Believe and Do
James 2:14-26
June 25, 2023
James is one of my favorite books of the Bible because it’s practical and straight forward. It’s very understandable. Yet, the passage we’re looking at today is considered one of the most misunderstood passages in James.
There’s controversy over what James wrote, because the apostle Paul seems to contradict James. James seems to be saying works brings salvation, while Paul says it’s all about our faith. So which is correct?
For most Christians, we would say we believe we aren’t saved by our works, we’re saved by faith. That’s one of our key beliefs. So, is James wrong?
I mean, didn’t James ever read Paul’s letters? In Romans 10:9-10, Paul wrote,
9 If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For one believes with the heart and is so justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
Do you hear that? There’s nothing about works in there. There’s no action other than believing and confessing Jesus is Lord!
Or what about the great passage in Ephesians 2:8-9, when Paul wrote - - -
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not the result of works, so that no one may boast.
We’re saved through faith! Paul said it’s faith not works, so you don’t boast about what you did to earn salvation. It’s God’s grace because of your faith!!
So . . . what gives? And if you must know, James never read Paul. James was written before any of Paul’s letters were written. While the statements from James and Paul seem to be going in opposite directions, there’s really a pretty simple explanation, because in the end Paul and James are in agreement.
Paul and James were writing to two very different audiences. Paul focused on the MEANS of our salvation - - - - saying that we are saved BY God’s grace.
But, James wrote about the OUTCOME of salvation - - - the evidence that a person has actually experienced God’s grace. You could say Paul focused on the ROOT of our salvation and James focused on it’s FRUIT.
Paul was attacking self-righteous legalism, those who said they could earn their way to heaven which is something that James wasn’t dealing with. James was attacking superficial faith - - - a faith that had no effect on a person’s lifestyle who claimed Jesus was Lord.
For Paul, if a person followed the law, or if they did enough good works, they would be saved. And, the people were picking and choosing what laws they were following. Paul was clear - - - you were saved by faith, not by your good deeds.
On the other hand, James was saying if you continue to live your life as you did before you were saved, and don’t show evidence of any life change, then that’s a reflection that you really don’t believe in Jesus.
If you had genuine faith, then you would demonstrate your faith by your works. In essence, GENUINE FAITH produces GENUINE WORKS.
There were also people who advocated something called antinomianism. It means a person could accept God’s grace, but they didn’t need to change their lifestyle. How’s that sound? Accept Jesus, but do as you please?
James was teaching that if there’s no FRUIT, then we should question the health of the ROOT because genuine faith produces WORKS . . . . and it should stand to reason that WORKS authenticates our faith.
So . . . . James BUILDS on the teachings of Paul. They don’t CONTRADICT one another - - - - they COMPLEMENT one another. In his commentary on Romans, W. H. Griffith Thomas puts it this way - - -
“James and Paul are not soldiers of different armies fighting against each other, but soldiers of the same army fighting back to back against enemies coming from opposite directions.”
With all that in mind, let’s see what James has to tell us at the end of chapter 2 - - -
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17 So 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 apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe — and shudder!
20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” — and he was called a friend of God.
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
James makes things clear with an illustration in the first few verses. Suppose someone comes to you and asks for something to eat because they’re hungry. Instead of feeding them, you talk about God’s riches and blessings. You give them example after example of how God met people’s needs from Genesis to Revelation.
You tell them how God fed the Israelites manna from heaven while they traveled in the desert. How He fed Elijah when he was alone. How He fed the widow and raised her son. How Jesus fed 5,000 people with 5 loaves and 2 small fish.
You tell them God can meet your every need and then you pray for them, wish them well and close the door. James asks - - - What good was all that information to the hungry person, because they’re still hungry?! The person didn’t need a sermon, they needed a sandwich.
So, James concludes that story with verse 17, “so faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
Now that is a pretty clear example. And we can give 100's of examples of Christian brothers and sisters who have said they love God, yet their actions tell you they have hearts of stone, that they’re filled with bitterness and anger, they’re judgmental of anyone or anything different than they are.
So, James continues to make his argument that knowledge of God alone is not sufficient. Why? Because when it comes to orthodox belief in God, no one’s more correct than the demons of hell. They know what’s written in the Word. I would say they know it better than we do. You wouldn’t have to argue one word of doctrine with satan and his demons.
