Faith Produces Fine Works

 
 Besides making us loving and merciful, faith produces other fine works. (James 2:14-26) Of course, professed faith that lacks works is not going to save us. True, we cannot earn a righteous standing with God by works of the Law. (Romans 4:2-5) James is talking about works motivated, not by a law code, but by faith and love. If we are moved by such qualities, we will not merely express kind wishes for a needy fellow worshiper. 

We will give material aid to an unclad or hungry brother or sister. James asks: ‘If you tell a needy brother: “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed” but do not provide the necessities, of what benefit is that?’ None. (Job 31:16-22) Such “faith” is lifeless!
 
 We may be associating with God’s people to some extent, but only wholehearted works can back up our claim that we have faith. It is fine if we have rejected the Trinity doctrine and believe that there is one true God. 

Yet, mere belief is not faith. “The demons believe,” and they “shudder” fearfully because destruction awaits them. If we truly have faith, it will move us to produce such works as preaching the good news and providing food and clothing for needy fellow believers. James asks: “Do you care to know, O empty man [not filled with accurate knowledge of God], that faith apart from works is inactive?” Yes, faith calls for action.
 
 The faith of the godly patriarch Abraham moved him to action. As “the father of all those having faith,” he was “declared righteous by works after he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar.” (Romans 4:11, 12; Genesis 22:1-14) What if Abraham had lacked faith that God could resurrect Isaac and fulfill His promise of a seed through him? Then Abraham would never have tried to offer up his son. (Hebrews 11:19) 

It was by Abraham’s obedient works that “his faith was perfected,” or made complete. Thereby, “the scripture [Genesis 15:6] was fulfilled which says: ‘Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’” Abraham’s works in trying to offer up Isaac confirmed God’s earlier pronouncement that Abraham was righteous. By works of faith, he showed his love for God and came to be called “Jehovah’s friend.”
 
 Abraham proved “that a man is to be declared righteous by works, and not by faith alone.” That was also true of Rahab, a harlot in Jericho. She was “declared righteous by works, after she had received the [Israelite] messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way” so that they eluded their Canaanite enemies. 

Before meeting Israel’s spies, she recognized Jehovah as the true God, and her subsequent words and abandonment of prostitution gave evidence of her faith. (Joshua 2:9-11; Hebrews 11:31) After this second example of faith shown by works, James says: “Indeed, as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” When a person is dead, there is no animating force, or “spirit,” in him, and he accomplishes nothing. Mere professed faith is just as lifeless and useless as a dead body. If we have real faith, though, it will move us to godly action.