explore8_10_72803

Posted: 7/25/03

LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for Aug. 10

Faith always has feet; deeds indicate devotion

James 2:14-26

By Jim Perkins

Madison Hills Baptist Church, San Antonio

How do you convince me that you own a real race car? Don't just open the hood and show me the motor; race it!

Faith without works

This text perhaps is the most controversial passage in James. Foundational for our understanding and interpretation of this passage is the premise that James (faith with deeds) and Paul (faith alone) agree salvation is by a personal faith in the “Lord Jesus Christ” (2:1). Because their letters are occasional literature (written to a particular group for a particular situation), however, the positions they state and defend in their letters give some surface appearance of disagreement concerning saving faith. As we shall see, though, that truly is not the case!

James wrote to these dear brothers to explain that a faith purely intellectual and purposely divorced from good works “is dead” (2:17). The specific situation might have centered on a group of needy brothers and sisters within the church (2:3, 5, 15) who required assistance with food and clothing. The author was very clear: His readers had the opportunity to show the genuineness of their faith by responding to the needs of others with concrete actions.

Let's be very clear on this issue. Faith always has feet. Even if those feet of faith have been crippled by the circumstances of life, they are still willing to step out and help when possible–it truly is a matter of the condition of the heart, not the strength of the step.

Paul and James agree on this foundational matter, as Paul made clear in his defense before King Agrippa: “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20; also Ephesians 2:10). Good works are not a condition for salvation, but they are an inevitable result.

Faith that works

James continued his defense of faith with accompanying deeds by recording the text of a debate with a foe, who maintained faith and deeds are separate issues in the Christian life (2:18-20). Rather than assign this argument to a “straw man” or imaginary foe, a better interpretation would be that this position had been supported in the churches to which James wrote and he was inspired and impelled by the Spirit to a corrective response.

The erroneous position held by James' opponent might well have been that an “intellectual faith” was sufficient–agreement with the facts of the gospel was all that was needed for salvation. Verse 19, however, certainly is startling with its remonstrance that even demons accept the fact of the one true God–but that statement of fact is not equivalent to trust or faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.

Before proceeding with his own position on this issue, James took one last jab at the opposing position/person: “You foolish (empty-headed) man”! How could a person defend the position that a true and saving faith can be partitioned off from good deeds except that he has no brains at all?

Faith, works and salvation

James provided an appropriate statement of his position on works and deeds in 2:21-26. Again, remember that James did not state that good deeds save one apart from faith. Instead, turn that concept around and we can see the precedence of faith and the accompaniment of good deeds. As it has been said, a defective faith (faith divorced from any works) never saves, and an effective faith always brings forth good deeds–like a spring naturally emits a flow of fresh water, or else it is simply an empty hole in the rock!

The examples of Abraham and Rahab are both intriguing and inspiring. James maintains “his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (2:22). Good deeds, then, as they accompanied Abraham's faith, completed it (“brought it to completion” or “brought to complete maturity”). While James did not commend Rahab's profession, he did congratulate her confession of faith that naturally issued forth in good deeds–and those deeds demonstrated the vitality and validity of her saving faith.

The truth and experience of salvation by faith is as multifaceted as a cut precious stone. Paul and James would agree that salvation comes through a personal trust in Christ as Savior. They also would agree that a true, saving faith cannot be divorced from good deeds motivated and directed by the Spirit and done for the glory of God.

Questions for discussion

With today's passage also read Acts 26:20; Galatians 5:6, 6:9-10; Ephesians 2:10. Write in your own words a combined summary of Paul's and James' positions on faith and works?

What "good deeds" characterize your salvation experience? Look to Galatians 5:22-6:10 for guidance in examining the outflow of Christ's life and love in your life!