Living a practical faith - Who is it that moves me?
Rory Redmayne
If you ever feel like Christian theology can get a bit too heady or abstract, you aren’t alone. In fact, if you’re looking for a guidebook on what faith actually looks like when you walk out the front door, there is one place in the New Testament that stands above the rest: The Epistle of James.
Tucked away toward the end of the New Testament—nestled between Hebrews and Peter—this short letter is a powerhouse of practical wisdom. It doesn’t get as much press as the heavy theological hitters, and historically, it’s even had some tough critics. Martin Luther himself famously dismissed it as a "right strawy epistle," perhaps because it lacks the deep, complex doctrinal framework we see in other parts of the Bible.
But that is exactly why it is so valuable.
Theology vs. Action: A Healthy Tension
It’s true that James isn't a theological dissertation. You could almost place it in a library of Jewish wisdom literature or read it as a guide to ethical living.
Often, people find themselves confused by the apparent tension between St. Paul and St. James. Paul writes:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Paul is insistent that salvation is a free gift of grace, not a reward for being “good enough.” But James takes a different angle. He isn’t worried about the mechanics of salvation; he is concerned with the manifestation of faith. He asks a hauntingly simple question: If you have faith, what does that actually look like? His answer is blunt: “Faith by itself, if it has not works, is dead.” (James 2:17)
4 Reminders of a Living Faith
James doesn't just theorize; he gives us a masterclass in how to live. Here are four timeless challenges from his letter that keep our feet on the ground:
Stop Just Listening: “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.” (James 1:22) It’s easy to feel good just by attending church or reading about love. James reminds us that faith is a verb.
Define Your Religion: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God... is this: to care for the orphans and widows...” (James 1:27). For James, true spirituality isn't found in rituals, but in how we treat the most vulnerable among us.
Faith as Evidence: “Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.” (James 2:18). We don't do good works to get faith; we do good works because our faith is alive and active.
Watch Your Tongue: “How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire…” (James 3:5). James highlights the hypocrisy of blessing God in one breath and cursing our neighbors in the next.
A Final Thought
Whatever Martin Luther may have thought, the Epistle of James is far from "strawy." It is the bedrock of a faith that moves, breathes, and impacts the world.
If you are looking for a challenge this week, I urge you to set aside 15 minutes. Put your phone down, find a quiet corner, and read through the entire letter of James. It’s short, it’s punchy, and I promise you—it will be time well spent.
What do you think? Does faith require action, or does that blur the lines of grace?
