Faith Without Works is Dead

James 2:14-26 is a favorite passage used by Roman Catholics to teach that we are not saved by faith alone but by a combination of faith and works. They say that James’ statement, “faith without works is dead” (v. 20) means that it is not enough to believe on Christ as the sufficient sacrifice for our sins but that we must also earn salvation by our own works. But James was teaching nothing of the sort.

Three reasons why

First of all, the context makes it clear that it was not our own works of righteousness that he had in mind when he spoke about “faith without works.” He had just instructed his readers to keep the “royal law” or supreme commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 8). He then explained the expectations of the Law of Moses: “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law” (vv. 10, 11). He understood the Law’s requirements; that it demanded absolute perfection. Therefore, he was not teaching that we are saved by our own works of righteousness.

Secondly, James, like the apostle Paul, used Abraham as an example of imputed righteousness by faith, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (v. 23). It is obvious he understood that righteousness is not earned by any works of our own but is accounted, imputed or reckoned to us. James was not at odds with Paul on the subject of righteousness as some accuse.

And finally, James was not teaching the works of the Law for righteousness because he even gave an example of the type of “works” he was speaking about: “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?” (Jam. 2:15, 16). So, it is clear from this example that he was not speaking about working for our salvation but rather showing works of love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ after we are saved.

Works of love

James was not at all saying that a combination of faith and our own works of righteousness is what saves a person but rather that true saving faith is revealed by works of love. He was speaking about the validity of genuine saving faith. The key statement is, “someone says he has faith but does not have works” (v. 14). Not everyone who says they have faith really do. There is nominal faith and real faith.

He goes on to explain how that our works of love show our faith, “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (v. 18). True saving faith is not revealed by what someone says but by what they do. Works of love toward our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is the natural outflow of genuine faith. Therefore, if there are no “works,” according to James, there is no faith.

The apostle John made a similar statement about faith without works: “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 Jo. 3:17, 18). True believers have God’s love abiding in their hearts and it manifests itself in good works toward the brethren. It is not enough to just “say” we love them but our love must be revealed in “deed and in truth.”

Abraham justified by works?

What did James mean when he asked the question, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?” (v. 21). We must recognize that the word “justify” has more than one meaning which must be determined by the context. As a theological term it means “to declare innocent or guiltless; absolve; acquit.” But it can also mean “to defend or uphold as warranted or well-grounded.” This is the way James was using it.

“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” (v. 23). God had already accounted righteousness to Abraham in Genesis 15:6 and this Scripture was “fulfilled” or satisfied many years later when he offered Isaac his son in Genesis 22:1-19. In other words, Abraham’s obedience to God in offering his son “justified” (defended, upheld) his relationship with God. His “works” satisfied the position of righteousness previously declared. This is what is meant by “faith without works is dead” (v. 20).

Conclusion

This passage in James does not support the Roman Catholic doctrine that works cooperate with a person’s faith in order to save them. Scripture specifically states that it is not by our own works that we are saved (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:9; Titus 3:5). Works are antithetical to faith. James was not even talking about works of righteousness—earning salvation—but works of love. Our “works” substantiate and verify the fact that we truly are saved.