Asparagus and faith

Martin Luther did not much like the book of James, because James said, "Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." Luther taught that faith itself is sufficient to save a person, without any works. And saving faith is a gift from God.

Luther had it on good authority, because Paul said this: " For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

So where does James get this idea that faith must be proven by works, and calling faith "my faith?"

Several weeks ago my asparagus patch looked like an anonymous plot of untilled dirt. Nothing but weeds and tufts of grass. True to form, I worried whether any asparagus would come.

Now many stalks point upwards like triumphant fingers, reminding me to look up and not down. Like previous years, we're going to have to give some asparagus away; there is too much of it just to keep to ourselves.

My asparagus came from the life that was in that land all along.

Faith characterizes the life from above; it is an essential ingredient of it. Once it is in you, of course it is "yours," because your life is yours. Go ahead and call it "my faith." God is generous and has no problem with you doing so.

When my kids were young any allowance I gave them was "their money." Of course it was their money. I would call it their money too.

So go your way, look to God the author and finisher of faith, and "your" faith will make you whole.

Logos2Go

James 2.18 But 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.

Ephesians 2.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God...

Romans 3.18 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Romans 5.1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2.16 ... yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith OF Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Note: In Galatians 2.16 the OF Christ is usually translated faith IN Christ. But this is not what the original says. The original says "in order to be justified by faith OF Christ and not by works of the law ..."

Luke 17.12-19 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him-and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

Hebrews 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ... (KJV)