In 1987 Rich Mullins released his second solo album, "Pictures in the Sky." On that album Rich had a song called "Screen Door," which had a unique emphasis on the importance of good works in the life of a Christian. Might this have been the beginning of the Catholic understanding of faith working itself out in Love?
The book of James says: Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-17).
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church it states: "Living faith work[s] through charity."
Consider these words from St. Augustine who believed in the importance of good works while at the same time realizing that we can do nothing apart from God:
Indeed we also work, but we are only collaborating with God who works, for his mercy has gone before us. It has gone before us so that we may be healed, and follows us so that once healed, we may be given life; it goes before us so that we may be called, and follows us so that we may be glorified; it goes before us so that we may live devoutly, and follows us so that we may always live with God: for without him we can do nothingAt one of his last concerts, Rich said this when introducing the song Screen Door:
This here's a song I wrote for Martin Luther. Because the only place in the whole Bible where it (doesn't) say "faith only," his favorite phrase, was in James, where it said that we are not saved by faith only. And he wanted to cut it out of the Canon because it didn't agree with him. And so he started a great Protestant tradition of just taking what we like of the Scriptures and ignoring the rest. August 10, 1997 Green Bay Community Church
Screen Door
It's about as useless as
A screen door on a submarine
Faith without works baby
It just ain't happenin'
One is your left hand
One is your right
It'll take two strong arms
To hold on tight
Some folks cut off their nose
Just to spite their face
I think you need some works to show
For your alleged faithWell there's a difference you know
B'tween having faith and playing make believe
One will make you grow
The other one just make you sleep
Talk about it
But I really think you oughtta
Take a leap off of the ship
Before you claim to walk on water
Faith without works is like a song you can't sing
It's about as useless as a screen door on a submarineFaith comes from God
And every word that He breathes
He lets you take it to your heart
So you can give it hands and feet
It's gotta be active if it's gonna be alive
You gotta put it into practice
Otherwise....It's about as useless as a screen door
On a submarine
Faith without works, baby
It just ain't happenin'
One is your right hand, one is your left
It's your light, your guide
Your life and your breathFaith without works is like a song you can't sing
It's about as useless as a screen door
On a submarine
A few years passed between that song and the following statements from one of Rich's last concerts. By then, he truly understood that our works (though meaningless without God's grace) can be mysteriously efficacious for our own salvation.
"God does save us through our own work. If you don't believe me then become a Lutheran and cut James out of your Bible. But we're mostly saved not because of what we do but because of what Christ did." Click here to view the actual video.
