26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without works is also dead.
This week we have been reading Romans 2 and pondering Paul’s thesis he is presenting. One of the problems of quoting Scripture is that a verse can be pulled out of context to prove almost anything. At the trial of Jesus “witnesses” claimed Jesus said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days. (Matthew 26:61)” The priests understood Jesus to be talking about the actual Temple but Jesus was predicting his crucifixion and resurrection. In Romans 2 Paul is arguing that circumcision of the body needs to indicate a circumcision of the heart. Paul is talking about a spiritual experience. Checking to see if another author in the Bible gives the similar argument helps to confirm that Paul is discussing this same principle. And it applies to us.
James, a half brother of Jesus and leader in the early church makes a similar argument as Paul only James talks about faith and works. A common idiom we say today is that “Your actions speak so loud, I don’t need to hear your words.” Both Paul and James, coming from different backgrounds, would argue that our words should reflect the truths of our heart – integrity.
James opens his chapter 2 by showing how “partiality” or favoritism, giving good seats to the wealthy at church and the peanut gallery to the poor, does not reflect the heart of God. God values all, rich and poor. James then looks at Abraham, the father of the faith and shows how his actions were “counted to him as righteousness.” Even before the Torah and codified Judaism or Christianity, he lived faith. Not only Abraham, the hero, but Rehab the Harlot put her faith in the unseen God and was justified. James concludes that faith without works is an oxymoron, does not carry water. My faith must find expression and my expressions must speak to faith.
So again today we are challenged to take our integrity temperature. Do I walk the talk? To get our hearts around this, let’s pick a Biblical or social hero or heroine that you admire. Draw a line down the center of the paper and on one side list the works or deeds of that person that inspire you. On the other side, list words of the person that point to core values. Let us again pray for integrity in our lives between our faith and our works. Help, God! May you get the glory!
On the Way to Wonder 