As we’ve been studying the book of James - we have observed how he calls us to have a “spiritual wholeness” - a faith that runs throughout all that we are. A faith that is revealed in our character, exhibited in conflicts, and heard in our conversations. He calls us to…
persevere amidst trials,
pursue wisdom in the face of difficult challenges,
ponder what other people say as we listen carefully
put off partiality and favoritism as we interact with others
Today, as we look at James 2:14-26, we come to a passage that is again convicting and challenging. In this passage, James’ message is rather straightforward and clear - after all he communicates some form of the same message four times in these verses:
“faith apart from works is dead”
With each of four times that James makes some form of this statement Moyer notes that he does so in some interesting ways.
two of the statements are negative
two of the statements are positive
two of the statements reference horizontal or interpersonal interactions
two of the statements reference our relationship with God - how we interact with or respond to Him
As we consider this passage, I want to encourage you have a few questions in mind:
What does James mean by “faith”?
What does James mean by “works”?
What does James mean by “justified”?
So, right on the heals of urging us not to show favoritism and to act with mercy (James 2:1-13), James argues that…
Faith is dead without works of mercy (14-17)
James 2:14–17 (ESV) "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 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? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
If you’ve been a believer for any length of time, James’ opening questions here should raise some flags of concern.
What is the basis of our salvation? Is it faith or works? Is James saying that our faith is contingent on our ability to do works of mercy? Does James contradict what the apostle Paul has said in other books of the New Testament? For example:
Romans 3:28 ESV "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."
While the book of James comes later in our Bibles, it’s important to remember that James was probably one of the first letters written. So James’ comments here actually preceded Paul’s comments to the Romans and to other churches when he makes similar remarks. Maybe we should be asking the question, does Paul contradict James?
Either way you look at it, I think the answer is “no.”
The fact that James uses the word “faith” or “pistis” in Greek suggests that he understands that faith is an important part of our salvation or as he has said elsewhere our true “religion.” James’ argument though is that this faith is a visible faith - it’s a compassionate faith - it’s a faith that touches people. As Douglas Moo has said:
"'true religion' begins with faith—but a faith that works."
For the Apostle Paul, he seems to be addressing other concerns where people were trying to earn their salvation with works of the law. James was addressing what some would call “antinomianism,” a heresy that believes that because our salvation is based on faith alone, apart from works of the law, that we are not obligated to live any differently. Antinomianism suggests that since salvation is a spiritual matter, it has no bearing on our physical or moral lives.
I think both James and Paul would agree that works demonstrate our faith.
Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Notice, Paul even says that we do demonstrate our salvation with our works.
Maybe you’ve been in a place like James is describing here. You’re come to an intersection and see a person on the side of the road asking for help - for food, for money, for work. What do you do? Maybe you have cash or extra food, maybe you don’t. Do you comment? Do you even offer to pray for that person? Do you pray with him or her? Do you give anything if you can?
Or imagine going to Basset’s after church today and enjoying a good meal. Then, when you get the check, you pay your bill exactly - leaving no tip, and then comment to the waiter or waitress - “Here is a tract that will show you how to have eternal life. This is way more valuable than any monetary tip I could give you.” Is that a working faith?
James’ point is that it does no good to simply wish someone well if you have the means of helping. If we’re going to go out to eat, we need to be great tippers. A tract is over and above.
In many ways, James is sort of reframing the Proverbs 3:27 "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it."
?So, as it gets to us, when there are opportunities for us to show mercy, do our works of mercy make our faith visible?
Spurgeon accurately sums up this point by stating:
“If you want to give a hungry man a tract, wrap it up in a sandwich.”
So James begins with this negative example of our interactions with others. Next he moves to a negative example of our vertical relationship with God, essentially communicating that…
Faith is useless without works of worship (18-20)
In these verses, James moves to an argument that might even be a bit familiar with ones that we would experience in conversations. After all, it’s quite common in our day for people to state that faith is a private matter. To which James would say a resounding - no way!
James 2:18–20 (ESV)
"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. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?"
“You have faith, I have works” is an argument that seeks to separate the two. How often have you and I run across people that would say they believe in God but don’t go to church. They might even say that they worship God in different ways - in nature, in service, in…. It’s as though their worship is limited to works - vain attempts to earn their way into the kingdom.
James’ response is that faith and works go hand in hand.
But then he goes an extra step by referencing the oneness of God in what is known as the shema.
