Love Is a Verb III

It is our passage for today that caused Martin Luther to call the epistle of James, "an epistle of straw" and called for its elimination from the New Testament. Just as Luke is a favorite for Roman Catholics (because of its emphasis on reaching the last and the least, the poor and the oppressed), so James is also esteemed for its emphasis on good works as a demonstration of Christian faith. For Martin Luther, James puts too much emphasis on works and falls into the excess of works righteousness. Luther was a champion for "justification by faith alone, and not of works." So you can see why James would give him fits.

James 2:1-26

The opening section of James' letter is about showing favoritism and the problem of classicism in the church. The problem is still just as prevalent today as then. There seems to be a natural upward mobility in people as the find faith in Christ and discover new hope and new energy for living. Their desire to make a difference and their productivity tend to go up, and those things are often rewarded. John Wesley's great fear was that as the Methodist movement matured and as people gained education and wealth, they would become detached from the poor and become isolated in the same way the Church of England had done. Regrettably, he was a prophet in that regard.

As we reach out to people from different cultures and races, we will need to be wary of our own form of classicism. In Maedgen Elementary School, 60% of the students are hispanic and 73% are from families below the poverty level. Will we see ourselves as "those from above" and those we meet around us as "those from beneath?" There was a lady in the El Paso church I served that would say with great passion, "We need to help those people who are so much less fortunate than us. There but for the grace of God go I." Was the grace of God there more for her than the poor people around her? Because we have wealth, it is because we have been blessed more than those who don't have as much? Elitism and snobbery can become part of us in sneaky ways. I remember saying to a fellow pastor in El Paso, "I can't be the primary preacher to people in this kind of need. Their issues are not my issues and mine are not theirs." The pastor responded, "What are the major themes of your preaching? Do these people need love, hope, healing, salvation, reconciliation in their relationships? How different are their issues really?" I was convicted of my own classicism by his words.

How do we welcome people into St. Luke's? The people in James' letter really "made over" the well to do, because they knew they could make a difference in the struggling church. They gave them privileged seats and probably justified that treating them preferentially might draw more well-to-do influential people. In so doing, they denied who they were as the body of Christ, in which all people are valued highly and equally. Why is it so easy for us to welcome that nicely dressed husband and wife with 2 or three children and make over them? We say, "Oh, what a nice family. We don't want to lose them." But do we do the same for that single mom or dad, or that college student, or that one who is out of work and down on his or her luck? For James, our classicism is sinful and makes us guilty of violating the whole law. His call is for repentance and change of ways. Our actions need to line up with our beliefs.

The next section is the famous passage about faith and works. James does not argue that works save you, contrary to Luther's opinion. He instead says that a saving faith is going to show in how people act. He absurdly uses the example of someone who is hungry and naked that hears from the Christian, "The peace of God go with you" but no food or clothing is offered. We at St. Luke's are a very generous congregation but we must always allow this letter of James to speak to us about our priorities. Buildings are expensive, as is TV advertising, as are materials and furnishings for worship, as are trips, ete, etc. We also are called to be in ministry to those in need around us, not as those who are superior, but in the words I love so much, "we are one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread."

James then says the most famous line of the passage, "Faith without works is dead." On the other hand I have watched people do lots of great things without having a vibrant faith or inviting people to a living faith in Christ. I would say in that instance that "works without faith is dead, as well." The description of some who said "I have faith" while another said "I have works" is an apt description of a struggle in the United Methodist Church as well as the American church as a whole for the last 60 years. In the early 60's, the United Methodists were strong in social action. Then in the 70's and 80's, we were stronger in evangelism. I am excited about this next generation of youth and young adults who are bringing them together in a powerful world-changing way (and with great resourcefulness and passion!).

The examples given here are of Abraham who was willing to demonstrate his faith and trust in God by sacrificing Isaac. Then Rahab the prostitute is justified because she hid the spies. Neither of those examples make me very comfortable. But what can I say? James didn't ask me. There was so much in this passage, that I have decided to cover only James for today. I will add the companion reading to tomorrow's blog.

James has invites us to take a strong honest look at ourselves asking two questions. First, do we see people the way God sees them, as equally and totally loved people who all need the goodness and grace of God? Second, does our faith really show in what we do to change the world around us in the lives of real hurting people? Have a good evening.