".....faith if it hath not works,is dead,being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. James 2: 17-18
2006-11-10 03:19:29 · 18 answers · asked by don_steele54 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Basically, when you become a Christian, Jesus changes you and the evidence of the change is shown through how you live your life. People are not saved by works, but once they are in fellowship with God they desire to do good works. There are some who say they are Christians but do not show it - there is no evidence in their lives that they are. Are these people really Christians? Or are they deceiving themselves and others? Only God knows the hearts of each of us. I don't believe in judging others, so I don't purport to know the answer. But I would say that after I became a Christian, my views on why I did things changed. I no longer did things so others would think I was a nice person. I did them because they were the right things to do. I love the Lord and I want to live a life pleasing to Him because I don't want to hurt Him. Do I fail! Oh yes. I fail daily, in my words, and in my deeds. When I fail, I ask for forgiveness, from God and from those whom I have failed.
2006-11-10 03:29:04 · answer #1 · answered by padwinlearner 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
works are important. If you don't have works, you probably don't really have faith. This is what James is saying. Works do not get you into heaven. Works are just a sign of salvation. If saved, a person will want to do works for the God that saved them. Think of this analogy: When you get married, you wear a ring. now, this ring does not mean you are married, it is just a sign that you are married. If you take off the ring, it doesn't mean you all the sudden aren't married anymore. But wouldn't it be absurd if someone was married and truly loved someone, and refused to wear the ring. This is an example of how faith and works work.
2006-11-10 03:30:37 · answer #2 · answered by tqk 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The key is in the last part of vs.18. " I will show you my faith by my works".Faith comes first. The works are a natural result of your faith.It's not a chicken-or-the-egg question, as some would assume. If you didn't have faith, you wouldn't want to do the works. "Faith without works is dead." An apple tree doesn't produce fruit by struggle. It produces fruit because the life of the fruit is in the tree. It's simply doing what it was created to do.
2006-11-10 03:30:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Works are important. Works, by themselves, won't save you. Faith, without works, reveal a genuine lack of serious commitment to the Lordship of Jesus.
Belief needs to be understood as trust, and trust results in good works. But, remember all your Scripture, not just one part: Eph 2:7-10
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Don't get the cart before the horse.
2006-11-10 03:25:56 · answer #4 · answered by mediocritis 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Faith is not what saves you, it is only the blood of Christ. What James is basically saying is that if you really do love Jesus you will live out you faith and the works will be present in your life.
2006-11-10 03:23:54 · answer #5 · answered by hawkeye316 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe works are important, but works do not save you. Works are proof or "the fruit" of salvation.
Doing good works is fine, but this is trying to gain salvation on your own merits. The Bible refutes this and states that faith in what God has done is the only way.
2006-11-10 03:27:06 · answer #6 · answered by paulsamuel33 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
When you have love and faith and love in God the works will come naturally. Works by themselves without a faith in God is dead.
2006-11-10 03:37:56 · answer #7 · answered by B"Quotes 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Works (obedience to Gods word) are the outward manifestation of the inward change of faith(believing).
If you state that you believe and yet you do not read Gods word in order to know it and obey it, you have no works.
This is what James is talking about. In modern terms we call this
Talking to talk, but not walking the walk.
2006-11-10 03:25:41 · answer #8 · answered by cindy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe you can't work for your salvation, it is a free gift. Having said that, if you consider yourself a christian then the good works come as part of your daily life.
Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith;and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
2006-11-10 03:26:44 · answer #9 · answered by Ang 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He's not talking about,say the job you go to everyday.He's talking about the work you do for Christ.With faith comes responsibility.
Hence,people that witness to others about the gospel.That is the kind of work James is talking about.The work you do must glorify the name of God.Not worldly works.
2006-11-10 03:34:32 · answer #10 · answered by Derek B 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