Faith Shown in Our Action

Part of the core beliefs that we Protestants believe in, is that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone.

James 1:22-2:26

If we are saved by grace then the natural outworking of our salvation is good works.

The big question since the reformation has been, “Where do good works fit in?”

The letter of James goes a long way to answer this question.

James has been misunderstood. Luther called the letter of James an epistle of straw. Luther wasn’t saying it was useless, just that it didn’t contain the Gospel. There is also the false accusation that James and Paul disagree. James is practical Christianity. James talks about how Christians should live once they are saved. James is also subtle as a sledgehammer.

There is a cartoon that pictures a conversation between Jesus and a Christian. The Christian says he is going to put a fish sticker on his car. Jesus asks why. “So people know I’m a Christian”, replies the Christian. Jesus then says, “How about letting people try and work it out by the way you live your life?”

“Faith without works is dead” James 2:17. If we are saved by grace then the natural outworking of our salvation is good works. Our faith will affect all aspects of our lives. It will affect how we drive and how we react to others on the road. It will affect how we treat those who serve us in the shops. It will affect how we fill in the tax return. The love of Christ should radiate out of us and we should leave the fragrance of Christ behind as we engage with the world.

Pastor Andy