James 2 - Is Your Faith Alive or Dead?

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Favoritism Forbidden

2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

No matter how spiritual you are, there is always a temptation to judge people on their outward appearance. The believers in James' day were not only doing this, but also offering preferred seating in the church for those they deemed wealthy. 1 Samuel 16:7 it says, "Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart!" 

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

Though the church was catering to these rich people, the rich people were apparently not returning the favor. They were still exploiting them, and dragging them into court, presumably to make them pay their debts. They were also disrespecting the name of their Savior.  James teaches that God has a different way to measure true wealth. True wealth comes from having faith and becoming an heir of the kingdom. Whoever has the Son, inherits the estate. He has it all.  John 5:12

8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b] also said, “You shall not murder.”[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

The believers thought they could selectively obey the Ten Commandments. They were saying that by being kind to the rich man, they were obeying the command to love your neighbor. It wasn't that they were "nice" to the rich, but they were showing favoritism to the rich over the poor. 

We can’t say, “I like God’s command against murder, so I’ll keep that one. But I don’t like His command against adultery, so I will disregard it.” God cares about the whole law. - Guzik

James also uses the opportunity to teach on the futility of being justified by works. If one thinks they can be made right with God by keeping the Law, they need to keep every part of it. Again, we can't just pick and choose, which Law is convenient or easiest for us to obey. 

In the end the Law is meant to give us freedom from our sinful nature. The law convicts us that we cannot measure up to God's perfect standard and it leads us to faith in Christ. The Law is holy and just, and once we are born again, the Holy Spirit helps us to obey the Law that gives us freedom. For, "If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!" - John 8:36

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.

Now James comes into the subject this letter is most known for. The famous, "Faith without works is dead" passage". This verse has drawn many interpretations over the years. But the important thing you need to remember when you interpret the bible is to always interpret the passage in its context. We have already seen these believers were picking some commandments and then not worrying about others. They were seemingly going for the minimum commitment and still make the grade. 

This is the danger of our legalism, or trying to be justified by doing good works. When someone does something out of obligation, it will soon grow tiresome and lifeless. One could read the bible every day and still not be changed by anything they read. 

So what does James mean when he says, "So by faith by itself if not accompanied by action is dead"? 

There are two main ways to interpret this. If faith is like a muscle that needs to be exercised to stay strong, then if we stop exercising faith ,our faith will weaken. After long periods of inactivity it could for all intents and purposes be dead. This doesn't mean it can 't be revived. Even after many years of inactivity, a believer can experience revival and start doing the things they did when they first came to know Jesus. The bottom line in this view is that you can never lose faith, or never lose your salvation. 

The other view is that if faith is not accompanied by works, that the person never had faith to begin with. This is the person that says they believe in God, but have never trusted in Jesus through true faith. We can believe in something intellectually, but if it doesn't change the way we live our lives or treat people, was it true for us. James emphasizes this point by saying, "Even demons believe there is one God!"

I think James is challenging these believers to step up in their faith or realize they may not faith at all. If we are led by faith our good works will flow out of us naturally. Faith will lead you to do things you never thought possible. Faith will lead you to people you never thought you woudl meet. Faith will lead you to places you never thought you would go. 

I have recently had a chance to go with another group to an orphanage in Tijuana, which houses about 50 kids. What a great time it was playing and worshipping with the kids and working on projects to improve the orphanage. 30 years ago living in the Midwest, I really couldn't have imagined working at an orphanage in Mexico. But what a great feeling it was to get to know those kids and share Jesus with them. And they shared Jesus with us. Living by faith is exciting, and you will never be bored!

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 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,”[e] 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.

James cites examples of people from the Old Testament who exhibited faith as evidenced by their deeds. He makes a statement, which if taken wrong the wrong way could be very problematic.

"You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone." 

Let's be honest, it is pretty hard not to think James is mixing faith and works as a prerequisite for being justified with God.. Remember he is speaking to those who are presumably already Christians. If the Old Testament heroes of the faith like Abraham and Rahab exhibited faith by their actions how much more should they do it as those have received the Savior. 

Suffice it to say that we can do all the theololgical hair-splitting we want but the bottom line is that if you are a true Christian, your faith should produce good works. If it doesn't, one would have to wonder if you are saved, though that is only God's to judge. 

 Works must accompany a genuine faith, because genuine faith is always connected with regeneration – being born again, becoming a new creation in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). If there is no evidence of a new life, then there was no genuine, saving faith. - Guzik

Question for the Day:

If you consider yourself a Christian, and a person of faith, does your life produce works consistent which are in alignment with your beliefs? Are you doing the things Jesus would do if he were you? 

If we live our lives in connection with Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit, the bible tells us we will bear fruit. The fruit we bear will be filled with works of love for all people regardless of economic status and lead others to know Jesus!