James Post #10 – James 2:14-26

In todays post we will take a look at the concept of ‘faith’ versus ‘works’.  I used the word versus because, believe it or not, theologians have argued the relative values of these two terms for a long time.  Apparently, it was a hot topic way back at the time James wrote his letter, too.  He addresses the issue with strong words as we’ll soon see.  For the sake of context I want you to read the entire passage first and then we’ll take some time to dig into it together.  

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  ¹⁶ If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.  ²⁰ You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?  ²¹ Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  ²² You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  ²³ 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.  ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.  ²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  ²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Let’s take a verse by verse approach again today and see what we might learn about James beliefs and how they compare to our own. 

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

James starts right out by saying that faith must be backed up (or demonstrated) by action.  For modern day application think about what we might call ‘lip service’.  By that I mean phrases we may hear or even say like, “I’ve been meaning to call you,”  “I’ve been worried about you,”  “I was thinking about you the other day and wondering how you were doing.”  If you think about these types of comments they really don’t have much impact without some kind of action on our part do they?  When we say things like, “I’ve been meaning to call you” it suggests to the listener that you have had them on your mind or been concerned about them.  If that was really true, that you were concerned, doesn’t it follow that you would have reached out to them to see how they were?  Did you call and leave a message or send a text or IM, or was it more of a “feel good” behavior to tell them whenever you next saw them about “meaning to call”?

Unfortunately, for me and maybe you as well this happens all too often when someone shares a burden.  I’ll say “I’ll pray for you” but then things get busy or I forget to make a note of it and I just don’t do it.  The next time I see them it hits me that I haven’t remembered them or their concerns when in prayer.  I have said to others and try to make it point that if I tell someone I will pray for them that I realize that is a commitment, a promise which I need to keep.  Now I try to put it in my phone or write myself a note to be sure and remember.  They are counting on our prayer support when we offer it and we need to back that faithful comment with action.  Good intentions are worthless without action. 

           

There is a word for the idea that we are saved by faith plus works.  That term is synergism.  There are people who feel that we need Jesus plus our efforts in some way to “really be saved”.  This shows up in the passage from James as well.  Some felt that Paul and James were in opposition to each other because Paul wrote these words in Ephesians 2:8,9 “ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—   not by works, so that no one can boast.”  James makes a strong point that behavior or actions play a roll in this.  Now don’t get upset, I’m not saying that you can earn your salvation through works.  Scripture is pretty clear about that, but I hope that this post can help shed more light on what James is really saying.  John Calvin actually had a great comment about this very issue.  He said "We are saved by faith alone, but not a faith that is alone."  Calvin seems to agree with James in the fact that action plays big a part in the living out of our faith. 

 ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  ¹⁶ If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

James now gives an example to help make his point.  He brings up dealing with those in need of food or clothing.  Who can argue with him when he says if all we do when we see people in need is to wish them well it is of little or no value.  Imagine if we were to see such a person and all we did was smile at them and say “I hope things go well for you and that you find something to keep warm and, oh yeah, something to eat.”  That’s kind of cold, don’t you think?  In James own words, “what good is it?”  He makes a valid point.  Then he expands on his thought further with some pretty strong words.

 ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. ¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Did verse 17 hit you like it did me?  James said that faith without action (works) is dead!  Then he refers to those who say that faith is enough when he says “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”  He is saying that faith without works is not real faith at all...just words.  That makes me think if the Pharisees who seemed pious without purpose, religious without reality, or holy without helping.  Okay, I’ll stop.  But really, doesn’t James have a great point?  How do you show your faith if not through the way you live?  Once again, James nails it in verse 18.

Our actions (works) cannot serve as a substitute for our faith but they are a way to demonstrate our faith, to give our faith hands, feet and even a voice.  Another way it might be said is that our actions verify our faith.  Some would say, "I have the gift of faith.  You have the gift of deeds."  James said “Show me”.   Paul said "You can't earn your salvation...it's a gift."  James said "Faith means a life inspired to do good works."  I don’t see any conflict between Paul and James statements.  Paul is talking about salvation where James is talking about the Christian walk.  Faith and works, it’s like the old song "Love & Marriage".  The end of the chorus says,  "you can't have one without the other".   Faith is like the wind.  You can't see it.  You can only see what it does (action).  How could you demonstrate your faith without some kind of action?

  

 ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

James continues by asking what good is your belief in God if it doesn’t move you to action?  It serves no good purpose.  James says that even the demons believe that God exists (and shudder).  Faith is more than knowing that God is real, it’s acting on that belief in real, tangible ways in your own life.  So what are works?  Works/deeds can mean what we call “stepping out in faith”.  That is, living (actions again) in a way that shows that you really believe in what God’s Word teaches.

