Fair and Active Faith – James 2
About 15 years ago a family visited our small rural church. I knew who they were, but didn't know them that well. They were close friends with my chairman of deacons at the time. As service started, the Chairman whispered something like, "see those people in the back? Those are the kind of people we need."
The man owned his own business. His family was intact, happily married, popular children, and they were givers. Pillars of the community. The "kind of people" we needed. The church was struggling to transition from a legalistic old world model to a Gospel-centered Kingdom model and it was rough. But not that rough.
Eventually, after a fairly robust disagreement about the inappropriate comment and profiling "the people we need", the visitor eventually asked me to join a new church plant ... in the same tiny area as the church I pastored. Actually, it would be across the street and had been in planning for over a decade. He invited me to leave behind those who didn't like the new path split the church, bringing with me the ones "on my side".
I said "No thank you."
What's the point? Favoritism always divides. "The kind of people" we need are the least, the lonely, and the lost. Not those who can help the offering or are, as another deacon who eventually left to join the new church once called, bell cows. People who lead others where we want them to go.
That's what happens when you play favorites. Filled with disdain over what the Kingdom actually looks like in practice, the favorites build their own kingdoms. Bult to suit their own ideals. The short reality is it's much easier to speak the things of the Kingdom than it is to live them. That's why James closes chapter 2 with a word about faith and works.
I could reword verse 14 by saying, "what good is a faith that doesn't lead to obedience?" In short: It's worthless. James said it was, on fact, dead. Faith is supposed to be alive, moving, living out the life of Jesus in the world around us.
Rahab risked her life so her faith could take flight. She wasn't concerned if these men were "her kind of people", only that God had sent them. Abraham moved to a place he didn't know and later climbed a mountain, trembling with dread over his pending sacrifice of his son. Their faith wasn't theory. It was alive.
Words are easy, but hollow. Actions can be difficult, but are real.
We say we believe God can redeem any relationship, but refuse to reconcile with estranged family.
We say we trust God for provision, but refuse to give to those in need.
We say Jesus changes lives, yet avoid walking through the dark night of the soul with people around us.
We say we believe in unity, but campaign to divide the name of cultural relevance.
You get the idea.
Faith isn’t proven by our words, but revealed in our actions.
Maybe instead of saying “Do I have enough faith?”, we should ask “What is my faith asking me to do?”
The man owned his own business. His family was intact, happily married, popular children, and they were givers. Pillars of the community. The "kind of people" we needed. The church was struggling to transition from a legalistic old world model to a Gospel-centered Kingdom model and it was rough. But not that rough.
Eventually, after a fairly robust disagreement about the inappropriate comment and profiling "the people we need", the visitor eventually asked me to join a new church plant ... in the same tiny area as the church I pastored. Actually, it would be across the street and had been in planning for over a decade. He invited me to leave behind those who didn't like the new path split the church, bringing with me the ones "on my side".
I said "No thank you."
What's the point? Favoritism always divides. "The kind of people" we need are the least, the lonely, and the lost. Not those who can help the offering or are, as another deacon who eventually left to join the new church once called, bell cows. People who lead others where we want them to go.
That's what happens when you play favorites. Filled with disdain over what the Kingdom actually looks like in practice, the favorites build their own kingdoms. Bult to suit their own ideals. The short reality is it's much easier to speak the things of the Kingdom than it is to live them. That's why James closes chapter 2 with a word about faith and works.
I could reword verse 14 by saying, "what good is a faith that doesn't lead to obedience?" In short: It's worthless. James said it was, on fact, dead. Faith is supposed to be alive, moving, living out the life of Jesus in the world around us.
Rahab risked her life so her faith could take flight. She wasn't concerned if these men were "her kind of people", only that God had sent them. Abraham moved to a place he didn't know and later climbed a mountain, trembling with dread over his pending sacrifice of his son. Their faith wasn't theory. It was alive.
Words are easy, but hollow. Actions can be difficult, but are real.
We say we believe God can redeem any relationship, but refuse to reconcile with estranged family.
We say we trust God for provision, but refuse to give to those in need.
We say Jesus changes lives, yet avoid walking through the dark night of the soul with people around us.
We say we believe in unity, but campaign to divide the name of cultural relevance.
You get the idea.
Faith isn’t proven by our words, but revealed in our actions.
Maybe instead of saying “Do I have enough faith?”, we should ask “What is my faith asking me to do?”
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