Active Faith

The gospel came as a breath of fresh air to the early Christians. They lived in a world steeped in religious practice, whether that was trying to keep the 613 commandments that good Jews saw in their Scripture, or whether it was the numerous rituals associated with pleasing the Greek/Roman gods. It was hard work keeping God/the gods happy. On the other hand, Christianity declared that following Jesus was a matter of receiving his forgiveness and grace. You didn’t have to do anything. Jesus had done it all. This good news was incredibly liberating. It still is. But some Christians were taking it too far. They thought that God’s grace absolved them from having to do anything. They were right with God because of their faith in Jesus, and that’s all that mattered. So James (brother of Jesus and leader of the Jewish church) wrote a letter to his scattered congregation to straighten them out on the question: “Is faith all that is needed?” Read some of his teaching below.

Explore: James 2:14-17 (NIV)

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.

Journal

1. What is God saying to me? Which verse is most significant?

2. What would I like to discuss/explore further?

3. What do I need to do?

4. What would you say to someone who said, “I believe in Jesus. That’s all that matters.”?

Reflect

Before I comment on the teaching in this passage, I just need to make sure that we have our foundations right. Scripture clearly says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV). There is no way we can earn a relationship with God. “Faith alone” (Latin: sola fide) is a foundational Protestant doctrine. We are declared right with God through faith in Christ. It has nothing to do with anything we have done or can do. Salvation comes completely as a gift from God to us.

But James argues that while faith alone justifies, true faith is never alone. It is always accompanied by Christ-like action. The purpose of our faith is not only to get us into heaven, but to transform our lives to become like Jesus so that God’s Kingdom grows. James uses the example of the impossibility of a person of faith completely ignoring the desperate need of a fellow believer. That’s not real faith, he says. It’s “dead” faith!

Our right actions don’t earn us acceptance by God, but they’re evidence of the reality of our faith. Faith in Jesus inevitably impacts the way we live. This is not just James’ idea. Jesus taught constantly about how his followers were to live. Most of Paul’s letters have a significant section dealing with the practical ramifications of faith. John’s letters focus on the way our love for God flows into our love for each other. You just can’t get around the importance of action. As James says (my paraphrase), “If your life doesn’t display it, then you can’t have the real faith thing.”

This doesn’t mean that as soon as we have faith in Jesus, the way we live will completely reflect the lifestyle and presence of Jesus. Of course, godly growth takes time. Sometimes we need to be patient. But if nothing changes and we keep on living with the same attitudes and actions as we had before faith in Jesus, then something is wrong. Either we’re completely blocking the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives or, more likely, we don’t actually have faith in Jesus at all. Faith always makes a difference.

So let me sum up the relationship between faith and action. We are saved by faith alone - it is a gift of God and has nothing to do with our actions. But real faith is never alone - it is always accompanied by action that reflects our new relationship with Jesus. Faith is the cause of salvation, while action is the evidence of it.

Pray

How good it is to know that my eternal relationship with You is not impacted by the ups and downs of my spiritual life and personal lifestyle. Thanks so much for Your grace that saves me. But I want so much for others to see your love, grace and beauty in me. Fill me with Your Spirit so that my actions will reflect Your heart and mercy. May my faith be seen in the way I live and treat others.

Respond

Choose a change that you think Jesus would like to see in your life. Rather than resolving to do better, open your heart to God’s Holy Spirit and pray for Him to flow through you to bring the change that is needed. Connect this change with your faith rather than your determination.

Written by John Sweetman