James 2:15-17

"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:15-17).

James continues his discussion of the faith/works relationship with an example to illustrate his point. He magnifies the empty promises we make when we half-heartily apply Scripture, for what good is it to wish someone well but not practically help to fill a need? In other words, talk is cheap without backing it up with action!

I believe we use prayer in this manner. It is far easier to say, "I'll pray for you," rather than invest the time, energy and/or resources to lend a helping hand, because most often we look out for our own selfish interests rather than meeting the needs of someone else.

It is a reflection of the heart, and we are naïve to think that prayer is the only course of action available at times. Prayer should be in addition to actively seeking ways to meet needs rather than a supplement.

But if we're truly being honest with ourselves, how willing are we to serve others? How sensitive are our hearts to meeting needs? How quickly are we to act versus weighing/calculating the return on investment before we act, if at all? How often do we avoid and make excuses when we know full well we can meet a need for someone else?

Because if we proclaim faith in Christ and identify ourselves as His followers, we cannot make empty efforts when it comes to the opportunities God places in our path every day to step outside our comfort zones and allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us as we serve others. 

Faith must illicit a response of works, because a heart transformed by God and indwelt by the Holy Spirit can never be satisfied with half-hearted attempts at Scriptural application. Works spring forth from thankful hearts that recognize the gift of grace Christ freely gave by His sacrifice on behalf of our sins.

Jesus did not say, "Good luck living a perfect life. You're on your own." He saw our sin and acted (works) to provide an eternal way of escape from the judgment of God, because He trusted (faith) in the sovereignty of God. Therefore, we must model the same so that our works give testimony to the faith we profess in Christ, rather than the opposite.