“What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? Now if a brother or sister be naked and be in lack of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give them not the things needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith by thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith. Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:14-26)
Our reading today deals with the vital relationship between faith and works, challenging any notion that faith alone, without corresponding actions, is sufficient for salvation. James begins by posing a rhetorical question: What good is it if someone claims to have faith but lacks works? He bluntly answers that such faith is not capable of saving anyone. He illustrates this by using a practical example. Imagine a brother or sister in Christ who is in dire need—naked and hungry. If someone were to respond to their plight with empty words like “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without offering any tangible help, those words would be meaningless. In the same way, faith without works is equally empty and dead.
Faith is not merely a matter of intellectual assent or verbal confession. It must be manifested in action. James anticipates the argument that faith and works are separate, with one person having faith and another having works. But he counters by declaring that genuine faith is demonstrated by works. True faith is not just believing that God exists—after all, even demons believe that and tremble. Instead, true faith is active and alive, proving itself through good deeds.
We are then presented with two powerful examples from the Bible: Abraham and Rahab. Abraham’s faith was shown to be genuine when he obeyed Jehovah’s command to offer his son Isaac. His faith and his works were inseparable, and through his actions, his faith was perfected. Rahab, the harlot, also demonstrated her faith by her actions when she protected the Israelite spies. Both of these figures were justified by their works, showing that their faith was alive and true.
The remainder of the second chapter of James’ epistle concludes with a striking analogy: just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead. This shows the essential truth that faith must be accompanied by works to be considered living and effective. In our Christian life and ministry, faith and works are not separate entities but two sides of the same coin. Works are the fruit of true faith, proving its authenticity and leading to justification before God.
