Faith Without Works Is Dead Commentary – The Truth About James 2 And What Works Really Means
Faith Without Works Is Dead – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Here’s the truth about what kind of ‘works’ and ‘faith’ James is talking about. The Answer: James says, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26). It’s about real faith versus fake faith.
The Religious Deception: James 2:17 says “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.” Religion tells us James is talking about Christians who are not on fire with lots of works and puts fear in believers leading them to think God is measuring our performance to determine if our faith is real. The idea is you better get out there and do more so God will be pleased with you. Get the truth behind this verse with easy-to-understand commentary that explains the meaning of ‘faith without works’.
. He was not describing a laundry, list of works, but a single act of faith
. We were made for them (Ephesians 2:10!). But James isn’t telling us to measure our faith by our performance. That’s not the point.
Acts 17:25 – “God is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything…”
So when we do good works, it’s not to “help” God—it’s simply the natural result of who we are in Him. If you think you’re impressing God with your busy schedule, you’ve kinda missed it. John 6:28-29 – “Then they asked Him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.’”
That’s what pleases God. So for anyone who thinks I’m anti-works… remember, this is Jesus talking. He’s not against good works, but He’s making it clear: faith is the root—it’s the work that matters most. If there was a time for Jesus to make the case that God is obsessing with how much we’re doing, this would’ve been it. Romans 4:4-5 – “Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does NOT work but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.”
That’s wild, right? Paul isn’t anti-works either—he’s just laser-focused on tearing down the idea that we can earn anything with God. In terms of our position with God, it doesn’t matter if you did one good thing or 10,000 good things. We are all equal.
“says.” This person claimed to have faith—but did they actually believe? James isn’t asking if they’re doing enough—he’s asking if their faith is even real.
Rahab the prostitute.
she made a decision.… “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” – Hebrews 11:6 “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.” – John 6:29 “God is not served by human hands as if He needed anything.” – Acts 17:25
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Faith without works is dead commentary | BOOK OF JAMES | NEW TESTAMENT | | faith without works is dead | saved by faith for good works | show me your faith without works | Salvation is by faith alone
18 Comments
It is this truth that i have come to know today, that has made me free indeed.
Thank you brother Mike.
I believe what James was saying is that we work because we have the true faith and brings us to serve Christ through our works. Another words, our works do not save us, but we do works because we love our Savior so much we want to serve Him with our works.
Mark, it is true that our outward works can be an expression of our inward new creation in Christ. It is also true that we are made for good works, and will be fulfilled as we pour out your love of Christ day by day moment by moment. But I honestly do not believe that is what James was teaching in this particular letter. I covered a lot of those reasons in the video, specifically, I feel this way because of the first question that was asked. CAN THAT FAITH SAVE HIM? That’s the context. He’s talking about a real faith it actually comes with a decision for Jesus. Anything else it’s not really faith.
GOD BLESS YOU MORE PASTOR MIKE
I think you have a lot of good points in some of your videos, but some of this is not accurate. James is definitely writing to believers. He starts out addressing the entire letter to “The Twelve Tribes in the Diaspora”. These are Messianic Jews scattered from persecution. Otherwise, why would he talk about their faith in Jesus at the beginning of Ch. 2? Mark H. is right that James means your faith in Jesus should produce good works through you; not out of compulsion to follow the Law for salvation, but as an expression of love for God. Some scholars think that this letter is in response to many Christians over-applying or misapplying what Paul wrote about that it is by faith alone, not by works, that we are saved. That’s true, the works don’t save us but the works are a fruit of genuine faith. It’s also not accurate that the works he is talking about is just believing God is real. That is literally the type of faith James is condemning. Ch2 v19-20 says that just believing in God is dead faith, even the demons believe that. True living faith will produce works. But you are right that we are not to twist this to coerce people into volunteering without end or comparing who’s better by who does more works.
It is true that James opens the letter by addressing Christians. But I think it is a massive mistake to assume that James does not also have a heart for the unsaved and asset address them. The idea that everyone reading this letter is a believer would be a stretch.
Read Romans chapter 1- through three. What we see is all kinds of condemnation. The apostle Paul is describing what’s going to happen to all these people as a result of sin. But then you hit chapter 4 and all of a sudden he’s only addressing the believers. No more talk about hell. It’s just Paul burying them in grace.
This is exactly what’s happening in James’s letter.
As I pointed out in the video, once you get to the bottom of chapter 2 we discover that the context is salvation through FAITH. I continually point out that one of the examples James gave was a prostitute who had one work. I’ve literally never seen one person giving offense to that. Everyone just ignores it. And that’s because they don’t have an explanation as to why, if this were about works or the lack thereof causing a loss of salvation, then why would James you such a ridiculous example?
And again the obvious question that James asked. Can that faith save him? I context is there’s real faith with the decision for Jesus and then there’s faith that isn’t real at all.
