Faith without works is dead
"Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
James 2:17
An important aspect to be considered when looking at this particular passage, is to understand why James chose to use the term 'dead' to describe faith that is not working. James is concerned with an issue of life or death. Can a faith that is dead save a Christian from death? The question answers itself. Verses 15 and 16 tell the story of an ungenerous believer and how his empty words cannot save his brother from death when there is no provision of life's bare necessities. In the same way, a non-working faith cannot save our lives from the death-dealing consequences of sin.
I think it is good to recognize that the term 'dead' can refer to more than just the death/life terminology used to describe salvation from hell. The English language uses it in many different ways (i.e. "you're dead wrong", "he's dead drunk", "he's dead meat", "that idea is dead", etc.). Paul, in the book of Romans (written in Greek) calls Abraham's body dead while it was still alive and he attributed "deadness" to Sarah's barren womb (Romans 4:19). A Christian's body, in which the Spirit dwells, can be described as dead although the Christian himself is regenerated (Romans 8:10). Paul's usage of the term can be quite broad. In recognizing this whole idea, I think it is near impossible to say (dogmatically at least) that "dead faith" can have only one meaning and that being a soteriological one.
I feel James is describing a faith that is sterile, ineffective and/or unproductive. Context and closer study into other instances in the book of James would beg the argument that he is speaking of the faith that the Christian has and not the faith of the sinner, which first brought him to God. James wanted to admonish and exhort the believers to practive their faith by works.
Say that a sinner hears the gospel message of Christ's free gift of salvation through His dying on the cross for the sins of all men. Say he recognized his need of a savior and he is saved from the consequences of his own sin, placing his faith in Christ. At that moment, this man is justified before God. He is clean in the eyes of the Father. Now say that at this time, this man turns from God and pursues the 'lusts of the flesh' for the remaining duration of his life. Would this man enter into heaven even though the majority of his life was characterized by self-centered 'bad works' all the way up to his dying day?
I am always wary to question a man on whether his belief was genuine and whether or not he received salvation because we cannot read the hearts of men. God knows their hearts and He knows the names of those who are saved. Their names are added to the book of life and more are being added every day. They are added and never subtracted. The Bible states clearly in many passages, that it is by faith and faith alone that a man is saved (1 John 5:9-11). Not by faith plus works or a continuation of works throughout their life.
So in effect, James is saying that healthy faith; a faith of true, strong vitality, will produce good works. But ut is not by these good works that a man is saved, it is not by these good works taht a man proves that he is saved, and a man can be saved yet live life with the absence of good works. Even as we are saved, we have the potential to live in sin. Is this a healthy faith? It is by no means a healthy faith. Through works, faith is made mature.
Let us hold together in unity, as we are, those of the body of Christ. Paul, to the Philippians: "Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind." Philippians 3:15-16 (NKJV)
Thank you for graciously giving me the opportunity to share some thoughts.
By His grace, Kyle
James 2:17
An important aspect to be considered when looking at this particular passage, is to understand why James chose to use the term 'dead' to describe faith that is not working. James is concerned with an issue of life or death. Can a faith that is dead save a Christian from death? The question answers itself. Verses 15 and 16 tell the story of an ungenerous believer and how his empty words cannot save his brother from death when there is no provision of life's bare necessities. In the same way, a non-working faith cannot save our lives from the death-dealing consequences of sin.
I think it is good to recognize that the term 'dead' can refer to more than just the death/life terminology used to describe salvation from hell. The English language uses it in many different ways (i.e. "you're dead wrong", "he's dead drunk", "he's dead meat", "that idea is dead", etc.). Paul, in the book of Romans (written in Greek) calls Abraham's body dead while it was still alive and he attributed "deadness" to Sarah's barren womb (Romans 4:19). A Christian's body, in which the Spirit dwells, can be described as dead although the Christian himself is regenerated (Romans 8:10). Paul's usage of the term can be quite broad. In recognizing this whole idea, I think it is near impossible to say (dogmatically at least) that "dead faith" can have only one meaning and that being a soteriological one.
I feel James is describing a faith that is sterile, ineffective and/or unproductive. Context and closer study into other instances in the book of James would beg the argument that he is speaking of the faith that the Christian has and not the faith of the sinner, which first brought him to God. James wanted to admonish and exhort the believers to practive their faith by works.
Say that a sinner hears the gospel message of Christ's free gift of salvation through His dying on the cross for the sins of all men. Say he recognized his need of a savior and he is saved from the consequences of his own sin, placing his faith in Christ. At that moment, this man is justified before God. He is clean in the eyes of the Father. Now say that at this time, this man turns from God and pursues the 'lusts of the flesh' for the remaining duration of his life. Would this man enter into heaven even though the majority of his life was characterized by self-centered 'bad works' all the way up to his dying day?
