James 2 v. 14 – 19
‘14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.’
Notes
‘The genuinely frightening truth is that it is possible to claim and to believe that we possess genuine saving faith, when in fact we do not – to unknowingly have counterfeit faith.’
James is arguing here that a lack of compassionate, courageous activity reveals an unreal, dead faith.
Genuine, living faith, is not merely sentimental, wishing and hoping someone well, but is active in seeking others’ well-being.
Genuine, living faith, is not merely doctrinal, saying and believing the right things (even the demons do that much), but proved by the way we live out our lives (‘walking the talk’).
The world is watching, looking on….and so is our Creator.
Prayer
Father, hear the prayer we offer
Not for ease that prayer shall be
But for strength that we may ever
Live our lives courageously.
AMEN.