Their knowledge of the Bible is great. BUT, the demons of hell are condemned to the Lake of Fire, and nothing will change that. James said, “You say you believe in God. That’s nice. The demons believe too. In fact, they shudder at God’s word. They do this because they recognize the power of God’s Word.
James’ point is that it isn’t enough just to believe or know. That’s why the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 is so profound. We see a priest and Levite walk on the other side of the street so they won’t have to deal with the man who was injured. Did the priest and Levite believe in God?
ABSOLUTELY! Nobody knew the scriptures better. Both were esteemed people, yet, neither one did a thing to help that poor person who was left half-dead. They were the legalists who used the law to circumvent helping someone in need. Instead we are to follow as James called us to earlier in the chapter to follow Jesus’ royal law of loving our neighbor and proving it by our actions.
The purpose of this church is Matthew 28:19, where Jesus commands us to make disciples of all people by teaching them all He taught us. That’s not just the great commission of the church, it’s the great commission of every Christian. So . . . each person is called to help show who Christ is by our actions, which come from our faith.
It’s not enough to just believe and know the right things. We must have a transforming faith, a faith that produces righteous acts in our lives. That’s what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 - - -
17 Therefore if any person be in Christ, they are a new creature, the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
When we become a new creation, we show we’ve changed and the world is different because we are now different. It’s not always easy, as I mentioned last week, but the potential to grow in who God calls us to be is exponential. When we utilize the power of the Holy Spirit, we can do more than we’ve ever imagined.
The call of the Gospel is transformation. It’s an everyday endeavor and sometimes it’s a struggle. We might struggle with someone, so instead of reconciling with them, we talk about them. We may spread stories, or simply walk past them as if they don’t exist. That’s not loving your Christian neighbor, let alone, loving others who are followers of Christ.
Yet, we’re called to grow in Christ and to serve Him, demonstrating His grace and mercy to the world. We strive to demonstrate that we’re changed people, as we become more and more like Jesus Christ. Doers of the Word, because we have the faith to believe that Jesus died even for me.
Billy Graham said this about the relationship between faith and works —
“There really is no conflict between faith and works. In the Christian life they go together like inhaling and exhaling. Faith is taking the Gospel in; works is taking the Gospel out. You can’t have one without the other.”
Let me end with this story - - - -
A retired man had a boat. On that boat he painted the word "faith" on one oar - - - and "works" on the other. When he was asked why - - -
he got into his boat . . . and took the oar with "faith" written on it and started rowing. Of course, the boat went into a tight circle and he ended up where he started.
Then he got the “works” oar and did the same. And the same thing happened but going in the opposite direction.
Then the man took both oars, “faith and works” and started rowing with both of them and he went in a straight line. When he came back to the pier, he explained,
“In order to cross the lake, one needs both oars “faith and works” working together in order to keep the boat moving straight. If one does not use both oars, he makes no progress either across the lake or as a Christian.”
Put both oars in. God wants your faith to move forward to the point where you’re a difference maker.
Are you moving forward? Do you respond to the people in your life with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?
Are you moving forward in God’s call in your life? Are you taking those steps, difficult though they may be - - - in the direction God has called you? There’s that area He’s called you to serve in. There’s that risk He’s asked you to take. Will you take the next step?
Put both oars in the water and know God will be your North Star and He’ll guide you and promises to be with you wherever you go.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Let me add this from a conversation I had with Joshua . . . the church he and Taylor are considering joining, had a class in which he was asked - on a scale of 1-10, how sure are you that you are saved and have eternal salvation?
What would you say about yourself?
At first Joshua said 10, then wavered and said 9. The person he was talking to told him from what he said about his faith journey he’s a 10!
And their simple explanation was that he professes belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior, that He’s God’s Son, He died for our sins, and was raised again from the dead and is with the Father in heaven.
So, please know salvation comes from our faith. If you believe what I just said, then you are a 10 out of 10. There’s no IF, it’s a done deal!
That’s what Paul would say! James would add a hearty AMEN! Then he would add, now, because your are saved in Christ, go into the world and show the world who Jesus is by your actions!
