faith and works

Good morning friends and happy leap day,
Our passage for today has a controversial history in the church dating from the protestant reformation. The reformers like Luther and Calvin were guided by a few core commitments. One of the most important was that people are saved by God's grace alone through faith instead of by their good deeds. This belief continues to be important in our Presbyterian tradition. Since James emphasizes that faith without works is dead, this passage was often used as evidence against the reformers' focus on faith.

In reality, there isn't a conflict because James is right and the reformers agreed with him. Faith doesn't just mean believing something; it means being committed to something and putting our trust in something. So believing that God exists is one thing; as James says, even demons believe. But having faith in God is something else entirely. Faith in God means we trust and commit to following God. That means our faith will be reflected in our actions, so people can see our faith by how we serve our neighbors.

God bless,
Sam

James 2:14-19

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, ¹⁶and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. ¹⁸But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith. ¹⁹You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.

faith and works

Good morning friends,
Today Paul makes a crucial distinction between faith and works and between faith and the law (law and works go together for Paul). When we try to follow the rules to be righteous we are really trying to establish and control our own righteousness. This almost inevitably leads to self-righteousness and pride as well as judging others. That's why the law, even though it comes from God, can't save us; it is a system we try to use to define our terms of following God.

In contrast Paul commends the righteousness that comes from faith. That simply means not trying to build our own righteousness, but instead trusting God's love in Christ to make us righteous. In this case it is not about us; it's about God. It doesn't lead us to self-righteous pride, but humble gratitude. That righteousness through faith is always available because God loves us, as Paul writes, "The word is near you..." God is always near. To be righteous all we have to do is ask.

God bless,
Sam

Romans 10:1-11

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. 3For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God’s righteousness. 4For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.



5Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” 6But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7“or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.”