Faith Verses Works

Introduction

This morning we are continuing our study in the book of James.

You may remember that the theme of James is “Practical Christian Living.” And over the past several weeks James has addressed:

Dealing with trials

Accepting the position in which God has placed us

Dealing with temptations

Learning to be a good listener

Being free of anger

Learning to be a doer of the Word of God

Caring for those who can’t care for themselves

Avoiding the pollution of the world

We’ve learned that showing favoritism of any kind is sin.

Instead we are to love people unconditionally.

Faith and Deeds

James 2:14 NIV

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

The argument about salvation by faith or salvation by works continues to dominate many Christian circles.

Paul repeatedly argues that we are saved by faith (and certainly that is a wonderful truth). All you have to do is look at Ephesians 2:8-9. But while we are saved by faith, we are saved for deeds—that is we are saved in order that you and I might live obedient lives to God. It is this salvation for deeds that James is addressing.

What good is it if we claim to have all kinds of faith, but that faith is never demonstrated?

The assumed answer to the question is that such faith is empty and void of its power!

James 2:15–17 NIV

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 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? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

An Example of Faith and Deeds Working Together

The picture is of a person that is lacking a number of essential items:

— They lack clothing

— They lack daily food

They lack basic necessities (v. 15)!

Someone (a believer) sees the person, and observes the needs But does NOTHING to alleviate the problem. They don’t offer food or clothing or any other way to meet the person’s physical needs, but yet they offer them peace and tell them to keep warm, and be well fed.

James ask the question: “what good is it?” Again the anticipated answer is, “No good at all!” (v. 16)

James’ conclusion is that just as in his example, faith without any kind of action is dead! (v. 17)

Because of the emphasis on faith alone that many Christians love to present, it is hard to connect that when we say we have faith there should be some kind of demonstration of that faith.

James 2:18 NIV

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.

The Big Debate!

Throughout the years, this verse has given scholars a significant amount of trouble to translate accurately and capture it intended meaning.

The debate centers around where to place the quotation marks. This is particularly difficult because there are NO punctuation marks in the Greek.

The NIV, NET, NLT all have two speakers in verse 18. While the NASB has only one speaker saying both parts.

NASB: Following the NASB, it would be such that the speaker is arguing that faith is not enough to save you, you must also have works (cf. Living Bible Paraphrase).

James 2:18 LBP

But someone may well argue, “You say the way to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are important too, for without good works you can’t prove whether you have faith or not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act.”

NIV (et al): Following the NIV’s markings, the speaker he has faith while another person says they have deeds.

To this, James responds that the two go hand-in-hand. Thus, if a person has saving faith, that faith should be evidenced by a change in action and/or behavior. Saved for good deeds, not by good deeds!

While both responses are good and valid, and both attempt to deter false teaching that have existed through the years, I prefer the NIV’s rendering.

I come to this conclusion based on the context and the end of the chapter where James gives Old Testament examples of faith being demonstrated by actions (cf 2:20-26).

James 2:19 NIV

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

Evidence from the Demonic World

The phrase you believe. . . is talking about someone having faith (v. 19a). James says that believing in one true God is not enough.

It is good, but not enough— After all the demons also believe—in fact they know that there is one true God—and it causes them to shudder (Gk. tremble with fear, to be extremely afraid, bristle, to be ruffled).

Notice that their belief (or faith) makes NO change in their actions. They keep doing the evil that they have constantly done!

James 2:20–24 NIV

You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

Evidence to Show Faith without Deeds is Useless

Abraham

First Example: Abraham— He was considered righteous because he obediently offered His son Isaac (v. 21).

— This demonstrates how Abraham’s faith worked together with his actions (v. 22a).

— In fact, his faith was made complete by his actions (v. 22b).

— James quotes Genesis 15:6. Abraham believed God and his actions was credited to him as righteousness (v. 23).

— This demonstrates that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not only by faith (v. 24).

Rahab

Second Example: Rahab

— She was considered righteous when she actively gave the spies lodging, and sent them off in a different direction.

A Physical Example

James 2:26 NIV

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

As the body without the spirit is dead—so too is faith without deeds (actions) is dead.

So What?

In his book, Letter to the American Church, Eric Metaxas gives us a great example of how faith and action go hand-in-hand.

ILLUSTRATION:

Faith

Picture a man who has a cable stretched across the Royal Gorge in Colorado.

It is 1,250 feet above the water below and the cable spans 300 feet from one side to the other.

A group is gathered around a man who is going to attempt to walk across the cable like a tightrope.

Before he begins, he looks at the crowd and asks how many people believe he can actually walk across and back.

Numerous people raise their hands. You are one of the people who believes the man can do it.

Sure enough, he hops onto the cable and scampers across and back without any problem at all.

Next he picks up a wheel-barrel filled with bricks. He asks how many people believe he can push the brick filled wheel-barrel across the cable and back.

Once again, you are one of the people who raises their hands believing he can do it.

The man looks straight at you and asks you again specifically, “Do you really believe I can push this heavy wheel-barrel across the Royal Gorge and back?” Again you answer yes!

Then the man dumps out the bricks and says, “Get in!”

And you have two choices. You can demonstrate your faith by getting in the wheel-barrel, or you can show your lack of faith by refusing to get in the barrel.

In the same way, faith in the Lord always requires action—you have to get in the wheel-barrel!

So let me ask you a question: When you think about your faith in Jesus, are you willing to get into the wheel-barrel? Or are you standing before Him, telling Him all about your faith, as long as you are standing firmly on the ground?

My prayer for me, and my prayer for each of you is that you will get into God’s wheel-barrel this morning!