In the recent years, Various interesting research programmes have been conducted in universities and other research institutes to find out phytochemicals that are present in specific plants.
Phytochemistry is an areas that needs not be underestimated in the development of medicinal structures today in Africa and the world entirely. Being rich in various plant species, Africa has a very big potential to stand out independently in the field of medicinal research that can undoubtedly be successful looking at the expartise that it already has in different traditional ans university institutions.
The benefits of the studies are not a point to argue about particularly for Africa. Africa will lessen the burden of importing medicines from elsewhere when it has all the botanic resources required. What needs to be done is to ammasse the rest of the latest technological equipment that others are using elsewhere to help in the effectiveness of the business.
It is a matter of urgency for African govenments to consider putting in full political will in the field of medicinal research to see it being relieved of any handicaps in medicinal development.
Phytochemicals are what may bring a great revolution in the field of medicinal research.
Look out for more on phytochemical analysis.....
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
A Public Health view on Addictions
Addicts, People with ‘special needs’
By Andrew Glory Mtewa
Published In The nation newspaper of the 25th January, 2010, one of the leading
I have for some time now been interested in studying things by observations that are heavy loads on the lives of human beings. All over the world, people are vulnerable to different kinds of diseases and hardships that regress development of their own, siblings, communities and ultimately their entire countries. These, I like to call, heavy loads on man kind. Some of these loads are deliberately infringed upon oneself and others come as inevitables over which we hardly have any control. They both are misfortunes over nations.
Whilst many people in the world have times to celebrate ‘freedom days’, there is another group, common in Africa, Europe,
Of a particular interest, Addictions, things that when frequented, cling to a part of life that I can not easily describe in simple terms. As if glued with adhesives to the schematic framework of life. They find a place, they get settled, they become unruly and consequently, they control the whole life of an individual. The individual in this case is said to have been addicted to an activity or anything else which I’ll call an object.
Addictions are not addictions as they get invited into lives. They look very innocent, dressed in an appealing outlook and they are cunning. They are activities which most people just call habits at first, just some bad habits, but when nurtured, defended, justified, hidden and retained in a span of time, they change and become ruthless and ugly in outlook. The individual becomes a prisoner of such. They are caught in a life that is ruled by objects and they have no control over their own lives.
This is a hell picture of a life, where one is literally forced by the in-planted addiction to go on it over and over. A friend once told me how hard pornography had gripped his life. He tried to quit this ‘habit’ his ability could not just support him to the point of his need. Freedom! He tried for months until he gave up and went back to that life again but still with no peace, no freedom.
People are forced to go spend the whole day drinking beer, every evening whether they have food at home or not. They may be crying over their shackled life when they are sober, but they realize they are in it again. They feel they can’t live without.
Today, there are people living imprisoned in their day to day lives. Respectable bosses go to work with chains in their lives. Some are forced to take a glass of beer before they start the day’s work. Others disturb the whole house at midnight going to the bathroom or outside to smoke just a single cigar. People scorn at you after you have cleaned their rooms in their absence sometimes because they are afraid you are about to discover their pornographic books and videos.
The victims feel the urge inside of them to break loose, but they just do not manage to come out of the prisons.
Such chains of life rob the victims of their money, peace, joy, confidence of breaking out, their families and most painfully, they lose their souls. They know it though most people hide they are lacking. There was a man who died in his bedroom at one of the places I’ve been raised up in because of drug overdose. He lost his top ranking job, family and life.
In the absence of addiction objects, families crumble, communication is a mess, leaving victims with down moods, harsh and as ruthless to others as the ‘objects’ are to them. They live lives of regrets, fear of getting discovered and are always in hiding. Their whole dependency is on the ‘objects’. They convince themselves that they can not do a sound job unless they get to the object. They later on think they are too much messed up already and continue with this placeless life.
Addictions are not only an indoor issue, I realized that it has a lot of negative impacts on the nation, particularly in the developing world like Chad, Vietnam, Malawi, Somalia, others.
People in work places lack concentration to work related matters, governments and private sector bosses make poor decisions and judgments, workers are usually attacked by loss of memory and frequent diseases related to particular addictions at work which has left the countries regressing in development.
I feel it is good to treat people addicted to different stuff as sick people with special needs. I would recommend rehabilitation institutions be raised in our countries, to take care of these particular psychological cases at some defined periods, costly yes but worth it. Depending on the levels of the attack, different doses of counseling, and if necessary reformatory isolations can be provided to victims. The isolation part can work properly upon consensus with the individual if in a decision-making state or their relatives and work place managers. In doing this, governments in
All these people are needy of a common thing. Freedom! They are bound, some realize it whilst others are even fog-blinded. There is hope however to breakthrough. Don’t give up. Avoid opportunities that you know lead you to bow down to those ‘idols’ and find ‘check mates’ to help you check your life regularly. Your spouse can do this the best way. For example, if parties at night clubs makes you to get pinned down by addictions, let go of them. Remember, garbage in, garbage out. Human beings are made up of what they are most frequently taking in. Addictions should never be encouraged in any way but be mortified.
