Show me thy faith

Last week I began a series on James 2:14-26, Faith, works, and justification or Does James really contradict Paul? I looked at 2:14, 2:15-17, then took a break for Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, and Resurrection Sunday. The Lord willing, today and tomorrow we will conclude.

2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 
20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

I confess, I find this a somewhat trying passage. I mean, I understand where he is going, it’s just that he takes a different route than I would. But he’s the apostle, not me!

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works – “Your pretending to have faith, while you have no works of charity or mercy, is utterly vain: for as faith, which is a principle in the mind, cannot be discerned but by the effects, that is, good works; he who has no good works has, presumptively, no faith.”*

I will show thee my faith by my works - "My works of charity and mercy will show that I have faith; and that it is the living tree, whose root is love to God and man, and whose fruit is the good works here contended for.”*

thou believest that there is one God - “This is the faith in which these persons put their hope of pleasing God, and of obtaining eternal life. Believing in the being and unity of God distinguished them from all the nations of the world … and thus they thought themselves secure of salvation. The insufficiency of this St. James immediately shows.”*

The devils also believe, and tremble - "It is well to believe there is one only true God; this truth universal nature proclaims. Even the devils believe it; but far from justifying or saving them, it leaves them in their damned state; they shudder with horror, they believe and tremble, are increasingly tormented; but they can neither love nor obey.”*

Thou believest there is one God - "This proves only that thou hast the same faith with the devils. Nay, they not only believe, but tremble - At the dreadful expectation of eternal torments. So far is that faith from either justifying or saving them that have it.” +

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? – Such a faith as this, that produces nothing, results in nothing, is dead, useless.

What we don’t find here is a dynamic discussion of faith. I mentioned last week that I am currently reading the gospel according to Luke. Faith is mentioned quite often, thy faith hath saved thee, thy faith hath made thee whole. Jesus saves, heals, delivers, all by faith. Paul speaks powerfully of faith in Christ. James does not. He is obviously addressing a warped view of faith, which, as he repeatedly says, is not living faith at all. Ah, tomorrow is when everything hits the fan!


Tomorrow – 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.



* Adam Clarke
+ John Wesley