Pastoral Reflection: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026
We are saved by faith, yet we are judged by our works. In John 5, Jesus says that at the resurrection all the dead will come forth: "those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."
Matthew 25 teaches the same truth, showing that judgment centers on what we choose to do or not do—such as visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, and welcoming the stranger.
If I tell my wife that I love her while spending my days neglecting her, my love would, at best, be shallow. In John 14, Jesus makes this equally clear: "If you love me, keep my commandments... He who does not love me does not keep my words..."
Faith and works are not in opposition. Rather, our works are real-world expressions of our love for God and neighbor.
With love in Christ,
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