Some of the things that are reigning in chained people are nicotine, alcohol, lust, cannabis, cocaine, music genres, types of food, stories and sights among others.
Organizations and nations should be proactive in the fight against addictions rather than to wait and keep struggling with them when they attack. People need freedom. As policies on food, refugees and other matters like economy and security are given priority, let the issue of addiction come to table for consideration as well.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A concept in the states of matter
Slippery water on a glass tumbler
By Andrew Glory Mtewa
I have been doing it many times, it always worked but I did not realize a big concept was in motion. It maybe un like these days, particularly in my country,
I’ve tried filling up a glass tumbler with water from a refrigerator to a level close to half. Pressing a finger onto the surface of the tumbler with a considerable force, while making sure at the same time that the tumbler does not fall (use the other hand to hold the tumbler with an equal but opposing force to the one exerted by the finger)
Equal but opposing forces (arrows) from a sliding finger and a stationary hand supporting tumbler (middle)
Start sliding the finger downwards from the top. When the finger reaches the water level, the finger will ‘automatically’ slide at a higher speed than when it was at the upper region. The explanation below is what I am settled on but I would like more or better explanations from you about this concept.
The region below the water level is wet. The air that is circulating outside the tumbler is relatively at a higher temperature than the inner part of the tumbler. The air that is on the lower outside region gets condensed to water. These water molecules adhere to the surface of the tumbler, that’s why the tumbler is wet on this part. As the finger slides, water molecules make it easier, the water feels slippery, as they (molecules/ liquid state of matter) now slide on top of each other, from the property of having a lower density and spaces between them, unlike in the earlier situation where the finger (solid) and glass (solid) with too little of but dry air between, hardly lubricating machinery, moved with difficulty hence the low speed due to friction. At the bottom part, water molecules reduce friction between glass and the finger.
When I demonstrated this to a friend, he emphasised the tilting shape of the tumbler as it goes down (refer to the shape of tumbler I used when demonstrating to my friend on my lunch table at my work place in the diagram above). However, I know the same results are got regardless of the shape of the container used, I have now tried this several times with conscious at home.
I however do not wish to overlook the fact of shape. Shape is playing a big role as you can recall the ‘stream-line-ness’ effect of objects on friction. This I’m sure is one area where I still need contributions as to the magnitude of the effect of shape in this kind of thing.
This tumbler is an open system, It should be noted that due to imbalance in thermo equilibrium with the environment, the environment will be losing thermo energy to the system and it does not take a lot of time for this ‘water molecule sliding effect’ to cease once thermo equilibrium is reached.
What would you suggest it is all about?
Slippery water / on cold glass tumbler.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Encouragement from my fiancé
Glad to have thought of putting this on post. I do not know what impact our companions on average bring onto our moral, Christian and any life that we may say we have.
I have gained lots of courage many times from my fiancé Thoko (a short form for a Malawian name meaning, Thank, verb/plural).
This is just a special recognition to her that she keeps my heart looking towards Home where God is. Heaven is my home.
Where do we run to when we are crossed with seemingly immovable block situations?
Calling to Jesus (not an easy thing, requiring total trust in Him) makes the impossibles move.
Thoko, you reading this post?
I love you lots……
Friday, June 26, 2009
How To Be A Godly Employee
How To Be A Godly Employee
(based on the Ten Commandments) :
Sharing with you some great tips that a friend mailed to me freely
1. Trust in God only. Trust in no one but God. People will disappoint you. God created you and has a wonderful plan for your life. He is too good to do wrong, and too wise to make a mistake. Let His peace abide in you. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
2. Worship God Only. Don't make your career, your company, or your boss a god. If you do, you will provoke Him too jealously and will end up fighting Him. In fact, He may hinder you from achieving what you want until you are broken of the idolatry, (Exodus 20:5)
3. Use God's Name Reverently. Don't swear! Clean words come out of a clean heart! If your co-workers know that you are a Christian, but they hear the Lord's Name used in vain, or cursing and swearing from your mouth, you will give the appearance of being a hypocrite. (Matthew 15:17-19)
4. Work Six Days and Rest on the Seventh. Before you beg for more vacation time, ask yourself a few questions, 'Do you honor the Sabbath?' God has already given you 52 days of time that equates to seven weeks. 'Are your expectations for work, vacation, and retirement realistic? By resting one day a week, you can avoid burnout. (Genesis 3:17-19)
5. Respect and Obey Your Boss. You should respect and obey your boss, because you don't know what it's like to be in their shoes. Plus, your ultimate boss is the Lord. Serve Him faithfully on the job, and he will bless you. However, if your boss commands you to do something illegal or immoral, you must make a stand and obey God rather than man. (Ephesians 6: 5-8)
6. Protect and Respect Human Life. Emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual manipulation, abuses and violence have no place in the workplace...or any place. You do not have the right to use and abuse your boss, co-workers, employees, customers, or suppliers. ( 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2)
7. Be True to Your Spouse. If you are not getting the kind of attention that you feel you deserve at home, it's common to seek it with someone at work. Honor your wedding vows by avoiding company romances! They are very tempting, very real, and very common. They are also very wrong and very destructive. (Matthew 19:8-9)
8. Do Not Take What Belongs to Others. Stealing at work can take many forms. You can choose to steal materials, money, time, productivity, and joy from your employer and others. Do not remove your integrity by stealing. (II Corinthians 7:1-2)
9. Do Not Lie About Others. Do not fabricate stories about your boss, co-workers, and spread gossip for the sake of company politics. You are here to be the salt and the light, not the pepper and the darkness! Truth always rises to the surface, and eventually you will be ashamed and rebuked if you lie. (II Peter 2:10-13)
10. Be Satisfied With What You Have. Contentment doesn't mean that you cannot pursue God given goals, but it does mean that you are content with what He provided you with, day after day. Contentment is a rare quality in today's culture, but it is extremely liberating! Materialism, striving for rank, back stabbing, and discontent lead to emotional, mental, financial, and spiritual bondage. (I Timothy 6:-6-11)
Proverbs 3: 5-6
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Global media outreach team's extract
This is one of the extracts I receive from the Global media outreach...
