Title James 02:4-26 Faith in Action
Contents
Faith in Action (James 2:4-26)
We call a 'conscience in action' as a person who does not hesitate to do the right thing even in the position of being personally disadvantaged. The Korean dictionary defines 'conscience' as "the mind to judge one's actions from right or wrong, and to speak and act rightly." Although everyone has this kind of conscience, not everyone acts according to that conscience, so the term 'conscience of action' was coined.
The title of today's sermon 'Faith in Action' can be viewed in the same context. The phrase 'faith in action' makes sense. Because not everyone who has faith does what it believes. What makes me sad is that this makes sense. The phrase 'faith in action' should not make sense. just say 'faith'
It should be understood that action follows. What is your belief? Are you not thinking of agreeing or empathizing with the truth as faith? My intellectual assent or empathy is not belief. Just as a person who empathizes with goodness and justice does not make a person a just person or a good person, a person who empathizes with and agrees with the truth of the Bible is not a person of faith. Even the devil intellectually acknowledges the existence of God.
But has the devil changed?
Verse 19 says, “Do you believe that there is only one God? So are people. Intellectually acknowledging the existence of God or the crucifixion of Jesus Christ does not change him. Such recognition cannot be belief. To say that you believe is to have that belief affect many areas of your life. The atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ must have a profound impact on my life. That James is unbearable is a confession of faith without action and language without action. So, in this text, we are talking about faith in constant action. Verse 26 says, “Faith without works is dead.” We can say that belief and action are separate, but that doesn't mean we can separate belief and action.
The English theologian Barclay, describing beliefs and actions, says: "We are not saved by works. We are saved by works." Faith is manifested through works, and works are possible only when there is faith.
Yesterday, one day before Sunday, I overheard Kim Eun-jung, who is in charge of the middle school class, calling a student who was absent from church while having lunch at the office. At that time, I listened to what the teacher had to say, put the spoon, and quickly took notes, and I will introduce it. This is the content of the teacher's call. "Will you try? Hey, don't try and just come." When the teacher persistently persuaded the student to come to church, the student seems to have said that he would make an effort. 'Don't make an effort, just come' was a good word. I thought that attending church yesterday was not an effort, it just came. Rather than a cool word that you will try your best, it is the actions that make the teacher happy. When thought and action coincide, he becomes a true thinker. People have a hard time being thinkers, not because they don't have theory, but because they don't have action.
James gives two examples to emphasize faith and works. First of all, it is Abraham, and his faith is said to have been proven by the joyful sacrifice of Isaac, the superficial request of God. James says, “A man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.” It is also said that Rahab the prostitute was also justified by works. If Abraham had not had faith, he would not have been able to respond to God's call. If Rahab had not had faith, she would not have been able to risk equating her future with the fate of Israel. What James is trying to say through this is that those who have faith act.
Are your beliefs moving you? The Lord said that Christians should be the light and salt of the world. If we become the cause of corruption and the provider of darkness, no matter how flashy the language of our lips, it is dead faith.
In verse 14, James says, "If a man says he has faith, but has no works...can that faith save him?" And a very specific example is given in verse 16. "If any of you say to him, 'Go in peace, and be satisfied,' and you do not give him something for his body, what profit does it have?" That's right. Friends of the Eui Mission Church, if you think you need to help someone, please do not just say, 'I need to warm him up' or 'I need to make him full', but make him hot and full. Now, please speak with your body. Today's bazaar should be what you do with your body.
Since I've been to a bazaar hosted by the Women's Missionary Church several times, I will not tell you for long, believing that you all know that noodles are not eaten for food, but for culture (?). However, there is one thing I realized while praying for this bazaar, that if we want to do good for our neighbors, what we are doing today should not be like a bazaar. So what should you be? It should be a group of believers. Since it's a bazaar, if you buy food, how much can you eat? You must eat by faith.
"Faith is not just getting down on your knees at night / praying / Faith is not just going through darkness / toward the light / Faith is not just waiting for possible glory / It's a sin of faith Full of joy / Not just hating / Faith is a daring endeavor / A fierce adventure / Under any circumstances / the power to serve."