"Deeds" by Sanctus Real

“Deeds” is a song we wrote to help us remember the teachings that

James gave us in the New Testament about putting our faith into

action. This song isn’t about pointing fingers, but rather it illustrates

some of the ways we’ve all tried to say one thing is better than

another in God’s eyes. “Well if I only go to church every Sunday I’ll

be alright,” or “If only I do this sort of church outreach then God will

be happy.” We’ve all done it one way or another. We need to learn

that just talking about faith doesn’t mean we really have it, and that

doing good works won’t justify a lack of faith.

Being Christlike is exactly what God has called us to do. Jesus

didn’t just talk about His relationship with the Father—He reached

out and made a difference in people’s lives and showed them God’s

love in a way they couldn’t understand just by hearing about it.

James 2:18 says: “Faith and works, works and faith, fit together

hand in glove” (MSG). Sometimes we get stuck thinking we can get

by in our faith without putting it into action. But what good is our

faith if we never share it with others?

I think what James is trying to say is that if we’re truly seeking to live

as Christ has called us to, we won’t have to be so worried about the

balance of the two—they’ll just fit together. If we’re living out our

faith with a pure heart, then our deeds will reflect our faith, and vice

versa. Faith and deeds—you really can’t have one without the

other.

—Chris Rohman from Sanctus Real (far left in the photo)

Youth Walk Magazine, December 2004

www.youthwalk.org – used with permission

Deeds

Yeah, Mister Deeds has got you wrapped around his finger

With what you think you need to do to be delivered

You look for accidents so you can be the hero

You wrote the charity check that ends in double zeros

You help old ladies cross the street, you welcome

Homeless where you sleep you give to everyone in need,

You even hold a city key

Aren’t you great?

But that’s not good enough

(Chorus 1)

If you don’t have faith you have nothing at all

If you don’t have deeds your faith will fall

They can’t be true without each other

You can’t have one without the other

You think your faith is where you sit on Sunday morning

You’ve got a front row seat where you can be seen snoring

Throughout the week you live your life inside a bubble

You find your happiness avoiding peoples’ troubles

Your life revolves around yourself, you don’t treat

Others very well

You say your faith will get you by and that you won’t be

Left behind

You might be right, but that’s not good enough

(Chorus 2)

If you don’t have deeds you have nothing at all

If you don’t have faith your deeds will fall

They can’t be true without each other

You can’t have one without the other

(chorus 1)

You know I can’t see thinking that I’d be

Better off living just for selfish ambition, no

I know that faith is more than just believing

We should do the right things, for the right reasons

(chorus 1 & 2)

Written by Chris Rohman and Matt Hammitt

© 2004 Birdwing Music (ASCAP) / Admin. by EMI Music CMG Publishing / All rights reserved.

>>> click here and listen to a clip of “Deeds” (from Sanctus Real’s latest CD, Fight the Tide.)