You will likely recall my use of this personal example before, but it is one that is worthy of repetition. Early on in our marriage, I fell into the habit of continually telling my new bride how much I loved her—like 15-20 times a day! Not that those words were unappreciated, but at some point Gloria finally said: “I know that you love me, but about you show it by helping with the dishes!” The moral of the story, one that I have remembered well, is that profession apart from practice is not very helpful. I could easily and without much sacrifice or investment say the words, but what really counted was not just saying them, but authenticating them by action. Hence, you will often find me at the sink in the evening doing dishes!! James illustrates much the same in our text this week for our “Real Faith—Real Life” series in 2:14-26 where he takes on the question of faith and works. As we delve into this text, by God’s grace, we will discover that although faith alone saves, saving faith is never alone.
The Canoe of Faith Needs Two Paddles!
