James: More GraceSample

How do you respond when your behaviour is challenged? It is always tempting to look for excuses.

James’ words have been very challenging. Not everyone who claims to have faith in Jesus will be saved. Faith that does not lead to action is not authentic faith at all. James calls it ‘dead’ (2:17). It is good for nothing!

James’ readers claim to believe in Jesus. How will they respond to this very serious warning? Repentance would have been good, but it seems that James expects an argument.

‘You have faith; I have deeds,’ says James’ imaginary speaker (v. 18), as if faith and deeds were a pair of matching and optional spiritual gifts. No need for me to have both, is there? That seems to be the gist of this speaker’s argument.

• Which of the pair is this imaginary speaker claiming to have (v. 18)?

James is being provocative. It is actually far more likely that James’ lazy readers would have said the sentence the other way round, for their problem was that they didn’t have deeds. Arguing, ‘I have faith, you have deeds’ would have been a convenient way to brush aside James’ call for action!

But they can’t brush his warning away like this. If they have faith and no deeds, their faith is useless. James sets up a challenge to drive his point home.

• What challenge does James give his readers (v. 18)?

There is no way that his readers can do what James asks. A ‘faith without deeds’ has nothing to see, so you can’t show it to anyone. No one can see another person’s heart.

James can demonstrate his faith is genuine though. ‘I will show you my faith’, he says, ‘by my deeds.’ That is how you tell what someone really believes inside – take a good look at what they do!

All genuine faith in the Lord Jesus leads to obedient action. Every true believer will have both faith and deeds.

James’ readers cannot wriggle off the hook and excuse their poor behaviour. ‘Faith’ without action really is ‘dead’ and useless. It will save no one.

• Who has this sort of ‘dead’, useless ‘faith’? Are they expecting their ‘faith’ to save them (v. 19)?

This is another shocking illustration. Demons are God’s enemies. They know there is only one God but they do not obey him. Will their belief save them? Absolutely not! In fact, demons shudder when they think about God. They know he will judge and destroy them.

Believing there is one God is good. But if you don’t obey him, you are in no better position than demons. Your ‘faith’ won’t save you, for it isn’t genuine faith at all.

Pray

Ask God to help you see where you are making excuses for not obeying him as you should.