WORKING FAITH

James 2:26

For just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

There was an article in The Readers’ Digest some time back by Claire Safran. The title of this moving story is Mama Hale and Her Little Angels. It tells of Clara Hale, who has spent a lifetime caring for other women’s children. In a fifth-floor walkup, she raised forty foster children as well as three of her own. And now she operates a place called Hale House. At the time the article was written, she had cared for 487 babies of addicts. Since then, there have been hundreds more. Mama Hale would understand what James talked about — "Having a Faith that Works" — a description of practical Christianity. She puts love into practice.

This is the primary emphasis of James entire epistle. We must be doers of the Word and not hearers only. A person who claims to have faith without works is like a person who puts all their effort into building the foundation of a house and never builds anything on that foundation. But a person who displays great works but has no faith is like a person who builds their house on sand without any foundation. Our response to God’s love is to be more than simple belief. It is to be a belief so strong it calls us to action.

Works toward God are to do His will and His work and, yes, to obey His laws. Works toward our neighbors are to serve them and to do good for them. Faith without works is dead. Faith with works is life—eternal life!

We must believe that we cannot separate faith and works. They must go together or your faith is a dead faith. We are not talking about our own works or that our works earn us eternal life... but that, by the grace of God, we act in faith working through love to cooperate with the gift of grace and gain eternal life. Let your faith works with love!

Almighty Father, We are not helpless, we are certainly not weak, we are children of the King and His rightful heirs. Turn our hearts toward worship, praise, and thanksgiving when we start to wallow in self pity, selfishness, or pride. I am blessed beyond measure already, and I praise and thank You for all You have provided. Amen+

Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.