Daily Bread 2010 - James 2
Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
This is the most famous passage from James that we hear about most often. It seems to be an apparent contradiction with the theological premise that we are saved by grace through faith, and there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. We know this premise is put forth throughout the rest of the bible, so how does this fit into what James 2 is saying?
First, it is always important to understand the context. Apparently there were those in the early church (ie around the turn of the 1st century) who were showing favoritism toward the rich, and also neglecting some of the clear felt needs in people in their community. So even glibly they might have responded by saying, “Go in peace and keep warm and well fed.” This obviously wouldn’t get the job done. The point is faith is always working itself out in love. Galatians 5:6
It is impossible for the writer of James to imagine a faith that would not be acting in love toward this person in need in their own community. He gives other examples in the Old Testament (Abraham, Rahab) where their faith was active in works of obedience. So intimate is the connection between faith and works that is it likened to the relationship between body and spirit. They are inexorably connected.
Luther said it was hard to separate faith and works as it is to separate the heat from a flaming iron itself. The key distinction is we don’t do good works in order to earn God’s love, but as a result or because of God’s love. If Christians looked no different than non-believers in the way they looked at the world or cared for those in need, one would have to ask, what difference did faith in Christ make?
That is why it is so important for believers to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s promptings to be God’s hands and feet in a world that is looking for Christians, who truly exhibit the love and compassion of Christ in tangible ways. In some ways it is easy to say you are a Christian, but would someone be able to conclude this by the evidence in your lifestyle?
Gracious God thank you for your saving grace in Your Son, Jesus. We know we did nothing to earn this great gift and never can. As we receive your free gift may Your Spirit work in us to shine Your light to other especially in the area of good works done on behalf of those who are truly in need. May our walk match our talk so we can lead them to the God who has always cared for them. In Jesus’ name, Amen
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
This is the most famous passage from James that we hear about most often. It seems to be an apparent contradiction with the theological premise that we are saved by grace through faith, and there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. We know this premise is put forth throughout the rest of the bible, so how does this fit into what James 2 is saying?
First, it is always important to understand the context. Apparently there were those in the early church (ie around the turn of the 1st century) who were showing favoritism toward the rich, and also neglecting some of the clear felt needs in people in their community. So even glibly they might have responded by saying, “Go in peace and keep warm and well fed.” This obviously wouldn’t get the job done. The point is faith is always working itself out in love. Galatians 5:6
It is impossible for the writer of James to imagine a faith that would not be acting in love toward this person in need in their own community. He gives other examples in the Old Testament (Abraham, Rahab) where their faith was active in works of obedience. So intimate is the connection between faith and works that is it likened to the relationship between body and spirit. They are inexorably connected.
Luther said it was hard to separate faith and works as it is to separate the heat from a flaming iron itself. The key distinction is we don’t do good works in order to earn God’s love, but as a result or because of God’s love. If Christians looked no different than non-believers in the way they looked at the world or cared for those in need, one would have to ask, what difference did faith in Christ make?
That is why it is so important for believers to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s promptings to be God’s hands and feet in a world that is looking for Christians, who truly exhibit the love and compassion of Christ in tangible ways. In some ways it is easy to say you are a Christian, but would someone be able to conclude this by the evidence in your lifestyle?
Gracious God thank you for your saving grace in Your Son, Jesus. We know we did nothing to earn this great gift and never can. As we receive your free gift may Your Spirit work in us to shine Your light to other especially in the area of good works done on behalf of those who are truly in need. May our walk match our talk so we can lead them to the God who has always cared for them. In Jesus’ name, Amen
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