In the Shema - the OT priests would say
Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one."
James acknowledges that some people will simply hold to that confession, but then not let it make a difference in their lives. Again, he is addressing that antinomian heresy. His bold comment that even the demons believe that God is one - but they shudder - they still fight against God, they don’t worship God as the one true God that He is. The demons reside in rebellion.
Friend, if you’re not yet a follower of Jesus, I hope you can see and understand the profound message that James is getting at here. Demons, the messengers of Satan, are essentially condemned to hell. They made their move against God. His judgment is sure. Will you also make your move against God? Or will you stop trying to allow your works to earn your salvation - because that will never do. Believe that God is one. Believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins. Believe that he rose again, conquering the punishment that you deserve. Then, respond by walking faithfully in obedience to Him. Respond by worshiping Him.
So, after beginning with two negative arguments, James next moves to a couple of positive arguments and examples - beginning vertically, then concluding horizontally.
Faith is proven through works of obedience (21-24)
James continues his argument by asking some more questions.
James 2:21–24 (ESV)
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 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. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone."
James again uses language here that should cause us pause. He says Abraham was “justified” by works. And yet later he says that Abraham “believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.” What is it - faith or works?
Let’s take a step back. Abraham’s profession of faith happened in Genesis 15 when God promised to give him descendants as numerous as the stars. Abraham believed. But God waited. Abraham and Sarai then took matters into their own hands a brought forth Ishmael from Sarai’s servant Hagar. And yet God reiterated his promise saying that an heir would come through Sarai even in their old age. He believed God. But then a decade or more after that birth of Ismael and roughly 25 years after the initial promise, God fulfilled his word and provided Isaac for Abraham and Sarah. Now belief was easy. But in Genesis 22, Abraham’s faith was put to the test as God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham moved forward in faith. The writer of Hebrews says that…
Hebrews 11:19 ESV
"He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back."
So, does this act of obedience mean that Abraham was justified by works and not faith?
It seems that James is using the word justified here not as a declaration of righteousness, but as a proof of righteousness. One of the Bible Lexicons defines the Greek word that reads as “justified” in this way:
Justified:“to demonstrate that something is morally right—‘to show to be right, to prove to be right.’”
When God promised, Abraham believed. His faith or belief was justified (or proven) when he obeyed.
When Jesus justifies us, he declares us righteous because of what he did. We believe that by faith. Our faith is justified or proven when we walk in obedience to Him.
Beloved - there are so many different implications of this. There are things that God calls us to do that will be difficult acts of faith.
God may not call us to sacrifice a child - but he may ask us to sacrifice our careers in order to act with integrity.
He may ask us to sacrifice comfort in order to share the gospel with a friend or even move to another context in order to be an ambassador for Him.
But what about closer to home? What areas might he be calling you to act in daily, ordinary obedience?
Do you trust him in a tithe? Do you offer to him the first fruits of your labor as an act of worship?
Malachi 3:10 ESV
"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."
Do you trust him with your time? - are you using the gifts and abilities that God has given you? Romans 12:3-8
Romans 12:3–8 ESV
"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
Do you trust him with your morality? It’s not uncommon for couples to live together before they get married. In our culture, it’s somewhere around 90% live together before marriage. Even among so-called Christians, co-habitation is around 75%. Beloved, this should not be. I’m not saying this because I’m a prude or old-fashioned. I’m saying this because it’s in Scripture. God designed all of our sexual activity to be reserved for the covenant of marriage - between one man and one woman. Anything outside of that - whether it’s sex before marriage (what the Bible calls fornication), adultery, pornography, homosexual activity, etc. is unbecoming of believers because it is sin.
Ephesians 5:3 ESV
"But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints."
Stating that we believe should make a difference in our lives.
Thomas Mitton wrote in his commentary on James that…
“It is a good thing to possess an accurate theology, but it is unsatisfactory unless that good theology also possesses us.”
Our faith (theology) is proven by our works - how we live.
James makes one final argument in this faith and works discussion…
Faith is realized in works of compassion (25-26)
He again goes back to the OT. This time not from one of the major figures, but to a minor figure. Not to an Israelite, but a Canaanite. Not to a man, but to a woman.
