By Faith Alone?

Today’s Gospel provides excellent evidence that in Heaven, actions speak louder than words. We could also quote St. James the Lesser, in his only epistle (2:12 – 26), but let’s take the (translated) words straight from the Lord. (We added a few preceding and succeeding verses to today’s Gospel according to Matthew.)

7:15 Hay ji pêxemberên derewîn hebin, yên ku bi cilê pez tên cem te, lê di hundir de gurên hov in.
7:16 Hûnê wan bi fêkiyên wan nas bikin. Ma tirî ji stiriyan tê berhevkirin, an jî hêjîran ji tirî?
7:17 Ji ber vê yekê, her dara qenc berê qenc dide, û dara xerab berê xerab dide.
7:18 Dara qenc nikare fêkiyên xerab bide, û dara xerab nikare berê qenc bide.
7:19 Her dara ku berê qenc nade, wê were birîn û avêtin nav êgir.
7:20 Ji ber vê yekê, bi fêkiyên wan hûnê wan nas bikin.
7:21 Not all who say to me, 'Mirze, Mirze,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.
7:22 Many will say to me in that day, 'Mirze, Mirze, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and perform many powerful deeds in your name?'
7:23 And then will I disclose to them: ‘I have never known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’
7:24 Ji ber vê yekê, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them shall be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.
7:25 And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
7:26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them shall be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
7:27 And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, and it did fall, and great was its ruin.”