a new (to me) thought for james 2

ok, so james 2 talks about faith and action going hand in hand:

James 2:14-26 (ESV)
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? [15] If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, [16] and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? [17] So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
[18] But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [19] You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! [20] Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? [21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? [22] You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; [23] and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"— and he was called a friend of God. [24] You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. [25] And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? [26] For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

(the first part of the chapter talks about not showing partiality to the rich and disregarding the poor.)

so i was in asheville last night, visiting my friend melissa, and i went to the college and career group at her church with her. it was good times. i can tell that these people really love Jesus and desire to be more sold-out to Him. they did a great job of welcoming me!

ok, so the pastor-guy was teaching out of james 2. he started at the beginning, saying how if we see a homeless guy, we shouldn't treat him any differently than a guy wearing a suit. point taken. then he went on to talk about faith and works, and how, if we really have true faith, we should be doing more actions, especially when it comes to serving the poor. it is foolish to call up the homeless shelter and say the same things as in v 16. so we should be out there, doing more. again, point taken. he pointed out, quite well, that we actually have to DO something. good intentions are not good enough. so i admit i was a little disappointed that he didn't say at the end, "ok, who is coming with me this saturday night to feed the homeless?" or something like that. action is of course needed, be we have to be intentional about action, too! we won't just decide (or most of us won't, at least) "well, i've got the evening free, i'll just ruck up at the soup kitchen to serve dinner tonight." if we are truly stepping out of our comfort zone (as the pastor suggested we need to do), 9 times in 10 that takes forethought and planning.

ok, here's the point of this post, the good stuff. i was in a james Bible study thru wildwood in the spring of '05. it was great, we really dissected this stuff!! and i'm sure this forthcoming thought was the intent with some of the questions we discussed, but somehow it went over my head. ok, here goes:

i was struck that this passage seems to me to be talking about actions born out of faith, not just good deeds we decide to do cos it's the right thing to do (like anyone can choose to do, and hopefully Christians do more often). i mean, i don't want to discount any of the 10 ideas the pastor gave of ways to help the poor and destitute, both in his church and community, but what about the 2 examples of abraham and rahab?

i don't think either abraham or rahab would have even come close to considering, or even conceiving the ideas to do what they did (begin to sacrifice a son, and risk her life to rescue 2 men of a rival nationality who are about to take over her hometown, respectively) without a clear understanding of who God really is! they had amazing faith in God! abraham KNEW his God could raise his son from the dead or provide a substitute sacrifice at the last minute (as God did) so that he would indeed be "the father of many nations". and rahab KNEW this God of caleb and joshua was a much greater God than any she served, and indeed mightier and more powerful than any ruler in her city that might object to her actions. therefore, since these 2 KNEW who this God was, they had faith in what He could do, and that He was worth more than the pain of killing your own son, or losing your life to save 2 strangers who were about to obliterate your way of life.

THIS is the kind of faith that inspires action! this is the kind of faith i want! i want to have such deep faith in who my God is, that He is my true provider, that i am willing to clean out my savings and give it to the poor, and every paycheck for a year, because i know my God can and will meet my physical and monetary needs. i want to BELIEVE that this is the God i serve that it is a given that i do things that look foolish to the world. or even other Christians! i don't think abraham would have been encouraged to sacrifice his son if he has discussed it with his best friend, or wife, first! if they knew what he were up to, i'm SURE they would have discouraged him.

so as much as we DO need faith and works, and works alone will not save you, i think this is simply a real definition of what faith is: faith in God that inspires seemingly drastic action. not just an intellectual ascent to the idea that Jesus died for my sins.

oh God! give me this faith! may i know You so well that i can exhibit this kind of faith! and above all, may You be glorified in the nations because of it!