Fourteenth Day of Advent
If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:15-18 NASB)
“Put your money where your mouth is.”
Cambridge Dictionary says about this phrase “to show by your actions, and not just your words, that you support or believe in something”.
James is saying the same thing about a Christian’s faith. Statements about faith in the Gospel message are important and good, but what evidence is there to support those words of belief? Are there actions to back up what is said?
In the movie “Batman Begins”, at the climax of the story, Rachel Dawes asks Batman, “Wait! You could die. At least tell me your name.” Batman replies, “It’s not who I am underneath (the mask), but what I DO that defines me.” And as Rachel realizes that Batman is her friend Bruce Wayne, Batman turns and leaps off the roof to go into action mode.
Now James does not say our works define us, but they do give substance to our professed faith.
James is saying in effect to us “you say you have faith? Good, put your works where your faith is..take a leap in your faith and go into action mode.”
Tony Gerloff
Re: Verse reading – John 3:1-21