| Are you a Christian? From Global media out reach How can you be sure you are a Christian? If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and asked forgiveness for your sins, you are a Christian. A Christian is not perfect, since in this life unfortunately we will not be perfect. You are not a Christian just because you go to church, although it is very good to go to church if you can. You are a Christian because you have accepted Christ as your savior All of us have sinned (we have done or said or thought things that are wrong.) The good news is that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, to pay the penalty that we deserve. So our choice is simple. Do we ask forgiveness for our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord? If so, that is what makes you a Christian. God wants to give you new life-- to be "born again." You can be sure you are a Christian on the authority of the Bible, which is inspired by God. The Bible says "As many as received Him (Christ), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." The Bible also says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Jesus is your Savior; He also must be your Lord. Lord means the one who is in charge, the king. So we should ask God to help us do what Jesu s says and follow Him. A weeks’ prayer petitions from Global media outreach
THANK YOU so much for your prayers. We so appreciate you. If you want to email one of our volunteers with any questions or to help make sure you are a Christian, you can just send an email to May God bless you, Your friends at |
| From global media outreach team This is an actual response received at one of our Web sites: "I have said the prayer and I'm not sure what to do next. What I do know is that I want Him in my life and I gladly hand it over to Him. I always felt like something was missing in my life and I realized it was Jesus...." P, |
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Home-made Science projects
Preparing for a Home-made Science Project
By Andrew Glory Mtewa
Interest, interest from within an individual is all one needs to do a science project at home. I feel it is far from our way of life just to want to be involved in some school stuff. If many think of getting back to that dusty science book on the shelves, it is like they have been yoked again to an anchor and forced to pull. Just wanted to joke about your misconception that science projects are only for school going kids.
Science projects are for the elderly, the youth, school going, business dudes, employees and home makers. I have afew ideas that I’ve seen make it going for one to do a science project at home.
From having an interest to do a science project at home, you need to develop an area of interest. For a home project, this needs to be simple and straightforward. Do not limit yourself at this stage as to having specific experiments in mind because at the mean time, your mind is flooded with a lot that you think you would like to do. You can be as wide as ‘home environment’ that would include geography, Agriculture, home chemistry (I’ve always enjoyed the kitchen one), just for example. It has taken me ages to narrow down to what I call my area of interest. In this case, I’m abit different from higher academic requirements maybe, for the sake of home feasibility.
Then you need to beef up your confidence that you will manage your path by telling yourself from time to time that you are able to do it. Call yourself names of what you feel you are to become. An engineer, a Chemist, an Agriculturist, etc. I’ve seen that searching for role models’ profiles in that area from books is one of the best ways you can take.
Next, narrow down your interests into several countable branches. This time, they are more defined and they need to be realistic in terms of time, home environment and availability of materials to be used. Choose one you can do at the moment.
Select suitable materials for this project. This should be done considering your available time, plan it all at this stage to avoid embarrassment of not finishing up a project. Simple glassware and chemicals will do.
Source your equipment and materials. This is not done in an easy go. Depending on your planned allocation and selection of materials, others may be locally found others need to be out-sourced. Ask friends who are knowledgeable about those materials. Go on the internet if necessary and possible. Take this bold step to ask for a quotation from your local suppliers. At first I thought individuals are not counted by suppliers but I got into one supplier’s who helped me as I needed.
This forces you to a new step: count your money. Science equipment is not cheap just as science itself is not. Budget properly, you have others to look after too. Your quotation will guide you properly. Don’t abuse materials or equipment from your workplace or schools just because you can. You will be at peace when you have your own.
Purchase your stuff, get proper procedures from relevant sources. Take NOTE all precautionary safety measures in the use of poisonous chemicals if any. Keep those out of kitchen.
