Advent | Carols: Why We Sing

The Christmas season or, as the Church calls it, Advent has arrived. This time of year is filled with so many time-honored traditions: celebrations, meals, and music. The music for this season is rich with truth about the glory and significance of the coming of Christ in flesh, the Incarnation. Yet, so often, we sing through carols not understanding the richness of the words we sing. This year, we want to focus on the biblical teaching of several songs (O Come, O Come Emmanuel; Come Thou Long Expected Jesus; Joy to the World, Oh Holy Night) and reconsider why we sing so that we can worship our coming Savior with greater appreciation and awe this joyous season.

James: Faith at Work

The Church has rightly celebrated the fact that salvation comes through grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone. This faith, however, never stands in isolation. It does not leave our lives unaffected. The trust we have in God inevitably works itself out in the way we deal with hardship, treat those around us, and posture ourselves toward the world. The faith God has given to us is a faith that is at work shaping our attitudes, actions, and relationships. James makes it clear, If you have faith, that faith will be on display everyday. Saving faith is a faith at work.