James 2:25–26 (ESV)
"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? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
I realize it seems odd to bring up Rahab especially given the point of application that we considered a few moments ago. Thankfully, God is gracious and merciful. Rahab was a Canaanite from Jericho during the time when Joshua was leading the people of Israel. She and the whole city had heard about the Israelites and had even expressed a great deal of fear over the situation. However, Rahab, whether it was out of self preservation or an act of obedience to a God that she did not yet know, acted with compassion on the spies who came to examine her land. In exchange for hiding them, she and her family were rewarded with safety and life. What’s more, it seems that she eventually came to faith in Yahweh and became the wife of one of the Israelite men. Some of her descendants included Boaz, whom we met when we studied the book of Ruth, and King David’s line. Many, many generations later, her descendants were none other than Jesus and the author of this letter - James.
Rahab’s compassionate actions were not convenient. In the days following her works, it may have been difficult for her and her family. Imagine remaining sequestered in her home on the wall of the city while the rest of town was milling about, preparing for battle. Her faith persisted.
Rahab’s compassionate actions became the realization of her growing faith in Yahweh.
There will be times when the Holy Spirit will lay on our hearts the needs of various people - prompting us to not only feel compassion for them, but to act compassionately toward them. Beloved, we need to respond when the Spirit of God moves in this way. Maybe it’s preparing a meal for someone recovering from surgery, or visiting someone who is mourning or recovering, or hosting someone who is traveling - whatever the prompting, our faith is realized - or shown to be genuine - by our compassionate works.
James concludes this segment with his fourth and final conclusion
James 2:26 ESV
"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
Douglas Moo comments that
"The spirit here is the life principle that animates the body —without the spirit the body ceases to be. In the same way, James suggests, faith that is not accompanied by works ceases to be."
Think about how integral the spirit is to the body. The spirit is life. In the same way, our actions, our works demonstrate that our faith has life.
Closing thoughts
Four times now James has repeated or restated a resounding refrain -
faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (17)
faith apart from works is useless (20)
a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (24)
faith apart from works is dead (26)
What does James mean by those words?
Faith - our belief in God and his saving work through Jesus Christ
Works - generally the things that we do in obedience to God - whether acts of mercy, worship, compassion, or simple obedience to God’s direct requests or moral standards.
Justified - James seems to use this word not to mean to declare something as right (the way that Paul does), but rather to “demonstrate to be right” or to “vindicate.”
While faith is a matter of personal response to God, it is not a matter of private piety. We are charged here to have a public faith. A faith that is marked by acts of obedience to God - a faith that is marked by good works.
Beloved, can people look at our lives and see our faith? Would they see more than just our schedule on Sunday? Would they see our compassionate works?
I love hearing stories about times when you all do things that make your faith evident. Sometimes these stories are difficult to glean because you all are so humble about your acts of obedience - and well you should be.
Buddy - thank you for taking time to counsel to someone in distress or brings groceries to an elderly, home-bound neighbor.
For those who serve in the Thrift shop - thank you for sacrificing hours to sort and display clothing and things to make them available to people in our community - and then on top of that - offering clothes for free to families who have faced extreme crises.
I know of several women who walk together periodically - not just for exercise, but for counsel. Thank you for making your faith visible.
Pete - thank you for the way that you check in on people in need and use your green thumb to serve.
Joanna - thank you for the ways that you pray for the kids that ride in your van.
Currans - thank you for the way that you make your home a safe haven for dozens of kids.
Sauders, Hartmans, Ademas - thank you for your love for orphans - providing a home - whether temporary or permanent for those who have none.
I could go on and on talking about people who serve the Lord and others in so many ways - serving in Kids Connection, facilitating our regular food distribution, preparing coffee, running the tech for the worship service, planning and organizing the service, serving as deacons, those hosting and facilitating community groups, declutterring rooms so that other churches can use our facilities more fully. Thank you to those who help single mom’s with home repairs and those who minister to prisoners. Thank you all for making your faith visible.
Let me reframe Nehemiah’s words that he spoke to his accusers - “you are doing a great work, don’t come down.” (Neh. 6:3)
Martin Luther’s words on this subject might be a fitting conclusion:
O it is a living, busy active mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good things incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done this, and is constantly doing them.
May our faith be a working faith that is visible.
Let’s pray.
Benediction
1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Sources:
Elwell, Walter A., and Philip Wesley Comfort. Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Tyndale Reference Library. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001.
Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996.
Moo, Douglas J. The Letter of James. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2000.
Moyter, J.A. The Message of James. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grover, IL; Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1985.
Nystrom, David P. The NIV Application Commentary: James. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1997.
Related Media
