If there is one thing we don't want to be deceived about, it’s the nature of faith. It’s a terrible realization, when words meant to anchor the Christian life—words like “faith”, “love”, or even “salvation"—become hollow euphemisms. For many, to maintain faith is to maintain a spirit of optimism….and to love, show niceness and tolerance. James’ letter is so perceptive!
But not everyone throwing around religious jargon understands the real-world implications and accountabilities of their profession. Your religion, especially your Christian religion, ought to be the most consequential, observable, and lived fact of your life! God forbid our Christian faith become nothing more than a hollow, toothless philosophy… bubble gum for the mind… infotainment for the Sunday soul.
Last week, James critiqued the “soul” of Christian religion: “What good is it, if someone claims to be religious… but cannot control their tongue… but doesn't look after distressed widows and orphans… but doesn't maintain a pure life… but is filled with prejudices … but doesn't fully obey God commands… but doesn't show an ounce of mercy…” Beginning in James 2:14, he probes deeper, critiquing the very “soul” of Christian faith. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?”
I must confess. Walking through these truths can feel like treading through a field of daisies, or even a fine china shop. In handling one truth (like faith), you must be careful not to step on, or smash the next (like works). Yet I can think of no more consequential conversation for us today than to explore the nature (soul) of faith. What exactly do we mean when we say, “I have faith?” And how does faith relate to works, and the law, and even our hope of salvation?
What appears to be in complete contradiction to James 2:14 is Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 2:8-10 where Paul says, “8 For you are saved by grace through faith. . .” But then to complicate matters, Paul throws in the whole kitchen sink! He then adds, “. . . and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.” Now what is the “this” in verse eight that “is it not from yourselves?” Is the gift the grace, the faith… or maybe both? And just what is “it” that is God’s gift? And what about works?
You can see why James’ interrogation of true faith is so shocking to evangelical ears. In James 2:14 he asks, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?” Let’s unpack James’ teaching on faith and works. Let’s first talk about works or deeds.
“Works” has become a dirty word in Christian circles. But look carefully. In James 1:8, James speaks of our obligation (response-ability) to “fulfill the royal law prescribed in Scripture.” And less we misunderstand, James clarifies the Royal Law. The Royal Law is that we “love our neighbor as ourselves.” All the law and prophets hang on the Royal Law. You and I are “response-able” to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body, strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.”
In James 1:10-11 James says, “For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law.” And in verses 12-13, “So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.”
It is true that we've been set free from the curse of the law. We have been granted forgiveness and grace. But if we think such mercy gives license for murder, adultery, showing favoritism or being prejudiced… If we think receiving God's mercy precludes us from extending that same mercy to others—we deceive ourselves! The law of freedom is simply this—God has given us new birth through his word. He has set us free from curse of the law, implanted his Word deep in our soul, filled us with his Holy Spirit, enabled us to live joyful, obedient, fruit-filled, mercy-filled, neighbor-loving, lives. And indeed, he expects our faith to become complete!
James is in agreement with Jesus who said, “If salt is no longer salty, its no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled by men.” And James is in full agreement with Paul, who writes in Titus 1:16 of those who “claim to know God, but . . .deny Him by their works and deeds. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for anything good.” There is no space in Scripture to suggest that because there is such amazing grace, our wickedness can increase with impunity.
For James, works are the very soul of faith! James 2:15-17, “If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.”
There is so much being said in these verses. First, James is speaking in hyperbole. Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration. He says, “Suppose your own family member comes to you completely naked… or completely destitute…” This is clearly an extreme example! But imagine you send them away with a hollow blessing, “Go in peace, stay warm, be well fed.” Not only is such faith “detestable, disobedient, and unfit for anything good…” it’s useless, in fact James says, such faith is “D.O.A.”
