day no. 14,524: belief is a busy thing

"Oh, it is a living, busy, active, mighty thing, this faith" - Martin Luther

Paul and James are not reaching contradictory conclusions. They are asking different questions. Paul's question is, "What saves?" which he answers by saying, "grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone." James' question is, "What is faith?" which he answers by saying, "living faith is active in good works." Paul and James are not in disagreement. James' letter was written first and sought to qualify what this "faith" that saves actually is. Paul pens his letter to the Galatians reaffirming Habakkuk's declaration that "the righteous will live by faith." Not just that their livelihoods would be shaped by faith, but that their lives would be saved by faith alone. The council in Jerusalem in Acts 15 is called to address the controversy that erupts in response. James is present at the head of the proceedings that result in the validation of Paul's message, the one true Gospel. James was not won over by Paul's argument, James already held the same position. The council was not James against Paul, it was James and Paul against those who would add to Christ's perfectly completed work of dying for our sins and living for our righteousness. Thus, over a thousand years later, Luther says that belief is a busy thing. Faith looks like something. It works. Both in the sense that it employs itself for God's glory in obeying God's commands and in the sense that it effectually accomplishes its intended aim, it hits its target every time. Faith works. It is sufficient to save. It is busy in its belief.