living differently

In my last post I said that we need to preach the gospel and not just live differently. Now I wasn't saying that we shouldn't live differently. We should, We need to be different than the world, but at the same time we need to make sure that's not our only goal. James 2:14-18 says, "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." Without having works, and living differently our faith is nothing, and that means our preaching is nothing. How can someone who has no works be saved? The answer is, he cant. I can say I'm saved and go around acting like the world, but then you can just look at my actions and whatever my works are and say I'm not saved. In Matthew 5:13-16 it says, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." If we hide our works then we are also hiding our faith. And if our faith is hidden then what good is it? If we hide our faith we are also denying that we know, love, and have a relationship with God. That is like saying we hate Him, so do not hide your works, and do not act like the world, but also preach His name.

People say that we cannot judge a book by its cover, but I say we can. In James, does he not say that those without works have no faith? and in Matthew 7:15-20 it says, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "So then, you will know them by their fruits." Their fruits will show what they are. If their fruits are bad, then they too are bad. In the same way, if their cover is bad, then they too are bad.