Absolutely Dead Faith

In this passage, James speaks of dead faith and living faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Saving faith is not just agreement with the facts of the Bible. It is not just cognition and conviction. It is commitment to and confidence in the Savior, Jesus Christ. It is reliance on him forever and ever. And repentance is essential for saving faith. Paul says, “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:21).

Saving faith is always working faith. Faith that saves will produce good works, which are the fruit of the Spirit. Obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ is never optional. It is a tragedy that there are theologians who contradict these biblical truths.

The New Testament church consisted of true believers and false believers, as does the church today. James deals with this issue, especially in James 2:14–16. He teaches that absolutely dead faith produces no fruit, no obedience of faith. This is not unique to James. John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, Peter, John, and others also taught this. For instance, when people came to John the Baptist to be baptized, they asked him, “What should we do then?” John told them, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same” (Luke 3:10–11). Jesus said in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Jesus also said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:21–23). Their faith was absolutely dead faith.

Paul says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:8–10). And James says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by [deeds], is dead” (Jas. 2:17). Peter writes, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Pet. 2:12). The apostle John says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:16–18).

This saving faith is not self-generated. True repentance and faith are gifts of God received by those who are born of God. So James says, “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. . . . My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. . . . Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (Jas. 1:18; 2:1,5).

Paul declares, “Through [Christ] and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. . . . I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done. . . . Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you” (Rom. 1:5; 15:18; 16:9).

The faith of Simon Magus was patently bogus. In Acts 8 we read, “Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw” (Acts 8:13). But later Peter declares, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin” (Acts 8:21–23).

As believers, we are to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). Elsewhere, Peter exhorts us to make our calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10). Rocky soil Christians and thorny soil Christians do not produce fruit because they are just temporary believers like Judas and Demas.

Grace that justifies us by faith also sanctifies us by faith. Paul opposed legalism that says salvation is based on the works of the law. James opposes antinomianism, which says that obedience is not necessary for believers. The truth is, there are only two masters. Either we obey Jesus Christ or we obey the devil. No one is absolutely free.

True believers who confess Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit live by the obedience of faith delightfully. The church of Jesus Christ is called to be holy and blameless, and Jesus Christ will make her holy and blameless. “Without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).

A Faith without Deeds

James first tells us that faith apart from good works is worthless: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” (v. 14). Such faith is worthless (1:26), absolutely dead (2:17, 26), fruitless (2:20), and demonic (2:19). Such a faith cannot save.

The evangelical world today is infested with this deadly plague of the dead faith of antinomianism. So James asks two questions. First, if a person claims to have faith and does not have the good works of obedience, of what use is it? What is the answer? It is of no use. It is useless, worthless, dead faith. And, second, can such dead faith save a person? Can it save him when he is judged on last day on the basis of mercy? Again, the answer is no. James had earlier stated, “Those who fail to show mercy will be judged without mercy. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (James 2:12–13). And the merciful are those who love their neighbors, those who are rich in good works. Saving faith evidences self in good works, in love that fulfills the law. So Paul states, “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts” (1 Cor. 7:19).

So a faith that does not love and does not show mercy to one’s brothers and sisters is a non-saving, ruthless, false faith. Such faith is powerless to save.

True saving faith of the heart is the root from which comes the fruit of good works for all to see. Jesus is the vine, and true believers are the branches, who are vitally united to the vine and who bear fruit. That is what saving faith does. Believers are branches that produce fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. Therefore, the branch, a believer, who does not bear fruit, is cut out, thrown out, dried up, and gathered up to be burned. So Jesus said, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matt. 7:19). He also said, “[God] cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. . . . If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned” (John 15:2, 6).

Faith, which is the concomitant of regeneration, cannot exist in a believer apart from good works. Paul declares, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith working mightily through love” (Gal. 5:6, author’s wording). He also states, “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 1:3).

Professor John Murray says, “The faith that does not work is not the faith that justifies.” James already exhorted us to be doers of the word: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (Jas. 1:22). He characterized true believers as those who love God, saying, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (Jas. 1:12). And how do we love God? By keeping his commandments.

True faith that works is faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. And God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him (Jas. 2:5).

James is not teaching faith instead of works, or works instead of faith, or putting works above faith. But James is teaching that saving faith is a gift of God which, in turn, produces good works. As Paul says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Eph. 4:28). A man was a thief, but when God saved him, he stopped stealing, he started working, and now he gives to others. That is true conversion, total transformation.

Jesus cursed the fruitless fig tree to illustrate what would happen on the judgment day to fruitless Christians. The head of the church, who knows our works, warns all fruitless Christians with the words of Revelation 2:16, “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Caring for the Brethren

James continues, “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (vv. 15-16). In these verses, James again is illustrating the kind of good works we are to do, just as he did in James 1:27 when he said that true religion is demonstrated by taking care of orphans and widows.

So James asks a third question: Suppose you see a fellow believer, a member of the church family, who does not have sufficient clothing to keep warm and lacks daily food. Yet when you see such a person in his need standing in front of you, you show no compassion. In fact, to you, he is like a pest that annoys you. So, to get rid of him, you speak to him mockingly and hypocritically, as many did to the beggars in the streets of Jerusalem, “Leku leshalom (Go in peace). God bless you! I will be praying for you. Don’t worry; be happy. Be well-clothed and well-fed,” but do not give him the necessities of life, such as food, clothing, and money, what does it profit? Nothing! It profits nothing, other than proving that your faith is absolutely dead.

