Thoughts for the Day

* Painting of Saint Benedict.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and 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? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith without works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Are you ready today for some series theology? Well the question is, are we saved by faith alone, or saved by faith plus our actions ('works' as James call it)? This question was the main cause of the Reformation and the split between Protestants and Catholics. As one person put it "Am I saved by trusting in Jesus, or do I have to believe in Jesus and, in addition, do certain things?" Some feel the 'doing bit' is being baptised, receiving communion/Mass, making confession, and giving to the Church. And certainly some parts of the New Testament would seem to say that this. Ephesians 8.9 says ' For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast'. However, Ephesians also says that we are 'created in Christ Jesus for good works' (2.10).

James in his letter argues that genuine faith in Christ will produce a changed life and result in good actions. He is not saying that we are saved by faith and our actions, but that what we do is a show of our genuine faith in Christ. As one theologian put it "The works follow the faith and are a proof of it." To the argument that many with no faith carry out great works for others, well we need to ask "Whose works are we talking about". I am not saved by my work, even if I think it's pretty good. I am saved by the work of Christ in His death and resurrection, which makes me want to carry out the work that God gives me to do..

Now bearing in mind that whole libraries of books have been written on this subject, I would add that for me one group of people who tried to live a life of faith and action, and who like all of us didn't get it right all of the time, are the Benedictines. The monastic order was started in 529 CE under St Benedict. His 'Rule' allowed time for worship, study, and work. Perhaps we can start to follow their model, if not as vigorously, unless God calls us to do so!

Lord God,
You call us into a relationship with You
and we have answered Your call.
You know our weaknesses
and the times our faith has waivered,
but this day we ask You to show us how
to turn our faith into good works
to help other people,
that this might be an effective,
if silent witness,
to our faith in You.
Amen.