“….faith without works is dead” James 2:20
Just how does faith cooperate with works to produce the desired effect? Several years ago (how many years I will leave to your imagination) I entered the United State Navy with the desire (faith) to become a Navy SEAL. However, I soon realized that my faith was overpowered by the work required and my vision of becoming one the Navy’s greatest divers faded away. Faith without works is dead! The same is true with martial artist. If anyone has the faith to become a black belt he or she must work very hard to make that desire a reality. Hard work proves that faith is real. In the Scripture text, James the half brother of Jesus declares “show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works.” May we never forget, that for Christians, sitting on the sidelines of the faith is not an option. Genuine faith is seen by continuing to work toward the goal of becoming like Jesus. For the martial artist genuine faith is seen by continuing to work toward the goal of becoming a better student of the art.
What action steps can I take toward making my faith and works one and the same?
-Sensei