A L M A C I A S

WHAT KIND OF FAITH DO YOU HAVE?

In the epistle that James wrote, we find that he dealt time and time again with the practical aspects of Christianity. In chapter 1 of this letter, James made reference to the Christian who was only a hearer of the Word, but not a doer of it. James made it very clear that such a person was only deceiving himself. James compared such a person to one who looked in the mirror but did nothing to improve his appearance. What would you think of a person who would only look in the mirror every morning and then leave home without ever doing anything to himself? In the beginning of James chapter 2, James made reference to those who showed respect to those with money, but not to those who were poor. In all of these areas, James was trying to teach the brethren, as well as us, that it is never sufficient just to know what we are to do; but that it is necessary to do something with what we know.

In James 2:14-17, James continues to discuss the matter of practical Christianity, and in these verses he deals with a person who supposedly has faith but not works. Through the years, these verses have been the center of great controversy among those who have taught religion in one form or another. Among some like Martin Luther and many of the denominational people today, and even among some of the brethren, the topic of faith and works has been greatly misunderstood. James, in the passage before us, says: "What does it profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone."

What was James trying to communicate to the brethren of the first century, and to us, about faith? James was saying that faith must be accompanied by works, if we want to have a faith that saves. The controversy that has existed through the years has resulted because of what Paul wrote in Romans 4:1-6 and in Ephesians 2:8-9. In those passages, the apostle Paul wrote by inspiration that faith without works was sufficient for one's justification and also in Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul said that man was justified without works so that no one would glory. It is obvious that the works which Paul made reference to in his letters to the Romans and to the Ephesians, and the works to which James made reference, were different kinds of works. Paul was referring to works whereby a man might glory, while James made reference to works that were commanded by God. We are saved so that we can produce good works as commanded by God.