Faith and Works

THIS SUNDAY AT VXV: In the book of James, we read that faith without works is dead. Yet, in his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NASB). So how do we reconcile this in our hearts? Which one is right? James or Paul? Well, they both are! Let us not make the mistake of thinking there are competing truths in the Word of God, but rather, let us understand these verses as the complimentary truths that they are. Paul is speaking of the ROOT of salvation, while James is speaking of the FRUIT of salvation. One is a free gift, while the other is the evidence OF that gift in the life of the believer. Join us this Sunday, as we take a 1-week break from the book of Hebrews to explore this area of faith and works within the book of James. Not only will we gain a proper, Biblical understanding of the role of works in the life of the believer, but we will come to understand that God has designed it in such a way that we would experience ever-increasing levels of joy, flourishing, and delight to the GLORY of HIS GREAT NAME! Get your Word on!