Words Match Action || James 3:13 || Weekend Wind-Down #20

Welcome to the twentieth week of “Weekend Wind-Down.” This series is where we take the verse of the day, look at the face value interpretation, check the background and context of the verse, do a deeper dive on the focus scripture, and figure out what we can walk away with. 

Today’s verse is James 3:13, which says this: 

13 – If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 

Face Value

Let your actions show that you understand the teachings of God. 

Background

James wrote this letter to expose the hypocritical practices and to teach Christians how to live. 

Deep Dive

James 2:17-18 says:

17 – So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18 – Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 

Indeed, our good deeds can never earn our salvation; true faith always results in changed lives and good deeds. Loving services don’t substitute for faith in Christ, but rather, it verifies one’s faith in Christ. 

Paul speaks against those who try to be saved by deeds instead of true faith. (Romans 3:28) James speaks against those who confuse mere intellectual assent with true faith. True faith involves a commitment of one’s whole self to God. 

Take-Home Point

What we believe is what we need to show. This concept is what James says in both passages and what we hear Paul say. James and Paul don’t contradict each other, but instead, they connect. 

James is challenging his audience and us: if you understand how God wants humans to live, prove it! Show this to me by being honorable and doing good work with humility. Do things that honor God and do things not for selfish gain. 

James doesn’t want us to live just with our faith in God. We can intellectualize and feel comfortable with our faith belief to the point of sharing it with others. James wants us to take it further and put our faith into action, letting it shine for all to see. 

What does Paul say? I mentioned that it comes from Romans 3:28, which says: “28 – so we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.” At face value, Paul says that God is pleased with us due to our faith and not following the law. James says if we are to understand our faith, we do the things that honor God. Those things may be law-based or, at the bare minimum, based on God’s moral law: Love God and love others. So this statement from Paul in Romans and James in James is the same, yet different. 

God wants us to live in our faith. We need to learn what faith is, what it means to us, and our relationship with Christ, and build our relationship with God based on that faith. Yet, through that faith, we are called to live by God’s moral law and do things that honor God and take care of others. Our faith in God is committing all parts of our body to doing God’s Will.

Thank you for joining me for this Weekend Wind-Down as we explored how our words should match our actions based on the teachings of James. Stay tuned for the next reflection. Let me close out with prayer. 

Dear God, thank you for the mystery of our faith. Thank you for the teachings of your Word. Help us to live into our faith and understand the importance of our faith in our relationship with God. Please help us to live into that faith through our words and actions. It’s in your name; we pray. Amen.