I am always wary to question a man on whether his belief was genuine and whether or not he received salvation because we cannot read the hearts of men. God knows their hearts and He knows the names of those who are saved. Their names are added to the book of life and more are being added every day. They are added and never subtracted. The Bible states clearly in many passages, that it is by faith and faith alone that a man is saved (1 John 5:9-11). Not by faith plus works or a continuation of works throughout their life.
So in effect, James is saying that healthy faith; a faith of true, strong vitality, will produce good works. But ut is not by these good works that a man is saved, it is not by these good works taht a man proves that he is saved, and a man can be saved yet live life with the absence of good works. Even as we are saved, we have the potential to live in sin. Is this a healthy faith? It is by no means a healthy faith. Through works, faith is made mature.
Let us hold together in unity, as we are, those of the body of Christ. Paul, to the Philippians: "Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind." Philippians 3:15-16 (NKJV)
Thank you for graciously giving me the opportunity to share some thoughts.
By His grace, Kyle
Hi guys. Just getting caught up with the discussion a little. Thanks for the post, Kyle. I got a lot out of what you're sharing.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved this passage because of the way it really meshes with what Paul shares elsewhere (like Ephesians 2) about faith. As you said, James is not trying to describe what someone must "do to be saved," but instead simply answering the question, "What kind of faith saves?"
You make a distinction between faith at conversion over and against faith that we walk in day-by-day. I'd love to hear more about that concept and chew on that a little. In places where faith is described it is generally described without such a distinction (Hebrews 12). Throw out a couple of examples for us that shows us the distinction you're making. Would you say that there is an "initiation" faith and then a different faith that we rely on later? We certainly "grow up in out faith" as we walk with God, but I have never thought of it as a substantively different faith before.
Your concluding thought on the subject, "Through works, faith is made mature" is also fodder for great discussion. I would rather say that works have no impact on faith except to be the fruit of real faith working outwardly (I'd say, "Mature faith produces works."). Would you say that works make faith mature?
I have recently been reminded of this blog and hope to join in the discussion here and there. I am so glad for you Kyle, Joe and Jason and your desire to spur each other on! Have a great day, men!
I love discussions like these, so please always hear my comments in the kindest and most encouraging tones. We shall pursue Christ together through His Word!
I think it's interesting that Hebrew does not contain a word for 'faith' as English uses the term. The idea of an ambiguous mental belief in something isn't actually logical - that anyone could in the fullest sense "believe" something and not act on that. Instead, the closest Hebrew word actually implies 'faithfulness.' That adds a twist to "Abraham was saved because of his faith (read: faithfulness)."
ReplyDeleteI think this idea comes through in life too. Those who don't have faith that their words will take action don't speak; most of us don't believe we can punch through walls so we don't; when we put on certain clothes we do so because we have faith they will make us attractive; we chose one answer on a test over another because we have faith it is correct. I'm not sure there are any instances in life where Man acts without having some amount of faith that his action will produce a certain result, but I may be mistaken.
I propose, as Nature is an image of God's nature, that this same system works in salvation, though I am just a layman. As I can recall, Jesus' forgiveness of sins is never idle. For some, He gives a command and upon the person's obedience He grants healing and salvation; others touch Him or otherwise act in a manner of faith and He then explains that their faith has saved them. This distinction is huge. We read a description of a man or woman's action, and immediately afterward "Your faith has saved you, go and sin no more." How/why does Jesus transfer action to faith? Jesus recognizes that the action only came about because each person in these stories had faith that what they did, whether they touched Jesus or listened to his commands, it would heal them - they believed Jesus. But at the same time, the action alone did not save them. Not everyone who spits in the dirt and rubs mud on their eyes is going to be healed of blindness. But rather, the faith that each of their actions would bring about the effect that Jesus claimed, is what saved them. And that acting on faith is faithfulness. "Faith without works is dead," and works without faith are useless, but when they two are combined in supernal relationship, faithfulness to Jesus Christ yields to salvation.
In this sense, I think there is no chronological progression of faith (as Jon seems to point out in Kyle's post); at the same time I don't think works are simply fruit of faith - implying that faith can exist internally without external works. While the first act of faithfulness in Jesus grants eternal salvation and the Holy Spirit, it is still Man's continual sacrifice to the will of God that brings fruit of the Spirit; the submission to the Spirit's leading by yielding freedom. This continuation of the faithfulness that saves is what draws a Christian nearer to God throughout his or her walk with Christ.
I hope I haven't gone too long for a comment. Let me know if this should become a response post instead. This is a good discussion, I'm glad you could join us Jon!
Jason