James 2:14-26.....FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD!
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that we are saved by works. That's like saying a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree. It takes a living faith to produce works, just as it takes a living tree to produce fruit. Something that is dead cannot produce anything. So James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works demonstrates that it's dead. If someone merely says-claims they have faith, but lack resulting evidential works, then they have an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
In James 2:14, we read of one who
says/claims he has faith but has
no works (to evidence his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a
bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can
that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an
empty profession of faith/dead faith. So James
does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to
show the reality of the faith
professed by the individual (James 2:18) and
demonstrate that the faith
claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is
genuine. Simple!
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
James further illustrates his point that faith without works is dead by comparing empty words of compassion without acts of compassion.
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Again, the
kind of faith that produces no works at all is an
empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
We
show our faith by our works, but we do not establish it.
Faith is the root of salvation and works are the fruit. No fruit at all demonstrates there is no root.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
In James 2:19, we see that the demons believe "mental assent" that "there is one God" but they
do not believe in/have faith in/trust in/reliance in Jesus Christ for salvation. In other words, they
do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31)
and are not saved. Their trust and reliance is in Satan, as demonstrated by their rebellion in heaven and continuous evil works.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Again, James is simply saying
faith that is not accompanied by evidential works demonstrates that it's dead. If someone merely
says-claims they have faith, but
lack resulting evidential works, (vs. 14) then they have an
empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
In James 2:21, notice closely that James
does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God accounting Abraham as righteous. The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness was made in Genesis 15:6,
many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to account him as righteous, but it
showed or manifested the genuineness of his faith. That is the "sense" in which Abraham was "justified by works." He was
shown to be righteous.
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
In James 2:22, faith made perfect or complete by works means bring to maturity, carry to the end, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. It does not mean that Abraham was finally saved/accounted as righteous based on the merits of his works when he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he
fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
In James 2:23, the scripture was
fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Yet Abraham was
accounted as righteous based on his faith (Genesis 15:6)
not his works (Romans 4:2-3)
long before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.[/QUOTE] In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is
shown to be righteous. James is discussing the
evidence of faith (
says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and
not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3). Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.
In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2.
to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (and our works)
reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works are evidences for, or against a man being in a state of righteousness.
God is said to have been
justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads,
"acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads,
"they declared God just.." That is the "sense" in which God was said to be "justified." He was
shown to be righteous.
Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is
justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."
In James 2:26, the comparison of the human spirit and faith unite in a common interest around their
modes of operation. The spirit (Greek pneuma) may also be translated "breath."
As a breathless body exhibits no indication of life, so fruitless faith exhibits no indication of life. The source of the life in faith is not works; rather, life in faith is the source of works (Ephesians 2:5-10).
So man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is (substantiated, evidenced) by works (James 2:14-26).
Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works. It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not based on the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the kind of faith that justifies is never alone (unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-26). *Perfect Harmony*
