James 2:9-17 NKJV
9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
In the first part of today’s reading, James continues his thoughts from the previous verses by teaching that if anyone even thinks he can keep 99% of the law yet stumbles in one part, he is guilty of the entire law. The cold and hard fact is that no one can keep the law perfectly; and those who consider themselves good deed doers and think that by their good works they can get into heaven are grossly mistaken. The only One who has kept the law is Christ, and He did it perfectly for all so that those who by faith believe in Him are seen by God the Father as pure in His sight. Christ’s perfection is credited to us by faith, even though we are still sinful. That’s a great comfort!
In the second part of the reading, we have James’ infamous teaching that faith without works is a dead faith; in other words, it is no faith at all. To be sure, works do not save, for as Paul said in Rom 3:20, “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight…” Works do not save; only faith in Christ does.
But as Jesus says in Mt 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Our “light” is our good works that we do precisely because we are saved by grace. We serve and love God by serving and loving our neighbor. We do good works for others as a thank offering to God for His great mercy and love. It’s like if someone saved you from drowning, you would be eternally grateful and would want to do anything you can for that person. Good works just happen because we have been saved and delivered from our sins and the eternal damnation that we deserve.
So, when James, “I will show you my faith by my works,” he is simply pointing out that faith produces good works – naturally, or rather, supernaturally.
By God-given faith in Christ’s suffering and death for our sins, we are saved from eternal damnation. Until He calls us home, we GET to thank and serve God by serving others.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me to faith in You, and help me to help my neighbor in all things. Amen.