Friday, April 1, 2011

On the Topic of Faith Without Works

James 2:17-26 KJV
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (18) Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (19) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (20) But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? (22) Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? (23) And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (24) Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. (25) Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? (26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
When I was a kid, I got stuck up on top of the roof of my grandmother's house and could not get down by myself because I was afraid of heights. My uncle brought a step ladder over but it was about four feet short of reaching the roof. My uncle told me to hang off the roof and he would grab my feet and bring me to the top of the ladder.

I had faith that my uncle would do exactly what he said but my doubt prevented me from taking action on that faith. It wasn't until I took action on the faith that I had that I was able to swing my feet over and be led to the top of the ladder by my uncle.

Faith without works leaves you stuck up on the roof and really isn't faith after all.  It's still unbelief.  Thank God that He is merciful to us even in our greatest hour of weakness and unbelief as evidenced in Mark 9:23-24.

Faith with works says that I believe what I've been told is true and, therefore, I will act upon it.