First, the President stomped Sen. Kerry last night. I mean it wasn't pretty. But, on to my real subject.

I was favorably surprised when moderator Bob Shieffer asked President Bush about his faith. Although I must admit that I was not surprised when Kerry bungled his response to the President's comments. Kerry summed up his view on faith by quoting James 2:26: "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." And I don't think Sen. Kerry understands what his response says about his faith.

The whole point of the Apostle James' statement here is that you cannot live a "Christian" life without putting your faith into action in daily life. Sen. Kerry has responded on several occasions that he does not mix his "personal" faith with his public service (either as a senator or as a potential president). To those who understand what is meant by "faith without deeds" truly means, Sen. Kerry has admitted that his faith IS without deeds. If Sen. Kerry is actively repressing the tenets of his faith and claiming he can't force those articles of faith on others, then he is living two separate and unequal lives. His private life where faith is OK, and his public life where faith is a nuissance -- not to be shared or to influence others.

I won't say that Sen. Kerry isn't a "good" Christian. His salvation is a matter solely between himself and God. But I will say that his faith is not influencing his whole life. How effective a witness can the Senator be?

"The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

--Matthew 13:33