St James Presbyterian Church St James Presbyterian Church

In between faith and works there lies a tension — a point of integration between what we know and what we do. It’s that space between right belief and right action. The tension has to exist, it has to pull in both directions, to remind us of the positive bind that exists in the Christian journey. One has to have the other. Faith and works, together, bring life. Faith without works, well, it’s dead. Works without faith are shallow, actions that lack significance, a living by just going through the motions.

This integration point is grace. Faith that lives out in works discovers the grace of Christ at the tension point. Faith that lives out in action awakens in us our need for and reception of grace.

James makes it quite clear, echoing Jesus’ teachings to simply be with the poor, to love our neighbors, to pray for our enemies. The work is right in front of us. We are formed in belief so that we may live belief out in action, an unstained, pure religious action that does not turn a blind eye to the needs of the widow or orphan, but integrates our lives with them, coming close, in love and compassionate care.

Faith produces the ability to hold the doubts and certainties in healthy tension. Faith says, “I’m gonna try.” I don’t know if I can make it (certainty and doubt), but I’m going to endure.

Do you doubt? Good. Bless that.

Do you hold some things with certainty? Good, also bless that.

Today, let us see that our doubts actually lead us right into the space where we can develop faith and seek wisdom. Doubts will always nag at us — and that’s important. We have to let doubt air itself out in order to grow, to mature, to make those next steps happen.

Jesus’ ministry is inaugurated and framed by acts doing justice with and for the poor, the captive, the hurting, and the oppressed.