Faith That Is Dead (2:14–17)

Chapter 6

FAITH IS A KEY DOCTRINE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. (James 2:14-26)

Faith saves the sinner (Eph. 2:8–9), and the believer must walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). It is impossible to please God without faith (Heb. 11:6), and anything we do that isn't based on faith is a sin (Rom. 14:23).

Someone once said that faith is not "believing in spite of evidence, but obeying in spite of consequence." In Hebrews 11, you will meet men and women who did what God said, no matter what it cost them. Faith isn't just a vague feeling we have; it's believing that God's Word is true and that following that Word will bring His blessing.

James talked about how faith and works are related in this paragraph. The subject is an important discussion because if we are wrong about this, we would lose our eternal salvation. What type of faith genuinely saves an individual? Do you have to do good things to get saved? How can someone know if they really have saving faith? James told us that there are three types of faith, but only one of them is true saving faith.

Faith That Is Dead (2:14–17)

There were people in the early church who said they had saving faith but didn't really have it. You will always find counterfeit faith alongside genuine faith. Jesus said, "‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).

People with dead faith use words instead of actions. They know the right words to use when praying and giving testimony, and they can even quote the right Bible verses, but their actions don't match their words. They think that their words are as good as their actions, but they are wrong.

James made a simple example. A poor believer came to a fellowship without the right clothes and needed food. The person with dead faith saw the visitor and knew what he needed, but he didn't do anything to help. He just said a few pious things! ". . . Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; . ." (James 2:16). But the visitor left just as hungry and naked as he came in!

Everyone, saved or not, needs food and clothes. "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content." (1 Tim. 6:8). "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." (Matt. 6:31–32). Jacob asked God for these basic things in his prayer: ". . . If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on," (Gen. 28:20).

As believers, we have a duty to help people in need, regardless of who they are. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." (Gal. 6:10). “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.” (Matt. 25:40).

Helping someone in need is a sign of love, and faith works through love (Gal. 5:6). The apostle John stressed this part of good works. "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." (1 John 3:17–18). The priest and Levite in the story of the good Samaritan were both religious, but neither of them stopped to help the man who was dying on the side of the road (Luke 10:25–37). Each would defend his faith, but neither showed that faith through loving actions.

In essence, James is asking the question in James 2:14, "Can that kind of faith save him?" What type? The kind of faith that is never shown in real life. No, the answer is no! If someone says they believe in something but their life doesn't change and they don't do good things, that's a false declaration. That kind of faith is not real faith. "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2:17). Someone has said, "Only faith can justify, but faith that justifies can never be alone." The word "alone" in James 2:17 means "by itself." True saving faith can never be alone; it always brings life, and life leads to good works.

The individual possessing dead faith experiences solely an intellectual engagement. He knows the teachings of salvation in his mind, but he has never given himself to God and trusted Christ to save him. He knows what to say, but he doesn't do what he says. John 3:16 says that faith in Christ gives life, and where there is life, there must be growth and fruit. James told us three times in this paragraph that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17, 20, 26).

Be careful of having faith only in your mind. No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same any more than he can come into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same. "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1 John 5:12). Dead faith is not saving faith. Dead faith is fake faith that makes people think they will live forever.