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In the same way, faith by itself, if it is
not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:17)
As Christians,
many of us find ourselves wishing for more faith. We envy the Bible heroes who
seem to have been used in wonderful ways to further the work of the kingdom of
God while we seem to be mere observers to that epic struggle taking place in
the world around us. We feel that we cannot do more because we are hampered by
our weak faith. If only we could believe like they did. . .
The passage in
James and the quote by Thomas Wilson seem to take a different view of the cause
and effect process surrounding those events. It sets up a scenario of a person
who has faith but seems to do little or nothing with it.
Being a
Christian, by its very nature, requires faith. So, if you have expressed faith
in Jesus Christ, then, you do indeed have faith. The root, as Mr. Wilson puts
it, is in place. Faith is merely stepping into the mission that God has given
to you at that moment. It may be something titanic in scope, or it may be
something as simple as going next door to extend an invitation to church to the
neighbor you leave behind each and every Sunday when you leave for worship.
I cannot speak
in an exhaustive nature on anything involving plants. However, it seems to be
the norm in the plant kingdom that everything needs a root and everything needs
to bloom. If faith is the root, it is through faith that we draw that which we
need to grow and mature in Jesus Christ. However, our works also contribute to
our maturing Christian life. It is from the blooms, the leaves, the part of the
plant above ground that it gets its oxygen and sunlight. Sunlight is essential
to the photosynthetic process. Generally, plants stuck in the dark do not do
well (unless we are talking mushrooms, mosses, or molds).
Faith and works
are both needed, just as in the picture above, to drive the ship of our
relationship with Christ forward. At times, faith is stepping out and doing
that which we know God expects of us, even when we are fearful to venture
forward. At other times, the actions take the lead and doing something for
Christ strengthens that faith we doubted we had.
It is time for
us to be more than people of faith alone. We must be people who do something
with our faith and whose very actions deepen that same faith.
Pastor Craig
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