Do you know what our culture calls a body without a soul? Yes, Zombies are all the rage! But what is a Zombie? It’s a soul-less body. It mindlessly groans, has heartless, decaying body. It’s breathless, life-less, spirit-less body. It’s love-less. Zombies are not good for anything but annihilation. Useless “Zombie faith” is what you're left when you subtract from faith all semblance of God’s Royal Law of Love, when you jettison from faith, the Spirit-enabled, Joy-giving Law of Freedom.
Now here is the rather profound meaning of James 2:15-17. James isn't just talking once again about benevolence (clothing the naked, feeding the poor). He talked about that earlier. In a deeper way, James is giving an illustration. If a person is naked, words don't clothe him. If a person is hungry, words alone don't feed or nourish him. What clothes and feeds a person is action, obedience. And in the same way what clothes the body of faith? What feeds, nourishes, matures the body of faith? Not merely “hearing words" but obeying, doing God’s will. What did Jesus say… he said, “I have food you don't know about… my food is to “do" the will of him who send me.” Faith not clothed with obedience; faith not fed by obedience; faith that neglects royal law and law of freedom… is malnourished, useless, dead.
Faith without works is like the body with out clothes. It’s shameful. It’s like body without food. In divorcing faith and works, we empty faith of its very soul.
James 2:18-19, “18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder. 20 Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,, and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”
What is true faith? Well it’s not sentimentalism, well-wishing, whispering sweet pious nothings, hollow promises, “Be well. We Warmed. Shalom.”
What is true faith? It’s not merely intellectual assent. The Demons know stuff too. Their knowledge causes them to shudder to their core. Demons are the counterpart to Zombies on earth. So, if knowledge is everything, why doesn't knowledge save demons? Why isn’t knowledge substantively enough?
A great way to understand faith is to think of it as Active Trust. There is a sense in which trust is intellectual—how can I trust God if I don't know Him? Certain knowledge is prerequisite to faith. But what good is faith if it never “entrusts” itself to anyone or anything? I trust that chair to save me, but I'm not going to entrust myself to it. I trust God's Word to give me birth and to save my soul, but I'm not going to obey it. I have faith, but I'm not going to let God clothe me in righteousness. I have faith, but I’m not going to feast on real food, doing the will of God. I have faith, but I'm not going breathe in God’s Spirit and keep in step!
In Galatians 5:6, Paul writes, “What matters is faith working through love.” Look again at James 1-2. What is faith? Yes, it is intellectual assent, but not only. Faith is costly compassion. Faith is neighborly love. You help that widow, orphan, that naked or hungry brother. You don't send them away. You safeguard the dignity and worth of every person. You rid yourself of all filth, prejudice, favoritism.
Even more concretely, the soul of faith is sacrificial obedience. James recalls the faith of Abraham, that Abraham spared not even his one and only son but obediently offered him to God! It was David who famously declared to God, “I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” Giving, Tithing, Sacrifice, Serving… is the “soul” of faith. Faith is dead without love, or sacrifice.
And just as concretely, the soul faith is courageous hospitality. The most radical demonstration of hospitality in Bible is that of Rahab, the prostitute. At great risk of death, she gave shelter, food, protection and cover to protect God's servants. In Hebrews 11 Abraham, Rahab, and the faith of every significant servant of God is celebrated not because of what they believed, but because of how they entrusted their very lives to God.
A faith that trusts, that works, doesn't detract from God's glory in salvation—it only magnifies God's glory further. While works aren’t the root of salvation, nor even the root of faith, they are the inevitable fruit and soul of both.
Let me end with a question. Out there, in the real world, are you more than a church zombie? Is there evidence God’s given you, “yes” a new mind, but what about a new heart? Is there a spark of life in your eye? Does the breath of the Living God fill your lungs and animate your soul? Has the Word of God not only given you new birth, and a joy of salvation… is obeying God’s word the food that energizes your soul? Are you clothed in Christ’s righteousness? Are your lips filled with testimony of God’s goodness? Is there evidence of Royal, Neighborly Love? Sacrifice? TRUST.