JAMES 2:14-18 AN ACTIVE FAITH

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his 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 what I do.

Faith is essential for salvation, but what is the character of that saving faith? How can one “show” his faith “without deeds”? If faith is simply an interior attitude, then it is centered on the self and antithetical to Christian witness and Jesus’ command to love our neighbor. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus does not deny the “faith” of the priest and the Levite, but rather teaches us that faith that does not manifest itself in love for our neighbor does not lead to eternal life (Luke 10:25-37).

The Church as the Body of Christ, the community of the faithful must have as its primary purpose loving God and loving neighbor. That focus will be manifested as an outward emphasis on the needs of those who live around us. Even the ministries within the Church and to the members of the Church have as their purpose the building up of the body so that it will be equipped and empowered to reach out with compassion to those who are outside the Church. In this way we fulfill the promise God gave to Abram that we are blessed to be a blessing to the world (Genesis 12:1-3). Likewise, as our faith is worked out through compassion for others, the world will know that we are followers of Jesus because of our love (John 13:35).

Lord, make me an instrument of your ministry in and to the world around me. May my faith be that which is manifested in compassion and love for my neighbors so that your love for the world may be made known to and experienced by all people. Thank you for blessing me with faith and empowering me to be a blessing to others. Amen.