Actions Speak Louder Than Words

James 2:14-26

John 15:13

We have been preaching through this series entitled Back in My Day, looking at sayings that we have heard our elders say.

Many of these sayings are based upon biblical principles.

And I wanted to take a closer look at those principles so that we can live a life more pleasing to God.

Today we are looking at the saying, “Actions Speak Louder Than Words.”

Back in my day, people didn’t say as much because they knew if you said it, you had better back it up.

If you promised to help someone move, you showed up.

If you said you’d fix something, you got your toolbox and fixed it.

Today, people say a lot of things—on social media, in texts, even in person—that never turn into action.

You ever notice how easy it is to say, “I’ll pray for you,” and then never actually pray?

Words are cheap.

Actions cost something.

That’s why that the old saying is true: “Actions speak louder than words.”

It’s not just a catchy phrase—it’s biblical.

James 2 tells us that faith without works is dead.

In other words, your words may say one thing, but your actions will always reveal what’s really true.

John put it this way in 1 John 3:18:

1 John 3:18 KJV

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

And of course, the greatest example is Jesus Himself, who said in John 15:13,

John 15:13 KJV

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

He didn’t just talk about love—He demonstrated it at the cross.

So today, we’re going to see that real faith isn’t just spoken—it’s shown.

Real Christianity isn’t just about what you say on Sunday—it’s about what you live on Monday.

Because actions really do speak louder than words.

So to really understand the importance of this, let’s look at…

I. The Insufficiency of Empty Words

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 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? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

If actions speak louder than words, then James starts by showing us how empty words, without action, accomplish nothing.

You can say you have faith all day long, but if there’s no evidence in your life, those words are hollow.

A. Words Without Works Are Powerless

James asks the question:

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Notice the key word: say.

It’s not about what you say—it’s about what you show.

Faith that is only spoken is powerless.

It’s easy to talk like a Christian, to sing the hymns, to carry a Bible.

But if those words aren’t backed up by obedience, they are powerless to change anything.

It’s like someone claiming they’re a mechanic because they can name all the car parts, but they’ve never fixed a single engine, or put any of those parts together.

The knowledge without the action doesn’t make you a mechanic.

And words without works don’t make you a Christian.

James takes it further.

He says words without action are not only powerless—they’re pointless when it comes to real needs.

B. Pity Without Action Is Pointless

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 gives an amazing picture here that cuts right to the quick: a brother or sister is naked or hungry, and someone says, “Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled,” but gives them nothing.

That’s pity without action.

Good intentions without follow-through don’t help anybody.

How often do we say, “I’ll pray for you,” but never stop to actually pray?

Or say, “Let me know if you need anything,” but never actually show up to help?

Christian love is not measured by sympathy but by service.

Imagine a firefighter standing in front of a burning house, telling the family inside, “I feel so bad for you!”—but never touching the hose.

That’s pointless pity.

And sadly, many Christians treat spiritual needs the same way.

So words without works are powerless.

Pity without action is pointless.

And James sums it all up with a hard truth—faith without works is profitless.

C. Faith Without Works Is Profitless

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

James doesn’t say it’s weak faith.

He says it’s dead faith.

Words alone do not save.

Works do not earn salvation—but they do prove salvation.

Real saving faith will always produce action.

It will be visible in your love, your obedience, your generosity, and your service.

If your faith never shows up in your life, James says it’s dead.

So James makes it clear—empty words aren’t enough.

Faith that talks but doesn’t walk is dead.

But thankfully, he doesn’t leave us there.

Next, he gives us illustrations of what living, active faith looks like.

II. The Illustration of Living 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. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 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. 24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

James has shown us that empty words are insufficient.

Now he shifts gears and says, “Let me give you some examples of what real faith looks like when it is lived out.”

Because if actions speak louder than words, then true faith is always proven by what it does.

A. Faith Is Proven by What We Do

James imagines someone saying, “Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”

Faith cannot be seen unless it is expressed in action.

It’s not that works replace faith—it’s that works reveal faith.

No one can look inside your heart to see your faith.

But they can look at your life.

How you live is the megaphone that tells the world what you believe.

As Jesus said in Matthew 7:20,

Matthew 7:20 KJV

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Imagine two people both claiming they’re generous.

One talks about it.

But the other actually gives to help someone in need.

Which one proved it?

The one who acted.

Actions always speak louder than words.

James says…

19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

You say you are a Christian, and believe…but guess what - the devils believe and are even terrified of God.

But faith without works is dead.

Then, James then gives us a powerful biblical example—Abraham.

Not a perfect man, but a man whose faith was validated by obedience.

Let’s look at His example here in James and see how…

B. Abraham’s Faith Was Validated by Obedience

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 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.

When Abraham was called to offer Isaac, his actions demonstrated his trust in God.

Verse 22 says, “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?”

Abraham’s willingness to act showed the reality of his faith.

Faith that never costs you anything is honestly questionable faith.

Real faith will sometimes require you to step out, to trust God, even when it’s difficult.

And every time you obey, your faith grows stronger.

D. L. Moody once said, “Every Bible should be bound in shoe leather.”

What he meant was this: the Word of God must be lived out in our daily life.

That’s how faith is proven.

But Abraham wasn’t the only example.

James also highlights someone very different—a Gentile woman named Rahab.

Notice with me how…

C. Rahab’s Action Demonstrated Her Faith

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

Rahab’s story is found in Joshua 2.

When Israel was preparing to enter the Promised Land, Joshua sent two spies into the city of Jericho.

Rahab, who lived in the city and was known as a harlot, took those spies into her home.

