Heads AND Tails

Toss a coin and what happens? It lands heads or tails right? Well almost always; you have a one in a million (or maybe even a billion) chance that the coin could land on its side. Neither heads nor tails lose; instead they both win.

• [18] But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. [19] You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
  James 2:18-19 (NIV)

Some might think that James and Paul contradict each other after all it is Paul who said we are saved by God’s grace through faith and not works, so no one can sing their own praises.* In reality faith and works are two sides of the same coin. You can’t have one without the other, and when God flips this coin it always lands on its side, faith and works together.

Good deeds or trying to obey the letter of the law cannot save anyone from an eternity in hell. God’s wrath will be poured out upon all who sin, especially those with self-righteous pride who mistakenly believe they can earn their salvation through what they do. Salvation is always initiated by faith which in turn produces good works*; genuine faith is always demonstrated by a changed life.

That’s why James says, “Faith without deeds is dead.” Who do you know that claims to be a Christian, to believe in God and in Jesus death on the cross, but they are still living for the devil? Such people claim to have faith, but there is not evidence to support it, no good works. Look again at what James said. Even demons have sound theology; they believe in God or know all about Jesus. Such ‘head knowledge’ makes demons tremble with fear, but what they know doesn’t change how they act or their hatred of God.

Genuine faith is not just a simple recognition of the facts about God and His plan for salvation; real faith goes beyond ‘head knowledge’ to ‘heart knowledge.’ Faith that truly believes transforms an individual from the inside out, and when our heart is changed, when we are made alive in Christ, good deeds are always the result.

So how is your ‘faith and deeds coin’? Has it landed with one face down, or is it standing on its side as God intended so everyone can see your faith and deeds working together?
*See Ephesians 2:8-10