Them's fighting words aren't they? 'what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it?' Wait aren't we supposed to believe in our heart and confess with our mouth?
When we take someone into membership we ask them questions?
Do you turn from the ways of sin?
Who is your Lord and Savior?
Do you trust him? Will you be Christ's faithful disciple, obeying his word and showing his love?
These are all words, saying we have faith. How about those who we designate as those outside the fold of Christianity, we can hear their words but we say no you can't follow Jesus, you are_______( we fill that in with the groups we do not like.) Could it be showing our faith by finally believing the words of others? Could we be loving if the boundaries of our love have no limits? Is God calling us as a church to live out our love in places that we are not comfortable in? James got in a lot of trouble in the early church and later. Martin Luther called this letter in the Bible all straw that should be burned because James preached grace and obedience - except he called it works. Live that balance Stu
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