Faith Translation

“For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26 CSB)

When people think about faith, the first thing that comes to mind is belief. For many, faith is simply “believing something to be true.” For some, that is as far as it goes. They have a belief system about what is true, but it does not always get translated into life.

In order for faith to be real, to be what God has intended that it be, it has to be translated into action. The point James makes is that a faith that never has any impact on how a person lives his or her life is a faith that has no relevance to anything. It doesn’t make a difference in that sense whether you have it or not. Faith that is real always has to express itself in works, in action.

Commentators on the Bible have a times tried to paint this teaching of James as a contradiction of what Paul taught, but what Paul taught is exactly what James taught. They approach the matter of faith from different viewpoints, but Paul says that we are saved by grace through faith for good works. Check out Ephesians 2:8.

Faith is the starting point, and from there we run the race. We begin in faith and continue in faith, and throughout our lives we translate that faith into a lifestyle that reflects the glory of God and expresses what we believe through our actions.

Lord, Today and each day help us to translate our faith in You into actions that point others toward You. Amen.