There is no greater unifying doctrine among those professing to be Christians than the topic of faith. Most would agree that faith is necessary to please God and to receive everlasting life (John 3:16). Yet, the doctrine of faith that unites the religious world is also the source of great division. The division occurs when the question is asked, “What type of faith leads to salvation?” James addressed this query by asking two rhetorical questions in James 2:14, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” These questions are constructed to indicate that James expected negative answers, and in the verses that follow, he explained why negative answers were a foregone conclusion.
Faith with the absence of works is not saving faith, because faith cannot be reduced to words only. To illustrate, James provided an impractical, inexcusable and sinful interaction between a Christian in need and a Christian who was capable of helping (15-16). Instead of helping, the well-to-do brother responded, “Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled,” without providing any care to the one in need (16b). It is evident that the one who was needy was dismissed and treated as an inconvenience. When action is replaced with words, words become meaningless. In like manner James added, “…faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone” (17). When faith is reduced to words only, it becomes a dead faith! Will Christ return to gather a people who are dead in faith or rich in faith (James 2:5)?
Faith with the absence of works is not saving faith because faith cannot be reduced to words and emotions only. James wrote, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble” (19). Demons (“devils”) intellectually consented (“faith”) that God is one (Mark 1:23-25) and “trembled” at His power. However, no one would argue that they were exercising faith that would result in salvation. If demons will not be saved by faith consisting of words and emotions only, why would one expect Felix (Acts 24:24-25) and those like him to be saved by an identical faith?
Faith with the presence of words, emotions and works is the type of faith God required from Abraham (21-24) and continues to require from His people today. Faith is established on the Will of God (Romans 10:17) and triggers an internal, emotional response (Acts 2:37) that leads to repentance, confession (Romans 10:10) and baptism (Mark 16:16). After these initial acts of faith, God expects full compliance to the Doctrine of Christ in word and deed (Colossians 3:16; Philippians 2:12), which will result in acts of obedience to the glorification of God (John 15:2-6; Matthew 5:15). Abraham’s faith worked in conjunction with (“wrought”) acts of obedience when he offered Isaac upon the altar. As a result, his faith became mature (“was made perfect”), and he was declared innocent (“justified”) by God (22, 24). Abraham’s works would have been useless without faith, and his faith would have been useless without works. What type of faith do you have in Jesus Christ?
