James chapter 2 is a very practical chapter and could be divided into two sections. In verses 1-13 we have James describing how the CHRISTIAN FAITH (the TRUTH about our Lord Jesus Christ) teaches us how we are to “behave toward our fellow-believers by not showing favoritism.” In verses 14-26 James teaches us that “if there is TRUE FAITH in Christ it will produce GOOD WORKS.” James is interested in our CONDUCT that should reflect a genuine faith in Christ which will glorify God and be a blessing to mankind. Space does not allow us to quote the whole chapter so we will simply cite some verses and refer to others with comments on them.

Verse 1 sets the stage for what we see in verses 1-13. It says, “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, with partiality” (NKJV). In verses 2-4 James gives an example of showing favoritism to a rich brother over a poor brother and then in verses 5-13 he shows us that God’s Word condemns this by its “Royal Law of Love.” We see this in verses 8-9,” If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”

Verse 14 sets the stage for what we see in verses 14-26. It says, “What use is it, my brethren, if someone SAYS HE HAS FAITH, but he has not works? Can THAT FAITH save him” (NASB)? James is now wanting to teach us how “a LIVING FAITH will produce good works.” He is NOT teaching us that good works saves us, but rather that “where there is TRUE FAITH it will be manifested by GOOD WORKS.” This does not contradict Ephesians 2:8-9 which says, “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.” What we are learning from James in verses 14-26 is that “we are saved by faith alone but the faith that saves is not alone…the faith that saves is followed by good works.” I have always put it this way, “Faith is the ROOT of salvation and works are the FRUIT of salvation.”

In verses 15-16 James gives another illustration to show what good works look like and that if one who “SAYS he has faith but doesn’t have good works” it is “dead, being by itself.” In verses 18-20 he continues to press upon us that a true believer (one who has TRUE FAITH IN CHRIST) will “show others their faith by their good works). Let’s face it, anyone can “say they have faith in Christ” but if we see no evidence of it in their life, how can we believe they are truly saved? We “can’t see faith” but we “can see good works” and thus faith must be seen (by men) through their good works. In verses 21-25 he uses Abraham and Rahab as examples of this and how they were “justified (declared to be righteous) before men by their good works,” for their good works proved to men that they were truly saved. James’ final word is, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” We know that when a person dies their spirit departs the body and the body is dead (see Luke 23:46 with John 19:30 & 33 and compare this with Acts 7:59-60). Likewise, where there is NO WORKS there is a DEAD FAITH.

Before closing, I must confess that some have thought that this teaching conflicts with the Apostle Paul’s teaching in Romans 4:2 which says, “For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.” The great Reformer Martin Luther thought James was contradicting Paul and thus he called the book of James “an epistle of straw.” But Luther failed to see that Paul was emphasizing FAITH which “God could see and then declare Abraham righteous,” whereas James was emphasizing WORKS which “Men can see and then declare a believer a righteous man or woman.” The former is BEFORE GOD and the latter is BEFORE MEN.  (DO)  (649.5)