Here, James is clearly telling us that the Lord calls us to have action with our faith. Some might classify this as "Christian service," however, I would call this obedience. As believers of Christ we are called to 'be like Christ' and follow in his footsteps to act as servants for the kingdom. The verse then continues by incorporating the argument that some have faith and some have deeds. This person that is disputing thinks that if you have either faith or deeds then you have all you need and are fit to enter the kingdom. James of course comes back with the statement, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." By this acclamation he is suggesting that we use deeds or perform Christian service in order to show others the faith that we have in God.
You can almost classify this kind of Christian service as a type of evangelism. By us reaching out to our neighbors, helping teach a Bible study, leading a praise and worship team, or even helping an elderly person carry her groceries; through all of these we are representing Christ and the faith we so boldly present as our foundation.
Christian service is our way of showing the world that we, as believers, are not just another group that will spit in their faces and reject them because they do not believe what we do. No, instead we, by our actions, prove to them that there is hope and peace, and we know a God that can give it to them. All it takes is a helping hand and a humble heart.
At the end of chapter two, in James, he writes, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." (James 2:26) Let us not become like those who are dead in their faith, but instead let us thrive and be renewed by the acts we fulfill in regard to our everlasting love for God.
Alicia Hoffman
i'm not the teacher... but i say... Excellent.
ReplyDeleteI am the teacher, and I say excellent! Nicely worded, Alicia.
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