What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. [James 2:14-17 (ESV)]
Jeopardy introduced me to the word “performative” but, in an article about how scandals are hurting organized religion, the New York Times introduced me to another new word, “orthopraxy.” While “orthodoxy” means correct belief, doctrine, or teaching, “orthopraxy” has to do with correct practice, behavior, or action. Orthodoxy says, “Hear my words!” but orthopraxy says, “Watch my behavior!” With the flood of scandals throughout the Christian church, it’s easy to point our fingers at the disgraced Christian celebrities, megachurch pastors, and Roman Catholic priests whose orthodoxy didn’t match their orthopraxy—people who espoused devotion to God and adherence to His word while disregarding it in their own lives. Let’s remember, however, that whenever we point a finger at someone, three other fingers point at us! Although the Times article was about the disconnect between orthodoxy and orthopraxy in the church at large, there’s often a disconnect between the two in our personal lives, as well.
As a Christ follower, correct doctrine or belief must come first; nevertheless, that doctrine should lead to correct behavior! In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul spends the first eleven chapters focusing on theology—the message of the Gospel. Paul, however, doesn’t stop at correct belief or orthodoxy. In chapter 12, he transitions to the application or orthopraxy of that belief or doctrine. Paul does the same thing in his letter to the Ephesians. The first three chapters highlight doctrine and emphasize that we are saved by God’s grace through our faith rather than works [2:8-9]. Then the Apostle continues by telling his readers how to put that doctrine into practice. He urges them to “lead a life worthy of your calling,” by being humble, gentle, united, patient with one another, making allowances for each other’s faults, and by binding themselves “together in peace.” [4:2-3]
Making it clear that orthodoxy and orthopraxy are two sides of the same coin, Paul told Titus to “insist on these teachings (orthodoxy) so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good (orthopraxy).” [3:8] James makes the same point when he asks, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” Just as a Christian’s belief or doctrine should lead to walking as did Christ, the believers’ actions or “works” are evidence of his belief in that doctrine!
While we tend to think of “works” as good deeds, orthopraxy is more than writing a check to a charity, teaching Sunday school, or helping at the food pantry. Our works are the way we conduct ourselves every moment of every day. It’s the way we demonstrate the integrity, goodness, honesty, truth, peace, love, patience, compassion, generosity, self-control, and forgiveness that should be the result of our faith or orthodoxy. Our secular behavior—the way we do our work, vote, compete, negotiate a contract, accept criticism, disagree, serve, talk with (or about) other people, spend our money, and use our leisure time is our orthopraxy. We can’t have one without the other!
For a Christian, correct belief must come first but, out of that belief, correct conduct must follow. Although we are saved by faith and not works, God’s purpose in saving us is so we’ll do good works. Our problem as Christians isn’t that we don’t know what to do—the problem is that we do know what to do but we often fail to do it!
In the category of “Newer Words,” the night’s Final Jeopardy clue was, “Philosopher’s use it for language that accompanies an action, like ‘I dub thee knight’; it also means done for show or signal.” The correct response was “performative.” A new word to me, I encountered it again the following day in an article by Rich Villodas about “performative spirituality.” After asking, ”If a good deed is not posted on social media, did it really happen?” Villodas continued with another rhetorical question, “If an act of generosity is not caught on camera and never goes viral, was it a worthwhile gesture?”
I was married fifty-seven years ago today. When I promised to love, comfort, honor, cherish, forsake all others, and to have and to hold my husband “for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health” until we parted at death, I had no idea just how bad “for worse” could get, how little money “for poorer” might be, or that sickness could mean much more than a case of the flu. I certainly never pictured us growing old with wrinkles, white hair, hearing aids, bifocals, arthritis, and the limitations that come advanced years.
On June 19, Louisiana’s Governor Jeff Landry signed legislation requiring all public K-12 classrooms and state-funded universities to display a poster-sized version of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in every classroom next year. As expected, a lawsuit has been filed to block what some say is an unconstitutional requirement. I’ll leave the arguments about civil liberties and constitutional law to the lawyers and courts; Louisiana’s law is troubling for other reasons.
Described as a “preaching genius…like no other preacher you have ever heard,” the late Rev. Fred Craddock was well-known for including stories in his sermons. He told one that took place during the early 60s in a diner in the deep South. Although the white Craddock sat in a booth and was served with courtesy and consideration, he silently watched the diner’s manager treat a Black man at the counter with rudeness, disdain, and open contempt. Although offended by the man’s racist behavior, Craddock remained silent. It was when he walked out of the diner after finishing his meal that the preacher heard a rooster crow. A signal of his betrayal, the crowing told the preacher that, by ignoring one of the “least of these”, he’d ignored Jesus! His silence was as much a betrayal of the Lord as were Peter’s denials!
Having previously warned people that not everyone who claimed to follow Him would enter the Kingdom, Jesus told the Parable of the Sheep and Goats in which He likened the last judgment to a king separating the sheep from the goats at the end of the day. Placing the sheep to His right and the goats to His left, the King invites the sheep into the Kingdom. The reasoning behind His selection is disarmingly simple: “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” [Matthew 25:35-36] Having failed to do those things, the goats are sent into eternal punishment.
Devotions of the Heart 