INTRODUCTION
The author of this Epistle was probably the Lord’s brother, mentioned with Joses, Simon and Judah, and often in the Acts of the Apostles. See Mar_6:3; Act_12:17; Act_15:13; Act_21:18. He was bishop, or president, of the church at Jerusalem, and this letter was probably written from that city. The emphasis laid on the nearness of our Lord’s advent points to a date near A.D. 70. The Epistle may have been written in Hebrew, and was addressed to the Hebrew section of the Church. It lays great emphasis on the sublime ideal of character which Christianity had raised, and to maintain which demanded the constant diligence of all professing Christians.
OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE OF JAMES
THE MEASURE OF A CHRISTIAN
The Evidence of True Faith
5. What is the relation between faith and works?
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD
What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient–genuine faith produces good works.]
If a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for each day,
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves,” but he does not give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do?
So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].
But someone may say, “You [claim to] have faith and I have [good] works; show me your [alleged] faith without the works [if you can], and I will show you my faith by my works [that is, by what I do].”
You believe that God is one; you do well [to believe that]. The demons also believe [that], and shudder and bristle [in awe-filled terror–they have seen His wrath]! [Deu_6:4; Deu_11:13-21; Mar_12:29]
But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [spiritually shallow] person, that faith without [good] works is useless?
Was our father Abraham not [shown to be] justified by works [of obedience which expressed his faith] when he offered Isaac his son on the altar [as a sacrifice to God]? [Gen_22:1-14]
You see that [his] faith was working together with his works, and as a result of the works, his faith was completed [reaching
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND THIS [faith] WAS CREDITED TO HIM [by God] AS RIGHTEOUSNESS and AS CONFORMITY TO HIS WILL,” and he was called the friend of God. [Gen_15:6; 2Ch_20:7; Isa_41:8]
You see that a man (believer) is justified by works and not by faith alone [that is, by acts of obedience a born-again believer reveals his faith].
In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works too, when she received the [Hebrew] spies as guests and protected them, and sent them away [to escape] by a different route? [Jos_2:1-21]
For just as the [human] body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works [of obedience] is also dead.
Comments by
F.B.Meyer
on
James 2:14-26
DEEDS THE EVIDENCE OF FAITH
The Apostle is speaking here of a faith that does not result in a changed life. It is the faith which believes about Jesus Christ, as distinguished from that which believes in Him. We may believe about Him as we do about Luther or Washington, but such faith will not avail, either here or hereafter. It can no more affect our condition than the pious wish that a shivering beggar may be warmed, and fed will make him either one or the other.
The presence or absence of results in life and conduct is the real test of faith, as the green shoot of a living seed. James calls these results works. We are justified by works, because they prove our faith to be the real faith. Real faith binds the soul to the living Christ, produces deep penitence and humility, and brings about an absolutely new sort of behavior-as when Abraham was willing to offer Isaac, and Rahab received and assisted the spies. To reckon on God is to be a friend of God.
Choose a Sermon on
James
by
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