To be honest, if we’re going to say this letter is addressing questions then we have no other option but to say that the apostle James is threatening salvation. Which means you have to subscribe to the theology of losing salvation. And there is no biblical grounds for that argument and I simply cannot meet someone in the middle on that. There’s no getting around it – that is a works-based salvation theology.
You are free to disagree my friend. As for me, I’ve studied all of this very carefully and I have not even been remotely convinced that James is trying to push a theology that you better have a laundry list of works if you want to retain your salvation.
I’m sure James had a heart for the unsaved but there is no reason to believe that this was written to unbelievers. The stretch would be thinking that James wrote something to unbelievers in a letter to believers. He uses the phrase “brothers” throughout and constantly speaks of their faith in Jesus. If you write a letter to someone, you aren’t going to address somebody else who is not in the same house in the same letter. Same thing with Romans (I went ahead and reread ch1-4). This is written to believers and he isn’t talking condemnation to unbelievers in the beginning and then turn and talk strictly to believers only. The historical context according to scholars and historians is the Jews and Gentiles of that congregation were at odds because of differing beliefs, probably circumcision and adherence to Torah observation for salvation from the majority of text of Romans.
I think we are misunderstanding each other somewhat. I am not saying that works saves anyone. I am saying that “saved by grace through faith, apart from works of the Law” is correct and is congruent theologically and Biblically with “faith without works is dead.” The faith of being saved by grace comes first, then as a result, or our response, we produce the fruit of good works. It’s like if I say, “I love my wife with my whole heart,” then never clean up the house, do dishes, give her gifts, kiss and hug her, or otherwise show her that my love is real. That is dead love. Or if there are 2 trees in front of you, how do you know which is dead and which is alive? Well obviously the one that produces leaves and fruit is the one that is alive. If it doesn’t produce something, it is dead. The tree doesn’t produce in order to gain life; it produces because it already has life.
Again, just saying you believe in God, or even truly believing that God exists is not good enough. Verse 14 clearly asks what good is it if someone CLAIMS to have faith but has no ACTIONS to back it up, then asks if that kind of faith is able to save. The following verse is the example. Then he gives another example in v.19 “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” v.20 “How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?”
I appreciate that you study the scriptures for yourself instead of just taking what a pastor says on Sunday as good enough, as I do the same and study scripture too, because it is very important. But when studying anything, it is vital to understand the context of who is writing, to whom, why, the historical and spiritual context, and making sure it aligns with the entirety of the rest of the Bible. It is also important to understand what context is and where it applies. Context for a statement comes 99-100% of the time before the point being made.
You are committing intellectual suicide to say there is no reason to believe that this was written to unbelievers’.
That is just nonsense.
How about considering that James also wants people to be saved? Is that really out of the realm for you to consider?
Romans 1-4 doesn’t address believers and unbelievers? Let’s put that to the test.
[Romans 2:1] Therefore YOU have no excuse, YOU foolish person, everyone of YOU who passes judgment; for in that matter in which YOU judge someone else, YOU condemn YOURSELF; for you who judge practice the same things.
[Romans 2:5] But because of YOUR stubbornness and unrepentant heart YOU are storing up wrath for YOURSELF on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God
So, Paul is either losing His mind and can’t write, or he’s addressing unbelievers who are in danger of God’s wrath…..or more likely, you believe Paul and James are both addressing believers and threatening their salvation.
I could be many more verses to put legs on this. I think my point is pretty clear.
So, I’ll call it as I see it. you ARE pushing works-based salvation. You think Christians can lose salvation. With respect, this concludes me to believe that you do NOT trust Jesus. You do NOT believe we are saved by faith apart from works…and worse, you are likely not truly in Christ as you are rejecting everything He did for YOU, and your trust for salvation is in YOUR performance.
I find it strange that you are so dogmatic about Christians not doing works because Ephesians 2:8-9 says that we are saved by grace through faith, not as a result of works meaning that talking about works is bad. But you conveniently leave out the very next verse: [Ephesians 2:10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Are you really saying that Christians shouldn’t be doing works? If you are right about that, then you need to stop making these videos and studies and take this website down, because those are works.
Re: Your quote me as saying I’m “dogmatic about Christians not doing works”
Slow down, cowboy. Now you’re not only twisting the scriptures, you’re now twisting my words. I am VERY pro works. We ARE created for good works in Christ. I said that many times in many videos.
We are not having a debate on rather or not Christians should have works and a healthy outward performance record. We are debating on whether or not they saves us.
So if you’re going to quote me out of context I prefer that you don’t quote me at all. That was a weak way to make your case.
If I would quote you, I would have used “” and would have said I was quoting you.
