Christian action is living according to Jesus’s Deity. When Christ walked on earth, those who came in contact with Him saw a man who showed love, forgiveness, and faith. They witness God’s sovereignty through His actions.

Hearing God’s call for the first time is exhilarating. No other life experience matches His invitation to follow Christ. Indeed, without listening to His voice, salvation remains elusive.

With that in mind, living a saved life means putting into action Christ’s Gospel. Nothing pleases God more than practicing His holy virtues. Salvation radiates the Light of Jesus, where those around us see the evidence of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 5:14-16).

In James’s Epistle, he reminds us to apply Christ’s words. (James 1:21-25). When we act on His Word, we show others the inner changes Christ makes in our spirits. And this brings joy to God’s heart.

The Act of Loving

God never ceases showings the act of loving. Indeed, the love we experience from Him unfolds His divine desire to save us from eternal damnation (John 3:17).

Two of God’s greatest commandments show us His absolute truth concerning love.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”  (Matthew 22:36-40, NASB).

God holds the act of love in high esteem.

In these two commands, we must first love God.

How do we love God?

Our best way of discovering how to love God comes from the Bible.

For example, Christ spoke these words:

The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”(John 14:21, NASB)

In this verse, Christ tells us that practicing His commandments shows our love to Him, and in return, God loves us. He went on and showed through loving Him; that our lives become an instrument of His Deity. Jesus promises us that He will work through us because of our love for Him.

Another act of loving God comes from glorifying Him (Matthew 5:16). When we place God first, we give Him glory, and the Holy Spirit embraces us with abundant grace. In return, our hearts yearn for more of His incredible compassion.

Christ reminds me that loving those I cherish doesn’t require much effort (Matthew 5:43-48). But to love my enemies takes a forgiving heart coupled with unconditional love. Jesus didn’t say loving my adversaries isn’t without troubles or problems (Matthew 7:13-14). No, loving those I dislike takes a lot of prayers, trust, and faith.

The Deed of Forgiving

Another action God holds utmost on His command list is the deed of forgiving (Matthew 6:15). I think you’ll agree that discovering God’s forgiveness is uplifting. When I realized His forgiveness for my sins, I wept. And through those tears, I understood how much He loves me.

Forgiving others takes a persevering action. It’s hard to forgive someone who hurt me in wicked ways. When family or friends say or treat me wrongly, my first tendency is to retaliate. Their sinful action toward me puts me on the defensive and my heart begins to harden.

Depending on the infraction’s severity, it affects our willingness to forgive. For example, women who experience years of domestic abuse face a tough road in forgiving their evildoers. They have unimaginable challenges. But some of them forgive and find freedom from their horrific ordeal. Abused children experience similar obstacles on the road to forgiveness.

Forgiveness under those extreme circumstances takes time. Many people’s testimonies bear witness to the deed of forgiving their perpetrators. Some have written books; others share them with pastors. The point is that with God, forgiving others isn’t impossible (Matthew 19:26).

I know the penalty for holding onto an unforgiving heart. My relationship with dad wasn’t one of love. No, I was not too fond of the way he treated me. He belittled me and said hurtful words. As a result of his behavior, I held resentment and despised his character. Often, I would retaliate and disobey his rules. It took years to forgive him. But when I did, God mended our relationship. And when he died, I didn’t fill remorse because forgiving him freed me from my hardened heart.

The key to showing others our forgiveness comes from the Holy Spirit. We find the courage to forgive in God’s Helper (John 14:16). I don’t have the spiritual strength necessary to forgive, but Christ does, and through the Holy Spirit, I can release my unforgiveness.

Faith in Action

The cornerstone of salvation is faith. God designed faith as a primary way into His kingdom (Ephesians 2:8-9). For without reliance on Him, entry into heaven stays closed.

In my experience, applying faith in good times doesn’t require much exertion.

The challenge of faith comes during trials and tribulations. Under these circumstances, I must put my faith in action because moving past problems requires me to trust Christ.

A point often overlooked is that God’s relief from troubling times isn’t an overnight circumstance. He knows what’s best for me and never fails to offer solutions. In these situations, I must put forth the extra effort of faith. I don’t enjoy suffering, but I know it’s temporary, and through faith, I can know God is working behind my troubles.

Prayer is an act of faith. When I set aside time for God, He sees my trust in His eternal plan. An active prayer life gives me the best spiritual mindset to live according to His purpose. The continuous action of prayer prepares me for unforeseen circumstances; when they arise, faith is my first action.

Faith is trusting Christ and applying the guidance the Holy Spirit shows me. In God’s Spirit, I discover the courage to withstand the storms of life. And by acting in faith, I gain holy wisdom.

Summary

In conclusion, we see the significance of becoming doers to God’s word. These are three illustrations showing the fruits of living in God’s kingdom. The Bible has many other holy virtues that require personal Christian action.

What’s your outlook on being a doer of God’s word?