Saving Faith

Are you a big talker or a big doer! James wrapped up the first chapter in his letter with a call to not just listen to the Word, but to do the Word. Then he finishes the second chapter teaching that faith must be partnered with action, not because those actions provide salvation, but because they prove our salvation. In James 2:13-26, James helps us to understand what authentic, saving faith does to, and through, a Believer. He teaches that faith and works go hand in hand! In fact, James makes clear that faith without works is dead!  

Now, some people get a little confused with what James is teaching here, and some even want to argue that he’s contradicting what Paul taught about salvation through faith in Christ alone. However, Paul was often battling legalism in his letters (salvation through works). The Believers James was addressing were at other end of the spectrum; many were doing little or nothing for Christ’s sake! There is no contradiction between Paul’s and James’ teaching. God’s Word never contradicts itself. In fact, Paul wrote: 6 …The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6b

As one commentator notes, James is not writing about how to become a Christian but rather how to behave like one. In this passage, James gets into some important details about the relationship between faith and works. How are the two related?  In these verses, James describes three kinds of faith, of which only one is true, saving faith. The first two are counterfeit.  

1)Intellectual Faith.   (James 2:14-17)

James asks: Can someone who does nothing with their faith really be saved? How would you answer that? It’s hard to imagine someone being saved who does no good deeds or produces no spiritual fruit in their lives. (Ref. John 15:5)  It would make sense that if someone does not have authentic faith in Christ, that they would do nothing for Christ’s sake; and the inverse is also true!  

James is describing a counterfeit, intellectual faith. It is the kind of faith that is dead because it is just in the head, not yet in the heart. An intellectual faith substitutes words for deeds. It’s all talk and no do! James offers a vivid, telling illustration of how a purely intellectual faith would treat someone in need. (Ref. Matthew 25:34-40). A purely intellectual faith is not a saving faith.

2)  Emotional Faith  (James 2:18-19)

If James didn’t get your attention with his first illustration, he’ll get it with this realization! It is not a saving experience to believe and and exhibit an emotional shudder or tremble, James says, even demons do that! A person can be enlightened in the mind and even stirred in the heart and yet be lost forever.  Belief in God is not the same as faith in God. Even demons believe. Intellectual faith and emotional faith are not saving faith. One commentator writes, James has no quarrel with faith. He understands that faith alone can save someone. What he opposes is a phony faith, the kind that supposedly exists without giving any practical confirmation of its existence. 

Believers are not saved to sit and soak, we are saved to serve!  When you surrender your life to Christ, you’re committing to serve Him with your life! As Believers, we are all ministers of Christ. Ministry is serving and caring for others, doing good work in the name of Christ and living a life that is holy, set apart from the world. (Ref. Ephesians 2:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:7)

James introduced us first to two kinds of faith that can’t save anyone… an intellectual, dead faith and an emotional, shallow faith. So what is the faith that saves? 

3) Transformational Faith (James 2:20-26)

It is a faith that is life-changing in every way!  To be clear, James is not contrasting two methods of salvation (faith versus works). James is contrasting two kinds of faith: living faith that saves and dead faith that doesn’t. He offers two powerful examples of transformational faith from God’s Word - Abraham (Ref. Genesis 22) and Rahab (Ref. Joshua 2).

James emphasized that mature Believers practice the truth; we do the Word! We embody more than an intellectual or emotional faith, but an authentic, transformational faith just like that of Abraham and Rahab - faith that is life-changing and willing to work for the Lord! Both Abraham ad Rahab are listed as heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.  

So what will you do with your faith? Will you look for opportunities to put your faith to work for Christ’s sake, to make an impression and leave a mark for Him!? Saving faith is always active, alive and dynamic!  

For much more, click here to listen to: Blueprints - Part 6 - Saving Faith.