Saving faith is practical, operative, and is seen in good works. Thus speaks the apostle James on this subject:—
“What doth it profit, my brethren, tho a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 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. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:14-20. And further on he says, “For as the body without the spirit [breath, Greek] is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” Verse 26.
In this passage James teaches emphatically that a faith which is disconnected from good works, which is not seen in good works, can not save men.
1. His question, “Can faith save him?” which he propounds with regard to this faith, is equivalent to a strong, positive affirmation that a faith which is not seen in good works can not save its possessor.
2. His statement that “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone,” is another good proof in the same line. What can a dead faith do toward saving a man?
3. His statement that “devils believe and tremble,” considered in connection with other points he makes, is a powerful argument in favor of his doctrine. It is as if he should say, You know that devils will not be saved, yet they have the spurious, the dead faith, to which I am so deadly opposed. And if they can not be saved by that faith, can you be saved by it?
4. His comparison showing the analogy between this spurious faith and a person without breath—a dead person—is also to the point. What favor can we expect from a dead man?—Just no favor at all. He can neither save himself nor save others. So of that faith which is not accompanied by and does not produce good works.
The beauty and harmony of this doctrine, and the importance of faith and works, will be further seen by reading the following scriptures, arranged in couplets, each of which is made up of one text on faith and one on works:—
Couplets on Faith and Works.
I.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:16.
“What doth it profit, my brethren, tho a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” James 2:14.
II.
“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Gal. 3:26.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10.
III.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20.
IV.
“But as many as received him [Christ], to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” John 1:12.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 5:16.
V.
“And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” Acts 15:9.
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.” 1 Peter 1:22. This means doing good works, but it is by the Spirit’s aid, which comes through faith, that good works are wrought.
VI.
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14, 15.
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but One, that is, God; but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:16, 17.
Here is an abundance of good works which can be done only through faith.
VII.
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly.” 2 Thess. 1:3.
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will.” Heb. 13:20, 21.
VIII.
“Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.” James 2:23.
“Seest thou how faith wrought with his [Abraham’s] works, and by works was faith made perfect?” James 2:22.
IX.
“So we see that they [the children of Israel] could not enter in because of unbelief [a lack of faith].” Heb. 3:19.
“But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they walked not in my statutes [did not do the works enjoined by God’s law], and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my Sabbaths they greatly polluted; then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.” Eze. 20:13.
X.
“And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” James 5:15.
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1 John 3:22.
“All things are possible to him that believeth.” Mark 9:23.
XI.
“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12.
XII.
“When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16.
XIII.
“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.” Mark 11:22.
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matt. 16:27.
XIV.
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Tim. 6:12.
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good8works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Titus 3:8.
¹ By this couplet, and by others of the same kind that could be produced, the doctrine of the inseparable connection between faith and works is established negatively. If it is true that saving faith is seen in good works, it is equally true that a lack of saving faith is seen in a lack of good works, and in works opposed to good works.
XV.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness [right-doing], which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim. 4:7, 8.
“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision; but showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Acts 26:19, 20.
XVI.
“So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” Gal. 3:9.
“Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” Gen. 26:5.
XVII.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom. 10:17.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
XVIII.
“O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Ps. 34:8.
“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed [‘or, doing,’ margin].” James 1:25.
XIX.
“Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” 2 Chron. 20:20.
“Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel.” 1 Chron. 22:13.
XX.
“Now the just shall live by faith.” Heb. 10:38. Here allusion is made to that life which is seen in good works.
“Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14.
XXI.
“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Eph. 6:16. Paul speaks of the armor with which the Christian is to be clad.
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness” (or right doing, doing works enjoined by God’s law, see Deut. 6:25; Matt. 5:20, etc.). Eph. 6:14.
XXII.
“Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses [the heroes of faith mentioned in the previous chapter], let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us [unbelief], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.” Heb. 12:1, 2.
“These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.” Rev. 2:18, 19.
XXIII.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Eph. 2:8.
“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Rev. 20:12.
XXIV.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Heb. 11:6.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matt. 7:21.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Heb. 11:1. While faith has to do with things that are past, it lays hold on things to come, among which is the glorious reward that awaits those that are zealous of good works.
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22:12–14.
Saving Faith Further Defined.
By saving faith is meant child-like, implicit confidence in Jesus Christ as a complete Saviour, as the only Being in the universe who can save us from sin and its sad effects. Of the blessed Jesus the angel of the Lord thus prophesied, “And thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. 1:21. Of this same adorable personage, Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said, “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:8, 12, 13.
By saving faith we behold and accept Jesus as the Being who filled heaven with his glory, and in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead before the creation of our earth, and whose great heart of love, pity, and mercy was so touched and moved by the fall of man, and by the awful ruin that was to follow it, that he decided to undertake the salvation of man at a cost and sacrifice that finite minds can never fully take in, but which we can sufficiently comprehend to be affected thereby unto salvation.
By this faith we behold and receive Jesus as the Messiah prefigured by the sacrifices and types of former dispensations, as the bright Star upon whom the eyes of seers in olden times rested, and of whom all the ancient prophets, from Enoch till John the Baptist, prophesied, and that the ordinances of the new covenant serve to keep in mind.
By this faith we contemplate and accept Jesus as our sinless pattern, as our bleeding and divine sacrifice, as our faithful high priest, as the “one mediator between God and men” (1 Tim. 2:5), and as the glorious coming one (Matt. 24:30, 31; Luke 9:26; Rev. 1:7, 14, 15; 19:11–16).
This faith removes the veil of futurity, and enables its possessor to view the reward that awaits him, and to enjoy it by sweet anticipation. By it we accept and apply to ourselves the cheering truth that remission of sins comes to the true believer through the blood and death of Jesus, and the equally cheering truth that Christ’s meritorious righteousness—his perfect obedience to his Father’s law—is imputed to those who believe, so that they are righteous as he is righteous, and are, by grace divine, entitled to eternal life and to a rich reward in the kingdom of God.
This faith takes hold of Omnipotence, and those who possess it find joy, hope, courage, in the divine truth that all power in heaven and in earth is given to Jesus (Matt. 28:18), and that Jesus can, by his Spirit, change the heart perverted and debased by sin, break the power of sin in the soul, and enable those who embrace him in his fulness to do the works enjoined upon man in the Holy Scriptures.