Faith and Works

(The majority of items that were salvageable from my house fire and a bag of items judged for disposal)

 

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!  Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

    - James 2:14-21

From my memory and experience, this passage has been frequently used for the promotion of doing charitable "good works".  

The basis of that position is "If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that"?  It seems what flows from that position is that being charitable is demonstrating faith.

But I believe it has a deeper meaning than simply that.  

Undoubtedly, we are called to help those in need throughout scripture.   For example:

• Hebrews 13:16
• Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
• Proverbs 19:17
• Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his deed.
• 1 John 3:17
• But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
• Proverbs 21:13
• Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

Also, we all know that there are plenty of compassionate and benevolent humanitarians in the world that are of non-Christian religions or of no religion at all.  Benevolent actions, though based on a morality that finds its own basis and definition outside of humanity, does not necessarily mean that the kind and generous person is secured in Christ for eternal life. [See my article on: Hard Questions: Is there a god? Does God Exist ?(Morality)]

I think James' words are a tangible, real-world, illustration rather than simply a prescription for charity because of James' follow up statement:

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?" 

Abraham's act of offering Isaac was not a charitable "good work".  It was an evidential display of his absolute faith in God - an outward action birthed out of internal belief.   

James also speaks of Rahab's helping the two Israelite spies escape.  While a good deed helping them escape, it was action born out of the belief she proclaimed of the God of Israel. 

A friend's comment made to me recently has me viewing this passage from a different angle than simply charity and "good works".  

Shortly after losing my house to a fire, I told this friend that I have a preference for a specific property location for my new home (providing the house on it is in decent shape).  That general area has been where I have always wanted to live since I was a teenager because of the proximity to a particular park and its serenity.  But I [now] also have a competing desire to have a home I can open up to small group meetings, young adults/couples interested in game nights and gatherings, etc.  

In spite of my location preference, I am daily turning it over to God, especially when the desire for that specific property stirs inside me.  I acknowledge to Him that He may foreknow a future hardship I can't foresee that His keeping me from that purchase would preserve me from, or that it would possibly be a richer blessing for someone else while a different home would bless me and others more.   I conclude each time telling Him I would be happy if He provided me that home, but I would be happier with whatever He provides for me.  Each time, my desire settles and I find myself willing to give up a life-long preference in order to allow God to use me or my residence to bless others.  His provisions are greater than my desires and acquisitions.

My friend's comment was: "It's so encouraging to hear how you're holding everything with open hands and a desire to use your home for His glory".  

It has been forefront of my mind since the house fire that I must practice what I claim to believe.  Actions are birthed from belief.  How would anyone actually believe that I trust God even in the hard times if I don't act on those claimed beliefs?  How could I grow in relationship with Him if I don't actively exercise my faith in Him?

Another friend told me a few days after the fire that although God gave me His total peace, it was still my choice to accept it, make it mine, and act out of it rather than to be distraught and burdened by my circumstances.  

I may not know exactly to what scope my actions and reactions are being watched, but I am aware that they are - though I'm far from perfect with them across the board.  Those beliefs have to be followed by a conscious choice to act from those beliefs.  My actions should reflect my beliefs, and both should reflect Jesus. 

Abraham believed God's promise and followed that belief with a choice of acting out of obedience.  

A living faith is active, vibrant, and evidential. 

A dead faith is inactive, lethargic, and non-evidential.  

So, what is James saying?  By one's active displaying their faith, it confirms the faith they profess.  It's like the old trust test where you fall backwards trusting the person behind you keep you from falling to the ground.  Do I flail my arms trying to catch myself, or do I truly trust God's hands to break my fall and lift me up?

Several secular quotes show that this premise is a universal one.  Just a few are:

• Talk is cheap.
• Walk the talk.
• Put your money where your mouth is.
• Actions speak louder than words.
• Practice what you preach.

But it comes back to a biblical principle.  As Jesus said:

You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

    -  Matthew 5:14-16

What James' passage tells us is that we should walk out our faith in action so that our faith thrives and grows with life rather than dulling and wilting with inaction.  We are called to grow in our faith, and that growth comes from exercising it.

More importantly - active good works should be the natural outpouring result of  internal beliefs.

But thank God that His faithfulness is eternal and His level of faithfulness is not predicated on our level of faith or faithfulness!

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To answer any confusion that sometimes arises from this James passage that both faith and works are required for salvation, consider what Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9 which clearly states:

For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

John wrote the letter we call 1 John to a body of Christian believers.  In it he writes:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not un us.

    - 1 John 1:10

In that passage, he was refuting a false teaching that was beginning to arise purporting that believers no longer sinned and remained completely sinless after salvation.

Even after salvation we still sin and fall short of God's standard.  If it is impossible for us to save ourselves, it is impossible for us to preserve ourselves because it is only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ that brings us into fellowship with God.  But confession to God brings cleansing from that sin.  

Again, remember John is writing to fellow Christians already saved by God's grace through their faith in Jesus:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

    - 1 John 1:9

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

- 1 John 2:1

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