Last 5 Days
Our Faith
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 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? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
James wrote to the 12 tribes of Israel scattered all over the world. It is written for people from all walks of life. It is meant to be pragmatic and not particularly for the scholars who look for theological accuracy. So this passage does not explain how faith is different from work. It simply tells us that faith is always accompanied by work.
There is a fundamental difference when Christian talk about faith from the rest of the world. The rest of the world talks about “faith”, which simply refers to the determination to believe. “You only have to believe!” Believing in what does not matter to them. “Believing”, itself is the strength. You can bend a metal spoon by simply believing. Christian talks about “faith”, focusing on the content of our faith.
We believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died for us because God loves us. He wanted us to repent from our sins and pursue God’s love forever. So how can we say that we have faith and not be loving? How can we love and produce no action?
Interestingly, the author took Abraham sacrificing his son as an example to illustrate that faith must be accompanied by work. Yet Abraham was justified way before his act. What does it tell? It tells us two things. One, our justification is free from God and has no strings attached. Two, the full maturity of our faith comes only when we have learnt to act in love.
So, dear brothers and sisters, let us not be contented by salvation alone. We need to mature from where we are. We need to learn to have faith in God to love in action. If you have people in need nearby you, do not see that as an unfortunate incidence (Shuai!). Do not pretend that you do not see. Perhaps, God thinks that it is time for you to start acting.
Instead, let us open our eyes to the areas of need. Let us act according to our faith. From the world arena, we will not miss the suffering of the people of Ukraine. OM, is a mission organisation that has been reaching out to Ukraine refugees. You may find out more from their website: www.sg.om.org/give/.