Faith That Works

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #131ai Re-Written 18MAR09

Save Me Today—Part Thirty Five: Faith That Works

by rev dave c

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no 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? 2 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 (NIV).

Ouch. These verses from the Second Chapter of James have been the basis for much doctrinal debate among believers throughout the centuries concerning “sola fide” (that is, “faith alone” in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the exclusive means for salvation). No less a figure in Church history than Martin Luther, himself, regarded the Letter of James as “an epistle of straw” that should not be recognized as Scripture. Even Luther, however, toward the end of his life came to regard James as an inspired and important book of the Bible. The issue here, again, becomes our understanding of the distinctions to be made between “justification” and “sanctification” as different, but inseparable, aspects of salvation.

The following quote from the New Bible Dictionary (Second Edition, Inter-Varsity Press, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1988, p. 649) effectively speaks to this issue: “On the assumption that Jas. 2:14-26 teaches that God accepts men on the double ground of faith and works, some have thought that James deliberately contradicts Paul’s teaching of justification by faith without works, supposing it to be antinomian (cf. Rom. 3:8). But this seems to misconceive James point. It must be remembered that Paul is the only NT writer to use ‘justify’ as a technical term for God’s act of accepting men when they believe. When James speaks of ‘being justified’, he appears to be using the word in its more general sense of being vindicated, or proved genuine and right before God and men, in face of possible doubt as to whether one was all that one professed, or was said, to be (cf. the usage in Mt. 11:19). For a man to be justified in this sense is for him to be shown a genuine believer, one who will demonstrate his faith by action. This justification is, in effect, a manifesting of the justification that concerns Paul. James quotes Gn. 15:6 for the same purpose as Paul does—to show that it was faith that secured Abraham’s acceptance. But now, he argues, this statement was ‘fulfilled’ (confirmed, shown to be true, and brought to its appointed completion by events) 30 years later, when ‘Abraham (was) justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the alter’ (v. 21). By this his faith was ‘made perfect’, i.e. brought to due expression in appropriate actions; thus he was shown to be a true believer. The case of Rahab is parallel (v. 25). James’ point in this paragraph is simply that ‘faith’, i.e. a bare orthodoxy, such as the devils have (v. 19), unaccompanied by good works, provides no sufficient grounds for inferring that a man is saved. Paul would have agreed heartily (cf. 1 Cor. 6:9; Eph. 5:5f; Tit. 1:16).”

...The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men (Ro 14:17&18; NIV). Paul makes two often overlooked, but very significant, points in verse 18. Firstly, we are to “serve Christ through righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” “To serve” is to commit acts of righteousness, peace and joy in this life—that is to say, commit good deeds/good works with an attitude of grateful service right here and right now as an outpouring of our love for God, our love for our neighbor, and our love for each other. Secondly, these “good deeds/good works” are pleasing to God and they are approved by men. To be successful ambassadors of Christ in and to the world, we must live obedient lives according to His commands not just in word, but in deed. Peter tells us, Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us (1Pe 2:12; NIV).

While salvation as justification has an essential vertical element between an individual and God that is grounded on nothing more, and nothing less, than God’s gift of faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ—there is also a horizontal element in justification that exists between the individual and the rest of humanity that demonstrates (justifies) through good works the effects of that salvation. This is our witness to the world regarding the real power of the Holy Spirit to change lives. Upon this doctrine, Paul, James, Peter, and John are in complete agreement. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ep 2:8-10; NIV). Lord Jesus, save us today. Amen.