What Good Is It?

Scripture:
New Testament referral to Habakuk 2:4
Galatians 2:16
The Just  Shall Live By Faith

in tension with 

James 2:15-16
What Good is Faith if it is Empty of Works


Galatians speaks of man knowing that he is not justified by works of the law, but by the faith OF Christ, a faith Jesus offered as a gift and testament for us all. Reckoning back to the 2nd Chapter of Habakuk, the just shall live by faith and we are justified by faith and not by the notion that any works we perform can earn us redemption and salvation. So Faith is The Ticket!

But James Chapter 2 tells another story ... and so "a tension of opposites":


James 2:15-16 - Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, "but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

I’m not an early riser. But, occasionally, God blesses me with the good fortune of retiring early and tired and rising early the following morning. On these mornings, I make breakfast in the comfort of our warm home and watch the morning walkers, joggers and school children march the morning parade that is a daily staple of the intersection of Cedar and Maple Terrace. This year, my son joined the parade as he scampers to senior kindergarten surrounded by all the elder statesmen of Jefferson Elementary School … and a walking buddy, Jack. Recently, on a bitterly cold day, we were en route when we intercepted Jack. I remember because I forgot my scarf. I kept pulling my sweater over my mouth to stay warm. Half way to school, we noticed Jack didn’t have a scarf. And his hat was more than somewhat worn around the edges. Later that week, we found out from Lorin that Jack doesn’t own a scarf. During dinner that night, Lorin said we could give him one of his scarves. He had his yellow football scarf he didn’t use so much anymore.

 And he smiled.    

A day or two later, I watched the parade’s early floaters, coffee in hand, when there came a small rat-tat-tat at the back door. The window at the top of the door revealed nothing. Opening the door revealed Jack … alongside his older sister, who walks him to school. We ushered them in. Lorin ran and got the yellow football scarf. And the boys proudly donned the armor of the Wisconsin youth before embarking into the tundra. 

My wife and I have been blessed with two wonderful children who move our hearts daily. And I relate this story not so much because they have been raised in our home as that they have also been raised in this church. And they are constantly surrounded by disciples who are mindful that our world is in real need. Among the parade battalion outside the warm dining room with fresh coffee, are hearts so close we can touch them – where a scarf is a luxury. I remember actually thinking “Why isn’t he wearing a scarf?” while my six year old son wastes no time in the throes of such analysis. He simply says that his yellow football scarf is Jack’s for the taking.

These days, I wake up mornings and seriously wonder how I can be more like my son. To not simply pray for the needy of the world, to not simply say “keep warm and well fed” in so many words. To not simply give money and let it be someone else’s work to feed and clothe the kids with one working parent with two jobs and a rented apartment they share with their sister. I remember Pastor Mohn delivering a sermon where she wondered why her Dad just got up and went up to the front of the church because they needed someone to help with Communion. 

I’m sure that somewhere every day, little children learn that lesson from their parents. 

And then there are some very cold days where parents learn it from their children. 

Yeah ... we are justified by faith and not by works
But ... it matters WHAT WE DO


In his book, Words I Wish I Wrote, Robert Fulghum deftly explains how, as he has aged, it matters as much what he sees people do to "act out" their faith as what they say:

"PRAXIS: Action as opposed to theory.

Talk is empty without experience. If you don’t play the game, you can’t know enough to make the rules. If you are not engaged in the sweaty work of the world, you should not be in charge of the deodorant concession. Nobody has a right to ride on the bus without making some contribution to the cost of the ride. We owe. If you take from the pot, you must put into the pot.”

We do "not yet" possess a ticket to ride the bus until we PAY with works
But ... we "already" are justified by faith and can't earn our way onto the bus!

Yeah ... but
Not yet ... but already