雅各書 第二章14-26節

14 我的弟兄們，若有人說自己有信心，卻沒有行為，有甚麼益處呢？這信心能救他嗎？15 若是弟兄或是姊妹，赤身露體，又缺了日用的飲食；16 你們中間有人對他們說：「平平安安地去吧！願你們穿得暖，吃得飽」，卻不給他們身體所需用的，這有甚麼益處呢？17 這樣，信心若沒有行為就是死的。18 必有人說：「你有信心，我有行為；你將你沒有行為的信心指給我看，我便藉著我的行為，將我的信心指給你看。」19 你信　神只有一位，你信的不錯；鬼魔也信，卻是戰驚。20 虛浮的人哪，你願意知道沒有行為的信心是死的嗎？21 我們的祖宗亞伯拉罕把他兒子以撒獻在壇上，豈不是因行為稱義嗎？22 可見，信心是與他的行為並行，而且信心因著行為才得成全。23 這就應驗經上所說：「亞伯拉罕信神，這就算為他的義。」他又得稱為　神的朋友。24 這樣看來，人稱義是因著行為，不是單因著信。25 妓女喇合接待使者，又放他們從別的路上出去，不也是一樣因行為稱義嗎？26 身體沒有靈魂是死的，信心沒有行為也是死的。

 

默想

1. 我們的信心，正如雅各所說，是不能眼見的，但卻藉著我們的行為表明出來。雅各告訴我們信心與行為是相齊並進的，我們因為相信耶穌基督，因此對世界、自己並神的工作，有不同的看法。當我們與基督的關係日漸增長時，我們的看法及價值觀也就因此而改變，我們的舉止行為也就會越來越貼近神的心意。這樣，我們的行為就顯明我們對神的信心。
2. 信主以後，我的信心怎樣影響我對生命、關係、工作、教會的看法？我如何使用我的時間？神如何在我身上開始祂的陶造工作？我怎樣與其他信徒一同活出我們的信心來？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在“靈程筆記”簿上面。

 

James 2:14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 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. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

 

Meditation

1. Faith is something that we cannot see but faith is made real and visible in our works. James tells us that faith and works go hand-in-hand; our faith in the person and gospel of Jesus Christ changes the way that we see the world, ourselves, and God’s work. As we grow in our relationship with Christ, our changed perspective and value system will cause us to behave closer to God’s way.  Thus, our actions reveal our faith in God.
2. How has my faith affected the way in which I view my life, relationships, work, the Church, how I spend my time, etc? How is God already at work around me?  How can I join others to live out my faith in actions?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2011 “Spiritual Journal” book.