You can now enjoy your science projects at home. If you keep on doing this, you will array all fears in your kids and siblings about science and physical science will never again be below B- for our future communities. Personally, you become more skilled than you would otherwise be in your Science undertakings. Look for people whom you think can help you advance in your home projects and be skilful enough to tap knowledge from them. So often, it works excellently when you humble yourself to the point of asking and doing hands-on jobs, mostly considered of low class. Don’t feel ashamed to put on your overall sometimes and lie under those shrubs just to get a proper piece of home project raw-material. In all this, let God reign supreme.
A little about alcohol
A little about alcohol
By Andrew G. Mtewa
Some time back I studied a lot about alcohol. I thought to share with you what I read, you may need it soon or later. I‘ve put down sources of the materials I consulted that contribute to this brief compilation. I hope to write an extended article on this some day.
I sent this to a few local friends so to see what their views about alcohol were. I got no reply from any of them. This is a very positive feedback to me as I realised the impact of such a small message to the masses/ SILENCE/ yes, it is some times much louder than a word in voice could be expected to be.
This was after I got a series of pictures showing two soldiers destroying different types / brands/ of alcoholic drinks in an E-mail called ‘mass murder of innocent spirits’. I was like wow! Can I not study a bit about the chemistry of these things / abit like a personal research into these/ so I can be in a position to stand on knowledgeable grounds? I remembered having about six or so books at home which could help me to come down to enough understanding of alcohol in high and low levels, beer and fermentations and all that stuff.
Great I also knew about drugs uses and abuses. Reminding me of one school assignment I wrote on adolescents’ alcohol and drug abuse in Psychology of Education. Then I did not have enough references and God was still good enough to help me enjoy that one and get a good grade in that assignment.
There are a lot of issues in the sources and I would recommend you read them when ever you get them.
I have listed them after the text below:
I will not look much at the hydroxyl groups’ identification or any thing to do with the academics about alcohol. If need arises, I might do that later. Here I write to give a hand of help to those people who believe more in what books other than the word of God say with facts that can convince them. The Bible speaks of ‘all drunkards being heading to hell/ having no place in heaven…’, it seems people are not soft hearted to the word of God. When scientists tell them to stop smoking or else…., they run up and down to find ways of coping up with the demanded change..
Alcohol
Alcohol is in different forms. The one that people drink is Ethanol at low concentrations. It is sometimes called Ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH), found in varying concentrations. Alcohol production is in two ways, either fermentation (as beer) or distillation (as whisky). Ethanol used in industries is mixed with methyl alcohol ( a highly toxic alcohol) to prevent people from drinking while on duty, I think this is a kind of one we are using in our lab at my work place.
Ethyl alcohol is a central nervous system depressant contrary to the opinion of many that it is a stimulant.
The Body breaks it down to acetaldehyde, then acetate, finally into carbon dioxide and water. It takes about 1 hr to load the digestive system with alcohol and about 10-12 hrs for it to be broken down then eliminated as water and carbon dioxide by exhalation and urination (passing water).
Calories (units of energy) provided by alcohol is called ‘empty calorie’ because it has no nutritional values (nutrition that may be found in fermented yeast + cereals, ie. Chibuku is not in alcohol but in the carbohydrates there in, as it is in porridge [Nsima*]).
Alcohol is Stored in body fat, hence the joking reference to beer drinkers’ belly.
It has anaesthetic + analgesic (pain relieve) props. When pain gets relieved, it means body cells are failing to respond.
It causes gradual destruction of cells of the cortex of the brain (outer surface) with shrinkage of the surface of the brain. Cells lost are never renewed. Only damaged cells get repaired/ renewed at a tender age.
It causes loss of control + reflex action due to that neuro-failure
It has affinity with nerve cells with a high lipid (fat) content. Higher concentrations are found in nervous tissues.
Ever got drunk? Ever experienced the psychological depression there of? And any guilt?
*Nsima: a staple food in my country,
Sources:
Mitchell C, Baildam E, Bull D,Clemonds A, Marshal D, (2003)Vibrant health in the 21st century, The stanborough press ltd,Grantham.
Donaldson, D (1998) Alcohol consumption worldwide-and the relationship with cancer, journal of the royal society for health, vol 118,No.2 page 75
Editorial (1991) heart disease and drink-the health message remains clear, Alcohol alert, Nov/Dec
Chang R, (2005) Chemistry, 8th edition: McGrawhill higher education,
Monday, June 15, 2009
Faith and works
5
What to do when faith doesn’t work
(James 2:14–26)
For as the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without works is dead also.
James Patterson and Peter Kim conducted a monumental survey that
resulted in The Day
the American people about many issues, including the relevance of
their religious belief. In a chapter entitled “Who Really Believes in God
Today?”
they wrote:
What is going on in congregations, parishes, and synagogues
across
God is alive and very well. But right now in
people are listening to what God has to say than ever before.
Ninety percent of the people we questioned said that
they truly believe in God. It would be the logical conclusion
then to think that God is a meaningful factor in
today’s
when we dug deeper with our questions.
In every single region of the country, when we asked
how people make up their minds on issues of right and
wrong, we found that they simply do not turn to God or
religion to help them decide about the seminal or moral
issues of the day.
