James Chapter 2 (Continued)

James 2:14-26

Faith and Deeds

 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”


   Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.


 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.


 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.


This is a great passage.  It says that good works will come from genuine faith.  It also says that faith without works is dead.  But, I don't want to confuse you with this.  Think about the thief that was next to Jesus on the cross.  He didn't get a chance to perform good works, but Jesus said:

Luke 23:43
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

My footnotes in my Bible say that the thief showed that he had great faith.  He saw Jesus dying on the cross but believed that He would come into His kingdom.  This shows the amazing faith he had.  I mean, put yourself in that position.  Would you still believe that Jesus would come into His kingdom if he was stuck on a cross dying?  It would be hard for me to believe.  

So think about the thief and the amazing faith he had as you go about your day.

- Mallory