A Working Faith

Scripture

 James  2:14-26

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

¹⁸But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder. ²⁰Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren? ²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. ²³Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? ²⁶For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. 

 

Devotion

 I come from a long line of "worker bees."  We just don't seem to be happy if we aren't buzzing from one task to another.  Although those who haven't met the rest of my family may not believe it at first, my elders are known for being even busier than I am...so much so that I am constantly trying to fit calls to my parents into their schedule of Lions obligations, Elks activities, church duties, random volunteer opportunities, etc.   

All this activity is partially just how we are wired.  It also has a lot to do with our faith.  You see, my family believes that good works are how we express our thanks for all that Christ.  Some of us don't choose to say much about our faith, but we all try to display it in the way we live our lives and help our communities.

The relationship between faith and works is tricky.  It is our faith (and not our good works themselves) that justifies us before God.   It is faith that saves us. But as James points out, our faith in Christ is incomplete if we do not do the work he taught us to do.  After all, what is the point in saying that we believe that Jesus's teachings that the hungry should be fed if we aren't willing to do anything about it?  A living, breathing, soul-transforming faith should impact every aspect of our existence, including our works.

The way our works reflects our faith is as varied as as humanity is.  My Granny made quilts for people and always had a kind or caring word for others.  My great grandparents on my father's side put in a second garden so they could distribute 100 home canned goods to hungry neighbors.  My grandfather dedicated himself to making sure that people in his county had access to clean water, affordable eye care, and fair lending practices.  My parents give their time to variety of causes and do little favors for people when they can.   And me?  Well, I became a pastor so that I could help guide, comfort, encourage, and empower others seeking to share God's love.

None of these works is any better or more important than the others.  They are puzzle pieces that fit together to show us a picture of Christ at work in the world.  Our faithful actions show that Jesus is not dead and gone.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he is alive, well, and extremely busy.  Although they do not save us, our works show the world just how sweet the fruit of salvation truly is.

So how is your faith holding up these days?  Is it bearing good fruit through your works, or does it feel a bit like a barren tree?  If it is the latter, I invite you to take some time to reflect on which of Christ's teachings calls out to you.   Does Jesus want you to care for the hungry...or comfort to those in sorrow...or seek justice for the oppressed?  When you discover the area that your faith calls you to address, then I urge you to use your gifts, talents, and resources to act on it.  Live into the faith that God has given you!  Be grateful for it and let it work through you, so that your faithful witness can spread Christ's love.

The work you do may not feel like much on its own, but it is a beautiful and vibrant reflection of the faith you have in Christ.  It will bear good fruit in the world.  Others will see Christ alive and at work within you.  And your faithful work, Christ's church will continue to thrive.

Prayer 

Holy Spirit, thank you for filling us with faith in Christ.  Help us to do your work in the world so that our faith may continue to live and grow.  May all the world come to know the power of Christ's transformative love.  Amen.