For most people, religion plays virtually no role in
shaping their opinions on a long list of important public
questions. This is true even for questions that seem closely
related to religion: birth control, abortion, even teaching
creationism and the role of women in the clergy.
On not one of those questions did a majority of people
seek the guidance of religion in finding answers. Most
people do not even know their church’s position on the
important issues.…
Only one American in five ever consults a minister, a
priest, or a rabbi on everyday issues.
Half of us haven’t been to a religious service for a
minimum of three months. One in three haven’t been to a
religious service for more than a year.
More than half of us (58 percent) went to services
regularly while growing up, but less than half of those (27
percent) do so today.
Only one in ten of us believe in all of the Ten
Commandments. Forty percent of us believe in five or
fewer Commandments.1
Charles Colson sees the impact of this shallow faith reflected in our
churches today:
People flit about in search of what suits their taste at
the moment. It’s what some have called the “McChurch”
mentality. Today it might be McDonald’s for a Big Mac;
tomorrow it’s Wendy’s salad bar; or perhaps the wonderful
chicken sandwiches at Chick-fil-A.… Spiritual
consumers are interested not in what the church stands
for but in the fulfillment it can deliver.… The result is
an age of mix’em match’em, salad bar spirituality.2
Apparently there were also some in James’ day who spoke the language
of Christianity without reflecting the reality of its truth in their
lives. This section of his letter addresses that problem, and it is not the
first time that he has raised the issue:
His entire epistle consists of the tests of true faith, all of
which are the practical fruits of righteousness in the life of
a believer: perseverance in trials (1:1–12); obedience to the
Word (vv. 13–25); pure and undefiled religion (vv. 26–27);
impartiality (2:1–13); righteous works (vv. 14–26); control
of the tongue (3:1–12); true wisdom (vv. 13–18); hatred of
pride and worldliness (4:1–6); humility and submission to
God (vv. 7–17); and right behavior in the body of believers
(5:1–20).3
Faith and works are mentioned together ten times in the thirteen
verses of this section. James is about to set forth in very clear tones the
major premise of his letter. In his words “Faith without works is dead”
the whole of this epistle can be summarized. Faith that is not evidenced
by a life of integrity is not biblical faith at all. To James, works are not
“an added extra to faith, but an essential expression of it.”4
The lesson is clear: If we say we have faith, there needs to be some
evidence in our lives to back up our claim. The writer asks us to take a
look at some of the spurious kinds of faith so that we might be better
able to discern real faith—faith with integrity!
Real Faith Is More Than Verbal Affirmation
This is one of the most controversial texts in the New Testament. If it is
not carefully understood, it can lead to serious error in a most important
area of doctrine. In verse 14 and again in verse 16, James refers to what
people “say” about their faith. As he rejects the false say-so faith, he
points out several reasons for the failure of this verbal-affirmation faith.
Verbal Faith Does Not Save
James here uses two rhetorical questions to make his point. First,
he asks, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has
faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” In the case of
both of these questions, the expected answer is in the negative. A. T.
Robertson explains, “The question of James 2:14, introduced by the
Greek participle me, grammatically presumes a negative answer: ‘Can
that faith save him? Of course not!’”5
In other words, a faith that does not demonstrate its genuineness in
works is not genuine. A few verses later James writes, “For as the body
without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (2:26).
In this regard, John MacArthur is accurate when he concludes:
Not all faith is redemptive. James 2:14–26 says faith
without works is dead and cannot save. James describes
spurious faith as pure hypocrisy, mere cognitive assent,
devoid of any verifying works—no different from the
demons’ belief. Obviously, there is more to saving faith
than merely conceding a set of facts.6
James is simply saying that if one has been truly born anew, his
life will be changed. “James was addressing himself to the ever-present
conflict between mere assent to a creed and a vital faith which displays
itself in action.”7
The one thing that James and those close to Christ simply
could not accept was the idea that one could make a great
profession with words but produce no constructive action.
The watching world cannot accept such hypocrisy today
either.8
Part of the confusion over the second question in verse 14 results
from an inadequate translation in the King James Version of the New
Testament. When the scholars translated this verse, they chose to
ignore the Greek article in front of the word faith. In other words, the
question is not “Can faith save him?” but “Can that faith save him?”
James is not contradicting Paul and creating a new means of justification
before God. Here is his question:
“If a man says that he has faith and it is not demonstrated
through his works, can that kind of faith save him?”
Answer expected, “No.” He was not talking about faith
in general but about “the faith” which the person in his
illustration was claiming to possess.9
Alexander Maclaren makes a valid observation when he writes,
“The people who least live their creeds are … the people who shout the
loudest about them. The paralysis which affects the arms does not, in
these cases, interfere with the tongue.”10
Verbal Faith Does Not Serve
Because verbal faith is powerless to save, it is also incapable of
serving. Once again, James uses a stirring illustration to drive home
his point. He recites a little parable that many believe represented
a common occurrence in the early church. James asks his readers
to imagine a situation in which they are confronted by a Christian
brother or sister who is destitute of food and without adequate
clothing. This person shows up at the door of the believer asking
for help.
