The Concept of Faith and Works

This is a tough idea to take in (least for me) for not only today,

but also with yesterday's devotionals.  I'll try my best to

portray my thoughts in a clear and hopefully right way in terms

of what is said in Scripture.

Expositing the text James 2, I realized this is an enriching

chapter that really hurts my head, trying to find what it is

trying to say.  I feel that the concept isn't hard, but the

application is.  What James 2 states that salvation from grace

by faith leads to the necessary result of works.  I believe that

that is true, but a question instantly pops up about legalism.

As being incompetent about the knowledge of legalism, what I

think of legalism is doing a spiritual act with the knowledge that

that will save the person committing the action.  We definitely

would not want to fall into that, but it's been an issue in my mind.

I believe and understand that we are not exempt from being an

instrument to God's sovereign plan.  In fact, I feel it's ridiculous

for us to pray to God to save someone we know, but not to take

actions about our prayer.  One might ask: "Don't you have faith in

what God can do?"  That is not the issue that needs to be address,

for I do have faith that God has the power to do anything.  The fact

is that faith in what God can do will lead us to take action.  While we

pray for the unsaved, we have to go to and seize the opportunities

given by God to share our faith.  The Gospel has the saving powers,

and we are instruments of God's plan.

This makes total sense, but I feel it is a bit difficult to apply.  Maybe

because we are comfortable of believing that God will do all the work

(that sounds more like idleness to me).  Whatever the reason, I know

I struggle to apply this in my life.  It's difficult and it hurts my head

thinking about this rather simple truth.