Real faith involves action. James is concerned that some people claim to have faith, but they fail to act like it. He asks, “What good is it if someone claims to have faith but does not have works?”
Faith must be fueled by spiritual work, or it is dead. James uses the example of demons to demonstrate this.
Belief
The Bible teaches that we must “have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). But what is real faith?
Some Christians have an intellectual belief in Christ but no genuine faith. This kind of faith is dead, as James states in his letter: “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17).
When someone claims to have faith but then has no love for his fellow believer, or does not care about the needs of those in his family, church or community, this is a sign that he has no genuine faith. Christ warns that those who call him Lord but have no mercy on others, and do not care for the poor, will be cast into eternal darkness when he returns (Matt. 25:41-46).
In the Book of Hebrews, faith is described as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). The word substance means assurance, realization. So, real faith is believing that God will do what he has promised.
Actions
Various philosophers have attempted to define the relation of faith and reason. The New Testament apostle Paul, in his discussion with Epicurean and Stoic philosophers on the Aeropagus in Athens, appears to advocate some form of the skepticism common to these philosophical schools.
Aquinas, meanwhile, distinguishes “preambles of faith,” which can be established by philosophical principles, from the articles of faith, which must be accepted through divine testimony. For example, he holds that the intellect cannot grasp God as an object, but it can understand the fact of God’s existence through divine revelation, which is analogous to a scientific theory.
Karl Barth, a Reformed Protestant, offers another approach to the relation of faith and reason. He argues that a truth of religion can be communicated only through an original or traditional revelation, which is not demonstrable by any means other than the revelation itself. Then, he holds that this revelation cannot be contradicted by reason.
Service
Many times, the best service to our church comes in the form of quiet and unobtrusive acts. But, these small and simple actions can have a huge impact on the future of our church. They can be the catalyst for someone to return to the church or even come to know Jesus.
In the spirit of Francis Xavier and Matteo Ricci, Jesuits have always recognized the need to engage culture in the service of faith. This engagement includes appreciation and critique, gratefully acknowledging whatever human customs contribute to the revelation of Christ while rejecting those that contradict it.
Cindy Halvorson explains how the preacher can use biblical characters as multidimensional, real people with whom listeners can identify and empathize—people whose journeys with God reflect their own. In addition, she presents methods to portray these characters in ways that reflect their cultural, historical, and scriptural contexts. These techniques, coupled with a focus on theological and philosophical perspectives, can help listeners understand how religious traditions may serve as resources for dealing with trauma and other mental health issues.
Prayer
Many people struggle to understand how their prayers can be heard by a God several trillion miles away from them. The answer is that prayer is more than words; it is an act of worship that unites believers with their Lord.
As Christians, we must strive to be faithful in our prayer lives. This means allowing time during and after a prayer to hear God’s spiritual promptings. It also means making prayer a part of our daily routine rather than simply a Sunday activity.
If you are not seeing the fruit of your faith, then it is time to reassess where your true faith lies. Follow Paul’s admonition and earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). RealFaith provides bold, unapologetic Bible teaching, devotions, classes, videos, study guides and other resources for real people with real questions about their real life with Jesus. This site is supported by donations from people like you.
