Faith And Works

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

- James 2:14, James, the half-brother of Jesus

This passage can be perceived as confusing, as it seems to suggest that works are necessary for us to be saved. If so, it would directly contradict what Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-9:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

- Ephesians 2:8-9

If works are necessary to prove we have faith, then how can we be saved by grace, and not works?

Our relationship with God is based solely on what Jesus did for us on the cross. As Paul writes, “It is a gift from God,” for we have done nothing to earn or deserve it of our own accord.  

What James is saying is that true faith manifests itself in good deeds (works). When we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we are transformed. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, we become a new creation in Him. When that takes place, we can’t help but do good works out of a heart of gratitude for what He has done for us. It is a natural result of the change God has made in us.

So James declares this: That if we are not doing good deeds (feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and being a Good Neighbor), then our faith is dead, and one could question whether it was even real. For this reason, James writes in verse 18,

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

- James 2:18

He then goes on to make an alarming statement when he writes, “You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.”

James is making a point. If our faith is not manifested in good works, then it is essentially an intellectual assent - something our mind understands, but has not changed our heart or our behavior.

In essence, we would become just like one of Satan’s demons who know in their mind who Jesus is, but choose to defy Him anyway.

Friends, we are saved by faith in Christ alone; but a genuine faith in Him will change us from the inside out, where deeds (good works) will pour out from us because of who Christ is in us. If that is not happening, then we need to do a heart-check to be sure our faith is real. For James concludes Chapter 2 with these words in verse 26: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

May we be alive in Christ Jesus, not only in our faith, but also in our deeds.

Hey church, Fall is almost here. School is starting up again and new ministry opportunities will be available to each of us. I encourage you and invite you to take a step of faith and find that place where you can serve God in the ministry of His church.

Let’s let our faith manifest itself in good works for the benefit of God’s church.

Pastor Ken

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