Epistle of James #5

June 29, 2017

I appreciate this note in the Wesley Study Bible regarding The Epistle of James:

"For many faith and works are two aspects of Christian living that seem to be in opposition to each other. But not for Wesley! For him, faith and good works are united in God's love. God expresses God's love for us in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ; and we, in turn, express our response to God's love through our good deeds, particularly toward those in need. Wesley identifies God's love in action as 'works of mercy' and 'works of piety.' Works of piety are personal practices that enrich our personal Christian journey, while works of mercy are our systematic practice of loving our neighbor through our deeds and through our identification with our neighbor. Faith and works represent the core of the Christian life - a holistic understanding of life addressing both personal and social aspects." - Wesley Study Bible, p. 1501

I have sometimes felt as if my Christian life was "out of alignment," and regularly hear from others that they feel the same way. For whatever reason, and there are many possible causes, things just don't seem right. One of the best ways to change this situation is to adjust our acts of piety - prayer, fasting, devotional reading, worship, communion. times with other believers, and our acts of mercy - committing ourselves to helping those in need. These are the tools God has given us for life in the Spirit.                  

Grace and peace,

Mike