Simon Greenleaf (1783-1853), one of the principle founders of Harvard Law School is the author of the classic “Treatise on the Law of Evidence.” Greenleaf also endeavored to disprove the biblical testimony concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was certain that a careful examination of the internal witness of the Gospels would dispel the ‘myths’ of Christianity. But this brilliant legal scholar came to the conclusion that the witnesses were reliable, and that the resurrection did in fact happen. Afterward, Greenleaf wrote “Testimony of the Evangelists” and served for many years as the president of the Massachusetts Bible Society.
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| Simon Greenleaf |
Evidence is important in legal proceedings and in how we proceed with our faith. In today’s text, James contrasts professed faith and faith in action. He comes to the conclusion that faith must manifest itself in action, otherwise it is dead. If a body has life, there will be evidence – warmth, breathing, a pulse, movement. Where there is no evidence commensurate with our testimony, no integrity of our walk with our talk, we have a corpse; a faith cadaver. The evidence is in our actions. Our deeds put the warmth and the breath and the pulse into our faith. Faith and deeds work together – faith informing the actions and the actions completing the faith. They are inseparable.
What sort of evidence are you setting before the world that demonstrates your faith and argues for the truth and acceptance of it? James refers to several exhibits we could produce as evidence of a living faith:
Exhibit A – Obedience. There are many imperatives in the Bible, a good many of them universal; applying not only to the original hearers, but to all who hear them. We can approach these commands as opportunities to demonstrate our faith. As James wrote earlier in the book, “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only.” If God’s Word constructs a platform that we say we trust, then we must go stand on it. Has He told us to pray, to study, to love, to make disciples? Then what are we waiting for? Exhibit obedience!
Exhibit B – Control of the Tongue. What picturesque speech James finds for the power of the tongue! It is a wild horse in need of taming. It is a small rudder that turns great ships. It is a spark that sets a whole forest ablaze. This power is exceptionally difficult to harness and control. But it must be attempted. Our tongue can reveal our faith in a holy and blessed God through wholesome and encouraging speech. As the Psalmist wrote, “May the words of my mouth … be acceptable in your sight, O Lord …” Ps. 19:14
Exhibit C – Humble Wisdom. The wisdom of the world supports the pursuits of envy and selfish ambition. But the Word says these will only produce disorder and all sorts of evil practices. The wisdom that is divine values humility and exhibits itself in purity, mercy, sincerity, and peacemaking. What sort of wisdom do we function with?
There is the old challenge, “If you were arrested and put on trial, accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Is there enough ‘deed’ in your life to show that your ‘faith’ is real? What is your Exhibit A?
Pray: Holy Lord, help me to complete my faith by living it out, demonstrating each point of my theology with a solid action. Help me with my integrity. Save me from hypocrisy. Grant my faith a warm glow, a deep breath, and a steady pulse.
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