I am about to start the Insanity workout program. I usually like to lift but have no time for that lately and I cannot seem to get rid of some weight that just seems to hang out. I have been doing some light workouts in the morning nothing amazing but enough to not lose too much strength. So I decided I would give Insanity a try.

I watched the commercial, read real reviews online and it looks legit. So at this point I have no reason not to believe the program will work for busting out some fat loss. I have a small amount of faith in the program, but to really build that faith in the program up I am going to need to actually work it out.

That is what James is talking about in James 2:24 “You see then that a man is justified by works, not faith alone.” James is writing to Jewish believers specifically according to verse 1. And while I am not positive I get the feeling some of them took their new found liberty to the wrong place. I get the feeling they were so happy to be freed from a works based system decided they needed to do nothing anymore. That is shown in 2:15-16 when he says if you send someone away who is naked and cold, saying bless you and go in warmth and peace but do not give them anything to be warmed or clothed then you have done nothing.

It is a lot like the talk that goes on nowadays from Christians about this problem and that problem. Most times you can hear a hundred “solutions” but little to no action of any sorts. If prayer is mentioned it is only in word and little actual praying is done (a generalization of course). I have done this and am as guilty as any other. If we talk about the homeless problem but do nothing we have done nothing, if we talk about sex trafficking and do nothing then we have done nothing and so on. Now to be clear I am not talking about “raising awareness” which is done to the masses on FaceBook and Twitter because there is a time for that. But would it not be better if we raised awareness while acting?

I know we cannot be active in every area that needs it but if you are known for working with young pregnant women in need and mention something to raise awareness about homelessness then I am more likely to hear you then if you are only known for raising awareness.

James is talking about your faith causing action. He uses the story of Abraham and Isaac to show this by showing that Abraham’s belief caused action. It was not just a belief that did nothing it was a belief that acted out of the belief.

It is the same way with our faith. I believe Jesus died on a cross and took my sin and shame. That belief is the reason I am who I am today and not who I was before. But my belief in that has changed my behaviour and actions so that now I work because of the change not in order to have that change.

One last thing I think helps is two words in verse 22 of chapter 2. It says “Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works was made perfect.” The words working together is actually one word in the Greek. The word is sunergeo where we get the words synergy or synergism, and it basically means a partnership where both benefit.

When you believe in God’s promises and finished work you have faith, and then when you do a work because of that faith you get more faith and can now do a greater (or more) work which in turn gives you a greater faith. It is a beautiful thing.

Now a word of caution. Do not by any means attempt to earn salvation, favor, or merit from God. No amount of helping the poor, feeding the homeless, clothing the naked, sharing Facebook statuses will get you in with God. Check your motives every time because you will likely start to work and feel like God should have blessed you because you did X, Y, or Z. But it does not work that way because your best work is still pretty lame to be honest.

Just a thought,

Mike