If, instead of helping the needy brother, the Christian says to
him, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” and does not give him
the things that he needs, that professing Christian has cast doubt
upon the integrity of his own faith. It is this point that the apostle
John makes in his first epistle, “But whoever has this world’s goods,
and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how
does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love
in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (3:17–18).
So if faith is not expressed in one’s lifestyle, then, according
to James, it may not be genuine faith. The following satire etched
James’ lesson into my heart. Perhaps it will have the same impact
on you:
I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club and
discussed my hunger.
I was imprisoned, and you crept off quietly to your
chapel in the cellar and prayed for my release.
I was naked, and in your mind you debated the morality
of my appearance.
I was sick, and you knelt and thanked God for your health.
I was homeless, and you preached to me the spiritual
shelter of the love of God.
I was lonely, and you left me alone to pray for me.
You seem so holy, so close to God, but I’m still very
hungry and lonely, and cold.11
The hungry man needs bread and the homeless man needs a roof;
the dispossessed need justice and the lonely need fellowship; the undisciplined
need order and the slave needs freedom. To allow the hungry man
to remain hungry would be blasphemy against God and one’s neighbor,
for what is nearest to God is precisely the need of one’s neighbor. It is
for the love of Christ, which belongs as much to the hungry man as to
myself, that I share my bread with him and that I share my home with
the homeless. If the hungry man does not attain faith, then the guilt
falls on those who refused him bread. To provide the hungry man with
bread is to prepare the way for the coming of grace.12
Verbal Faith Does Not Survive
James makes a very strong summary statement in verse 17 when
he writes that faith unaccompanied by works is dead. In other words,
it was never alive, and the lack of any fruit in the life is the proof of a
“profession only” faith. Adamson says, “Having form, this faith lacks
force. It is outwardly inoperative, because it is inwardly dead.”13 James
says that we have the right to see the evidence that one’s faith is genuine.
Jesus said the same thing:
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every
good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree
bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their
fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me,
“Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he
who does the will of My Father in heaven.
(Matt. 7:16–21)
Even Martin Luther, who is sometimes cited as an enemy of James’
teaching, wrote the following:
Oh, it is a living, quick, mighty thing, this faith.… It does
not ask whether good works are to be done, but before
the question could be asked it does them, and is always
doing them. He who does not these good works is a man
without faith.… Yea, it is impossible to separate works
from faith, as impossible to separate burning and shining
from fire.14
Before changing directions, James proposes one more hypothetical
situation. He imagines someone stepping forward with a liberal
approach to the entire issue and reasoning like this, “I know that you
are into works, but I’m more into faith. We are both all right … we
just have a different emphasis in our spiritual lives.” While this is a very
loose paraphrase, it is a very accurate representation of what this person
is saying.
Tasker says this unidentified speaker is suggesting that “one
Christian may claim the gift of faith and another the gift of performing
good works … that the two aspects can be divided and that each
position is legitimate.”15
James explodes in his reaction to such logic. He says, “Show me
your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my
works.” The New American Standard Bible translates this verse this
way: “You have faith and I have works. I can demonstrate my faith by
my works, but I challenge you to exhibit your faith without works.”
In effect, James says here: “You claim to have ‘faith’ and
I claim to have ‘works,’ actions, behavior. I can prove the
existence and quality of my ‘faith’ by my works (actions
and behavior) but I defy you to prove to me or any of
the rest of mankind the existence and or quality of your
faith. For I do not believe that without works, actions, and
behavior you can possibly have any genuine faith.”16
James is not arguing with the importance of faith in the Christian
experience, but he is attacking the validity of a “professed faith” that
produces no outward result in conduct.
Real Faith Is More Than Mental Assent
James’ second point about faith is this: Real faith is more than just
mental assent to a system of facts. He uses the demons as his example:
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons
believe—and tremble!”
According to James, there are no atheists among the demons. They
tremble and shudder and bristle when they think of the one true God.
Jesus encountered persons possessed by demons during His ministry
as did his disciples, and the demons always recognized Jesus’ deity
and spoke respectfully (Matt. 8:29; Mark 1:24; 5:7; Luke 8:28; Acts
16:17). They were sincere, but it was not enough!
In the story of the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1–10;
Luke 8:26–33), we have a clear illustration of such a faith
on the part of the demons. These malicious supernatural
spirits, engaged in seeking to possess and torment men,
readily confessed God’s existence and omnipotence;
further, they know that as such He is totally and consistently
their enemy. But their “faith” does not transform
their character and conduct or change their prospects for
the future. They establish the sad truth that “belief may
be orthodox, while character is evil.”17
William Barclay reminds us,
There is a belief which is purely intellectual. For
instance, I believe that the square on the hypotenuse of
a right-angled triangle equals the sum of the squares on
the other two sides; and if I had to, I could prove it—but
it makes no difference to my life and living. I accept
it, but it has no effect upon me.… There is another
kind of belief I believe that five and five make ten, and,
therefore, I will resolutely refuse to pay more than ten
pence for two fivepenny bars of chocolate. I take that
fact not only into my mind but into my life and action.
