Faith and Works
James 2:14-26
It is foolish to believe that faith operates in a vacuum apart from works. Works demonstrate faith, and are in fact a completion of faith.
Audio from the author
#Faith
#Works
#Justification
Published April 20th, 2016
Main point summary
Arc
Warning:
notes
Main point summary
A man is justified by faith, but it is his works that demonstrate the authenticity of that faith.
Arc
editing
NT
James 2:14-26
esv
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith
o but does not have works?
situationresponse
Can that faith save him?
ideaexplanation
p If a brother or sister is poorly clothed
and lacking in daily food,
progression
q and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,”
without giving them the things needed for the body,
alternative
what good 1 is that?
series
So also faith by itself,
if it does not have works,
actionmanner
is dead.
conditional
questionanswer
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”
Show me your faith r apart from your works,
and I will show you my faith s by my works.
negativepositive
actionresult
t You believe that God is one;
you do well.
Even u the demons believe—and shudder!
concessive
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person,
that faith apart from works is useless?
v Was not Abraham our father justified by works
when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
temporal
You see that w faith was active along with his works,
and faith was completed x by his works;
and the Scripture was fulfilled that says,
y “Abraham believed God,
and it was counted to him as righteousness”—
and he was called a z friend of God.
inference
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
And in the same way was not also a Rahab the prostitute justified by works b when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
comparison
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
ground
discourse
Warning:
It must be noted here that faith produces works, not works that produce faith.
Comments
Kathleen S
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.