I grew up in a time period where “cheap easy believism” was prevalent. There were many churches so determined to win the lost that they cheapened grace. People were told to just pray a prayer and they would be on their way to Heaven. Sounds good, and there is truth in that statement, but not the whole truth. James deals with what real faith is in this next few verses.
James 2:14-17 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; otwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
We come to Christ by simple faith. We must believe we are a sinner bound for hell, that Jesus paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross, and he was God in the flesh. We need to ask for forgiveness for our sins, sins against a holy God, and surrender to Jesus as Lord of our life. There is also an element that must be present before salvation can occur. The Holy Spirit must draw the person.
John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Faith is the beginning. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us we are saved by faith, not by our works, then, II Corinthians 5:7 says the believer must walk by faith. James takes us to the next step. The evidence of our faith is our works!
In this section of chapter two, James talks about the relationship between faith and works. It is vitally important that we understand this relationship. If we are wrong in this matter it could jeopardize our eternal salvation. This lesson deals with dead faith.
In Matthew 7:21 Jesus warned “Not everyone that saith unto Me. “Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven”
There are people who think they are ok because they have words to make them feel better. They appease their conscience by knowing some Bible knowledge. These people know what to say, and have a knowledge of the Bible, but their walk does not measure up to their words. They have convinced themselves that they are ok. They have a form of godliness, but not the power of God because he does not dwell within them. People with dead faith substitute words for deeds.
As believers, we have an obligation to help meet the needs of people no matter who they may be.
Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
Galatians 5:6 “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”
I John 3:17-18 “But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
The faith that does not produce good works is a dead faith. When James makes the rhetorical question, “can that kind of faith save him” he is making it obvious, it won’t. Any declaration of faith that does not result in a changed life and good works is not real! It is merely an intellectual faith. Dead faith is not saving faith, it is a counterfeit that lulls the person into a false confidence of eternal life. That person will spend eternity in hell with all those who have never exhibited a changed life in Christ.
II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
