The Italian Memorandum

“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone”

(James 2:24)

Neil Postman, in his book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, uses the expression—“Low Information to Action Ratio,” to denote questionable Christian commitment. In other words, L.I.A.R. occurs when our knowledge of Christianity is greater than our follow-through.

James puts this in perspective in James 2:14-26. Notice how James arranges his theological material into 5 questions:

2:14 “What good is it…?”

2:14 b “Can that faith save…?”

2:15-16 “What good is that [failure to respond to needs]…?”

2:20 “Do you want to be shown…that faith apart from works is useless?”

2:21 “Was not Abraham… justified by works?”

Abraham and James have played their part on the stage of the drama of the most holy faith. Now, it’s your chance. If not now, when?

-Robert M. Housby