I know it's taking me forever to get through James, but I'm really taking my time and trying to soak in what God is telling me. Today, James chapter 2:14-26.
Verse 14 says “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” Please note, James does not say “...though a man hath faith, and have not works?” This tells me that the man is declaring to have faith. He doesn't necessarily HAVE faith. His declaration of faith will not save him. Once again, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven...” (Matthew 7:21)
This verse in James also strongly hints that a true faith must produce works. You don't force works to prove you have faith. Your faith will automatically produce works. Jumping ahead to verse 18 says “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James says that you cannot have faith without works. If you claim to have faith and have no works, your faith is dead! Sorry, I'm jumping ahead again. He says that a man may say that he has faith and no works. James says “Prove it!” How can you prove that you have a faith. If you don't put it into practice, how can you prove it? A good speech says nothing compared to seeing. Seeing is believing.
Verse 15: “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” Maybe to make this story a little more dramatic (I'm not adding to the scripture here, I'm putting a different spin on it to parallel another passage) he might have said that this naked brother or sister came to your door at the end of the month before payday. Your cupboards are nearly bare. You or your wife has been very creative in the kitchen for the past week just to keep the family fed. You wonder how many ways there are to prepare potatoes. You are faced with a dilemma. You can pray a “faith-filled” prayer that God will bless them and feed them and clothe them before sending them on their way, or you bring them in and share you last few scraps with them, proving that you have faith that God will provide for you and your family, too. The first suggestion would declare your faith. The second would prove your faith.
This story is like the story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:8-15. She had a handful of meal and a little oil to sustain herself and her son. She knew that this was one of their last meals and Elijah was asking for it. She could have said, “God bless, may He feed and keep you!” and send him away. She didn't. She took him in and fed him. She fed them all for “many days” on enough meal and oil for one or two cakes. Her faith with works saved her and her sons life.
Verse 19: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Hmm. James says that there is more to it than believing. Here's where Troy's interpretation comes in.
My thoughts on faith and believing: Believing is good, but believing will not save you in itself. Faith is something acted upon (hence without works it's dead). You might believe that God still heals people. Or that He will provide that last two thousand dollars your brother needs to pay the tax man before he takes his house. It is easy to say that you will stand with them because “I believe”. What about when it comes to you or your children who are sick? What about when it comes to you and your house on the line? Now you say that God COULD heal or provide if He wants. I'm going to play it safe though and take things into my own hands. We will get them to a specialist or borrow the money for the house. What happened to the belief? Faith would have turned to God first. Faith puts things on the line. Faith lets God work. We take things out of Gods hands so often, we don't rely on Him for much anymore. Elijah was fed by ravens. Do you think he ever wondered if his next meal was going to fly in? Most churches will say that God can still heal, but how many practice calling the elders of the church to pray over and anoint with oil (besides charismatics[James 5:14])? This is not about being anti-doctor or pentecostal. We have a family doctor and we love him. And yes, he has prayed over our family members in his office. This is about the difference between saying we believe God can do something and than letting Him do it.
James next talks about Abraham. His faith was made perfect by his works. He believed God. He even put his belief to work. Through this, his son was saved. Because of this, he was called the Friend of God. That would be a nice title to hold.
To sum it all up, he compares faith alone to a dead body (James 2:26). A body without a spirit (see Genesis 2:7 where God formed Adams lifeless or dead body from dust and breathed the breath of life or spirit into him and he became a living soul). Faith (or declaration of) without works is worthless like a dead body. If you can only claim to have faith but have no works or acts to back it up, it is a dead faith. James said it all when he said that he will prove his faith by his works. This is not to be mistaken with the “saved by works” people who just go around doing good works but have no faith. I have said in the past that I know perfectly good heathen people who do good works. They are heathens with morals. No salvation. There are as many of these people in the church as there are out of the church. Don't be confused. A healthy, true faith WILL produce works. Works will not have to be forced. Works is merely a by-product of faith. The two are inseparable. Check your faith today...are there works attached? If not, re-consider where your faith is.
God bless!
“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14
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