Faith That Works: James 2:14-26

^{14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?}

^{James starts on the subject by quickly going against those of false faith. Even now in our day, maybe even more so, there are many people who profess to have faith in Christ, yet have no actions produced. James says this type of "faith" can not save anyone. Let me point out now as we get started, that James and Paul's teaching are no contradicting. Paul was generally speaking to people who were plagued by Jews who tried to impose Jewish laws and ceremonies as part of salvation. James on the other hand, was speaking to the church as to the people who held the complete opposite view. That faith is a barren acceptance.}

 ^{15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?}

^{James brings forward an example of such faith, by referencing Matthew 25:23-36. To simply wish them well doesn't really mean anything, unless you do something to help, assuming you have the means. He shows he does he does not truly wish them well, because if they did, he would help. James compares this to the false claim of faith. People who say they really have faith, but do not go after God. What they have is an agreement of Jesus' teachings, but not faith in Jesus.}

^{17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
James expounds on the prior verses by making it clear. A faith that does not end in action, is not truly faith at all. It is easy to say that we like or agree with something, but to truly place our faith in it is a completely different matter.
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 what I do.}

^{Here, James points out that separation of faith and good deeds is impossible. Yes, a babe in Christ or a struggling Christian might produce near to nothing in fruit, but he points out you can not disconnect them. Many claimed they could have faith, but not good deeds. James sternly clears this matter by affirming, good deeds are the evidence of faith, showing that you genuinely have it.}

^{19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.}

^{Many people were, and are, reducing faith to the mere acknowledgment of one God, or even that Jesus is the son of God. When we truly have faith in Jesus, it is not simply who he is, but all of who he is, what he promises and what he teaches. Satan knows who he is, but will not conform to. He KNOWS God and Jesus, he was there with them. Do you think this kind of diluted faith will save you?}

^{20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?}

^{It is even prevalent in the church today, more and more, people teaching of a barren faith that produces nothing. That, it is enough to acknowledge God, and that faith will not necessarily produces works or change you. Although maybe small at first, fruit bearing of the spirit WILL happen if faith is genuine and grow with maturity. Faith alone justifies, but faith is never alone.}

^{(21,22,23,24) 21 Was not our ancestor 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,"b and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.}

^{I wanted to keep these four together, as without looking them as a whole, you can twist and understand them wrongly. Abraham was declared righteous by God in this encounter. Yes, truly, Abraham was declared so by believing God, however his belief ended with his actions. James is not saying that our actions can save us, as we know that Jesus says otherwise, but James says good works is the traveling buddy of faith. Because Abraham truly believed, the actions appeared. It was made complete. If Abraham simply claimed to believe God, and do not do anything, did he truly believe? No, he would have just simply agreed that what God was asking what right, but did not have faith. We are justified by Faith alone, yet works are inevitable, they make the faith whole, and true. His actions show they he really did have faith.}

^{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?}

^{This is another example, as such as above. If she told the Israelite spies that she was going to send their enemies away, and do not do it, would she be truly be believing in them? Would she truly have faith in them sparing her family?}

^{26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.}

^{As James wraps up this thought, he states again, that faith without works, is dead. We must understand that truly, faith alone justifies us in the eyes of God, that is not the question. What James is bringing forth is, do you truly have faith at all, or do you have a simple agreement that the ideas of Jesus good. We are called to have true faith in Christ, not just an acceptance.}