What does "believe" really mean?

And the criminal on the cross beside Jesus believed plus....what?

Don't misunderstand me. I believe that faith produces good works.

I have also noticed over the years that people who put themselves in the position of determining whether or not others are "truly saved" always seem to set a standard the they themselves have no trouble attaining.

Gossip is okay as well as backbiting and slander.

Gluttony...well, how many of you could stand to shed some tonnage?

But that's okay as long as we are not in the place of the new believer who has spent years in a drug or alcohol addicted body.

Or one who has had the example of a violent or criminal father.

Let these poor brothers stumble just once and the "he must not be a true believer" crowd from the AMEN!!! pew will be all over them, nose in the air.

We can quote James when he says "faith without works is dead," but how many of us remember that he also said "We all stumble in many ways?"

Jesus also said that our Father, who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that because a brother stumbles in sin a bit worse than the rest of us, he has no good works.

God knows all things. We, however, do not.

We can judge if a brother is sinning, but not if he is saved or not.

We must all grow, some more than others.


MR