James 2: Faith Acts

^“14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” -James 2:14-17

James masterfully uses questions to convict the convinced of their need to now only believe, but to act. Three times in four verse, we read sentences that end with powerful question marks that pierce our apathy toward those in need.

First, James questions how a person could have faith but not act to help others.

Second, he asks whether a faith that does not act is really saving faith at all. (The implied answer in Greek is “no.”)

Third, he challenges with the example of telling someone without food or shelter to “go in peace” and yet not helping. In his words, “What good is it?”

But unlike the postmodern pilgrim who offers questions without resolve, James punches in with a clear bottom line: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

True faith leads to change. A changed life helps those in need. When those who follow Jesus don’t help those in need around them, outsiders have every reason to question whether their commitment is real. Why? Because there is nothing tangible about their lives; no action; no love.

The application James leaves is to both believe and to serve. Only when we do both do we truly have a faith that acts.

+++

Dillon Burroughs is the author and coauthor of numerous books and is handwriting a copy of all 31,173 verses of the Bible at HolyWritProject.com. Find out more about Dillon at Facebook.com/readdB or readdB.com.