James Study: Week 2 ~ Friday

James 2:14-26

SOAP: James 2:14-17

S: What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can that faith save him? And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, "Go in shalom, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.

O&A: What I'm getting is that we are supposed to put feet to our faith. "You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder." Certainly we can do more than just believe, but honestly, this is one of those passages that I just *know* and understand, from personal experience. I used to be the believer who believed that God is the Creator, and believed that Yeshua is His only begotten Son who died for me... and I didn't do anything with it. If Avraham had not taken his son Yitzchak to the mountain and laid him on the altar (the works of faith), what would it have said about his faith..? If Yeshua had not died for me... The scripture we're SOAPing on really hits hard. Have you ever been in the situation of having no food? No clothes? No home? Or your child faced a surgery, or your spouse lost their job... what do our brothers and sisters say? "I'll pray for you!" Or "Praying!" And this is excellent! We need prayers! But if a person has it in their possession to DO something about it, and doesn't, then their faith is without works... and it is dead. It is an excellent faith that knows and believes that Adonai will supply, but I don't know, maybe we're not always listening to His voice, or heeding His direction. It may require more sacrifice than we're willing to give to help that person. 

But Yeshua said, "But I tell you, do not resist an evildoer. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him also the other. And the one wanting to sue you and to take your shirt, let him also have your coat. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than anyone else? Even the pagans do that, don’t they? Therefore be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” 

So we continue learning how to love our neighbor.. and it seems that we're to love them above/greater than ourselves, even to the point of personal sacrifice. We are to lay down our life for our friend, just as Yeshua did.

(Photo: Mnavon/ Wikimedia Commons)

P: Abba, my Father, my King, my righteousness, Your word is just so wonderful. I feel You refining me through this study, and while I would have once cringed at the faults I'm seeing, You are just and righteous, and I know that I am safe in Your hands, and that You are not showing me these things to hurt me, but to mold me into who You created me to be, instead of who I made myself to be. Abba, unharden my heart to those who are hurting, even though I know it will hurt me in the process. I enjoy rejoicing with those who rejoice, but I have a hard time opening my heart up to those who are hurting and grieving because it is painful, and it requires sacrifice. Help me to understand how You want me to serve, how You want me to love my neighbors, how You want me to put feet to my faith. I want to please You. B'shem Yeshua, Amein.