In James 2:26 we read, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” The body cannot be alive without the spirit. God created Adam’s body, but Adam was not alive until God gave him the breath of life. When the body dies, the spirit does not remain in the body.
James says that faith is like the body. Faith requires works. Without works, faith is dead. Works of righteousness are what give life to faith. A person needs both faith and works to be a proper Christian. This is shown in Colossians 1:9-10. “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding“ (v. 9). This verse shows us faith. Faith is based on a full knowledge of God’s desire for us. We are to get spiritual wisdom and understanding. Faith is based on the facts given to us in the Bible. Knowledge, wisdom and understanding are based on facts. Our faith (belief and trust) is grounded in the faith (system of rules, commandments, statutes) given by God.
“That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (v. 10). In this verse we have the works. We must be fruitful. Spiritual fruit is produced from and in good works. Further, a result of doing good works is that one will grow even more in knowledge. Without these works, faith is dead. One can know every verse in the Bible; one can quote every verse in the Bible. Yet, if one does not put those verses to use by doing good works, one is spiritually dead. That person is useless.
This shows that when a person claims to teach and preach the Bible, but says that works are not necessary for salvation, that person is not telling the truth. One cannot have a saving faith if one does not have spiritual works.
Study your Bible. Learn how to have faith and works. Learn how to please God. If any of this is hard to understand, ask an adult to help you.