What James is arguing against is the first kind of belief,
the acceptance of a fact without allowing it to have any
influence upon life.18
No one illustrates the futility of mental-assent faith better than
John Wesley:
Before John Wesley was a believer, he was a clergyman
and a missionary who worked with all he had. He
memorized most of the Greek New Testament. He had
a disciplined devotional life. As a missionary to the
American Indians, he slept on the dirt to increase his
merit and hopefully be accepted by God. But then came
that celebrated day when he trusted in Christ alone
for his salvation. It was then that he began a worksfilled
life.… He preached in Saint Mary’s in
preached in the churches, he preached in the mines, he
preached in the streets, he preached on horseback. He
even preached on his father’s tombstone. John Wesley
preached 42,000 sermons. He averaged 4,500 miles a
year. He rode sixty to seventy miles a day and preached
three sermons a day on an average. When he was
eighty-three, he wrote in his diary, “I am a wonder to
myself. I am never tired, either with preaching, writing
or traveling.”19
Real Faith Is More Than a Positive Attitude
James continues to make his case that faith without action is useless.
There are many today who have defined faith as a “positive mental attitude.”
But faith is more than an attitude; faith is an action. According
to James, faith is made perfect by works. This is not a contradiction
of Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith. Manfred George Gutzke
integrates the concepts of faith and works when he writes:
Faith is significant only when it promotes action. Faith
without action is useless. This is the basic principle for
everything everywhere, and it is true in every case. It
would be true in the matter of farming. It would be true in
the matter of insuring a home. It would be true in the matter
of conducting a business. If we say that we have faith
in anything and we do nothing about it, our faith does not
amount to a thing. Faith without action is useless.20
Now James appeals to two well-known Old Testament personalities:
Abraham the patriarch and Rahab the prostitute.
Abraham the Patriarch
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he
offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith
was working together with his works, and by works faith
was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which
says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him
for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by
faith only. (James 2:21–24)
Abraham was the most powerful example that James could have
chosen. Father Abraham was revered as a man of faith who enjoyed a
close relationship with God. Nothing would be considered legitimate
truth that was contradicted by Abraham’s experience. In Genesis 15
we read of God’s promise to the patriarch concerning his future and a
son. Showing him the stars of the heavens, God told him that his seed
would be as numerous. And Genesis 15:6, quoted by James, says, “And
he believed in the Lord, and he accounted it to him for righteousness.”
That was the first use of the word believe in the Bible!
Abraham demonstrates that we are justified by faith alone. But our
faith is never alone, for it is always accompanied by works. When he was
told by God to take the son of promise, Isaac, and go to
and there sacrifice him upon the altar, Abraham did what God told him
to do! How did he do this? And why is he so honored for doing it?
In his life, Abraham had shown trust and confidence in
God by traveling to the promised land, waiting decades
for his promised son, Isaac, and finally demonstrating his
obedience by being willing to sacrifice him. The supreme
test was not so much in his traveling or waiting but in
preparing to sacrifice Isaac. Killing his own son meant that
the promise would end. But as the writer of Hebrews sums
it up, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead,
and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from
death” (Heb. 11:19 niv).21
Abraham had to come to some conclusions, and it is in his conclusions
that the nature of his faith is found. In the Genesis passage,
we are told that he believed that he and Isaac would return from the
mountain. “Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the
place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the
donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come
back to you’” (Gen. 22:4–5).
If Abraham had said, “I believe God,” but had refused to obey His
commands, he would have had mental-assent faith but not real faith. It
was his trip to the mountain, his obvious intention to go through with
the sacrifice, that made the difference. We are justified by faith alone,
but not by faith that is alone.
James’ statement about works has often been used to illustrate
the differences between James and Paul. Here James clearly says that
Abraham was justified by works, and he quotes Genesis to prove his
point. Paul also refers to Genesis and uses it to conclude that Abraham
was not justified by works.
What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found
according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by
works, he has something to boast about, but not before
God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed
God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now
to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but
as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on
Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for
righteousness. (
… just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted
to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only those
who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (Gal. 3:6–7)
While this may seem to be a contradiction, it is not, when we
understand what both writers are saying:
Paul and James cite different incidents in Abraham’s life
which illustrate the point each is making. Paul is referring
to Abraham’s absolute reliance on God’s promise, however
improbable it seemed (
reckoned or counted to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6),
resulting in a right standing with God. James (v. 21) is referring
to the time when Abraham was prepared to sacrifice
Isaac, the miraculous son of promise, on
22). In Paul’s example, Abraham had righteousness and
salvation reckoned or counted to him as righteousness
(Gen. 15:6), resulting in a right standing with God. In
the example used by James, Abraham demonstrated the
life-changing nature of his earlier experience by his action
of preparing to offer his son in obedience to God. To put
it another way, Paul views the matter from the heavenly
or divine perspective and asserts that we are justified in a
legal, positional sense and that faith is the ground of that
justification. James views the situation from the earthly or
human perspective and asserts that works are the evidence
before men that salvation indeed has occurred. A faith that
saves will result in good works. Ephesians 2:8–10 reveals
clearly the agreement in theology which exists between
Paul and James. We are not saved by faith plus works, but
we are saved by a faith that does work.22
Because of this passage, Martin Luther rejected the entire Epistle
of James and called it “a right strawy epistle” and without evangelical
character.23 But there are few today who see any conflict between the
teaching of Paul and the teaching of James. “They are not antagonists
facing each other with crossed swords; they stand back to back, confronting
different foes of the Gospel.”24 Paul was attacking the belief
that works were necessary for salvation. James was attacking a verbal
faith that did not produce godliness in life. They both agreed that
works were the proof of salvation and not the path to salvation.