When the king of Jericho demanded she turn them over, she hid them on her rooftop and sent the soldiers another way.

Why did she do it?

Because she had heard of the God of Israel, how He had delivered His people out of Egypt and across the Red Sea.

She believed He was the true God.

Her words showed belief, but her actions proved it—she risked her own life to side with God’s people.

That act of faith not only saved her and her family when Jericho fell, but later she was grafted into Israel and even appears in the family line of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:5).

Sometimes our faith is shown most clearly when we take risks to obey God.

Like Rahab, we may not fully understand everything, but we act because we trust His Word.

And that action becomes the proof of real faith.

Rahab reminds us that no matter your past, real faith shows up in what you do today.

She didn’t just talk about believing in God—she acted on it.

That’s why James points to her as an example: actions speak louder than words.

Her words would have meant nothing without that act of courage.

Sometimes our faith is shown most clearly when we take risks to obey God.

Like Rahab, we may not fully understand everything, but we act because we trust God’s Word.

And that action becomes the proof of real faith.

So James shows us faith proven by Abraham’s obedience and Rahab’s courage.

Their actions spoke louder than their words—and that’s what made their faith genuine.

Now James closes with a sobering reminder: without action, faith is dead.

That brings us to our final point.

III. The Impact of Authentic Action

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James has shown us that empty words are worthless, and he’s given us illustrations of living faith in Abraham and Rahab.

Now he closes with a blunt statement: faith without works is dead.

In other words, if your actions don’t back up your words, your faith has no impact.

But when we act on our faith, it demonstrates and gives the example to others around us.

See that…

A. Rahab’s Actions Demonstrated Her Faith

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

In verse 24 James makes a strong statement: “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

At first, that sounds like James is teaching salvation by works.

But he’s not contradicting Paul in Ephesians 2:8–9, which says salvation is by grace through faith.

The difference is this: Paul is talking about how we are justified before God—God sees the heart, He sees the root of our faith.

James is talking about how we are justified before men—people can’t see our heart, they only see the fruit of our faith in our actions.

So Paul and James are not opponents, they are teammates.

Paul emphasizes faith as the foundation, James emphasizes works as the evidence.

God sees the root, but people see the fruit.

And that’s why James brings up Rahab in verse 25.

Rahab lived in Jericho and worked as a prostitute, but when the spies came from Israel, she risked her life to hide them.

Why? Because she believed the God of Israel was the true God.

Her words said she believed, but her actions proved it.

That’s the kind of faith James is describing—faith that speaks through what we do.

Rahab reminds us that no matter your past, genuine faith shows up in how you live today.

It’s not enough to say you believe—your actions must confirm it.

Because when they do, your life becomes a testimony to others that your faith is real.

And that leads James to his final comparison—a vivid picture that really drives the point home.

B. Faith Without Action Is Lifeless

In verse 26 James says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

That’s a powerful image.

A body without the spirit (literally means breath) is a corpse.

It may look like a person on the outside, but there’s no life inside.

In the same way, faith without action is dead.

It may look religious, but it has no power.

A living faith will always breathe, move, and act.

If your faith never shows up in your obedience, your love, your service—James says it’s not living faith at all.

It’s just an empty shell.

Think about a flashlight.

It may look like it can shine, but without batteries, it’s useless.

Faith without works is like that—powerless, lifeless, dead.

But when your faith is alive, your actions become light to the world.

And that’s where I want to go next as we wrap this up.

See with me that…

C. Our Actions Speak Louder Than Our Words

Jesus said in Matthew 5:16,

Matthew 5:16 KJV

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

People may not remember everything you say, but they will remember how you lived.

This is why John in his first epistle says

1 John 3:18 KJV

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

The loudest sermon you’ll ever preach isn’t from a pulpit—it’s the life you live every day.

Your children, your coworkers, your neighbors—they are all reading your actions louder than they hear your words.

So James ends with a choice.

Do you want a dead faith that talks but never walks?

Or do you want a living faith that proves itself through action?

Because actions really do speak louder than words.

Conclusion

James makes the point powerfully clear: words alone are not enough.

Faith that talks but never walks is dead.

Pity without action doesn’t help.

Empty claims without obedience don’t save.

If actions speak louder than words, then the loudest thing about our faith should be how we live.

The world doesn’t just need more Christians who can talk about faith—they need Christians who will live it.

They need to see Christ in us in the way we forgive, the way we serve, the way we give, and the way we love.

1 John 3:18 KJV

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

And Jesus gave us the greatest example in John 15:13

John 15:13 KJV

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

He didn’t just say, “I love you”—He showed it by dying on the cross.

There’s an old saying often quoted by Billy Sunday “Your walk talks, and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks.”

That’s what James is getting at.

The world may not remember everything you say about your faith, but they will remember how you lived it out in front of them.

A missionary once said that in his village the people didn’t have a Bible in their language—so the only Bible they could read was the lives of the Christians who lived among them.

Whether we realize it or not, that’s true for us as well.

For many people around you, the only gospel they will ever read is the way you live your life.

So here’s the question today:

Does your walk match your talk?

Do your actions back up your words, or do they contradict them?

If someone only saw your deeds this week, would they conclude that your faith is alive and real?

The good news is this—because of Christ, your faith doesn’t have to be empty.

Because He took action at the cross, your life can be transformed.

He laid down His life for you—now you can live for Him.

Not with dead words, but with living faith.

Not with shallow promises, but with sincere obedience.

So as you leave today, let your life be louder than your lips.

Let your actions speak so clearly that people see Jesus in you.

And may the testimony of our church be not just what we say on Sunday, but how we live every day of the week.