Subject Faith without works (James 02:14-19)
It is said that we all have faith. But the Bible says that in faith there is living faith and there is dead faith. Faith without works is dead faith. It is impossible to save yourself. So of what good is faith without works? That is why the Lord said in Matthew 16:26, “What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Faith does not mean just admitting and professing doctrine. This is because faith is a matter of the heart, not of the head or of the mouth. It is to repent of your unbelief in your heart, confess your sins, accept Jesus as your Savior, and be born again. For such people, works will naturally follow. The devil saw Jesus and cried out. In Acts 19:15, we see the devil admit Jesus, saying, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” Just because you approved it intellectually, it doesn't mean you have faith.
1. A living belief is a belief accompanied by action Just as a pregnant fetus knows whether it is a boy or a girl at delivery, a living or dead belief is known by looking at whether or not the belief is put into action when certain events occur. Verse 14 says, “What profit is it if you say you have faith and have no works? Can faith save you?” The believer's faith is receiving the gift of grace from God, and his deeds are giving out love to others. When that happens, your faith becomes a living faith, and it is beneficial to you. This thought of James is also true of Paul. In 1 Corinthians 13:2, Paul said, “If I have all the faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” This is a representative expression of his thought. Our deeds cannot be the merit of our salvation, but they are the evidence of our faith that leads to salvation.
2. Faith without works is dead faith 15-18, “If a brother or sister is naked and has no daily bread, if any of you say to him, ‘Go in peace, keep warm and be satisfied, and do not give them anything for their body needs, what profit is it? Like this, faith without works is dead in itself.” There are many instances in which a person serves others only with words. But it is rather detestable to ask the poor who cannot speak only with words and who can only be of material help to be in peace with their lips. James here says that faith without works is itself dead. The word that faith is dead here means that faith has no good works like the dead.
3. Both, not alternatives
(1) Living faith is one who knows how to distinguish between things of the spirit and things of the flesh. Romans 8:5 says, “Those who are after the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, and those who are after the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit; for the mind set on the flesh is dead, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” Abraham thought of the things of the Spirit. This is the evidence that the spirit was alive, and Abraham, who was alive in the spirit, knew that obeying the supreme book was what pleases God when he received God's command. Those who belong to the spirit like this do not want happiness based on the flesh. Those of the spirit do not get drunk on the things of the world. Those who are drunk in the world value the things of the flesh more than the things of God and try to have more fun in the world than the hope of heaven. The Jews, who were liberated from Egypt, could not discern spiritual things even after seeing many miracles and wonders, so they fell in the wilderness before entering Canaan. The natural person hears what is said in disobedience, but does not understand it. A living faith is one who can discern between things of the spirit and things of the flesh.
(2) Living faith loves God first in matters of love. Christianity teaches us to love God and to love our neighbor. However, when choosing before and after, we will absolutely love God first. money? Are you God? honor? Are you God? are you coming out? Is it God? In all of these cases, we must absolutely love God first. God is my everything, my life, my salvation and my rock. Abraham was full of love for his only son, Isaac, but he loved God first. So he obeyed God's command to sacrifice Isaac.
(3) Living faith has a fragrance. Living faith has religious influence. Abraham did not forcefully take Isaac as a sacrifice to the burnt offering on Mount Moriah. Abraham is old and Isaac is a boy with red eyes. They could not offer Isaac as a sacrifice by force. Isaac inherited his father's faith and knew and believed in God like Abraham. The dead smell only rotten, but living faith has a fragrance that is passed on to others.