Good morning. God speaks to us in the New Testament through chosen people who bring the Good News to us through a variety of styles and perspectives. Each of the gospels reflect something of the background of each writer, so we purposefully receive a more complete understanding. By giving us four different views, we see the whole more adequately. This truth continues through the book of acts, the epistle letters, all the way through the Book of Revelation.
When we come to the letter of James, we get a different “feel” from his words that we do from reading any of the other authors through whom God chose to work. James, the brother of Christ and the early leader of the church in Jerusalem, gives us a message that is more bare-knuckle direct, more hard hitting, than what we read from any other New Testament author.
Please consider this passage from James 2:14-17. I relate it to you in both the traditional NIV translation and Eugene Peterson’s The Message paraphrase.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 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? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? James 2:14-17 (MSG)
What I take from this passage is that talk is cheap but genuine faith is revealed not in the flowery words we say but in the genuine and basic deeds of our life.
He is not suggesting that the Christian is saved through works. Not at all. James’ letter is written with cold, hard, logic, and this passage is clarifying what is authentic and true.
If we were to carry this idea into today’s culture James would be saying “If you think you can get by with suggesting that you ‘identify” as a Christian, think again. Your reality is revealed not by whim or suggestion but by the consistent actions of your life.”
In this passage of scripture, we are being told that if you have been blessed then you, as a person of genuine faith and genuine love for Jesus Christ, will gladly share those blessings with your brothers and sisters in faith who are in need. Words are cheap, and genuine love is revealed in action!
Vern