James 2:14-26

(James 2:14-26)

 

『 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?  If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  Even so 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. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. 』

 

Here, the faith that James speaks of means "things without faith itself." If the faith that James speaks of means "there is faith, but there is no deed," then this clearly denied the truth. It is another gospel that Paul spoke of in Galatians. In the Galatians, some of the Galatian churches at the time insisted on believing in Jesus, but also on the law. In Galatians 3:1-7『 foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?  Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 』라고 했다.

Paul proclaimed a curse to these other preachers. Galatians 1:6-9『 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 』 The faith James speaks of does not mean faith without action in Galatians. It is not to say that there is faith, but there is no action. It means that there is no faith itself.
In Matthew 5:20, the Sermon on the Mount『For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.』 . Then, Matthew 5:21-48 tells us how to act. We cannot do the fulfilled law, the will of Jesus. Therefore, we can never be saved by doing. Only we are saved by the mercy of the Lord, by trusting in Jesus Christ. If we cannot enter into Jesus Christ, we are not saved. Those who enter Christ are dead on the cross with Christ.

 However, those who are in Christ will have a proper life. Therefore, if we only say that we have faith and that we do not have a proper life as a believer, it is without faith. James calls this belief a dead faith. It is only in Christ that the saints are justified. According to Galatians 3:10-13『 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 』 The law was given to convict sin (Gal. 3:19). Therefore, the law serves as the primary teacher leading us to Jesus Christ. According to Galatians 3:24, 『Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 』 No one will be saved by doing. Only faith entering into Christ is the way to salvation. Those who entered Christ are dead with Jesus.

Those who are in Christ are worthy of life. First, it appears as a life of compassion. Because they themselves are merciful. Second, it appears as a love for the brother. James said, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 』, citing the content of the act is brotherly love.
Isaiah 1:10-17『 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.  To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.  When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;  Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 』.

God said he would not listen to their prayers, "even if the people offered countless sacrifices to the temple and gathered for the New Moon and the Sabbath and for the assembly to pray a lot." The reason is that their hands are full of blood, which is bad karma and bad deeds. So, James told the people to learn good works, seek justice, help those who are abused, identify orphans, and take care of widows. What is the use of religious acts that are not eager? If we are merciful, we will surely have mercy on our brothers. A brother is a brother who has left the world spiritually, although there are brothers in this world. In Galatians 5:4-6『 is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. 』

In 1 John 3:16-19,『 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 』

『 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 gave an example of the irrationality of faith and deeds.『 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 』 God cannot be divided into two. In this way, it is not possible to divide beliefs and actions into dualism. Here, James exemplifies the beliefs of the ghosts. 『The devils also believe, and tremble. 』. The ghosts know what God is like. He knows to destroy them. So, they tremble in fear of God. However, the reason James gives an example of a ghost is that simply knowing intellectually is not the faith we speak of. It is useless, ineffective, and meaningless. True faith must be manifested in its deeds.