James
2:14-26 (KJV) 14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he
hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister
be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart
in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not
those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even
so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say,
Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I
will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God;
thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O
vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified
by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how
faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the
scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed
unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24 Ye see then
how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also
was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the
messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body
without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Our
faith as believers is characterized in how we treat others; how we see others,
how we act and react in social and economics of life. Works here is how we
worship, live, and position ourselves in the world. Abraham’s worship was
challenged; his reaction to those choices brought about the righteousness God
imputed to him. In this context, righteousness is not about our righteous acts,
it is about becoming righteous inside the intimacy and loyalty we have with
God. Religious folk focus on what we do right; worshipers focus on being right
with God. It is what we become in Christ Jesus that matters the most.
Furthermore,
liturgy designs our worship; liturgy is shaped in what God imputes to us, it is
not in our input alone, it is God’s input and reaction to our input. What is He
calling for? What has He ordained? Practicing what God ordains is faith in
action and characterizes us as believers and worshipers. This is the “Rule of
Faith” the New Testament refers to. What have the patristic Fathers left us?
Faith that is clearly seen in our “works;” works characterizing us as
believers. Such as, Holy Communion, Washing the Saint’s Feet, Baptism, etc.,
these are things we do as a community. Consequently, faith is something that
comes about in observation of what God has ordained for us inside the community
of faith; not what we have ordained for God.
So,
believing is not enough to characterize us as believers and worshippers. The
devils in hell believe and tremble, we do not see them practicing what God has
ordained. Faith in this context is much deeper than what we believe, it extends
to what we do. Doing what God has ordained becomes “imputed righteousness” for
us. In practicing our faith as a community of faith is the sacraments
empowering us to live holy; not only do they remind us to live holy, they
impute the righteousness of God to us as Abraham’s worship did. It is in
practicing our faith that transformation comes about and the heart takes hold
of what the sacraments present to us.
In the
deepest lost heart, the thief on the cross said, “Remember me.” The Christ on
the cross next to the thief said to us in His Holy Supper with us, “Remember
me.” There is a power inside these words that grants grace to us. Likewise,
there are those who struggle with the idea of the sacraments granting to us
grace; nonetheless, they do, simply because, God ordained them to be practiced,
God ordained them to characterize us as believers and worshippers.
To take
this a step further, liturgy is what we do towards God with each other;
treating others with the intent for good characterizes us as believers also.
Rahab the harlot outside of the Jewish faith became a part of their faith by
sacrificing her safety with acts of goodness towards them. Her faith in their
faith was justified by her works of goodness towards them. This too is faith in
action. Active faith makes way for grace to be active towards us. Not believing
alone and not faith alone; it is faith responding to God in what we do that
releases mercy and grace to us. “…shew me thy faith without thy works, and I
will shew thee my faith by my works.” This is Christian faith.
