Tonight my growth group studied James 2:14-26. Here are my takeaways:
- Faith without deeds is a false faith that doesn’t save (v.14, can such faith save them?)
- The genuineness of our invisible, internal faith is validated by our visible, external actions (v.17, faith without deeds is dead).
- The only way our invisible faith can be seen is through visible actions (v.18, I will show you my faith by my deeds).
- Faith without deeds is one type of faith – but it’s a demonic type of faith (v.19, You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that…).
- We are not saved by good works (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5), but we are saved for good works (Ephesians 2:10). So there must be a healthy relationship between our faith and our works (v.22, Abraham’s faith and actions were working together).
- Our faith is incomplete without works. If we have faith but no works, something is missing from the equation (v.22, Abraham’s faith was made complete by what he did).
- After James shows us that faith without deeds is a false faith (v.14), a demonic faith (v.19), and anĀ incomplete faith (v.22), he ends this section by telling us that faith without deeds is also a dead faith (v.26, faith without deeds is dead).