THE FAITH-VERSES-WORKS DEBATE (2)

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 

“Faith...if it does not have works, is dead.” Jas 2:17 NKJV 

James the apostle wrote to Christians “scattered abroad” by persecution (Jas1:1). He said to them: “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (Jas 2:15-17 NKJV). Notice carefully that James wasn’t referring to someone who has faith, but to someone who says they have faith (see v.14 NKJV). James was addressing a false claim of faith, not the nature of genuine faith. Much of the unnecessary confusion in the “faith-versus-works” debate stems from the translation of James’ second question: “Can faith save him?” (v. 14 NKJV). The Greek text has an article in front of the word faith, indicating that this faith is the same faith just mentioned in the first question of verse 14—that is, a false faith. Properly translated, the question reads, “Can such a faith, can that kind of faith save him?” James was certainly not saying that faith cannot save a person, but that faith characterized only by intellectual assent but exhibits no fruit is, in the final analysis, a false faith. The only way to know if faith is genuine is by its fruit. That doesn’t mean that we’re to become self-appointed fruit inspectors passing judgment on others. Jesus warned, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Mt 7:1 KJV). Martin Luther said, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”