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The Work of Our Faith

The Lectionary in September has us reading through some of the Letter of James. It is, quite frankly, an underappreciated letter in many Christian circles, because some of it seems to fly in the face the theology found in Paul’s letters. Namely, the theology of sola fide, or that through faith alone we are saved, as Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” And this weekend, it is a glaring example when James famously quips, “Faith, without works, is dead.” 

What the role of works is in our Christian faith is a well-known and discussed topic of our faith. But the two, faith and work, are not in contradiction. Indeed, Jesus connects these two when he says in Matthew, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father, who is in Heaven.” We may also remember the Gospel of John reading from August 4 when, after the disciples asked him what they must to do perform the work of God, Jesus respond, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 

“Well, wait Fr. Zachary! Which one was is it?!” Our ultimate work is the belief of the saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. This then leads us to do all other work, even the work of our secular careers because it is a sustaining faith that leads us through good and bad. Our faith gives us our true purpose and identity and drives us to know Christ more and heed the call to minister and act in a world that so desperately needs to know Christ better.

I encourage you to read the full Letter of James. It’s found right after the Letter to the Hebrews and is only 5 chapters long. It has great practical wisdom for you today. 

In Christ,
Fr. Zach