James 2:14

     The answer Paul was looking for to both of these questions is " No "!  Take notice that the "faith" being discussed here is a so-called or spurious faith.  We know this because of two things.  First, the word "though" is better translated as "if" so it should read "If a man say he hath faith".  Second, in the last part of this verse a definate article is used with the word faith which would render a better translation that is used in the RSV as "can his faith save him?"

     Notice also that James doesn't say here "if a person HAS faith," but "if a person SAYS he has faith." In other words, if a person says they are a Christian but doesn't have any works to validate that claim, is that person's faith real?

     Now the "works" James is talking about here are "works of faith", that is works because of their faith.  The "works of faith" reflects outwardly on a person and by them we know a persons true values.  We can never know what's in a persons heart, however we can see how they respond to things in their lives.  Many people think that somehow James is saying that "works" save people.  This is not the case and we will see that later on in this book.

James 2:15-16

     James here, of course, is proving his point of verse 14.  Notice here also that James is talking about a "brother or sister", that is, those that are part of the Christian faith.  His point is not that we shouldn't care about the clothing and food of non-Christian but here he is saying "These are your brothers and sisters in Christ and you are still sending them away with empty words?"  What good does it do just to tell someone who is cold and hungry to be warm and full.  It's of no value whatsoever, and it's useless!  So then why wouldn't we think the same of someone that says they are a Christian but never shows any other proof of their faith?  Warren Wiersbe says:

     "People with dead faith substitute words for deeds.  They know the correct vocabulary for prayer and testimony, and can even quote the right verses from the Bible;  but their walk does not measure up to their talk.  They think that their words are as good as works, and they are wrong"

     Whoever coined the old saying, "action speaks louder than words," must of had this verse in mind.  Charles Ryrie states, "Faith that is not moved to relieve the hungry man's need is nonworking faith."

James 2:17

     If someone says they have faith but doesn't have any works that accompanies it, "then their faith is fruitless."  Here the greek for "if it hath not works" is ean mh exh erga which is a present active subjunctive and would be better interpretated as "if it keeps on not having works."  That is, if we have faith but it keeps on not having works then our faith is dead.  The Greek word for "dead" is nekra which basically does mean dead, a corpse, not having any life".

     The Greek for "being alone" is kaq eauthn which is better interpreted as "in itself".  Therefore if someone's faith isn't accompanied by works, their faith is "dead in itself", it's not real.

     It was said by an unknown author that "Faith and works are like the wings of a bird.  One cannot get off the ground without the other, but the two together will soar to the heavens.  Saving faith and good works are inseparable."  The Apostles John and Paul expressed the same idea as James:

I John 3:17-18  "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue;  but in deed and in truth"

Ephesians 2:10  "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them"

     Note that James is not teaching that we are saved by works, "but that our works spring up naturally from our faith".  William MacDonald puts it this way:

Paul put it this way:

Ephesians 2:8-9  "For by grace are ye saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast."

James 2:18

Verse 18 gives us the point that James is trying to get across:

     "If you say you have faith but you don't have any works then do you really have faith?  Show me how I can know that you have faith since I can't see anything in your life that can prove it to me.  If you look at my life you will see that I have faith because I put my faith into action by my work for God."

That is ....

James 2:19

     James tells us that a theological or orthodox belief in God by itself isn't proof of saving faith.  The Greek for "thou doest well" is kalwv poieiv which basically means "That is good as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough".  And the reason it doesn't go far enough?  "the devils also believe" in God.  And what is the response of the devils belief: They tremble or shudder at that knowledge. That is ... "They fear God".

     As Pastor David Buffaloe noted:  Belief in one God may be good so far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough.  "You could say that it's a faith that has only made it to the head, but not to the heart."

J. Vernon McGee sums this verse very simply:

     " Lip service is not the evidence of saving faith  -  even the demons believe "

James 2:20

     James tells us again that if a man's faith doesn't produce fruit it is "dead."  The Greek word used here for "vain" is kenos {ken-os'} which means "empty, vain, devoid of truth, without spiritual life".  Their faith is worthless, it doesn't work at all!  "Is your faith working?"  Matthew Henry says that such people rest in a "bare profession of faith are dead while they live."

Willmington's guide to the Bible sums up verses 17 through 20:

     "These verses are not meant to be saving texts, but sign texts.  The only test of a man's salvation is through his works.  The proof of the pudding is still in the eating.  A silent believer may be indeed considered a saint before God, but he remains a sinner before man until he walks the walk and talks the talk of Christian service."

James 2:21-22

     The Greek word used here and below for "justified" is edikaiothe {dik-ah-yo'-o} which means "to declare righteous or innocent, justify".  Our faith is justified in the sight of men when it operates together with good works.  Charles Ryrie states that:

     "Such a saving faith is made complete, perfected, and carried to its end, since it finds fulfillment in good works."

     Now many people believe that James here is disagreeing with Paul's statement in Romans 4:1-5.  Paul, pointedly says that it was the faith of Abraham that was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness, not his works.  Where here James is saying that Abraham's righteousness was from his works.

     However, James points to the offering of Isaac on the altar ( Genesis 22:16 ) as proof of the faith that Abraham already had.  Paul is talking about Abraham's faith as the basis of his justification.  There is no contradiction at all between James and Paul.

James 2:23-24

In verse 23 James is quoting Genesis to prove his point that Abraham had works with his faith:

Genesis 15:6  "And he ( Abraham ) believed in the LORD;  and he counted ( imputed ) it to him for righteousness."

     James uses an example of Abraham to show us that anyone can have faith ... but faith without actions ( works ) is just that "faith alone" which becomes nothing more than words.  Abraham was saved by faith, but proved that faith by obeying God and offering his son ( Gen:22 ).  True saving faith is seen in us by what we do daily and it's not something we just talk about.  It includes action on our part.  Could you imagine Abraham running around telling everyone how he was going to offer Isaac up as a sacrifice and never doing it!  His faith would have been meaningless.

This is James point:

James 2:25

     James provides us with another example of faith in action with Rahab the Harlot.  According to Joshua 2:9-11, Joshua sent two spies into the city of Jericho where they found the home of Rahab.  She hid the spies at the risk to her own life and helped them to escape by lowering them from her window with a cord.  Though Rahab knew little about God, her faith was revealed in her actions.

     Rahab became the wife of Salmon and by doing so became the ancestress of Boaz, Jesse's grandfather.  She became the mother of the line of David and of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we can see in Matthew's genealogy of our Lord, in which only four women are named.

     A point we as Christians must notice, concerning Rahab, is this: "Even though she was a harlot ... she was still a distant grandparent of our Lord."  How would today's church, or you yourself, treat a harlot who has excepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?  Way to many of us today wouldn't even want her in our church....

Matthew 7:1  "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

James 2:26

     James wraps up his discusion here by giving us a third and final example.  He gives us an example that we can all easily understand.  If a human body doesn't have a spirit it is dead.  Likewise, faith is like a human body, and its spirit is revealed by its actions or works:

     As we look back on verses 14 through 26 we see that "true regeneration, or salvation, is demonstrated by its fruit."  If we want to know if we truly are saved ... then listen to the words of James explaining how he knew we was saved:

James 2:18b  " ... I will shew thee my faith by my works."