Faith & Works; James

May the mumbling commence!

If being wise is hard work, then what about faith?  Aren’t we saved by faith alone?  Then, what is all this hard work about?  How are we to balance being and doing?  Read from James chapter two (NRSV):

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?  If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and 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?  So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. 

But 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.  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder. 

Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?  Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works.  Thus 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. 

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.  Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road?  For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. (Verses 14-26)

James is not arguing an “either-or” proposition.  James is arguing a “both-and” proposition.  We will get into a meaningless argument if we try to defend one position alone – faith or works.

We need the being of faith.  We need the listening ears of faith.  We cannot survive for long in this world without doing these essential things.  Being is extra important in this culture of constant doing – 24/7.

Yet being alone is not enough.  What proof is there of your faith if all you do is believe?  James points us to the faith and works of Abraham.  Together faith and works made Abraham a friend of God.  Did not Jesus call us to be both hearers and doers of the Word?  Did not Jesus compare a bad foundation with those who did not do what the Word requires of them?

James also points us to the story of Rahab the prostitute.  Her faith and actions were a saving grace for her and her family.  We need to have both faith and works to be healthy and to get anywhere on this narrow path of Jesus.  Faith and works need to be in proper relationship with one another so that our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters do not suffer in the mix.  For a God of love, relationship is paramount.

It is definitely a “both-and” proposition.  It is like rowing a boat.  If we only row with one oar, we will go in circles.  If we row with both the faith oar and the works oar, we will get somewhere.

Both of the arms of faith and works need to be strong.  If one weakens, the other suffers.  I have seen a comic strip where a Viking ship was being rowed by skinny and weak men on one side and well-sculpted men on the other.  They went in circles. 

Being in relationship within a Christian community keeps us honest in this delicate balancing act.  Belief helps us to hope and to work.  And work supplements our belief.

Enough mumbling for now… 

Peace Out