Jeremiah 36-38; Psalm 59; James 2
By The Rev. Mark Andrew Jones, BSG
The great Protestant Reformer Martin Luther thought James’ epistle was just so much straw; for it spoke of works and Luther wanted the focus to be on faith alone. Here I think Luther got in wrong (so did the Roman Catholics at the time); and, I fear, most Americans also get the issue wrong. Too often “faith” is equated with “belief.” So long as one believes in the right thing or entity, then one will be saved. That way of thinking places us atop a slippery slope. It then can become easy to divorce the importance of action or works from one’s faith, thus exposing the faithful to charges of hypocrisy.
If one looks at Scripture as a whole, then a very different understanding of “faith” emerges, one that equates “faith” with “trust-in-action.”
Jeremiah says to King Zedekiah, “If you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and [Jerusalem] shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live” (Jeremiah 38:17). But the Zedekiah can’t do it; he can’t trust in the Lord, not to the point of putting himself in the hands of his enemies. “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over the them and they would abuse me” (Jeremiah 38:19).
Zedekiah cannot trust to the point of taking action, because he is afraid. No wonder angels, God’s messengers, repeatedly counsel men and women, “Do not be afraid.” Fear often paralyzes us in inaction to our spiritual detriment.
“My God in his steadfast love will meet me; my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. … O my strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love” (Psalm 59:10, 17).
By The Rev. Mark Andrew Jones, BSG
The great Protestant Reformer Martin Luther thought James’ epistle was just so much straw; for it spoke of works and Luther wanted the focus to be on faith alone. Here I think Luther got in wrong (so did the Roman Catholics at the time); and, I fear, most Americans also get the issue wrong. Too often “faith” is equated with “belief.” So long as one believes in the right thing or entity, then one will be saved. That way of thinking places us atop a slippery slope. It then can become easy to divorce the importance of action or works from one’s faith, thus exposing the faithful to charges of hypocrisy.
If one looks at Scripture as a whole, then a very different understanding of “faith” emerges, one that equates “faith” with “trust-in-action.”
Jeremiah says to King Zedekiah, “If you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and [Jerusalem] shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live” (Jeremiah 38:17). But the Zedekiah can’t do it; he can’t trust in the Lord, not to the point of putting himself in the hands of his enemies. “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over the them and they would abuse me” (Jeremiah 38:19).
Zedekiah cannot trust to the point of taking action, because he is afraid. No wonder angels, God’s messengers, repeatedly counsel men and women, “Do not be afraid.” Fear often paralyzes us in inaction to our spiritual detriment.
“My God in his steadfast love will meet me; my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. … O my strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love” (Psalm 59:10, 17).
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