Faith or Works?

James 2:14-19, 26

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? 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, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

While it is true that our "good works" do not save us or make us holy in God's eyes, if we are true followers of Christ, then we will manifest outward evidence of our inward faith.

vv. 16,17 - Just as spoken compassion without evidence is useless, faith that is empty of godly works is mere profession and not genuine salvation.

v. 19 - Belief in God is a beginning, but even the demons believe in God and tremble in awe of Him. Faith consists of so much more than a mere acknowledgment that God exists.

It is a realization that we are lost sinners and nothing we do can earn merit in the eyes of God. It is admission and repentance of our sins and accepting the substitutionary sacrifice that Christ provided on the cross for our salvation.

It doesn't end there, however, for God gives us a living faith - one that we are to live day by day so that we can be a testimony of the forgiveness of God before all men. Our purpose in life is to glorify God and that is done through our personal thoughts, our every word, and our daily actions. Faith is not simply a belief that there is a God; but it is a living, daily application of the gracious love of God that we show through our obedience to His word in every aspect of our lives.

Ephesians 2:8,9

"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."