James 2:17 says, “Faith without works is dead”. What is dead? The answer is ‘faith”. Dead faith is without works while living faith has works. Dead faith does not produce good works while living faith produces good works. What is meant by a dead faith? A dead faith is a functionless faith and a worthless faith. It is faith without understanding, without real conviction, without sorrow of sins, without repentance, without direction, without basis, without emotion, without love, without willingness, without real trust in Christ, and it is a mere intellectual belief. It is a false trust or false acceptance of Jesus. False trust does not produce works but true faith results in good works. A further analysis of the verse reveals that:

• Faith comes first before good works. Example: I do not do good works to have faith rather I have faith that is why I do good works.
• Good works are produced by true faith.
• Good works are manifestations of real faith. Verse 18 says, “show me….”
• Good works show what kind of faith a person has – true or false.
• The issue here is the kind of faith. It does not say that good works are requisites to salvation. It shows that a living or real faith has the ability and willingness to show it through good works. Example. A young girl who is your neighbor claims to be a student of a prestigious school, but you never saw her wear the uniform required by that school, and not one of your neighbors saw her go to that school. Of course, you won’t believe her. She has nothing to show. In the same way, if there is a person who claims to be a Christian or a believer, but he is not willing to be baptized, and he does not serve God, of course, you won’t believe him.

James 2:26 says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”. A dead body does not move to have the spirit. A living body moves because it has a spirit. A spiritually dead sinner cannot work to have the Holy Spirit, rather a person works and serve God because he has the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8: 9,14). If a sinner cannot work to have the Holy Spirit, how can he receive the Holy Spirit? The answer is by hearing the gospel and trusting Jesus as Savior and Lord, Acts 10:43-44; Eph.1:13. Intellectual or mere belief will not result to doing good works but a person who sincerely believes and trust in Jesus will prove it by his good works. Merely believing in the existence of God and the historical event that Christ died for man’s sins will not result to salvation. James 2:19 says, “…the devil also believe and tremble”. Many people have faith like that of the demon and think that they will go to heaven. To be sure that you are saved first, you must have truly repented of your sins and trusted Jesus as Savior (Jn.1:12; Luke 13:3). Second, you must have the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the assurance from God’s word (Rom.8:17; I John 5:11-13). Third, you prove it by living a “changed life” (II Cor.5:17; I John 2:3-4). James 2;18 says, “I will show thee my faith by my works”.

By E. J.