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God's
Time
By Archie White II
James 2:14-26 NKJV
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has
faith but does not have works? Can faith
save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed
and filled," but you do not give them
the things which are needed for the body, what does it
profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is
dead.
18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works."
Show me your faith without your works,
and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the
demons believe--and tremble!
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without
works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered Isaac his son on the
altar?
22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works,
and by works faith was made perfect?
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed
God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by
faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works
when she received the messengers and
sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also.
Life Application:
2:14 Intellectual assent-agreement with a set of Christian teachings-is
incomplete faith without action. True faith transforms our conduct
as well as our thoughts. If our lives remain unchanged, we don't fully
believe the truths we claim to believe
2:17 We cannot earn our way into heaven by serving and obeying
God, but such "works" show that our commitment to God is real. Works
of loving service are not a substitute for, but a verification of,
our faith in Christ.
2:18 At first glance, this verse seems to contradict Romans
3:28, "a man is justified by faith without deeds of the law." Deeper
investigation, however, shows that the teachings of James and Paul
are not at odds. While it is true that our works can never earn salvation,
true faith always results in a changed life and good works. Paul speaks
against those who try to be saved by works instead of by true faith;
James speaks against those who confuse mere intellectual assent with
true faith. Even demons believe in and fear God, but they do not serve
Him (2:19). True faith involves a commitment of the whole self to
God.
2:21-24 James says Abraham was "justified" (declared righteous)
because of what he did, and Paul says he was justified because of
what he believed (Romans 4:1-5). Once again, James and Paul are not
contradicting, but complementing each other. Belief brings us salvation;
active obedience demonstrates that our belief is genuine.
2:25 Rahab, a heroine of faith (Hebrews 11:31), lived in Jericho,
a city the Israelites conquered as they entered the Promised Land
(Joshua 2). When Israel's spies came to the city, Rahab hid them and
helped them escape. She acted on her faith in God. As a result, she
and her family were saved from destruction when the city was destroyed.
2:26 We are a spirit, we have a soul and we live in a body.
If our spirit is not present in the body, we are dead. Likewise, faith
without action is dead. HEAR W.E. GO! IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM!!
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