Without faith it’s impossible to please God, because those who come to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who try hard to find him.
But how can they call on someone they haven’t believed in? How can they believe in someone they’ve never heard of? How can they hear about him unless someone preaches to them?
If a person believes in Christ Jesus, it doesn’t matter whether they’re circumcised or not. The only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love.
My brothers and sisters, make every effort to show that God has called you to be saved. If you do everything I’ve just said, you’ll never trip and fall.
The good news has been preached to us, just as it was to our people of long ago. But the message they heard didn’t do them any good, because they didn’t embrace it by faith when they heard it.
But others will be thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur: cowards, unbelievers, and murderers; those who are impure or commit sexual sins or practice witchcraft; those who worship idols; and all liars. The lake of fire is the second death.”
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God, who is kind to people who do wrong and are ungrateful.
“When you go without eating, don’t look all sad like the hypocrites. They make strange faces so that people will notice that they’re fasting. Truly I tell you, that’s all the reward they’ll get.
“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that other people will see them. Truly I tell you, that’s all the reward they’ll get.