There is no question … as some seem to imagine of setting
“works” in opposition to faith as the ground of justification.
No man can, by general busyness or specific good deed …
merit salvation. Activity is never a rival to faith. We cannot
gain God’s commendation by presenting to Him—as Cain
desired—the work of our hands. Faith alone is His requirement:
the sole condition upon which He justifies the ungodly.
Such faith always goes hand-in-hand with obedience …
it is ever fruitful. Relationship to God never leaves the life
unchanged.… Men and women of God will manifest that fact
in godly acts. Faith ever finds expression in works—works of
faith, not the mere doing of good. What these works should
be in individual lives, God will reveal in each case.25
Rahab the Prostitute
The second example of faith is Rahab. There could be no greater
contrast between two people than between Abraham and Rahab:
Abraham is a Hebrew, called by God to become the father
of believers. Rahab is a Gentile, an inhabitant of ancient
man, Abraham is the representative head of God’s covenant
people (Gen. 15:17). Rahab is a woman, known only
as a prostitute.… Abraham … gave proof of his obedience
to God for at least three decades.… Rahab knew about
identifying herself with God’s people.26
John Calvin believed that James put together “two persons so different
in their character in order more clearly to show that no one,
whatever may have been his or her condition, nation, or class in society,
has ever been counted righteous without good works.”27
James returns to a rhetorical question as he inquires about Rahab.
His question implies a positive answer: “Likewise, was not Rahab the
harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and
sent them out another way?” (2:25).
What James fails to mention in his statement is the content of
Rahab’s faith. She truly had come to believe in God. She said,
I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the
terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants
of the land are fainthearted because of you. For
we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the
Red Sea for you when you came out of
you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on
the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you
utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things,
our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more
courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your
God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
(Josh. 2:9–11)
Because of her faith, Rahab went into action. She hid the spies and
advised them where to flee. She risked her life for them. Because of her
active faith, she was spared from death when the walls of
tumbling down: “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those
who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Heb.
11:31).
Rahab’s works were very different from Abraham’s, but they had
the same effect—they proved that she had a living, working faith, that
she was a woman of spiritual integrity.
James’ summary statement is yet another vivid illustration of the
interrelationship between faith and works. He concludes, “For as the
body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”
(2:26).
The human body is a perfect example for James’ concluding argument.
Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith that does not
demonstrate itself with works is also dead. “An inactive faith, entombed
in an intellectually approved creed, is of no more value than a corpse. A
saving faith is an active faith.”28
Frank Gaebelein reminds us of the relevancy of this test of faith for
this generation of believers, describing it as “a greatly needed corrective
to the unreal, verbalistic kind of religion that claims allegiance to high
doctrine but issues in living on a low and selfish level.”29
Gaebelein wrote his warning before a survey of mainline denomination
members found that only 32 percent believed their faith had
anything to do with their life outside of church.30
Many have thought that James 2:14–26 is the hardest passage in
the New Testament to interpret. I do not argue with their assessment,
but I cannot help but wonder if the difficulty lies in a different direction.
As I have pondered these words of our Lord’s half brother, I have
found that the difficulty for me is in what I clearly do understand. The
Christian life must have integrity! As followers of Jesus Christ, we must
be set apart from the lifestyle of our contemporary world. Most of all, if
we understand James’ key illustration, we must be men and women of
compassion. We must not turn our brothers and sisters away when they
stand at our door in need of that which we are able to supply.
Our message to the watching world must be more than what we
say. In the words of Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospel all of the
time; if necessary, use words.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon, in a sermon
preached on September 7, 1867, reminded his congregation that the
Christian
serves his Lord simply out of gratitude; he has no salvation
to gain, no heaven to lose … now, out of love to the God
who chose him, and who gave so great a price for his
redemption, he desires to lay out himself entirely to his
Master’s service.… The child of God works not for life, but
from life; he does not work to be saved, he works because
he is saved.31
With clear direction Os Guinness sends us marching out of this
chapter with a deep commitment to the integrity of our faith:
Stress obedience apart from faith and you produce legalism.
Stress faith apart from obedience and you produce
cheap grace. For the person who becomes a Christian, the
moment of comprehension leads to one conclusion only—
commitment. At that point the cost has been counted
… and a contract for discipleship has been signed. The
decision is irreversible. It is not faith going a second mile;
it is faith making its first full step, and there is no going
back.32
I adapted all of this from Dr. David Jeremiah’s sermons on the book of James, at shadow mountains church,
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