Faith without 'work' is NOT Dead.

Faith Without 'Works' is NOT Dead.

Abeiku Okai

Until the Bible is studied and understood in context, taking a critical look at the pretexts and posttexts, errors and wrong generalizations would be inevitable. The reason there are too many interpretations of simple scriptures is that many fail to properly divide the word. We easily read our opinions, perceptions, culture, and even expectations into the Bible.

One of the biblical texts or phrases that have been largely misunderstood and misapplied without any care to recheck the theological accuracy is 'Faith without works is dead' (James 2:26).

If the Apostle James, who wrote the epistle, meant exactly what we think when we quote him, then there is a very challenging open contradiction in the Bible that should throw us all into doubt about our salvation in Christ Jesus. For it would mean that we are not saved by grace alone but both 'grace and works'.

Thus, the first contradiction would be between James 2:24 and Ephesians 2:8-9:

"You see then that a man is justified by works, and NOT BY FAITH ONLY." (James 2:24)

"For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9)

Another scripture also says,

"And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise, grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise, work is no longer work." (Romans 11:6)

You noticed Romans 11:6 gives a complete separation between grace and works in direct opposition to what is written in James. This means you cannot put grace and works side by side. And if that is so, then you cannot put faith and works side by side to unveil salvation or justification. 

"to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? OF WORKS? NO, but by THE LAW OF FAITH." (Romans 3:26-27). 

The law of faith excludes works, which means faith is not works. For faith is alive without works because God justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5). 

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:6-9). 

This brings us to the strongest challenge against FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.

Before then let me state that, if not all, the majority of those who trumpte faith without works is dead point to 'works of the law', which are nothing but dead works. Galatians 2:16 lays it down strongly:

"knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified."

So now, let's read Romans 4:5:

"But to him who DOES NOT WORK but believes in Him who JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY, his faith is accounted for righteousness."

How can we explain this undeniable truth if indeed faith without 'works' is dead? Do you see why proper reading of the scriptures is very important?

The fact is that James never meant faith without works is dead, neither did he mean to say you can be saved by faith through works as opposed to grace through faith. 

The problem of misunderstanding occurs because Apostle James used the word 'work' in place of the word 'love'. But we need to understand that it is because he was talking about love in action or demonstrative love, that he used the word 'work' instead of love. Be was thus giving a more graphical presentation of his message. Jesus also used love and work interchangeably in Revelation 2 when he told the church of Ephesus,

"Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left YOUR FIRST LOVE. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the FIRST WORKS, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent." (Rev. 2:4-5)

Having drawn the church's attention to the deserting of her first love, Jesus now charged her to do the first works, which meant the same as the first love. Jesus used the phrase 'first works' because love must be active.

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." (Hebrews 10:24)

The activeness of love comes through faith. And the manifestation of faith comes through love. Another beautiful phrase is the 'labour of love'.

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your WORK OF FAITH, LABOR OF LOVE, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father. (1st Thess. 2:2-3).

Therefore, what James meant was that Faith without LOVE is dead. Paul also said the same thing in 1st Cor. 13:2b:

"...though I have ALL FAITH, so that I could remove mountains, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I am nothing."

If you read James 2:14-15-17, you will get the picture clearer, especially if you substitute faith with love:

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works [love]? Can faith save him? 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 [love], is dead."

The context of James' message is on the expression of love by caring for the physical needs of believers, rather than neglecting them and only wishing them well or telling them 'I am praying for you.'

One day a lady came to me for prayers. When I bowed my head to pray for her, the Lord said clearly to me, "She doesn't need prayer. Give her what she needs." This woman needed money, and here was I praying for her. I obeyed the Lord and offered her the money, though it was a huge amount for me, and after giving her, I had just a little left for myself and my family. But I acted in faith, and my faith was in action through the demonstration of love towards her. She needed the money desperately. What if I only prayed for her without helping her? Would she glorify God or walk back home in full trust that our God is good?

Similarly, if we don't take care of the needs of others, we fail to reveal to them that God has justified us by grace through faith. We would fail to let them know the goodness of God. That is why giving to the poor is a very important subject in Christianity.

But what kind of justification was James talking about? Is it justification before God or justification before men? Obviously, it is justification before men because God does not need to examine your love before he saves you or justifies you. He justifies the ungodly: 

The Bible says,

"What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. (Romans 4:1-6).

God justified Abraham and called him righteous before he got circumcised and before he sacrificed Isaac. We too were saved and justified before we were able to walk in love towards the brethren:

"And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

CONCLUSION

Thus the message of James is not about earning salvation through works, but rather living out faith through loving actions. It calls on believers to manifest their faith in practical expressions of love and care for others, just as Christ exemplified through His sacrificial love. By understanding the true essence of James' message, we can grow in our faith, expressing it through genuine love and compassion, and glorifying God by reflecting His goodness to the world.

Abeiku Okai

Anathallo Chapel Int.

25/07/23

4am