-Walking in Wisdom- A Living Faith (James 2)
6:04 PM
Please read: James 2
As we begin reading today’s scripture James warns us:
“My fellow believers, do
not practice your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of partiality [toward people—show no favoritism, no
prejudice, no snobbery]. (James 2:1)
This first verse is where
we should stop and consider:
Is this my attitude
regarding my family, friends, neighbors, fellow workers... our elderly parents?
How about someone who is
not Christian?; or someone who has no education because he is poor; or someone
who is an immigrant (different race)?
It may be that apparently
we are not looking down at people, but what about the words we say (and the
tone we use) to our children, our spouse?
Let’s continue with the
following verses:
“ If, however, you are [really]
fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself [that is, if you have an unselfish concern for
others and do things for their benefit]” you are doing well. 9 But
if you show partiality [prejudice, favoritism], you are committing sin and are
convicted by the Law as offenders. 10 For whoever keeps the whole Law but
stumbles in one point, he has become
guilty of [breaking] all of it.” (2:8-10)
I love how James through
these simple words of wisdom, brings conviction to our hearts.
Oh, but James still has
something very important to say to us:
“What is the benefit, my
fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as
evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not
sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.] 15 If
a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for
each day, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in
peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves,” but he does not
give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do? “(2:14-16)
“To fail in the most simple good work towards a
brother or sister in need demonstrates that one does not have a living faith,
and we can only be saved by a living faith in Jesus.” (David Guzik)
Yes, we must be very
receptive to the needs of all of those who are around us. Some people have had fewer
opportunities in this life, than most of us. Some people may say that they have
what they have, because they have worked hard for it. But does this mean that
the rest of the people are lazy?
It is by our testimony –our
faith- that many around us are touched and are eager to listen to God’s Word.
We must remember:
“So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were
making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you
on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Are we really
representing Christ to this fallen and needy world?
“So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it
up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective]. “ (2:17)
A living faith is simply real
faith. If we really believe something, we will follow through and act upon it. If
we really put our trust and faith on Jesus, we will care for the naked and
destitute as He told us to.
A living faith cannot be separated from works.
"But James
has quite another thing in view, even to shew that he who professes that he has
faith, must prove the reality of his faith by his works. Doubtless James did not mean to teach
us here the ground on which our hope of salvation ought to rest; and it is this
alone that Paul dwells upon." (Calvin)
Works must accompany a genuine faith,
because genuine faith will always show the evidence of becoming a new
creation in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). If there is no evidence of a new life,
there was no genuine, saving faith.
As Charles
Spurgeon said: "The grace that does not change my life will not save my
soul."
Faith is one of the attributes of the fruit of the
spirit, and just as we read in Matthew 3:8:
“So produce fruit that is
consistent with repentance [demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of
heart, and a conscious decision to turn away from sin]"
May we yield in obedience
to His Holy Spirit so that we will produce this living fruit: a living faith.
"Man is not justified by faith alone, that is, by
a bare and empty knowledge of God; he is justified by works, that is, his
righteousness is known and proved by its fruits." (Calvin)
Blessings,
Mari
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