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In the past weeks we have been studying the book of James as he teaches us how to become mature in Christ. We have been learning some very practical lessons on how to "grow up" spiritually rather than remaining spiritual babies. This week we are going to learn as we did last week, about the importance of having faith and deeds.

I think it is important to clarify right from the beginning that there is a difference between faith in regard to salvation and faith after salvation. To experience salvation we have to put our faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation in Christ is something that you cannot work for; rather it is a gift of God.

However, after salvation, God expects us to back up our trust in Him by what we do. So we get saved by faith alone, but a genuine faith, will result in doing works for God.

Let's look at this week's passage, found in James 2:20-23

"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend."

James is really clear here. He is saying that it is foolish to think that faith without deeds has any use. The example that James gives is that of Abraham in Genesis 22. Abraham was considered righteous for what he did when he offered Isaac on the altar, not before.

Both his faith and actions were working together. His faith was working because Hebrews chapter 11 tells us that Abraham believed that God was able to raise his son from death. So he figured that God would resurrect him back to life after he died. In other words, we cannot say that we believe God, without having the works to back up our belief.

I will give you another example; many people have more faith in Tylenol and Advil than they have in God. Although we are not scientists or pharmacists and do not actually know the properties of the drugs we take, we will still "by faith" take two Tylenol or some other brand of pain killer, to try and remove whatever symptoms we are experiencing.

We take it by faith. We believe the label on the outside of the bottle, we believe its claim to work, and then we take it. Our faith and our deeds are working together. This is the same thing that James is saying should take place with spiritual things as well.

The Word of God says that as a result Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. In other words, faith produces works and works is what matures faith. God knows if our faith is genuine without works, but our faith in demonstrated or proved or justified before other people by what we do. Because people cannot judge a matter by looking at one's faith alone, we need the evidence of that faith which is how we live our lives. This is the type of justification or proof that James is talking about here, which is different from salvation because eternal life is given by God's grace through faith alone and not works (Ephesians 2:8,9), however, real genuine faith cannot help but produce works. So God knows if a faith is genuine by just looking at our hearts, but we as people can see people's hearts, we can only see their works.

The second example that James uses is Rahab, the prostitute. She was considered righteous by what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction. This was when Joshua sent two spies to check out the land, especially Jericho. It was because of the respect that she had for God that she decided to protect the spies from destruction. She had faith, and this was demonstrated by what she practically did.

James concludes with this fact, as the spirit without the body is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. When you look at a body in a funeral home, we must keep in mind that it is only the shell of the real person. The person is either in a real place called heaven or hell at that point, but the actual body is what is left behind. No matter how much you try to have a conversation with that body, it will not respond. This is because the real person "the spirit" has moved on, leaving the empty, lifeless shell. The body is dead. Likewise to have faith with no action is a lifeless dead faith. Many claim to have faith in God. God right away can tell if that faith is genuine, but only man can determine its sincerity by the works that the faith produces. Simply said, real faith is proven by the actions that are produced from it.

As a heavy rain cloud will produce rain; as an accelerating car will increase speed; so real faith will produce works. It is at core the fundamental cause and effect of spiritual living. Faith in.... works out!

Pastor Gary C. Simons serves as the Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Bible Fellowship, 82 Church Street, Hamilton, Bermuda, HM12.

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