Salvation comes by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This is the clear message of the New Testament, the central meaning of the cross. There is nothing we can do to add to the perfect sacrifice of Christ, nothing we can contribute to our salvation. So, how do these verses possibly fit with what the rest of the Bible says? For doesn’t James say that a person “is justified by works and not by faith alone” (2:24)?

Well, let’s take a step back and look at his overall argument. He is certainly right that mere sentiment does no one any real good – just wishing that a poor person “Go in peace, be warmed and filled” won’t help unless we also provide him some food or clothing (2:15-16). So, it’s obvious that only generous actions can put our good wishes into practice. It is only our works that truly make a difference in the lives of other people. In the same way, we can believe with our minds that God is real, and even that Jesus is the Son of God. But the demons believe all that too, and none of them are saved (2:19).

What does all of this mean? That true faith must go beyond mere feelings of affection or devotion and beyond mere acknowledgment of facts. In order for our trust in God to be genuine, we have to put that trust into action.

That’s what Abraham did, when he was willing to sacrifice Isaac just because God told him to (2:23). That’s what Rahab did when she hid the Hebrew spies (2:25). And that’s what we are called to do so often throughout our lives – to trust God’s love and power even in the face of grief or poverty, even in the midst of depression or despair. It is as we obey God even when we don’t feel like it, even when God’s rules don’t make sense, or even when it costs us a lot – that’s when we demonstrate the reality of our faith.

So, will we be satisfied to talk the talk of faith today, or will we also walk the walk? Will we live out our faith through our words and works? Or will we be content to let it die (2:26)?

James 2:14-26 (ESV)

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe– and shudder!
20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”– and he was called a friend of God.
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.