Faith Without Works is Dead

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

This is more clearly stated in the NLT or CSB versions of this verse:

NLT: What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

CSB: What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?

What do you think is meant by this?

Evidence of your faith and repentance is demonstrated by your works.

Use Abraham as an example:

Gen 22:1-17- Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”

And he said, “Here I am.”

2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”

And he said, “Here I am, my son.”

Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

11 But the Angel of the Lordcalled to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

So he said, “Here I am.”

12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lordit shall be provided.”

15 Then the Angel of the Lordcalled to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

An example of works without faith -

Matt 7:21-23 - “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The NBC explains it this way: “James states the principle very simply: What good is it … if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? In other words, if a person states that he or she believes all of the right doctrines, but their life does not show obedience to Christ, what good is this type of faith? The answer, which is implied in the question, is, ‘No good at all’.”

JVM says this: "James is not talking about the works of the Law. He simply says that the faith which saves you will produce works, works of faith. The faith that James is talking about here is professing faith, that which is phony and counterfeit.

Some would say Paul and James are in contradiction - but they are not. Paul speaks of works of the Law, whereas James is referring to the works that come by your being saved, and what you want to do as a result.”

As John Calvin put it, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone.” Saving faith, therefore, is alive; professing faith is dead.

Romans 8:9 - But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Another example from JVM: “Paul says that now that you are indwelt by the Spirit of God, you can produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life; if you don’t, there is something radically wrong. A Christian doesn’t do as he pleases. he does as Christ pleases.”

This explains the difference in the motivation of your works. One is of the Law, the other is a result of your love for Jesus.

JVM: next “James deals with the identification of faith. Saving faith can be recognized and identified by certain spiritual fingerprints. There is a verification of genuine faith. James gives us this practical illustration—”

15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

This is something I have struggled with. Pastor had suggested making up a bag to give out - one that has some basic necessities - toothbrush, toothpaste, socks, wipes, a salvation tract, etc. I have made one, but have yet to give it out --- why? I think it is because I don’t want to get into conversation and find out about all their needs, and then feel bad because I can’t meet them. Or I am concerned that they are trying to con me...

I know this is what the scripture says:

Luke 3:11 - He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

So, how do we do this? We need to pray and think about translating our faith into something of substance.

17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

From the BBC: Works are not the root of salvation but the fruit; they are not the cause but the effect.

MH: We are too apt to rest in a bare profession of faith, and to think that this will save us; it is a cheap and easy religion to say, “We believe the articles of the Christian faith;” but it is a great delusion to imagine that this is enough to bring us to heaven.

We have do something with our faith.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Show here means to demonstrate - give me an example. Since faith is invisible, we need to show our faith thru our works. Works alone cannot save.

19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

BBC: The demons believe the fact, but they do not surrender to the Person. This is not saving faith. When a person truly believes on the Lord, it involves a commitment of spirit, soul, and body. This commitment in turn results in a changed life. Faith apart from works is head belief, and therefore dead belief.

Another word for dead is useless....

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

From JVM: Paul said that Abraham was justified by faith(see Rom. 4:3), and Genesis tells us that he was justified by faith (see Gen. 15:6; 22:1–14). Was Abraham justified when he offered his son Isaac? The question is: Did he offer his son Isaac? And the answer is: No, he didn’t. Then what was Abraham’s work of faith? How did works save him? His faith caused him to lift that knife to do a thing which he did not believe God would ever ask him to do. But since God had asked him, he was willing to do it. He believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead. Abraham never actually offered Isaac, because God provided a substitute, but he would have done it if God had not stopped him.

This is a choice illustration of the fact that you demonstrate your faith by your actions. The action of this man was that he believed God.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

Joshua 6:17,22,23,25 - It took a lot of courage and faith for her to do what she did, in violation of the King of Jericho’s orders.... And why did she do it? The reputation of the Lord proceeded them (Joshua 2:9-10) And she obviously had faith that they would honor their word...

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

I guess we need to get on the ball - start living out our faith by our works....