James III

 someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:18 ESV)

Teamwork

On the bus rides back from out-of-town football games, we would argue about whether defense is more important than offense.  It was a silly argument because clearly both are necessary factors in a football strategy.  Sometimes offense carries more weight.  Sometimes defense carries more weight.

But they are both football.

Similarly, both faith and works are part of our Christian life.  We need both.  We do both.  We have both.  We express both.

But one is not superior to the other.  One is not ‘more’ than the other.

Christians have faith.  Christians have works.

They work together, like a team.