Faith w/o Works is Dead

James 2:14-26 is a fairly confronting passage of Scripture. Look at these words:

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has not deeds? Can such faith save him? 15) Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16) If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17) In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18) But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder. 20) You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21) Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22) You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23) And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24) You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25) In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

When you read God's word, I pray it shapes your thinking. You see, this is how we understand what God desires for us. This is how we learn from scripture. Faith is required just as are works. Faith is believing in what we cannot see. However, Abraham, Noah, Moses, Rahab and so many others did not see the Christ. Yet their faith motivated them to action.

How is your faith? Is it dead?

I love verse 19. You believe in God? Good! - even the demons believe... They tremble at his voice, and they flee!

We must live out our faith! We must apply God's Word to our lives. In my 1599 Geneva Bible, the notes that assist in bringing understanding to God's Words are helpful. It says. "The conclusion; faith which bringeth not forth fruits and works, is not faith, but a dead carcass."