James 2:18-19 says:
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. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that —and shudder.
Faith is: Accepting, believing, and trusting what God has said in His word
Define types of “works” or “deeds”:
Works are not just the kind and charitable things we do to for others. When people see our “works”, they should be able to see:
- our changed life: commitment and repentance
- our obedience to His word: to love, forgive, obey, pray
- how we conduct our life
- how we react to good and bad situations
Matthew 12:34a “For the mouth speaks that which fills the heart”
~ VERSUS~
Typical “works”, which even non-Christians can do:
- giving money to the poor
- volunteering at church
- feeding the homeless
- being an overall “good” person
- attending church or church events
Can a person be saved by faith in God, without any works at all?
ABSOLUTELY! Not only can they be saved by faith without any works of any kind, but it is the ONLY way that anyone can ever be saved at all!
Read Ephesians 2:8-9 and 2 Timothy 1:8-9
But what about the 2nd chapter of James: “Faith without works is dead”
Read James 2:17
What is the common misconception or argument about being “saved by faith alone” and the statement “faith without works is dead”? Does the bible contradict itself??
(False statement: If you do not have works, then you do not have faith, therefore you are not saved)
First, we have to understand who James is writing to:
* Jumping back to verse 14, he said “my brothers” or “my brethren”. This tells us that he is writing to FELLOW BELIEVERS…Those who already have faith in God and are saved through that faith. So the argument isn’t about getting saved, it’s about AFTER you are already saved.
The question then is, “What is meant by faith being dead?”
Some people assume that faith without works means that faith was NEVER present. But “dead” here doesn’t mean non-existent….it just means…dead! The discussion here centers around the fruitfulness or lack of fruitfulness of your faith that doesn’t produce good works. It’s NOT trying to define “saving faith”, it’s describing the condition or status of your faith…IF it isn’t accompanied by good works.
Example: Your car battery dies. It doesn’t mean that battery was non-existent. When you open your hood, the battery is still there…it’s just dead!
Read James 2:18-19 again:
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 my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that —and shudder.
What is James presenting here?
- He’s playing “devil’s advocate” with a hypothetical opponent…kind of “role playing” as someone who is arguing against the teaching that faith and action go hand in hand.
- He’s preparing the believers for the (including us) for the inevitable questions that come up when people challenge our beliefs.
What is James’ rebuttal?
- He shows the flaw in this argument by asking this opponent to show one thing:
2. His response to that?
I will show you my faith BY MY DEEDS
He’s saying: Prove that you have faith without doing work, and I will prove that I have faith by doing work!!
Can you demonstrate faith without an action attached to it??
During the lesson, I asked if anyone in the room loved me. Some of the girls raised their hands, including Micah. I asked her to stand next to me and show the rest of the girls…without any actions…that she loves me. She couldn’t…she just stood there! I asked the girls if Micah saying that she loved me proved anything. Their answer: NO. They heard that she loved me, but none of them could really tell that she did because she did nothing to show it. Just like when our faith in God is established…no one will know unless we SHOW IT.
Think about the list you made at the beginning of this lesson. If your parents/spouse/siblings did NOT do any of those things you listed…EVER, would you really know that they loved you?? Would other people be able to tell that they loved you??
He further proves his point of faith and works going together in verse 19
He’s basically being sarcastic. Where is his proof about the demons beliefs?
Read: Matthew 8:28-29, Mark 5:7, Luke 4:41
So in 3 of the 4 Gospels, we learn that even the demons acknowledged God and recognize that Jesus is the son of God!
But in NO INSTANCE did a demon repent and turn to Jesus! Even though they believe in the existence of God, they can’t produce good works! THAT’S A HUGE WARNING TO PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO FOLLOW CHRIST: You can say all the right things and even agree to a right truth and STILL HAVE AN EVIL CHARACTER!!!!
(By the way…DEMONS: They shudder because they only know the wrath of God. They do not know the mercy of God).
James wasn’t the only one to talk about actions with belief. Jesus also did!
Read Matthew 7:17-23
- According to Jesus, how would you recognize a tree?
- What produces good fruit?
- What produces bad fruit?
- According to what Jesus says in v. 18 what is impossible?
- What did Jesus say about people who say “Lord, Lord”?
- What does Lord mean?? Master or ruler. If Jesus is Lord of your life then He is in control. A person can call Jesus “Lord” and never know Him personally! The ACTION of calling him Lord is there, but if you don’t surrender your heart to God, then it’s just works WITHOUT genuine faith.
Different side, same coin
John (disciple of Jesus and writer of 1, 2, and 3 John) also talked about the “marriage” of faith and works
Read 1 John 2:4-6
The point? Living faith results in action. An experience or memory of giving y our life to Jesus Christ is not in itself proof that you have been saved. The only outward proof of an inward transformation though God’s Spirit is the life that you live after you have given your heart and life to Jesus. You cannot claim to be a true follower of Jesus if your life hasn’t changed and there’s no godly fruit hanging in your life.
So, now when someone asks you why the bible sounds like it contradicts itself, you can say it doesn’t.
Faith is completed by works or acts. Works should FOLLOW saving faith...not CAUSE saving faith.
Ephesians 2:10 is clear on this:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Before God we are justified by faith alone; before men we are justified by faith AND works.
If you SAY you are a Christian, then you need “works” to show it, or no one can see your faith. Faith is invisible. Works are just proof of your faith; they are not what get you saved!
WHEN YOU PROCLAIM ON FACEBOOK THAT YOU LOVE GOD, DO YOU REALLY SHOW IT? CAN YOU BACK THAT CLAIM UP? CAN PEOPLE REALLY SEE A CHANGE IN YOU?
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