HAS IT BEEN THAT LONG?

That Clara Peller asked in a 1984 Wendy's commercial, "Where's the beef?" My goodness, I'm getting old.

James in scripture asks that question. In fact, he devotes a whole book about it. About being a doer of the Word.

Just so we clear up any misunderstanding, James was not saying that works or beef will be necessary for salvation. He wasn't saying that at all. And it's a religious distortion or false teaching if anyone tells you that. For those who believe that, their good works are just that: good works. They better enjoy the rewards of doing good works on earth, because that's all they're going to get. There will be no similar reward in heaven if they think they can earn their salvation.

If you cannot tell, I feel pretty strong about that. Primarily because that's negating the cross. Jesus sacrificial death for our sins cannot be equaled or covered by anything we do, and to suppose that is simply erroneous. So James wasn't saying that we can earn our salvation.

What he was saying is that we need to live our salvation. If we have accepted Jesus' sacrifice for us, if we have claimed our inheritance as an heir of the kingdom of God, then we must show it in this life. By our works, by our service, by our actions, by our way of life.

When I get to Heaven, I'd much rather hear, "Well done, My good and faithful servant," instead of "Where's the beef?"