“这样，信心若没有行为就是死的。” – 雅 2:17
“金发姑娘和三只熊”讲述了一个在森林里迷了路的女孩的童话故事。女孩偶然发现了三只熊的屋子，她进入它们的家、吃了它们的粥、坐在它们的椅子上、又在其中一张床上睡着了。这个童话是受到小孩子和全家都喜爱的有趣故事，它更是帮助我们解决了基督教信仰中的一项争议。
许多个世纪以来，基督徒都在仔细考察恩典、信心、和行为的关系、以及它们与救恩的关连。在以弗所书 2:8-9中，保罗教导说，我们得救是本乎恩，也因着信，但并不是出于行为。然而，雅各却说：“人称义是因着行为，不是单因着信”（雅各书 2:24）。批判基督教的人说，这些经文显明圣经充满自相矛盾的地方，所以是不可靠的。
但是，雅各的论点指出，圣经和基督教有可以会成为一个只存在头脑里、却不在心里的故事。就像那个金发姑娘的样子，它教导我们良善的功课、但它却缺少了真正塑造生命的能力。认识神是我们生命的主，从这个观念在我们的头脑中存在、进而被我们的心灵所拥抱，这时的信心，才是真实、活泼、和拯救生命的信心。当我们得到这份真正的信心的礼物时，神的灵便藉以改变了我们，我们的生命也开始结出圣灵果子的善行了。
祷告
主啊，求你叫我们的脑袋充满对你的认识，更求你以你的同在充满我们的内心、并在我们生命中结出蒙你喜悦的果子。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。
以弗所书 2:1-10
1你们死在过犯罪恶之中，他叫你们活过来。
2那时你们在其中行事为人，随从今世的风俗，顺服空中掌权者的首领，就是现今在悖逆之子心中运行的邪灵。
3我们从前也都在他们中间，放纵肉体的私欲，随着肉体和心中所喜好的去行，本为可怒之子，和别人一样。
4然而，神既有丰富的怜悯，因他爱我们的大爱，
5当我们死在过犯中的时候，便叫我们与基督一同活过来。你们得救是本乎恩。
6他又叫我们与基督耶稣一同复活，一同坐在天上，
7要将他极丰富的恩典，就是他在基督耶稣里向我们所施的恩慈，显明给后来的世代看。
8你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信。这并不是出于自己，乃是神所赐的；
9也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。
10我们原是他的工作，在基督耶稣里造成的，为要叫我们行善，就是神所预备叫我们行的。
Faith Leads To Action
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” – James 2:17
“Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is a fairy tale about a girl who got lost in the woods. She stumbled across the house of three bears. She entered their home, ate their porridge, sat in their chairs, and fell asleep on one of their beds. Not only is this a fun story for children and families, but it can help us resolve one of the tensions in the Christian faith.
For centuries Christians have been pondering the relationship between grace, faith, and works and how they relate to salvation. In Ephesians 2:8-9 Paul teaches that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. However, James writes, “A person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). Critics of Christianity say these passages show that the Bible is full of contradictions and cannot be trusted.
But the point James is making is that the Bible and Christianity can be like a story that comes alive only in the mind but not in the heart. Like the story of Goldilocks, it has good lessons but lacks the power to truly change lives. Only when God moves from being known in our minds to being embraced in our hearts as Lord does faith become true, living, and saving. When the gift of true faith is present, God’s Spirit changes us, and our lives begin to produce the good works of the fruit of the Spirit!
Prayer
Lord, fill our minds with your knowledge, but also fill our hearts with your presence and produce in us fruit that is pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
