14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless [ d ] ? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," [ e ] and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
this is probably one of the most contraversial scriptures in the bible in defining what the intent of it is? I've read many attempts at defining it but it does seem to show that some action on our part is needed even though the gift is free.
Ok Reniaa. Faith without works is dead to who? Verse 21- works justified Abraham to who? Verse 23 clearly says not to God. Verse 23 clearly says Abraham was justified by his faith- LONG before isaac was even born. Romans ch 4 expands on this:
| Rom 4:1 | ¶ | What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? |
| Rom 4:2 | | For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath [whereof] to glory; but not before God. |
| Rom 4:3 | | For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. |
| Rom 4:4 | | Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. |
| Rom 4:5 | ¶ | But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. |
It confirms James 23 and explains in more detail Abraham was justified to flesh- man. It says plainly that a person justified by works has grounds for boasting. It says in the same verse NO ONE can have grounds for boasting before God. Clearly, obviously Abraham's works justifed him before man, NOT before God. Clearly James ch 2 is about showing our faith (which saves us) to others by our works. Other people can not see our faith by reading our hearts. To man, faith without works is dead, or useless. Only God can see it.
This is further summed up well in Ephesians:
| Eph 2:8 | | For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: |
| Eph 2:9 | | Not of works, lest any man should boast. |
| Eph 2:10 | | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. |
Works has nothing to do with being saved, again. Works will naturally followi n the life of one who is saved.
Clear cut here.
...OUTLAW Exactly Outlaw. If celebrating the birth of Jesus was in any way wrong, why weren't the angels reprimanded- at the very least. They should have known better.