Thursday, 15 October 2015

James 2:20-26

아, 어리석은 사람이여, 그대는 행함이 없는 믿음은 쓸모가 없다는 것을 알고 싶습니까?우리 조상 아브라함이 자기 아들 이삭을 제단에 바치고서 행함으로 의롭게 된 것이 아닙니까? 그대가 보는 대로 믿음이 그의 행함과 함께 작용을 한 것입니다. 그러므로 행함으로 믿음이 완전하게 되었습니다. 그래서 "아브라함이 하나님을 믿으니, 하나님께서 그것을 아브라함의 의로움으로 여기셨다"고 한 성경 말씀이 이루어졌고, 또 사람들이 그를 하나님의 벗이라고 불렀습니다. 여러분이 아는 대로, 사람은 행함으로 의롭게 되는 것이지, 믿음으로만 되는 것이 아닙니다. 창녀 라합도 정탐꾼들을 접대하여 다른 길로 내보내서, 행함으로 의롭게 된 것이 아닙니까?영혼이 없는 몸이 죽은 것과 같이, 행함이 없는 믿음은 죽은 것입니다.You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 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. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 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?As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

1 comment:

Won-Min Lee said...

Indeed, our faith and our actions have to work together in order for our faith to be alive and to be made complete. If we just verbally express our faith and don't show any action, then it means that our faith is inapplicable and not being led by the Holy Spirit. It's always a "chicken or egg question" when it comes to faith and deeds/actions. Surely, God has to give us the heart and direction through His spirit, but we have to be ready and available to step up and act when opportunities arise. Therefore, we have to remain spiritually awake in the Lord and have to pray for His spirit to pour out on us. Amen!