her holidays baking as many as 500 fruitcakes in a single season. Her top-secret recipe has attracted customers from Dallas, Texas, and Birmingham, Alabama. She sold them for $10 apiece and gave the money to charities that help children in need, including the George Mueller orphanage in England, and more recently, a Mission of Mercy project for children in Afghanistan.

Mary Williams's spirit of generosity is a good example of what Paul talked about in today's passage. We see that generosity is one of the fruits of grace; that is, our good work of giving is linked directly to our experience and understanding of grace. In just the way we've been studying, generosity cannot buy salvation, but it is one of the good works that flow from it. In the previous chapter, Paul had already referred to the “grace of giving” and held up the Macedonians as an example of sacrificial excellence. Through generosity to the needy, they proved the sincerity of their love and honored the ultimate grace of Christ's Incarnation (2 Cor. 8:1-9).

What happens when we give? “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (v. 6; cf. Luke 6:38). We can give in faith, knowing that our generous God is taking care of us and will never be outgiven. And what does He give back? Abundant grace! So by grace we give generously, and in return we receive back even more grace, which in turn leads to even more good works (v. . This is a true harvest of righteousness, made possible by our great Provider (v. 10).

We see that even the way we give—cheerfully and willingly—reflects grace. We can imitate models such as the Macedonians, but giving is not about peer pressure or showing off. Instead, it's about how much we trust the Lord (see Luke 21:1-4).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
You may not bake fruitcakes, but you can still make a point to practice generosity for God's work through missions. Set up a “spare change jar” on the dining room table. At the end of every day, ask family members to empty their pockets and coin purses into the jar. How much can you collect in just one week or one month? You might be surprised! During this project, ask God to designate a missionary to whom to give the money.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 25:31-46
I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. - Matthew 25:40
TODAY IN THE WORD
The purpose of the Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) Institute is to “promote and guide the development of a national network of free clinics emphasizing the use of retired medical and lay volunteers to care for the ”˜working uninsured' within a culture of caring so that everyone in a community has access to health care.” Dr. Jack McConnell, co-inventor of the tuberculosis test and Tylenol, started the original clinic in 1993 in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and now at least thirty clinics have opened nationwide.

Dr. McConnell says that his “marching orders” come from today's reading: “It causes you to see the poor and the outcast and the downcast in an entirely different light when you examine that Scripture. The poor are some of the most giving people in the world. Serving them gives me a sense of purpose and renews my love and joy.”

Good works are a measure of our love for Christ, for belief must always lead to action. The “parable of the sheep and the goats” emphasizes the spiritual truth that love and service are irrefutable evidence as to whether or not we truly love Jesus (cf. 1 John 3:16-20). Meeting physical needs such as food, clothing, and medical care, as well as showing hospitality and visiting prisoners, are concrete evidence that we are following in the footsteps of Christ.

Interestingly, in the story the righteous people react with surprise. They had simply been living their lives, doing the right things, acting in such a way as to obey and glorify Christ. The unrighteous are also taken by surprise, but unfortunately for them their inaction revealed the lack of love and faith in their hearts. In the end, the unrighteous are condemned to hell and the righteous are welcomed into eternal life, “your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (v. 34). Though the word grace may not be found in this passage, a lifestyle of good works done in the power of grace is powerfully portrayed.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When was the last time you sorted through your closet? In light of today's reading, make time to do this soon. Take out articles of clothing that you no longer need or wear and donate them to a church thrift shop or another ministry that helps the needy. After all, by global standards many of us own an excessive amount of clothing.

An even more important motivation is Jesus' statement, “I needed clothes and you clothed me” (v. 36).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 2:14-26
Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. - James 2:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
At the end of a working day a century ago, a mine superintendent in South Africa found the largest diamond in the world—3,106 carats (or 1.3 pounds)! Called the “Cullinan Diamond,” it was bought by the government as a birthday gift for Britain's King Edward VII. Elaborate security precautions surrounded the transport of the priceless diamond . . . but it was all an elaborate ruse. The real diamond was sent by registered mail!

As the fake box traveled to England, guards protected it, reporters wrote about it, and people flocked to see all the fuss. But despite what everyone thought, the contents of the box were worthless. In the same way, James said, faith without works is useless or dead (vv. 17, 20, 26). It's not the real thing! As strongly as Scripture readings from earlier this month proclaim salvation by God's grace, not good works, so equally strongly does James denounce faith without good works as a vain and empty thing. “Can such faith save?” (v. 14) is a rhetorical question answered with a thunderous “No!”

James' negative example could be right out of yesterday's parable. If a brother or sister needs clothing or food, a kind wish unaccompanied by action is pointless and even hypocritical (vv. 15-16). Even demons have some correct intellectual beliefs, James added, but this is not saving faith (vv. 18-19).

Some scholars like to find contradictions between James and Paul, but the two are very much on the same page, so much so that they even cite the same example. Just as Paul used Abraham to exemplify salvation by faith (see Sep. 4-5), so James used him to demonstrate good works following from and completing faith (vv. 21-23). Just as James denounced impotent or false faith, so Paul decried a perverse faith that takes grace as a license to sin (see Sep. 16). As theologian Charles Ryrie said, “A workless faith is a worthless faith.”
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In Christian circles, a distinction is sometimes drawn between a “saving gospel,“ the message of Christ's redemption, and a ”social gospel,” meeting practical needs like food, clothing, and shelter. Unfortunately, many conservative Christians only emphasize the “saving gospel” while more liberal Christians only focus on the “social gospel.” As we've seen in Scripture, this distinction isn't biblical—if we've received the saving grace of Jesus, we will respond by meeting the needs of those around us.