This article is the third in a five-part mini-series on faith.
We live in a day when people think that “my faith is private” is a suitable excuse for a lack of good works. James paints a drastically different picture for us though.
In James 1.22-25 we read, “But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does. (WEB)” James lays it out plainly that we must hear and do. True faith always is accompanied by good works. To those of you that think you can have faith without works James advises that you are deluded. It is self-deception to believe that genuine faith can exist in the absense of works and good deeds. To put it another way, if you want to convince James you are a Christian you must do more than just say it - you must live it.
James continues in 2.14-18 arguing that you are welcome to try and show your faith without works, but he will show his faith by his works. Oh, but you say you believe in God? So do the demons - and they shudder!
Links to the full series:
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