What do you think of when you hear the phrase "working for Christ"? Do you think of it as a job? Or do you think of it as a chore? Perhaps you may think of it as a way to serve Christ. As we dig deeper in this week's commentary, we will see that faith and works go hand in hand.
Notice that in James 2:14-26, James tells us that when we have faith in Christ, we should have works as well. We should seek to take care of the needs of others. So often, we tend to overlook others' needs because we think our needs are greater or their needs aren't as immediate as ours. James says in 2:16, "If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,' but you don't give them what the body needs, what good is it? (CSB)" We have to be mindful of the needs of others.
I'll give you an example of this. I saw this firsthand last year in March following the March 19th EF-3 tornado that hit Jacksonville and the JSU campus. The morning after, many of the members of my home church, Pine Mountain Community Church, were asking what they could do or what the needs were of any of those in the community. The next week, we had several of our youth gave up half of their Spring Break to serve those in need in Jacksonville. They helped pick up debris, cut trees, and many other tasks, such as ministering to those affected and praying with them.
When I returned to Jacksonville after they cleared everyone to return, we were told of a story about a man who had been affected by the tornado, and when some of the group was there, he had given his life to Christ, and he was baptized in his bathtub. Stories like this in the midst of the storm remind us that not only are people's physical needs important but that we should also be mindful of their spiritual needs as well.
On down, James says that faith and belief in God is not enough, because even the demons know who He is. There are many instances in the Gospels where this is seen, such as Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 1:21-28, and Mark 5:1-20, just to name a few. In Mark 5:1-20, we see where the demons asked to be thrown into a herd of pigs, and when they were, the entire herd of pigs drowned in the nearby water. The point James is trying to make here is faith is not enough; we can't truly know Jesus if we aren't willing to serve Him.
The next point to remember is faith produces works. Again, I saw this in action following the March 19, 2018 tornado in Jacksonville. Those who were affected, as well as those who weren't directly affected, were out helping and serving the community. Each person had faith during the storm that God would bring them through safely, and He did. They used their abilities to go out and serve those around them, whether physically, by picking up debris or cutting down trees or helping with spiritual needs. God was at work in the midst of that storm.
James gives us the example of Abraham when he was asked to offer up his son Isaac (Genesis 22). He says that through his works, his faith was made complete. By trusting that God would provide and obeying His Word, we see in that passage that a ram was provided to be the sacrifice, found in a thicket.
Works will strengthen your faith. When you do a random act of kindness for someone, you will feel a sense of peace and gratefulness that God used you to do His work. I saw this when we took our youth to help in Jacksonville following the storm.
In the Passion song "More Like Jesus", Kristian Stanfill sings the following chorus: "If more of you means less of me, then take everything." We should seek to consistently be more like Jesus, helping those in need and planting the seed of the Gospel of Christ in their lives.
Lastly, we should understand that our belief is not merely an idea. True faith in Christ sparks a change in us that causes us to seek to take action in the lives and needs of others. James tells us that faith without works is dead. When we have faith in Christ, we will seek out those works that He has for us.
I can't believe the next article will conclude the Endgame series, and next Wednesday will conclude the summer with the youth at Pine Mountain Community Church! I have been so thankful and blessed to share the messages God has laid on my heart throughout this summer, as well as bring the commentary and reflection to all who read! It has been such a blessing!