Faith or good works? (James 2: 14-17, 18b)
Faith or good works? Really the two can’t be separated. But another word for good works is charity. To have charity is to have kindness in your heart for another person. We can only be charitable, because God has been charitable to us FIRST. He has given us his Son, and continues to give us his Son in word and sacrament. To be a Christian, is to receive God’s charity into our hearts every day. So charity is not just about giving, no, it’s about receiving also. Because its only when we have received something, and when we become aware of what it has done for us, that’s when we can joyfully share it with others.