14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Dan's Thoughts:
This is one of the toughest, and yet most instructive passages in the whole Bible in my opinion. James' point? Faith without actions actually backing it up is useless. In fact, it may not be actual faith; but instead you may be deceiving yourself into calling yourself a Christian, when in fact, your actions don't reflect that claim. How do I know if water is hot without touching the inside? I need to see steam. The same is true of Christians: how can the world know our belief is legit without actually peering into our hearts? By having our actions say that we are the real deal. We are transformed people.
Questions For Reflection:
1. Which verse stuck out to me the most? Why?
2. What is God telling me through this passage?
3. What transformation in my heart needs to take place because of what this passage means?
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