A person who acts this way is a fake Christian. He has no fruit of love. Christians must love one another. Later in his epistle, James writes, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. . . . But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (Jas. 3:13, 17). And in the epistle of James, “wisdom” may stand for the Holy Spirit (wisdom from above). And in Acts 2:44–45 we read, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” This is how true Christians show their love.

The lack of love that James describes was also evident in the Corinthian church. The members came together on the Sabbath day for the agapê feast, which ended with holy communion. Yet while the rich came, ate well, and even got drunk, the poor, including slaves, came but had nothing. So Paul rebuked them, saying, “You come together, not for the better, but for the worse. For this reason many of you are weak and sick and many fall asleep” (see 1 Cor. 11:17–32).

God generally gives us daily bread through others, especially through fellow believers. In this church we provide the basic necessities of life to those who lack them for whatever reason. Zacchaeus the publican, who was truly saved, expressed his true faith by giving to the poor half of all his properties, without anyone demanding that he do so. Jesus told his disciples, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matt. 25:35–36). The true people of God asked, “When did we see you and do these things for you?” And Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40).

Faith without Works Is Dead

Pastor James gives a concluding proposition: “In the same way, faith by itself unaccompanied by good works is dead” (v. 17). He is speaking of faith that is dead, non-saving, worthless, and fruitless; a faith that is self-generated, that gives only mental assent, and is antinomian. (PGM) Such is the faith of most mega-churches, the cheap faith of cheap grace. It is not living, active, trusting, penitent, persevering, saving, obedient faith.

The faith by which we trust God is a gift. Paul writes, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him” (Phil. 1:29).

This divine gift of faith will always produce good works. Yet our good works are God’s works. Paul exhorts, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:12–13).

Hebrews 11 tells us that by faith the people of God always obeyed the will of God: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death” (Heb. 11:17–19).

Faith that rests in God also works for God’s glory and for our own everlasting joy.

The Faith of Demons

Then James adds, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder” (vv. 18-19). In these verses, James is refuting the silly argument that true faith and works may exist separately, one without the other.

Faith without works is sheer intellectualism. It is called dead orthodoxy. It is mental assent faith, not fiducia (true faith) that commits oneself to Christ. It is not believing in (en in Greek) Christ or into (eis) Christ or upon (epi) Christ. And works without faith is nothing but social action. It is liberation theology, the theology of liberalism. Paul speaks of such faithless works: “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3). It is based in ecumenicalism that rejects true apostolic doctrine.

James demands, therefore, “Show me your faith apart from good works.” What he means is, there is no such thing. It is impossible. James is being sarcastic. Then he says, “I will show you my faith by my good works.” Good works manifest our true faith for others to see, that they may believe in Christ. Jesus said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

Proof of saving faith is love that works. It is not either faith or works; it is faith thatworks. Trust and obey.

So you may say that you believe God is one and that you believe in the unity of the Godhead. You may say you believe in the authority of the Bible and agree that everything the Bible says is true. You may say you believe in the gospel, as we read in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; he was buried and he was raised from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures,” and in Romans 4:25, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” All this indicates that you are orthodox in your faith. You may also say you believe in the orthodox and reformed creeds, confessions, and catechisms of the church. Good for you! But these do not save you. Dead orthodoxy cannot save anyone.

If you are telling me that you are orthodox, I agree. You are as orthodox as the demons are. They also believe in the Bible, but they only have a mental assent faith, so they are not saved. In other words, one’s mental-assent, non-saving faith is like the faith of the devil. It is just a verbal profession that does not reach the heart. And in spite of their faith, demons remain demons, destined to go to hell, where also go humans who have faith without works. Of such people Jesus taught, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matt. 25:41).

Saving faith is not just an intellectual acceptance of a theological proposition. Mental assent to Christian creeds without Christian conduct will save neither humans nor demons. So James uses a reductio ad absurdum argument by saying even the demons believe and tremble. This argument was designed to mock the autonomous antinomians of his day.

Unlike antinomian Christians, demons not only believe but they also tremble, especially as they ponder the prospect of their coming judgment. This has always been true. The legion of demons asked Jesus, “‘What do you want with us, Son of God? . . . Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’” (Matt. 8:29). Demons know there is an appointed time, and that they will be tortured forever.

Today, most evangelicals who are deliberately antinomian do not even tremble. They are worse than the demons because demons not only believe but tremble. Yet the day is coming when they will be told by the Lord Jesus himself, “Depart from me, you lawless ones!”

We must acknowledge this truth: None of us are absolutely free. And if we do not have saving faith that works, we are absolutely dead. My counsel to those who have dead faith is, “Repent and truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ today, and you will be truly saved.” Paul says, “First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds” (Acts 26:20).

Don’t go to a church that doesn’t preach the word. Always be part of a gospel-preaching church, as set forth in Romans. Such churches are rare and hard to find. They are as rare as the true prophets Micaiah and Jeremiah were in ancient Israel. There are many false prophets and false churches today, who seek only to entertain you. You will never experience the conviction of sin and the comfort of salvation in such churches. They are those who say, “Peace, peace,” when there is only divine judgment.

So I say to you what the Lord spoke through Jeremiah: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jer. 6:16).