Faith and Works (Part 2)
Last week, we discussed what James said about a so-called "faith" that fails to produce good works in the professor's life. In James 2:14-17, this kind of faith is called a dead faith that cannot save.
Perhaps someone might object to what James has said: "James, I thought that faith in Christ was all we needed for salvation. Are you saying that we must have good works in order to have faith?" James anticipates this objection and answers the person. James 2:18 says, "Yea, a man may say, 'Thou hast faith, and I have works'; 'Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."
If somebody has just faith, how can they prove they have faith? Do they have saving faith just because they say so? The way to demonstrate that someone has saving faith is by the good works that faith will produce. Nobody can know another person's heart, but someone who only claims to have faith and doesn't live it out is not giving any indication that they have true faith. The Bible never gives assurance of salvation to a person who is living in disobedience to God's Word.
It is simply not enough to repeat words and affirm the truth. Saving faith is much more than that. Verse nineteen says, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." Even the demons have "faith"--- they know that God exists and that he is all-powerful, but they haven't been saved! Genuine faith is much more than empty words.
James' conclusion in verse twenty is similar to his conclusion in verse 17: "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" The final sentence uses a play on words in the original: "a faith that does not work--- does not work!" In other words, a so-called "faith" that fails to produce good works does not accomplish salvation. It is not faith at all. Genuine faith will produce good works.
Perhaps someone might object to what James has said: "James, I thought that faith in Christ was all we needed for salvation. Are you saying that we must have good works in order to have faith?" James anticipates this objection and answers the person. James 2:18 says, "Yea, a man may say, 'Thou hast faith, and I have works'; 'Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works."
If somebody has just faith, how can they prove they have faith? Do they have saving faith just because they say so? The way to demonstrate that someone has saving faith is by the good works that faith will produce. Nobody can know another person's heart, but someone who only claims to have faith and doesn't live it out is not giving any indication that they have true faith. The Bible never gives assurance of salvation to a person who is living in disobedience to God's Word.
It is simply not enough to repeat words and affirm the truth. Saving faith is much more than that. Verse nineteen says, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." Even the demons have "faith"--- they know that God exists and that he is all-powerful, but they haven't been saved! Genuine faith is much more than empty words.
James' conclusion in verse twenty is similar to his conclusion in verse 17: "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" The final sentence uses a play on words in the original: "a faith that does not work--- does not work!" In other words, a so-called "faith" that fails to produce good works does not accomplish salvation. It is not faith at all. Genuine faith will produce good works.
posted by Mark Perry at 7:57 PM
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