ARE WE SAVED BY FAITH OR BY DEEDS?

XXIV SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - James 2:14-18

by their fruits

The Reformation put forward a dichotomy between faith and deeds, proclaiming that we are saved by faith alone (sola fide), making it clear that works (deeds) cannot save us. This blunt affirmation comes from a misunderstanding of St. Paul and from a misunderstanding of faith, as if faith consisted only in saying “I believe”. The proclamation by mouth is essential, but true faith implies attitudes and actions that show the truthfulness of that faith. Faith implies that the whole person turns to God and leans upon him, sure that only in him can be found life and salvation. Faith implies the recognition of our sinfulness, which goes together with a total acceptance of his merciful love. This faith gives a new orientation to life and demands conversion, in which we become Jesus’ disciples and walk on his footsteps. Faith leads us to a daily effort to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Saved by faith alone simply means that we cannot save ourselves, no matter how good we are. Salvation is a gift from God, who in his love adopts us as his children. To the Ephesians, Paul wrote: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ep 2:8-9). We cannot boast, and we cannot put a claim on God, but our life, being touched by God, is changed, and that change appears in our daily behaviour; if it does not, then our faith is no more than a lie, and we are cheating ourselves.

St. James puts it very clear that there is no true faith without the deeds that manifest the presence of that faith:

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?” “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”

“But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.”

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”. (James 2:14, 17-18, 24).

"Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit"
(Jn 15:2)

Jesus told his followers that we can know the true prophets by their fruits (Mt 7:20). And we must realise that James warning comes in line with Jesus’ warning, when he said: 

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” (Mt 7:21-23).

For many Christians, faith is a question of words and of empty traditions, with very little impact on their own lives and much less on the society which they live in. We are no more the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Being so, we have become useless, and God will throw us away.

All of us are in need of renewed commitment to walk with Jesus Christ and give witness to him. May the Spirit guide us and strengthen us to be true disciples of Jesus, and so having a transforming impact on the world.