Biblios Hokku - James

Ah, James.  I am a huge fan of his work.  I have designed and presented bible studies on this book on more than one occasion.  James is a pretty straight-forward kind of guy, and doesn’t beat about the bush.  Take for example James 2:19 “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”

James is probably most famous for raising the whole question of faith vs. works, and his claims that faith without works is dead.  I think we often get tied up on that section, and look too much at the charity argument.  But this passage was not about being charitable, or caring for the less fortunate.  James was trying to tell us that….

JAMES
To grow in spirit;
Your belief is not enough.
Faith needs deeds to live.

Our deeds are what make our belief into faith, what gives life to our faith, because the two are in fact one.  Like body and spirit, we cannot have one without the other.

At least that’s what this FISH believes.

For the complete Biblios Hokku, go read my other blog.  Or stay tuned for further poems.