Some Thoughts on James Chapter Two.

 

God grants us salvation by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9). It is not based upon the speed with which we obey nor the amount or quality of our obedience. Consider this plain, simple, verse that needs no interpretation at all.

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.

This word that is translated here as “work” we find in other passages translated as a “doing” or “deeds.” This lets us know that with God there is nothing that we can do that would cause Him to give us salvation. When we really get to the bottom line it is not what we do, rather it is what we have in our heart, that is, faith that He seeks to see before granting salvation.

Some will look at these passages in James and teach that obedience is as important as faith. But that is wrong. Let’s look at these passages in context and see what James is saying.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 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? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.



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



You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 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. You see that a person is

justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 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? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.



One of the first things we note here is that James, in these verses, discusses a man who says or, claims to have faith, but he really does not. When we understand that then we have the key to understanding this whole section of scripture. James is not talking about a man that has real, true, willing faith. He is talking about a man who is making a false claim of faith. So James sets out to show those who “claim” to have faith what real faith really is.

As soon as James lets us know what he is talking about, he makes a statement about “claimed” faith. He says, “can such a faith save him?” You know you have heard people ask a question with no answered expected or needed. That is a rhetorical question, and that is what James just ask. The only answer to this rhetorical question is, No. A claimed faith cannot save because it is not real. It is not faith at all. True faith does save. It would be good to notice that in this entire section of scripture, James never doubts that it is faith that saves, and that is what makes James’ rhetorical question work. It would not make since otherwise.

When we look at it carefully we can see that James is not telling us that works saves us, but what he is telling us is that a “claimed” faith cannot.

Alive Faith or Dead Faith?

James uses examples, comparisons and contrasts to make clear the truth he wants to get across to us. In doing that he shifts from contrasting claimed faith to true faith, to another approach. He begins to contrast living faith with dead faith. In contrasting living faith and dead faith, he tells us what to look for, or the signs that each will show. Faith that is living shows signs of obedience, and by doing so it demonstrates to us that it is alive. On the other hand, a dead faith does not obey, and by its disobediences it demonstrates the lack of life. Living does. Dead does not do. That is why James says:

“faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead,” and again he says “show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”

You could look at it this way, like we discussed in Bible class. If you were in an accident and the doctors were trying to determine if you were alive or dead they would look for you vital signs. If they could find a heartbeat, pulse rate etc. You are alive. No matter how weak the signs might be, you are alive. However if they checked the vital signs and found none whatsoever then you are dead.

That is the same way it works with faith and the works produced by faith. Faith shows itself to be alive through the vital signs of obeying. Like being a witness not only in word, but in your actions. Helping others. Growing in Christ. Loving your neighbor as yourself.

That is why James says “I will show you my faith by what I do.” Someone may claim to have faith, but if the signs of a living faith are totally absent, or the “complete lack” of obedience, then that proves that there is no living faith there. Dead faith is the image that James uses for no faith at all.

Someone may believe in God, or that there is a God (James tells us that the demons do the same) and still not put their faith and trust in God. If that person did then that persons faith would demonstrate its existence by obeying God. That is why James says that:

“faith without works is dead” and “faith without deeds is useless.”

James is illustrating to us a person who does not have faith, even though they say they do.

having a faith best described by words like claimed, dead, and useless. If we are to be saved, we must have faith that is real, living, and useful.

Another Important thing about Signs of Life.

Our vital signs are important, they show that we are alive, however they are not us. We are much more that a body with working organs. Vital signs prove life, and that is all they do. Vital signs do not replace the person and they are not equal to the person.

In the same way, the acts of obedience our faith produces in us show that our faith is alive,

but those acts are not our faith. Obedience is not the same as faith, instead, it is the product of a living faith. It is faith, hope and love that lead us to work or (obey) but no work, or amount of work (obedience) we could ever do ever equals faith, love or hope.

Notice what Paul says in 1 Thess 1:3.

We continually remember before our God and Father your work

produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by

hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

And also in Gal 5:5.

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

1. Work produced by faith.

2. Labor prompted by love.

3. Endurance ispired by hope in Jesus.

Since we see that our works (obedience) show, or prove that our faith is alive, the next question is to whom do they prove it? Some may say to God, but that would be wrong. God knows before we do any work (obedience) that we will do it. Our obedience to God proves to us that our faith is alive. That we are not just saying we have faith when we truly do not. God knows beforehand whether or not our faith is real, but sometimes we do not.

Abraham as an example.

Before James finishes this section on faith and works, he shows that he never thought

that works could save anyone. The way James does this is by referring to Abraham being credited as righteous by God, but instead of using the circumcision example that Paul used in Romans 4, he uses the example of Abraham offering Isaac on the altar. In Romans Paul could not have made it clearer that Abraham was credited with righteousness before he obeyed God’s command. James does not contradict Paul. He could not, because the Holy Spirit inspired both men to write what they wrote.

Paul was inspired to write the book of Romans. James was inspired to a book containing practical advice or teaching on how to live a christian life. In the book of Romans Paul explains things in much detail. I believe that the book of James shows us how to apply to our life what Paul taught in Romans. Remember James has taught us that if faith is alive, it will prove its life by producing works of obedience to God. He proves that with his example of Abraham and Isaac.

1. James says that Abraham was “considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar.”

2. Next James writes “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”

What does it mean when James says “Made complete?”. The word translated here complete is translated in other passages as consecrate, finish, fulfill and make perfect. In John 4:34, 5:36, and 17:4, Jesus used the same word when He talked about finishing His work that He came to do.

In this verse James says that Abraham’s actions finished or completed his faith. That fits perfectly with everything we’ve already learned in James about the relationship between faith and works, and with what Paul taught in Romans 3 and 4. God sees our faith and blesses us through it. We do the work (act of obedience) and gain a seal in our heart. Our obedience (work, action) finishes or completes the process. It proves to us our faith is alive and that God is blessing us because of our faith.

Then James agrees with what Paul has already told us in Romans 3 and 4.

“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.”

Paul defined exactly for us what that phrase “credited as righteous” means. In Romans 3 and 4, he said very deliberately that Abraham did not earn righteousness. God did not granted righteousness because of what Abraham did. God granted righteousness (justification) to Abraham through Abraham’s faith. It was through his faith that God credited Abraham as righteous. God did not bless him because of what he did. Now, do we find James using the same phrase in exact opposite meaning to the way Paul used it? Does James say that God granted Abraham righteousness because of what he did when Paul said that he didn’t? No.

When we look at the example about Abraham that James uses it is clear that God could not have credited Abraham righteous because of what Abraham did in obeying Him, because Abraham did not obey the command. Remember God stopped Abraham before he sacrificed Isaac.

It was the intent of Abraham’s heart to obey God’s command and not the act itself. That is because the act, or sacrifice never took place. So if, and it was, the intent of Abrahams heart that God blessed, it then is Abraham’s faith that God blessed him through. That is clear. It was what was in his heart that God blessed.

The point is?

What does God mean then by having James write:

“You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.”

By staying within the entire context of James 2, James answers that question for us. It is only a living faith that is a true faith. It is a willing faith. A faith that is alive has some action. Some obedience (works). It has vital signs. A dead faith does nothing but talk. Our obedience prove our faith to be living. However, God does not wait for our obedience to bless. He sees it already done in our heart.

Compiled from my own study notes and those of others.