James: Faith That Works (Part 6)

An open communion invites personal reflection on Christ’s sacrifice and calls for honest self-examination. The bread and juice serve as plain symbols of a bruised body and shed blood; participants must approach the table only after trusting Jesus and with a heart ready to confess and obey. James chapter two reframes faith as one of two realities: either a dead faith—knowledge and emotion without change—or a doing faith that moves into concrete action. Head knowledge alone, even heartfelt awe, proves insufficient when need stares a believer in the face; professing care without meeting tangible needs exposes faith that is inert.

Paul’s teaching that justification comes by faith alone receives a complementary emphasis: salvation is a gracious gift, but that gift intends to produce good works. Ephesians 2:10 shows the trajectory—being created in Christ for prepared works—so works do not earn salvation but demonstrate its reality. James presses this point by demanding visible fruit: faith that never translates into obedience or charity is spiritually lifeless. The text contrasts mere profession with obedience, warning against performing righteousness for public praise and urging secret, God-centered service.

Concrete biblical examples anchor the argument. Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac illustrates faith completed by obedient action even when promises seemed endangered; that active trust confirmed God’s righteousness imputed to him. Rahab’s sheltering of the spies models a transformed outsider whose fear of God moved her to risk and rescue, resulting in inclusion in redemptive history. Both figures show that authentic faith inevitably acts under uncertainty, trusting God’s character rather than circumstances.

The call to move from dead to doing faith is urgent and pastoral: examine personal life for places where theology or feeling stops short of obedience, then take immediate, faithful steps to serve, confess, and follow. Love that truly honors God looks for hidden opportunities to care, not public accolades. The persistent challenge is practical—allow inner conviction to generate outward works so faith becomes living testimony to God’s grace.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Open, reflective communion invites surrender Communion centers attention on Christ’s body and blood as plain elements that drive inward examination. This practice insists that profession of faith requires ongoing repentance and daily surrender, not mere ritual participation. Approaching the table should recalibrate motives and prompt obedience rather than provide spiritual comfort without change. [19:47]
• 2. Faith that is dead or doing Faith divides into two distinct realities: theological assent with no action, or faith that issues in tangible obedience. A head-knowledge or emotional response without follow-through amounts to spiritual deadness; genuine belief reshapes habits, choices, and priorities. Honest appraisal requires asking whether conviction consistently produces changed behavior. [31:28]
• 3. Works flow from genuine saving faith Salvation arrives by grace through faith, yet that grace creates a vocation toward good works prepared beforehand. Works prove faith’s authenticity; they are the logical fruit of being made new in Christ, not the currency that buys salvation. Living faith displays God’s righteousness through compassionate, costly action. [33:03]
• 4. Abraham and Rahab show obedience Abraham’s near-sacrifice and Rahab’s sheltering of spies demonstrate faith that risks and obeys under uncertainty. Both examples show faith completed by works: trust becomes tangible when people act on God’s promises or fear. Those narratives teach how faith turns belief into costly, redemptive deeds. [53:40]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [06:02] - Announcements and invitations
• [19:27] - Communion explained and prayer
• [25:42] - Bread and body symbolism
• [31:02] - James 2:14 introduction
• [33:03] - Faith versus works debate
• [49:03] - Abraham’s example of obedience
• [53:40] - Rahab’s faith in action
• [60:31] - Call to move from dead to doing faith

Bible reading
James 2:14-26 (ESV)
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Observation questions

1. What two specific, contrasting examples does James use to illustrate a faith that is dead versus a faith that is alive?
2. According to the passage, what is the relationship between Abraham's belief in God and his action of offering Isaac?
3. What was Rahab's stated reason for helping the Israelite spies, and what action did she take?
4. What is the final, concluding statement James makes about faith that has no works? [33:03]

Interpretation questions

1. James says that even demons believe in God and have a physical, emotional response to that knowledge. [45:43] How is the faith of a genuine believer supposed to be different from the "faith" that demons have?
2. The passage states that a person is not justified by faith alone, but also by works. How does this idea complement, rather than contradict, the teaching that salvation is a gift received by faith? [36:16]
3. Both Abraham and Rahab acted in ways that involved significant risk and did not know the final outcome. What does this suggest about the nature of true, living faith?
4. Why do you think James chose two such different people—a patriarch of Israel and an outsider prostitute—to make his point about faith and works?

Application questions

1. Faith divides into one of two realities: either a dead faith—knowledge and emotion without change—or a doing faith that moves into concrete action. [31:28] What is one area of your life where your head knowledge or feelings about God have not yet translated into a specific, obedient action?
2. Professing care without meeting tangible needs exposes a faith that is inert. [41:56] When was the last time you became aware of a practical need in someone's life? What was your immediate internal response, and what, if anything, did you do about it?
3. A doing faith looks for hidden opportunities to care, not public accolades. [57:57] Is there a specific, secret act of service you could perform for someone this week that only God would know about? What would it look like to do it purely for His glory?
4. Authentic faith inevitably acts under uncertainty, trusting God’s character rather than circumstances. [52:38] What is a decision or step of obedience God is calling you to take that feels uncertain or risky? What would it look like to trust His character in this situation?
5. Approaching the table of communion should recalibrate motives and prompt obedience rather than provide spiritual comfort without change. [19:47] The next time you take communion, what is one specific area of disobedience or motive you could bring to God for recalibration?
6. Honest appraisal requires asking whether conviction consistently produces changed behavior. [31:28] Looking back over the last month, what is one conviction from Scripture or a sermon that has actually changed a habit, choice, or priority in your daily life?