Perspectives

James 2: 14-19: verse – 26) … 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. 18) But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder… verse 26) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (NIV)

Notice the title: Works – Deeds – Salvation… If those words in the title somehow mirror my understanding of Scripture, then perhaps I need to search for a deeper understanding what James is teaching. There are some who might have an understanding that salvation is achieved by works and deeds and then at the end of life we some how receive salvation because we have been good and decent folks. But the Bible teaches that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ and works or deeds are the result of our faith in Christ. That is not to say that people do not do good deeds even if they have not accepted Christ as their Saviour. They do and there is nothing wrong with that.

This Scripture lesson can be confusing, therefore; let me put it this way. I believe Scripture teaches that no one person is saved by works or good deeds done, neither can a person be saved without producing good works and deeds. We are not saved by deeds; we are saved so we can do good deeds. Both faith and deeds are essential to a well-balanced Christian faith.

All of us know some folks that give us an earful on how great a faith they possess. But when that profession of faith lacks the daily discipline and lifestyle based upon the teaching of Jesus Christ, something is wrong.

Suppose we meet a person, no let us make it a little more personal: suppose someone in my own family be it in my church or in my home has neither clothes nor food to take care of themselves and I express my sincerest sympathy for their sad state, then do nothing to help them during hard times, what use is that? What use is sympathy without some attempt to help turn those people’s misfortunes into something positive? I think we could then say faith without deeds is dead.

There is something wrong when I express these great and noble Christian values and then make no attempt to put into action deeds that will bring comfort and help to others. I have found that every time I feel very noble and then take no action, I am less likely ever to act. In a sense, it is true that I have no right to say I feel sorry and make all sorts of noble gesture unless I at least try to put that sympathy into action. A noble feeling is not something in which to wallow in; it is something which requires discipline and sacrifice and I must somehow find a way to turn that noble gesture into the kind of stuff that makes life easier for the suffering person.

What have I been trying to say? Well, let us see if you agree. There is the temptation even as a Christian to turn a blind eye when a need is brought out into the open. And then there is the temptation to try and earn God’s favour. There is also the temptation to use little achievements to compare me with others, of course to my advantage and their disadvantage. But Christians must guard against this type of behaviour. We must remember that all good things “whatever they might be” come from God… To God Be the Glory Great Thing He Has Done!

Would you pray this prayer with me? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have the peace in my heart that I yearn for. I want that peace, joy and happiness that fulfills my heart’s desire. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will honour Your Name. Amen”