I am a big fan of the Protestant Reformation and the theology that grew out of it. I am a big believer that we do not earn brownie points with God, but that it is by faith alone that we are saved, not by works. Had I been there in the 1500s, I would probably have sided with Martin Luther who wanted this section and, in fact, the entire book of James thrown out of the Bible because it seems to favor an attitude of earned salvation. But I would have been wrong. When we read these words in the larger context of James and of the time and circumstance he was addressing, we understand it not as the need to earn salvation but that the logical conclusion is that people saved by faith will live differently. In fact, when I want to make that point I’d be hard pressed to find a better passage than the one from James we read this morning.
Year ago, Charles Schultz produced a Snoopy cartoon strip in which Charlie Brown and Linus were walking along in a snow storm, all bundled up in warm coats Snoopy was there obviously cold - you could tell because he had shiver marks around him. Charlie Brown and Linus decided they should do something to comfort Snoopy, so they went over to him and Linus said, “Be of good cheer, Snoopy.” Charlie Brown echoed, “Yes, be of good cheer,” and then they walked away. It was a pretty clear demonstration of what James was saying when he wrote these words. Just telling someone to be of good cheer does not change the difficulty of his life circumstances. Even if you have your theology straight, just talking about it doesn’t do anything tangible to improve the world around you. Instead, if your faith is strong, it will naturally lead to doing good and following the words and example of our Lord Jesus Christ. It doesn’t earn you any points, but it does demonstrate that you believe what you say you believe. And that was the point James was making. He wasn’t condemning believers or calling them demons when he said, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” Instead, James was pointing out that even the demons accept the reality of God, but they are not faithful because they do nothing to further the Kingdom or share God’s love. When he said, “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds,” James was saying that, well, actions speak louder than words. You cannot see someone’s faith. It is not possible for someone to show you their faith without doing something, though they may be able to describe it in detail. However, it is possible for a person to do things that would lead alogical person to the conclusion that the actions were motivated by faith.
This is not the same as saying that simply doing good deeds makes a person abeliever. James was clear in so much of his writing that the teachings of Christ are key and that power belongs to God. He isn’t as explicit as some in quoting our Lord, but he does frequently reference lessons Jesus taught and talks a great deal about pleasing and obeying and praising God. When you read the whole of James’s letter, you will not be led to believe that just doing good without faith is enough or that everyone who does something good is a person of faith. We don’t know what else James may have taught or spoken of or written in his lifetime, but in this letter he focuses on a concept that appears in both Matthew’s Gospel and Lukes: we are known by our fruit. He gives clear explanation to the concept of being known by our fruit when he says that faith without works is dead. James is not discounting the importance of belief, but is rather focusing on what faith produces: good fruit. John’s Gospel phrases it slightly differently, but the concept is there as well in chapter 15 verse 16 in which John quotes Jesus as saying, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
Jesus teaches the same kind of lesson in the story of the Good Samaritan. The people who passed by the injured man might well have been able to describe their faith and argue their theology, but they made no practical difference in the world to the man who needed tangible help. Faith without works would quite literally meant death in that case.
James goes on to point out that Abraham did not separate his actions from his belief, but instead put the two together and was rewarded for doing so. Abraham put his faith to work and trusted in the face of fear, and he was called a friend of God. Faith and action cannot truly be separated. If we believe, if we truly have faith, we will live differently than if we don’t. It doesn’t mean we will be perfect. It doesn’t mean we will always do right or always be as generous as we should or always help others in need, but it does mean that people looking into our lives should be able to see enough good that they would assume we are people of faith.
There are so many stories and ideas about heaven and how it works when we get there, but one of the most common is that God will recount to us the things we have done in life and judge us based on our actions. But I tell you that long before we get to heaven, those around us will judge our actions. People we meet will already decide for themselves if they think we are faithful people or not. We are judged everyday on whether we measure up to the name Christian by every person we cut off on the highway, by every mom with a cart full of groceries and a screaming child we let in line in front of us, by every person seeking a handout that we bless with a few coins or, as John Heinrich calls it, folding money, and by those who as from whom we turn away as we walk by. God is the only one who has the right to judge us, but, fairly or not, we are constantly judged by people we meet in life as well. Now if we want people to think “Christian” when they see us, we’d best be about living out our faith in some way that is tangible, visible to others. All without making a big production out of it lest we be like the one who prays on the street corner to be praised by men and who, according to Jesus, have their whole reward in this lifetime.
Humbly living out their faith is exactly what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did when they refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar. They were not staging a protest or calling out the leaders or rallying the troops. They were simply living out their faith by refusing to bow down and worship anything other than the Lord God. They were given a second chance by the king, informed of the consequences should they choose to continue their defiant refusal to engage in idolatry, and they chose to live their beliefs. It couldn’t have been a happy choice for them. They were told they would be bound and thrown into a fiery furnace. Doesn’t sound like fun to me! But they were so strong in their faith that they trusted the Lord. Either He would save them with His miraculous powers or it was their time to die as martyrs. Either way, they were prepared to live their beliefs, and that is the important part.
The furnace was so hot that even the soldiers who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into it were burned up. Yet because of their faithfulness, the Lord not only saved these three, He was with them in the fiery furnace and protected them even from the smell of smoke on their clothes. Living out their faith, demonstrating with their lives what they professed to believe worked out very well for them.
The reality in today’s world is that it doesn’t always work out the way we might hope. I know the daughter of amissionary, Margaret Partee, who was martyred in Africa years ago. In 1977 her father, Don McClure had returned to visit in a place where he had lived as a missionary for many years. There was some trouble and he and his sons were surrounded by some men who were hostile to them. They were threatened, but stood firm in their faith. The first shot was a perfect aim, but did not touch him. However, the second shot was fatal and Don McClure died there in the very mission he had started. Yet those who were with him were spared to tell the story and to continue the work he started. It didn’t work out the way we might hope. Don McLure did not survive that encounter, but his trust in the Lord and willingness to live out his faith led to amiracle that continues to inspire others. He didn’t do what he did for the influence or prestige, but simply out of faith because he believed what James wrote – that we are called to live what we profess we believe.
When we have faith, it will show in how we live in the world. Just like it showed for Don McLure, for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegeo, like it showed for the apostles, many of whom were martyred in the first century, like it showed this past Christmas season when stories made the news about anonymous donors paying off people’s layaways and here at MIPC the chancel was once again filled to overflowing with gifts for those in need. When we live our faith, it shows in the kindnesses we do for others and the words we use and the ways we spend our time and talents and treasure. And living out our faith makes a difference. After the Giving Tree gifts were delivered this year, I got the following email from Gail Langan, who took the presents to the school: “A few of the staff assistants came out and helped. They were all so overwhelmed by the amount of packages in my car. One woman couldn’t believe there was such generosity from "that little church across from the Junior High"! She said she felt the "Christmas spirit" when she eyed the stack of gifts! We probably matched the amount of whatever was already in the room.”
What we do speaks volumes about what we believe, and that’s the point James was making. With apologies to Martin Luther, James was right. Faith without works is dead. Not because our deeds earn us points, but because real faith yields good deeds. They will come as naturally as the evening follows the day. Faith yields deeds that demonstrate that faith. Amen, which means “let it be so.”