James Expounds on Faith Volume 25

 
Faith without Works is Dead Faith Part 1

James 2:14-17 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 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? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. KJV Note: NKJV=New King James Version

We now enter into the part of this epistle or letter ✉ of the Apostle James that has sparked much controversy within or among the ranks of believers over the centuries and it has been used as fuel ⛽ for the atheist community and all unbelievers that the Bible has contradictions and therfore it cannot be believed or trusted. However, as we true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ well know, this is a false premise and has no merit to it at all. The idea that the All-Knowing God of Creation would be able to contradict Himself is itself a contradiction. God is Truth and therefore, He certainly cannot deny or oppose Himself. The Apostle Paul writes in his letter ✉ to the believers in Rome these words, "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.'" (Romans 4:5-8) (NKJV). Now, at first glance of the words we read from the Apostle James on this matter, we might be inclined to see some sort of controversy, conflict, or contradiction, but there is none because the same God the Holy Spirit who inspired (2 Timothy 3:16) the Apostle Paul also inspired the Apostle James, therfore, we now read these words from James, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 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? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2:14-17) (KJV). The Apostle James is giving to us here an illustration of or a Word Picture of what mere intellectual belief would look like apart from the faith given to believers by God as a gift 📦. The gift 📦 of God to sinners who are dead in their trespasses and sins is 'grace through faith' and this gift 📦 is what enables we sinners to walk and live in the 'good works' God prepared for us to live in, as it is written for us by the Apostle Paul with these words, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10) (NKJV).

The Apostle James uses the illustration of a brother or sister in Christ who were lacking food to eat and at the point of starvation and a supposed brother or sister of theirs 'in Christ' (who had the resources to give them) and they only told them to depart in peace and be warmed, then that would be a mere sentimental response or insincere emotions that do nothing to help keep the brother or sister 'in Christ' alive and well. Likewise, faith that does not produce changed behavior from that which was present when the sinner was dead in their trespasses and sins is only intellectual belief in God and not the 'grace through faith' given to a true regenerated, revived, and resurrected sinner who is now a saint, all and only by the grace of God. It is the Apostle Paul who only declares that salvation comes not by what any sinner does to 'earn it', but it comes strictly, singularly, and solely by receiving the gift 📦 that God offers through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote of true believers in our Lord Jesus Christ walking and living in 'good works' throughout all of his epistles, example, these words he wrote to brother Titus, "Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you." (Titus 2:6-8) (NKJV) and also these words to him, "This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." (Titus 3:8) (NKJV). The Apostle Paul also constantly affirms to every believer in Jesus Christ that they/we should walk in live in newness of life, as it is written, "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." (Romans 6:4-6) (NKJV), also as he wrote these words to the Church @ Ephesus, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:8-10) (NKJV). The Apostle James is only reiterating what Paul the Apostle had written numerous times and there is complete harmony between what true faith 'in Christ' looks like when a sinner is redeemed by the hearing and believing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for James simply declares that if these evidences of works of faith and works of righteoness does not ever appear in the life of a supposed believer, then he or she is not really a true born again believer in our Lord Jesus Christ no matter what they say they believe. However, let us be reminded that there are numerous cults, false religions, governments, and agencies all around the world that do lots of 'good deeds' like the World Health Organization (WHO) who have no connection to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and their motivation does not come from a desire to please and glorify Him.

Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of faith without works being dead faith, "We now come to a part of this epistle which has appeared to some eminent men to contradict other portions of the Divine records. In short, it has been thought that James teaches the doctrine of justification by the merit of good works, while Paul asserts this to be insufficient, and that man is justified by faith. Luther, supposing that James did actually teach the doctrine of justification by works, which his good sense showed him to be absolutely insufficient for salvation, was led to condemn the epistle in toto, as a production unauthenticated by the Holy Spirit, and consequently worthy of no regard; he therefore termed it epistola straminea, a chaffy epistle, an epistle of straw, fit only to be burnt. Learned men have spent much time in striving to reconcile these two writers, and to show that St. Paul and St. James perfectly accord; one teaching the pure doctrine, the other guarding men against the abuse of it. Mr. Wesley sums the whole up in the following words, with his usual accuracy and precision: “From Jas_1:22 the apostle has been enforcing Christian practice. He now applies to those who neglect this under the pretense of faith. St. Paul had taught that a man is justified by faith without the works of the law. This some already began to wrest to their own destruction. Wherefore St. James, purposely repeating, Jas_1:21, Jas_1:23, Jas_1:25, the same phrases, testimonies, and examples which St. Paul had used, Rom_4:3; Heb_11:17, Heb_11:31, refutes not the doctrine of St. Paul, but the error of those who abused it. There is therefore no contradiction between the apostles; they both delivered the truth of God, but in a different manner, as having to do with different kinds of men. This verse is a summary of what follows: What profiteth it, is enlarged on, Jas_2:15-17; though a man say, Jas_2:18, Jas_2:19; can that faith save him? Jas_2:20. It is not though he have faith, but though he say, I have faith. Here therefore true living faith is meant. But in other parts of the argument the apostle speaks of a dead imaginary faith. He does not therefore teach that true faith can, but that it cannot, subsist without works. Nor does he oppose faith to works, but that empty name of faith to real faith working by love. Can that faith which is without works save him? No more than it can profit his neighbor.” - Explanatory notes. That St James quotes the same scriptures, and uses the same phrases, testimonies, and examples which St. Paul has done, is fully evident; but it does not follow that he wrote after St. Paul. It is possible that one had seen the epistle of the other; but if so, it is strange that neither of them should quote the other. That St. Paul might write to correct the abuses of St. James’ doctrine is as possible as that James wrote to prevent St. Paul’s doctrine from being abused; for there were Antinomians in the Church in the time of St. James, as there were Pharisaic persons in it at the time of St. Paul. I am inclined to think that James is the elder writer, and rather suppose that neither of them had ever seen the other’s epistle. Allowing them both to be inspired, God could teach each what was necessary for the benefit of the Church, without their having any knowledge of each other. See the preface to this epistle. As the Jews in general were very strenuous in maintaining the necessity of good works or righteousness in order to justification, wholly neglecting the doctrine of faith, it is not to be wondered at that those who were converted, and saw the absolute necessity of faith in order to their justification, should have gone into the contrary extreme.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…