God “pours out his love in our hearts” (Rom. 5:5) through the Holy Spirit that God has given us. The love of God who saves us and takes care of us is not love for our exclusive consumption, however. This love takes hold of us, presses us towards others, invites us to love others just as Jesus himself loved us.
Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth (or“ in action and with authenticity”). (1 Jn. 3:18)
It is not our religious practices that will demonstrate the presence of Jesus in us, but his love manifested in our acts of kindness.
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (Jas. 2:15-17)
According to James, faith is meaningless if it does not translate into action, it is dead. And the acts of which James speaks are not religious practices, but provision for the needs of the most deprived. In ancient times, physical needs were at the forefront, whereas today, thanks to advances in medicine and public insurance, the needs of belonging and sense, mental and relational health have become more pressing.
(excerpt from "Church Without Walls" by Eric Zander - soon to be published in English)
Comments