Posted: 20 December 2024

From a sermon given on 05 December 2024:

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
(James 2:26)

Genuine faith is not an empty claim. It is not a mere acceptance of a creed. To know Christ is to emulate him, to live as he lived, to love as he loved and to give oneself to others as he gave himself to us. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. (Acts 10:38)

Faith and deeds are good buddies and concurrently work together. Faith is the root; good works are the fruits. The body is animated or kept alive by the spirit and when the spirit is withdrawn, it becomes lifeless. So, faith without works is dead also. Genuine faith will always be accompanied by good works.

Faith without deeds is like a body without a spirit. A body without a spirit is a lifeless and hence spiritually dead. Such a body is no better than a corpse. If there are no deeds accompanying our faith, then such faith is not true faith , it is dead faith. Such faith is like love expressed by words but devoid in action.

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
(James 2:15-17)

Further Readings:

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
(Matthew 25:41-46)

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?... Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?.... Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
(James 2:20,22,25)