Good. I was hoping that wasn’t what you were implying. That was the point of that last comment. It is ridiculous to say that you should stop doing those things but it stated to sound like you were against works. I’m not sure how you think we were debating whether or not works saves us from reading any of my comments, because you can look at them and see I’ve not said anything about works being the means of salvation. My disagreement is when you say “James is saying, he [the person with dead faith] is not saved,” and the works that James is talking about is “making a decision for Jesus Christ,” or just believing in God. I’m saying that the works James is talking about are actual works and the good works that we are made for in Jesus. What you are saying is the context for the main verse you’re presenting is not actually context, which makes it harder to understand what you’re point is.. Like I said before, I think there was misunderstanding in the conversation and that’s why I prefer to talk things out in person where the non-verbal communication can be factored in.
Sir, you literally wrote these words:
*I find it strange that you are so dogmatic about Christians not doing works*
I’m honestly not sure how anyone else could have concluded that you were not quoting me.
Moving forward now
No one who watched my video could reasonably conclude that I was against works.
To be honest, it’s very difficult understand exactly what you’re trying to debate, and why?
And if we are not debating the idea of those works save us then exactly what are you debating here? You literally started out by saying that James was writing to believers. And since the question asked in that story was “can that faith save him?” The only thing I can conclude from your comment is that if this is written to believers, and James is saying can that faith save him, then putting your thoughts together with your view of James writing would imply losing salvation. Maybe you did not intend that but that’s exactly how it would come across.
Nonetheless, I think we’ve gone down this rabbit hole enough and should move on. Agree to disagree or whatever it is you’re trying to communicate. God bless.
Wonderful explanation. I wonder about the purpose of the legalists spoiling the message of the Gospel. Churches competing for outward appearance?
I hear you.. That has been a problem for a very long time and I don’t suspect it will end. Some just have the blinders removed.
Thank you, Mike, for explaining the Bible from an entirely new perspective, full of grace; it has helped me so much!
Could you please help me understand Matthew 25: 31-46, where Jesus comes in his glory and, what it seems to be, separates us one from another according to ‘our works’ towards others?
45 ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Many thanks!
This is a great verse! And you might be surprised at how easy we miss the very simple words that clarify it.
In this case, the word in “ONE”. And you’re about to discover that this has absolutely nothing to do with works. And it has everything to do with believers.
What we are seeing is two groups of people on judgment day. One is believers, and the other one is unbelievers.
Inverse 32 we see the two groups are together at judgment day. And as his judgment begins, he starts by separating them into their own groups. Believers, and unbelievers.
Matthew 25:32-33 and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.
Inverse 30 Jesus is going to start by addressing the ones on his right. The believers.. He begins by listing all of these things that they did for him. He said they fed him when he was hungry, gave him drink when he was thirsty, clothed to him when he was naked, etc…
And the first thing you need to notice is that these believers have no idea about what he’s talking about because they don’t recall doing any of these things. And they literally asked him, when did we do those things? And this is where the word “One” comes in to play and we need to catch what’s going on.
You’re about to see if this is not about who has the most works. Jesus says if they even did it for ONE person and they did it for him.
Matthew 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for ONE of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’
So, what we’re realizing is that it’s not about the quantity of works. It’s about quality. And anyone in Christ is producing quality of works even if it was only one..
Now, I want you to contrast that with what he says to the unbelievers. This group you will find is actually jacked up about their works.
So, then the second group comes up, the ones on the left, which are the goats. Unbelievers. And Jesus tells them to the depart from him. He gives them that same list of all the things he mentioned to the believers, but he tells this group they never did it for him..
Yet, these unbelievers are pounding their chest and asking Jesus ‘’when did we not do these things for you’? Because apparently the unbelievers had a lot of works, so they’re quite shocked that Jesus would say this to them. I’m guessing this would be just a bunch of religious people outwardly, but inwardly have no love I really know Jesus at all.
Matthew 25:44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?
Now watch what Jesus says…..
Matthew 25:45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for ONE of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’
So for the unbelievers, they could’ve done it for 1000 people, but if they didn’t do it for even ONE then they did not do it for him. But if the same thousand people were there, and the believer only did it for ONE, then they did it for Jesus. So that one work by the believer is infinitely better than 1000 works by an unbeliever.
Take away is that you can have all the work you want. However, our works are worthless unless we are saved and alive in Christ. So always remember, God is not judging the quantity of your good deeds. He’s judging the quality, and you cannot have quality works apart from Christ. For this reason, a bad tree (unbeliever) is incapable of producing a good fruit, no matter how many awesome human works they do, and a good tree (believer) cannot produce bad fruit, because the fruit being inspected it’s not your performance, but rather his, as he walks in and through you. That means even if you only did one good thing, if it was done through Christ, you did it for him, rather you know it or not.
Hope that helps!
This is an extremely helpful explanation. Thank you so much again, Mike!
Hi there!
I really enjoyed reading this post. Your explanation of faith without works is dead is both clear and insightful. The way you emphasize the importance of genuine faith expressed through actions is powerful and encouraging. Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful and well-articulated message!