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Can Faith Save Him?
Can Faith Save Him?
James 2:14 – 26
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (James 2.14).
James emphatically answers his own question that this faith will not save by providing challenging comparisons and examples of faith. In this bulletin we will go through the examples James uses to contrast faith that saves and faith that does not save.
Faith By Itself
“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” (James 2.15-17).
James compares faith without works to telling someone who is cold and hungry to be warmed and filled without giving them anything. Telling someone to be warmed and filled thinking it would be enough for that person to depart in peace without taking action would be pointless. Similarly, it would be pointless to think that faith in God does not require action on our part. Can this faith save him? Obviously not, faith by itself is dead.
Faith of the Demons
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!” (James 2.19).
In the Gospels there are demons who recognize and fear Jesus (Mark 1.24, 5.7), yet we do not expect to be with the demons in heaven just because they believe. If believing without obedience is not enough for the demons, then why would it be enough for us? James uses a mocking tone by pointing out that merely believing God exists is not something to feel accomplished about. True belief in something should require trust and allegiance to our belief. This faith that only believes is obviously not one that saves. James compares this faith that only believes to the faith of the demons, clearly answering his question that this faith will not save.
Faith of Abraham
“Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2.21-24).
James uses Abraham as an example of faith with works. Can this faith save him? Absolutely yes. Abraham’s faith was made perfect by his works. James references when God asks Abraham to offer his only son Isaac as an offering. Why God would ask Abraham to do this is a study for another time, but the point James is making is Abraham’s faith was obedient to whatever God told him. As Abraham was following God’s instruction, the Angel of the LORD stopped him by saying “‘Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me’” (Genesis 22.12). If a believing faith was enough, God would not have asked Abraham to do any of this. God would have known that Abraham believed in Him and that would have been enough. Instead, it is after Abraham’s obedient faith is shown by his works that the Angel of the LORD knows that he fears God.
Faith of Rahab
“Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?” (James 2.25).
The example of Rahab proves that every person is capable of producing a saving faith, even the most unlikely of people. James is reminding us that we are justified by works because faith should lead us to obedience. Despite Rahab’s past or reputation, her faith in God led her to take action and protect the spies. She explains her obedient faith by saying, “‘For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt… for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath’” (Joshua 2.9, 11). Even though Rahab was a harlot, she was justified by her works which demonstrated her obedient faith.
Faith Without Works Is Dead
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2.26).
Can faith save him? If faith is by itself then it will not save. If faith is only believing like the demons, then it will not save. Faith without works is like a dead body without a spirit. But if our faith takes obedient action like Abraham and Rahab then we will be justified by our works of faith. Can faith save him? If our faith leads us to be obediently devoted to God, then He will certainly save us through our faith. – William Speer
