Read with Me
James 2:18-24 (HCSB)
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.
Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected. So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Listen with Me
James had just written that faith without action or “works” is dead. But he knew that some would push back on that assertion, alleging the faith is merely strong belief, and good works, or obedience, are completely different things. So, he addresses those arguments here.
James uses what, to some, would be considered a peculiar illustration: the fact that even demons have a sort of faith. They “believe” in the one true God. They believe that He exists, that He is all powerful and all holy, and they believe that He can destroy them with a single word, so much so that they live their lives in fear of Him. But that “faith”, those beliefs, even though they are correct, can’t save them, because their deeds are evil.
James’ next illustration is more orthodox: Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac. Abraham had been commanded to offer his son, the son of the promise, as a burnt offering. According to the writer of Hebrews, Abraham had found the command confusing, but went ahead and complied, reasoning that God was “able even to raise someone from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19).
As James points out, Abraham could have believed that with all his heart, but that “faith” was useless until he actually obeyed God’s command, laid his son on the altar, and raised the knife to slay him. It was not his belief that caused him to be considered righteous by God, but his actions, his obedience.
James draws the conclusion that, even though belief can exist without action, it is not until action is taken based on a command or a promise from God that belief actually becomes faith that can bring salvation and righteousness.
Pray with Me
Father, this makes sense. In a way, it is very much like someone who believes that You can save them through faith in Jesus, but who never repents, never surrenders. Their belief in the possibility maybe strong, but without taking actual steps of obedience and trust, that belief can’t save them. Thus, the difference between belief and true faith, as the writer of Hebrews depicts repeatedly, is that faith is belief in action. When I take that step of obedience, or that step of trust based on your promise to me, I can say that I truly have faith that can save me, faith that can make me genuinely righteous before you. Thank you, Lord, for this light. Amen.