“But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” [James 1:22 N.K.J.V.]

The Book of James has always been widely debated. Martin Luther, Leader of the Protestant Reformation, did not like it. He called it “that straw epistle” and believed it should be torn from the Canon. Luther thought this way because he rediscovered Paul’s teaching on salvation by faith alone and believed James taught a form of works righteousness or salvation based on what a person did.

Others defended James and said that it was not written in opposition to Paul’s faith alone teachings but to those who had misinterpreted Paul and were saying that once you were saved, you did not have to do anything. James would state: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” [James 2:17 N.K.J.V.]

So just what is the relationship between faith and works? John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, summed it up this way: “You do good works not to be saved. Rather you do good works because you are saved.” In response to what God has already done for us in Christ Jesus, we want to do all we can to help others and serve the church.

In other words, God did not save you just so you can have a comfortable pew and hear the gospel message. No, God saved you so you can both hear and do God’s word. Nonbelievers challenge us to live what we say we believe; to “walk the walk, not just talk the talk.” James say it this way: “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

So this brings me to my point, sometimes in the winter we slack off in our attendance, our giving, our spiritual life, and our volunteering. However, now is the time to be at our best. Ask God to reveal your gifts and willing to share those gifts with others. I know of no better way to be a doer of God’s word and not a hearer only.

Richard

The beginning of a New Year is a time that many of us make “New Year’s Resolutions.” Unfortunately for most of us, these are broken before the last football game is finished. Regardless of what our resolutions are (to go on a diet, to exercise more, to give up some bad habit, or to do something good for someone) we find it is so hard to do these things. So often we get discouraged and quit.

This struggle to bring about a change in our life is not something that is new with our generations. The apostle Paul also had to deal with this problem. To the church at Rome he wrote: “For even though the desire to do good is in me, I am not able to do it. I don’t do the good I want to do: instead I do the evil that I do not wnt to do.” [Romans 7:18-19 T.E.V.]

However Paul learned that, even though he could not change himself, Jesus could change him! The key to being the person God wants you to be is allowing Jesus to have control of your life so he can change you. Therefore, I would like to offer the following New Year Resolutions for us all to help bring about this Jesus centered change not only in our life but in the life of the church as well: In 2017 I resolve to pray more, read and study the Bible Regularly, support my church by my attendance and giving, get involved with Sunday School Class, or other Study Group, invite and bring someone to church with me, volunteer some of my time in service to others, make an intentional effort to put the needs of others above my own.

If we can do these things and can allow Jesus to replace self as the number one priority in our lives, then 2017 will be a tremendous year and our New Year’s Resolutions will not be broken by January second.

Richard