Show Me What You're Working With

Scripture:
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?
James 2:14-20
Context:
First and foremost I just want to say I love the way James writes, he writes as if he is sitting there across from you having a conversation. He even pauses on points for emphasis. My favorite part of this passage is one of those pauses. “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” I picture James sitting there across from me telling me this gem of wisdom, and as he says the word believe he is nodding his head in silent agreement with what he is saying, and then after a momentary moment of silence he looks up and stairs straight into my eyes and says with a huge smile on his face “and shudder!” Then without a moments pause goes back into his argument.
This passage is a rebuke to the Church from James. Even though these words were originally written to the Church in the first century, approximately 30 years after the death of Jesus, they still hold monumental truth for us in the Church today. In this passage James asks a series of questions:
1. “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?”
2. Can that faith save him?
3. 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?
4. Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
James then goes on to offer proofs from the Old Testament; he uses Abraham and Rahab the prostitute (what away to be titled).
Let us go through these questions one by one. Question one, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” The obvious answer to this question is none. But upon deeper contemplation one begins to think of the many in the church today who want to push a doctrine of faith alone. It becomes easier to believe in a God that only requires one’s belief but no action. Our redemption is based in the action of works. These actions are Jesus’ work on the cross, our act of repentance that accompanies our faith. Our faith is accompanied by works from the start. Belief is not the dividing factor as James points out.
Second question, “Can that faith save him?” This is an obviously loaded question to which James was expecting his listeners to sheepishly respond, “yyyeeessss”.
Third question, “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?” Is the answer to the second. One see the absurdity of telling someone to “go in peace, be warmed and filled” without doing anything to help them. But sadly this has become the status quo of the church. We see a world that is broken and hurting and say a bunch of meaningless words if unaccompanied by works. We tell the world they “need Jesus”, which is the truth, but without the act of love those words are hollow and empty, devoid of any real meaning.
The fourth question is asking us the listener to respond to James’ argument. ‘Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” To that are answer should be no, in all honesty I want to avoid being put into the foolish camp altogether.
On last part that I want to touch on from this passage is James’ response to the perceived retort. “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.” Today we live in a world that has lost faith in Christianity. They call it the post-Christian era. There are guys like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, who spend billions upon billions and hours upon hours trying to do right in this world. The church at large has no response to this because while guys like Warren and Bill are trying to save the world, the church sits back and pats itself on the back and tries to figure out how they have to give in order for God to give them that new house or car they wanted. With the exception of a faithful few, guys like Rick Warren, the church does have a leg to stand on to respond as James did. When the world says, “we have works and you have faith” all we can say is “Yep”. But as James has shown in this passage the Church needs to show the world our faith by our works. One of my favorite quotes is from a guy named Francis of Assisi “preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words.” Show the world what we believe and if necessary tell them.
Reflection/Application:
I am sorry, has to be the emptiest phrase in the English language. People think it has magical powers or something. If I say these words everything will be A-O-K. But regardless of what a person says, actions will always speak louder than words. A true apology will always be seen and not necessarily heard.
The same thing should and I hope is said about my faith that is seen and not necessarily heard.
Prayer:
Lord, cause me to be a person who walks and not just talks his faith to the world. Amen…
Statement:
Show the world what you believe and if necessary tell them.