Why Christians should put their faith into action

As Christians we experience times of hardship in our lives that can refine and grow our faith. In these times we can feel closer to God and more passionate and steadfast in our faith. This should come as no surprise given scripture tells us in James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  

Conversely, when life is comfortable and things are going smoothly, we can become complacent. Faith remains important, but we may not feel as passionately in love with Jesus or eager to share the gospel. How can we change this? 

In James 2:14-17 James reminds us: 

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." 

1. Faith requires action: Scripture repeatedly tells us that faith without works is dead. To have a vibrant faith, we must engage in God's kingdom. This means actively seeking to meet the needs of others. In 1967, Tearfund coined the phrase "They Can't Eat Prayer," urging Christians to put their faith into practical action. 

In 1967, Tearfund UK launched with They Can’t Eat Prayer” campaign Photo: Tearfund 

2. Balance faith and action: James emphasises the need for both believing and doing. If we focus only on our actions, we risk becoming proud and relying on works for salvation, forgetting that grace alone saves us (Ephesians 2:8-9). Keeping our faith strong and our relationship with God central motivates us to act out of overflow, rather than obligation. 

3. Ways to demonstrate our faith in action: When we care for the vulnerable—orphans, widows, the sick, the poor—we demonstrate our faith in action. We live in a very materialistic, me-focused world, buying new things just to measure up to our peers. Imagine if we all changed our mindset? What if we consumed less, complained less, and focused more on what truly matters? What if we were the hands and feet of Jesus to a world in desperate need of his goodness and love.  

Engaging in the work of those on the frontlines of Modern Slavery. Photo: Tearfund

Here are some practical steps to put your faith into action: 

-  Learn: Stay informed about crises around the world and how we are responding to them by signing up to our general mailing list. We’ll keep you up to date with fundraising events to attend, our partner’s work and how you support, latest blogs and ways you can be praying for the people we serve. We’d also encourage you to head to Take Action on the website to read our latest exposes, like the Bitter Truth of Chocolate and Footwear: An industry laced with exploitation. These are great resources to help you make better decisions for people and the planet. 
 

-  Act: Find areas of international aid and development that align with your values and get behind the work with your support. This could look like running a fundraiser for children who are malnourished in Ethiopia, or a business giving 15% of the proceeds to combat modern slavery, or a youth group travelling to Indonesia to meet their sponsored children. Find out how you can get involved with Tearfund.  
 

-  Pray: Commit to praying for areas of need that the Lord places on your heart, maybe pause during the news and take a moment lift issues to God. Expect him to use your prayers.   

Got questions? We’d love to hear from you. Please email church@tearfund.org.nz