信心与行为
信心和行为 (善行、顺服)如何调和在一起呢？当认识到救恩完全是神白白的礼物，其中包括了承认耶稣为救主所需的信心时，改教家们不免对雅各有关信心和行为的教导感到困惑。
有段日子，马丁路德对“唯独靠着信心称义”坚定不移，以至于他怀疑雅各书是否属于圣经，因为它太强调行为和信心了。但一些改教家主张感恩的行为是重要的，它是信心的表现，也是揭示假冒为善的明证。他们认为雅各所传达的，是从神而来、清晰而有权威的信息。
或许这样会容易明白一点，正如有人说过：“信心是顺服的开始，而顺服是信心的实现。”这正和以弗所书 2:10相呼应。在那里，保罗指出我们得救是本乎恩，也因着信。接着他又说，我们是“在基督耶稣里造成的，为要叫我们行善。”换句话说，圣灵引领我们相信慈爱的神，这工作会产生一个自然结果，便是我们会以感恩回应神，并向他人分享神的爱。因此，善行是信心的自然结果。
感恩的行为和顺服的心，也可以是我们作为基督跟随者成长的标记。最近，你又是以何种方式显明神的爱呢？
父啊，祢已经在耶稣里赐给我们救恩。求祢帮助我们也常常向他人显明祢的爱，分享祢的福音。奉耶稣的名求，阿们。
雅各书 2:14-26
14我的弟兄们，若有人说自己有信心，却没有行为，有什么益处呢？这信心能救他吗？
15若是弟兄或是姊妹，赤身露体，又缺了日用的饮食；
16你们中间有人对他们说：“平平安安地去吧！愿你们穿得暖，吃得饱”，却不给他们身体所需用的，这有什么益处呢？
17这样，信心若没有行为就是死的。
18必有人说：“你有信心，我有行为；你将你没有行为的信心指给我看，我便藉着我的行为，将我的信心指给你看。”
19你信神只有一位，你信的不错；鬼魔也信，却是战惊。
20虚浮的人哪，你愿意知道没有行为的信心是死的吗？
21我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕把他儿子以撒献在坛上，岂不是因行为称义吗？
22可见，信心是与他的行为并行，而且信心因着行为才得成全。
23这就应验经上所说：“亚伯拉罕信神，这就算为他的义。”他又得称为神的朋友。
24这样看来，人称义是因着行为，不是单因着信。
25妓女喇合接待使者，又放他们从别的路上出去，不也是一样因行为称义吗？
26身体没有灵魂是死的，信心没有行为也是死的。
Faith And Actions
"Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." — James 2:17
How do faith and actions (good works, obedience) fit together? While recognizing that salvation is completely a gift from God, including the faith necessary for believing in Jesus as Savior, the Reformers were sometimes troubled by James's teaching about faith and actions.
For a while, Martin Luther was so adamant about justification through faith alone that he doubted the book of James even belonged in the Bible because of its emphasis on actions and faith. But other Reformers maintained that the importance of grateful actions as a demonstration of faith and a proof against hypocrisy show that James delivers a clear and authoritative word from God.
Perhaps it can help to say, as some have said, "Faith is the beginning of obedience, and obedience is the completion of faith." That resonates with Ephesians 2:10, where Paul, after teaching that we are saved by grace through faith, adds that we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works." In other words, a natural result of the Spirit's work to bring us to faith in the loving God is to respond by showing thanks to God and by sharing his love with others. So good works are a natural outcome of faith.
Thankful works and obedience can also be a helpful indicator of our growth as Christ followers. In what ways are you showing God's love lately?
Father, you have provided for our salvation in Jesus. Please help us also to show your love and share your good news with others always. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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