Faith and Works

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. 
– James 2:26

If you know your NT scriptures, you probably could have guessed the scripture reference just by the title. On the surface, James essentially contradicts Paul's teachings that works cannot earn you salvation. If you want a better understanding of this "contradiction", click here for an article that might help. Regardless of who thinks either teaching is right or wrong, they are both right. This is the word of God and he does not contradict himself. In short, Paul is saying that the Mosaic Law (10 Commandments and OT traditions) can no longer earn you a spot in heaven. Rather, we have been offered the grace of God through Jesus' death and resurrection. That being stated, James is not disagreeing with Paul that God's grace cannot save us, rather he is continuing Paul's instruction. James teaches the reader that with the grace we have received, we cannot be on the sidelines of our faith. In order to show our faith, we must get in the action and perform faithful works as Christ did on earth. Hopefully by now you get it, because I would rather not make this post into a sermon (I almost did anyway, keep reading). Instead, I will give you some of my own thoughts on this.

Mainly, I am at a point in my life, or my faith, where I know I can do more but I seem to be settling in to my circumstances. I have been investing more time into prayer, and though I am an easily distracted person, the Lord is teaching me a lot during my time with Him. I think that James is a fitting book for me right now because I am looking at the facts that I am not really doing a lot of "work" for Christ. I work a full-time job and mostly put my service to the church second. After praying and opening the Bible to this chapter, perhaps God is really telling me to trust him, and move closer to serving him before myself.

Though that is the point of this chapter, I am struggling with the conflict of serving myself in this comfortable job, or trusting him to lead me into the unknown... Typically I end with encouragement, I would like to stick with that, though before I end today's entry I would ask if you would pray for me to be led by the Holy Spirit and to commit fully to God's will for my life over my own will.

Being on the bench, or the bleachers, during a sporting event never allows us to be involved in changing the end result of the game. If we live our lives simply waiting for God to do his work in the world while we watch, then we cannot truly experience the blessings he has for us when the final point is scored. James 2:22 supports that saying "you see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works." So go on and trust that God has a better plan for you... Get out there and work for His glory!