JAMES 2:14-26 – 11TH AND FINAL PARTMay 14, 2019
Read time: 2-3 minutes
James 2:14-26 – 11th and Final Part
The following is a very well-done interpretive paraphrase of James 2:14-26 by Joseph Dillow. Dillow adapted it from Lybrand, Back to Faith: Reclaiming Gospel Clarity in an Age of Incongruence, 93.
What good is it dear brothers and sisters if you say you have faith but do not add works to it. Can that kind of walk of faith deliver you from the temptations and trials of life which lead to spiritual impoverishment and negative judgment at the Judgment Seat of Christ? Suppose you see a brother or sister with no clothing or food and you say, “Have a good day, I hope things get better for you,” but you do not give them what they need, food and clothing. What good does this do? Thus, faith, when it is alone and not animated by good works is useless to others and only leads to spiritual impoverishment in your Christian life and rebuke from Christ.
But someone will object. “Faith and works are two different things and they have no necessary relationship together in the Christian life. Some have faith, and some have works. James, just as you cannot show me your faith by your works, I cannot show you my faith by my works. Let me prove this to you. James, you believe that there is one true God and you have good works. However, the demons also believe in one true God, and they have no works; in fact, they only tremble. So, this proves that there is no necessary connection between faith and works at all.”
Now, I James, say to you that you are a foolish man for claiming there is no relationship between faith and works. Can’t you see that faith without works is useless? Here is my proof. Let’s look at Abraham. Don’t you remember that Abraham grew in his faith to the point that he was vindicated before God and man as a righteous believer? He showed this openly when he offered Isaac his son on the altar long after he was saved. So, you can see that his faith and works cooperated together and caused him to grow in faith and become mature. In this story, we are told that “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” As a result, others, seeing this, called Abraham the friend of God. So, you can see that justification by faith alone is not the only kind of justification there is. There is also a justification by works which is a public demonstration of one’s inner fidelity and maturity in the Lord.
Consider another example, Rahab the harlot. She animated her faith by saving the lives of God’s messengers by sending them out another way. In this way, she too was shown to be a follower of God. Her faith was not dead or useless.
In conclusion, let me give you a final analogy. When the physical body dies, it no longer has a spirit. The body becomes useless and dead, though it was once alive. In the same way, if you have faith in God but do not animate your faith with a life of works, your faith is no longer vital, it is useless, and your life will be spiritually impoverished.
Source Used
Dillow, Joseph. Final Destiny: The Future Reign of The Servant Kings: Fourth Revised Edition. Grace Theology Press, chapter 28.
