2:14
We now come to the well known passage on faith and actions, or faith and deeds. Sometimes this is presented as James having a different view to Paul on faith. Such ideas are utter nonsense. Nowhere in the Bible is the idea of faith without deeds entertained as having any relevance at all. Paul knows nothing of faith without actions, and he himself is a prime example. In this verse James is simply saying that faith that produces no actions is a pretty useless sort of faith! We are not saved by actions, but God’s salvation most certainly produces actions. People sometimes think that salvation is all about forgiveness. It isn’t! Forgiveness is essential, but it is only part of the package. The whole package involves us being born again, becoming a new creation, becoming like Christ.
2:15,16
James then gives very practical examples. The Jews were an extremely practical people with a practical religion. Christianity is more down to earth than any other religion. If someone starts spouting stuff that is clearly a load of esoteric nonsense then we can be pretty sure that it is not from God. So James cites the example of brother or sister without clothes or without food. Simply uttering nice sounding words actually does nothing if there is no action to go along with it.
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