Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: 1 Chronicles 5-8
     New Testament Reading: James 2

You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder. Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 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. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (James 2: 19-24).

Faith is a key doctrine in the Christian life. The sinner is saved by faith (Eph. 2:8-9) and the Believer must walk by faith (2Cor. 5:7) Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6) and whatever we do apart from faith is sin (Rom. 14:23).

Faith is not some vague feeling that we work up; Faith is the confidence that God’s Word is true and a conviction that acting on that Word will bring His blessing. Someone once said that faith is like calories; you can not see them, but you can always see the results! And that is the major theme resonating throughout James’ letter—results. Genuine faith produces genuine works.

It comes as a shock to some people that demons have faith! You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder (v19). But it is not a saving experience to believe and tremble. A person can be enlightened in his mind and even stirred in his heart and be lost forever. True saving faith involves something more, something that can be seen and recognized: a changed life. Show me your faith without works, challenged James and I will show you faith by my works (v18).

When you trust Christ, you are created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do(Eph. 2:10). Being a Christian involves trusting Christ and living for Christ; you receive the life then you must reveal the life.

True saving faith leads to action. The men and women of faith named in Hebrews 11 were people of action; God spoke, and they obeyed. Genuine faith is not intellectual contemplation or emotional passion. Genuine faith leads to obedience. And this obedience is not an isolated event, it continues throughout the whole life. It leads to works.

We are not saved by faith plus works, but by a faith that works. James says, You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (v24).The justified person has a changed life and obeys God’s will. His faith is demonstrated by his works. We delude ourselves if we think it doesn’t matter whether or not there is evidence of our faith. James’ whole point is that if it doesn’t show, you don’t have it!

There was a song made popular years ago titled “Love and Marriage”. Remember the beginning? “Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage.” And on it went, concluding in the final stanza with the words, “You can’t have one without the other.” Faith and works go together like a horse and carriage as well. You can’t have one without the other. Faith was never designed to dwell alone, separate from the partner that proves its existence.