James 2:14-18

[clark thompson]

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James 2:14-18

New King James Version (NKJV)

 
Faith Without Works Is Dead

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
 
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

New King James Version (NKJV)
The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

                                                          these are my thoughts please share yours
    14 without wroks one can not fulfill God's will for Christians. If God planned on us not doing works He would have just took us home when we came to faith.
    15-16 If chose not to show God's love we chose not to share God's grace with others and this is something we should not have the authority to chose. If people are in need and all we do is tell them about Jesus and how He loves them they may be turned away from the gospel if we do not apart Jesus' love but if we show them Jesus' love we can win them to the Lord.
   17 Without works we can not know other believers so it is point less to live the christian life without works because it just amounts to sin.
   18 One can see ones faith by their works but they can not see their faith without their works. This is not saying we have to work for our slavation but is saying if we hace salvation we will work. Everyone who works is not a true believer as well only the Lord can know who is His and who is not. We can know them by their works but their works may be for the work  one and we can not know that.

                                                       Better to be a servant of the King than to be a king in hell

[JB Horn]

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I for the most part agree with Clark on his assessment of his chosen text.

If you like to try an experiment, go to the Bible wherever you see works or good works in the New Testament replace that with the word love. Many of these verses will work out and read well doing this. Remember what Christ said about the Commandments all being derived from the issue of love.

Matthew 22:37 And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' 40 "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

Remember also that Christ teaches us that not all works are good works. Works that are done for the wrong reason, not love, may count against you, not for you.

Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down , and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 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. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them , I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended , and the floods came , and the winds blew , and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended , and the floods came , and the winds blew , and beat upon that house; and it fell : and great was the fall of it.

Remember also that Paul taught us that the works of the law are inadequate without the grace from the Cross.


Romans 9:31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.


So I just summarized by saying works must be a product of love and must come from the heart.

Love comes from God.
Ephesians 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.

[Fat]

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QUICKVERSE
BIBLE DICTIONARY

Good works
The old objection against the doctrine of salvation by grace, that it does away with the necessity of good works, and lowers the sense of their importance (Rom. 6 ), although it has been answered a thousand times, is still alleged by many. They say if men are not saved by works, then works are not necessary. If the most moral of men are saved in the same way as the very chief of sinners, then good works are of no moment. And more than this, if the grace of God is most clearly displayed in the salvation of the vilest of men, then the worse men are the better.
The objection has no validity. The gospel of salvation by grace shows that good works are necessary. It is true, unchangeably true, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. “Neither adulterers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards” shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Works are “good” only when,
(1.) they spring from the principle of love to God. The moral character of an act is determined by the moral principle that prompts it. Faith and love in the heart are the essential elements of all true obedience. Hence good works only spring from a believing heart, can only be wrought by one reconciled to God (Eph. 2:10 ; James 2:18; 22).
(2.) Good works have the glory of God as their object; and
(3.) they have the revealed will of God as their only rule (Deut. 12:32 ; Rev. 22:18, 19 ).
Good works are an expression of gratitude in the believer’s heart (John 14:15, 23 ; Gal. 5:6 ). They are the fruits of the Spirit (Titus 2:10-12 ), and thus spring from grace, which they illustrate and strengthen in the heart.
Good works of the most sincere believers are all imperfect, yet like their persons they are accepted through the mediation of Jesus Christ (Col. 3:17 ), and so are rewarded; they have no merit intrinsically, but are rewarded wholly of grace.

[biblebuf]

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Eph. 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God ; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.