²⁰ You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?  ²¹ Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  ²² You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  ²³ 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.  ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.  ²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?  

In verses 20 through 25 James offers two examples of faith.  In verses 21 through 24 he speaks of the faith of Abraham.  Abraham was considered “righteous” (faithful) when he trusted God enough to offer up Isaac on the mountain (Gen. 22)  His faith was made complete by his actions…“his faith and his actions were working together” (James 2:22)            Faith is incomplete without action, they go hand in hand.  Faith comes first but must be followed by actions.  Next, James uses Rahab as an example of real faith.  Rahab's faith in the God of Israel (vs. 25)(Joshua 2) was demonstrated when she befriended and hid the Hebrew spies.  That action made her a traitor to her own country.  She believed and acted on her faith in the God of Israel.  Her actions demonstrated her belief.  Our actions (works) demonstrate our beliefs. (faith)

James tests our faith by leaving us with two questions:

1.  Am I, like Abraham, willing to offer my life to God?

2.  Am I, like Rahab, willing to turn traitor to the world in order to be loyal to Christ?

²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

I have a favorite illustration showing the relationship between faith and works that I will share with you to close this post.  The story involves a young Scotsman who was walking along a road a journey in his homeland.  The road led to a landing by a lake where an old row boat sat.  In the rowboat was the old Scottish Ferryman who made his living rowing people across that lake.  The young man paid his fare and the Ferryman began rowing him across the lake.  As they travelled across the water they got into a discussion of the things of faith and the young man said that he believed that if he had faith in God that was enough.  The old Scotsman smiled and said, “Laddie, I wonder if you’ve taken a good look at me oars?”  He raised them both out of the water to show their full length to the young traveler.  “Tell me, son, do ya see anythin’ peculiar ‘bout these two oars?”  The young man leaned forward to take a good look and he noticed that each one had a word carved into its upper end below where the old man gripped it.  When he asked the Scotsman what the words were the old man said, “Well, ya see laddie, this here oar in me left hand bears the word FAITH carved deep into it.  And can ya see the other ‘un?  If’n ya look good and close ya can tell that it has the word WORKS cut into it.”  The younger man agreed that, indeed, those two words were carved thus, one word cut into each. 

When he asked the ferryman what they represented the old man continued.  “Well son, take note of what happens when I only put the left oar, the one marked FAITH, into the water and pull hard, over and over.”  He did just that and the boat spun in a tight circle but stopped its’ movement toward to opposite shore.  Then the old man said, “Now see what happens when I put only the other oar in the water, the one marked WORKS”.  Before the younger man had a chance to speak the old man lifted the oar marked FAITH and dipped the oar marked WORKS into the water, pulling hard.  The small boat spun in a tight circle in the opposite direction.  The young man said, “Well, I see that you’re not gettin’ me any closer to the far shore there, old man!”  The ferryman grinned and said, “At that you’d be right, lad.  But do ya notice what happens now?”  The old man quickly dipped both oars deep in the water and began his strong, steady pull toward their destination on the far side of the lake.  “Well, of course” the younger man said, “we’re finally moving again and making some progress!”  “Right enough!” the older man said. 

The old man continued, “And do ya see the meanin’ of what it was I just showed ya?  When a man depends only on his faith to draw close to our dear Lord and to accomplish things in service to Him, he don’t hardly get anythin’ done.  Like me a pullin’ on this here oar.”  With that he raised the left oar marked FAITH.  Then he continued, “And did ya see what happened when I pulled hard with only the right oar, the one marked WORKS?”  The young man, starting to understand, silently began to nod his head.  “That’s right,” the old man continued, “we didn’t do any better’n workin’ with the other oar all by itself.  Ya see, son, if we want to get anythin’ done for our Lord our faith and our works need to both work together.  Then we can accomplish lots for our dear Lord.”  In silence, the old ferryman continue pulling the young man across the lake until they reached the other side.  As the young man stepped ashore the old ferryman said, “Don’t cha forget, laddie.  Strong faith and good works!  That’s the key!  That’s what the Lord wants to see from every last one of us children of His.  God bless ya, now!  Remember, it’s faith and works pullin’ together!”

I hope you could get through the unusual words used in the story above but I love to share that story with a little Scottish brogue.  Much more important is that you, like the young Scotsman, understand the meaning behind that story.  We need to have a strong faith in Christ which compels us to live that faith through good and Godly works.  Or as James said it:

 ²² You see that [Abrahams] faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.  ²³ 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.  ²⁴ You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.          

May God bless you with understanding and may we all better remember James words through the story of the old Ferryman.  God’s best until next time.