GENUINE FAITH

GENUINE FAITH
James 2:14-26
"As the body with the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." (v.26)

JAMES SURFACES AGAIN THE THEME of his epistle. Earlier on in 1.22, he has said, "Do what it says." Now he elaborates. Let us follow his arguments by considering the three examples he gives.

In the first example (vv.15-17), James tells us that it is not enough to say mere words to someone in need. When we see a brother or a sister without clothes and daily food, we may feel sorry. We may say some superfluous words. But if we do nothing beyond those words, that person is not helped at all. In fact, he or she may be made to feel worse by our show of hypocrisy. Words from our lips alone are not enough. We must do something.

In the second example (vv.18-19), James shows us that belief in the mind alone is also not enough. We may mentally give assent to certain tenets of faith, and think ourselves sound and orthodox. So also the demons! They too believe in one God, and they shudder in terror. They still behave like demons! If our "faith" takes us no further than our head, then we are no better than they. It is not enough to believe in our mind only; what we do after that is what counts.

Then James turns to Abraham, the perfect example of a man of faith. "You see that his faith and his actions were working together," he points out, "and his faith was made complete by what he did." (v.22). What Abraham believed in his mind, and what he professed with his lips, he put to action. His faith was genuine ("complete" or full, not hollow) because it was expressed, not only by words and statements of belief, but by life. (So also was the faith of Rahab, v.25.)

In saying this, James is in no way contradicting Paul who uses the same example of Abraham to show that it was Abraham's faith that saved him, not his works (Rom 3.28; Gal 2.15-16). Paul uses "works" in the sense of what is done to win God's favour. James uses it differently, to mean what is done as an expression of true faith. Both see the importance of faith, as long as it is genuine. It was Abraham's faith which saved him, because it was genuine faith.

For us today, let us beware lest our faith lies only in the sentimental words we say with our lips, or in the noble ideas we hold in our heads. As long as it remains there, our faith is dead. To make it alive, James tells us, "Do it!"

Does my faith show in my life?