Why is faith without works dead? | GotQuestions.org

Are faith and works inseparable? Can faith without works be genuine? What does James 2:26 mean, and does it contradict Romans 4:5? In this video, Pastor Nelson answers the question, “Why is faith without works dead”?

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[Lauren-vdqe]

faith without works is dead because of the verse "by their fruits you will know them"; good works is a sign to other people that your faith is genuine. but works is not required to be saved and go to Heaven; some pple dont have the time to display "works" ie deathbed salvation; or moments before a life ending accident etc, ie thief on the cross.

[colonalklink]

James is about our justification in the sight of men but not before God.

Men. Can't actually justify us in any way, but rather it's their opinion.

Abraham believed God and it was accredited to him for righteousness.

This was long before he ever left Ur or offered up his son on the altar.

He was justified in the sight of men who would later read the account in Genesis and Hebrews.

Abraham was justified before God by faith alone.

Men can't see our faith but they certainly can see our works.

Simple enough, I can choose to have an alive faith or a dead faith, nothing to do with salvation at all.

James is really about having a practical faith that helps others and cannot contradict Galatians 2: 16, 2: 21, Ephesians 2: 8, 9, 10, Romans 3:28, Romans 4: 5, 6, and Romans 11: 6, which clearly seperate faith from works of any kind (Mosaic Law or the laws written on our hearts).

Saving repentance is realizing that you are a sinner deserving of God's just punishment in Hell and turn (repent) from whatever you trusted in before, if indeed you trusted in anything; to trusting in the person and finished work of Christ "alone" for salvation.

[frvillegas]

Holiness will not get us to Christ
it is Christ who will get us to holiness

[Christian_Girl]

I say Faith without works is dead, and Works without Faith is dead also. I understand this because when I accepted Christ the first time as time went on I was a "Lukewarm Christian". I believed in who he was and that he died for me on the cross for my salvation, but I was still living in sin in some ways while going to church. Much later I realized that God's Commandments are the same yesterday, today and in the future. People changed, not God or his laws. I've asked God to forgive me for my sin and to help me each day to do what I should. I'm not perfect, but over time I can see how much has changed within me. I no longer want that former life, for it only brought me heart ache. If I had listened to his commands before, maybe I would not have gone down that bad path. Please pray for me that I will continue to try to do God's will, so I will never hear those terrible words, "I never knew you".

[j.t.patton]

You were Theologically sound, until you said "EASY BELIEVISM" at 3:27
Works have NOTHING to do with Justification to the Father. PERIOD. If you add works at all to Salvation, you are teaching FALSE GOSPEL.
We are saved by GRACE through FAITH in Christ alone.
1 Samuel 16: 7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

[DrewBeam]

James 2:14-26 has nothing to do with eternal salvation it is about earning rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. v12(judged by the law of liberty)v14 Salvation is not a profit it is a gift, rewards are a profit. please rightly divide the scripture also he is writing this letter to already saved people his brethren.

[Mr.Sheffield]

John 6:28-29
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

[williamrice]

If one Trusts in God, naturally that one will seek out His ways, and follow Him. If I truly believe in Jesus, will I look for loopholes around obeying His commandments? On the other hand why didn't Jesus say explicitly: "All whom believe in me, and therefore follow my commandments shall be saved" ? IMO He doesn't want to provide the accuser another tool to condemn us with. Jesus wants to show us mercy, and He paid for that on the cross. So may His great love blossom in our hearts and bear much fruit.

[MIHI_by_Grace]

😮 I woke up with this verse on my mind. Praise Him!

[Easybelievist]

If how we live reveals Christ, then why is there Christians still sinning daily in thought, word and deed. We put our rest in Christ not ourselves. Philippians 3:9 (KJV) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
This channel does not know the power of Jesus death and resurrection! He died so we can live. So we died with him. Works cannot save you. This verse is saying your faith us USELESS and UNPROFITABLE to man not God. James is talking to believers to live by the Spirit. The verse does not say "Faith without works is damnable"

[michaeldenney]

This is another gospel Paul warned the Galatians about. Calvinist double speak.

[willverschneider]

I liken it to a $20 bill and a counterfeit $20 bill. Both of them claim to be true $20's, but when held under the light, the counterfeit is exposed. The true $20 didn't have to earn its true nature, just have it proven.

[ASonOfGODNeverForgets]

Of course faith without works is dead. But James is coming from an observer of the law. James speaks to the 12 tribes of Israel. Do not be fooled by James epistle - understand that he is right but Our faith that saves us is with the WORK of the How you deal with others pertains to your reward if it stands in the fire....

[jamesstrohl]

It is dead. Very simple if one believes that baptism is a work, not needed for salvation and they don't get baptized because they say it is a work and they would be working for salvation. Then their faith is dead. Because Peter on the Day of Pentecost said one must be baptized for the remission of sins.

Works are not the cause of Salvation, but the evidence of salvation. You are so double tongued. Maybe you ought to tell God this. He disagrees with you.
By any ones word who says baptism isn't necessary for salvation then their faith is dead.

[themcpheester]

First God created Humans and we sinned against him and since God is right and just he can't let sin go unpunished and we deserve so he sent his son to die for all our sins and take our help punishment for us and if you trust that the only reason you go to heaven u will be saved. By faith u are saved not of works Ephesians 2:8-9 that being said tho that doesn't mean go sinning like crazy cuz u know ur going to heaven u should still try to live for the Lord. But let me be clear the only reason we are going to heaven is because of what Jesus did for us that alone saved us so trust in him

[jimkraft]

Faith apart from works for the free gift of eternal life. James was writing to believing Jews. He called them brethren. He was telling them to go on to good works for rewards in heaven. First Corinthians 3:11-15.
Romans 4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he would have something to glory in, boast in, but not before God. Abraham believed God, and was justified by FAITH.

Abraham was justified by faith alone apart from works before God, and justified before men by works.

Romans 3:26-28 For He is the just and the justifier of them that BELIEVE in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? Nay, but by the law of FAITH. Therefore we conclude a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. For by the law shall not flesh be justified. The law is good, but the law cannot save us who have broken Gods laws.

The GOOD NEWS. Romans 6:23 For the penalty for sin is death, BUT, THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE, through Jesus finished work on the cross apart from any works.

Jesus paid it all and we paid 0. You cannot boast in free gift that we did nothing for.

Assurance of salvation by grace. First John 5:13. These things have I written unto you that BELIEVE on the name of the Son of God, that ye may KNOW YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. God cannot lie. John 5:24. John 6:47. John 6:40. John 6:29. Romans 4:5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the UNGODLY, his faith is counted for RIGHTEOUSNESS. Without His perfect righteousness, no one will see God. John 3:18. UNBELIEF is the only sin that keeps people out of heaven. Once we believe on Jesus as the only way of salvation, apart from any works, He gives us ETERNAL LIFE. Romans 4:6.

[michaelmerrifield]

Saying that works are evidence of salvation is just a sly way of corrupting the Gospel with works. James chapter 2 is simply a call to believers to spread the Gospel and 'cloth' the naked and 'feed' the hungry with the message of Christ. Failing to do so means their faith is unfruitful for others, but has nothing to do with their standing in the Body of Christ.

[unclepauliestl]

Another backloading the gospel with works.
ACTS 16:30-31
He is also misinterpreting Matthew 7. Jesus said he never knew them because they were boasting about their works. They didn’t put their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation.
You can’t mix salvation with obedience . Salvation is a free gift of grace or it’s not. It can’t be both grace plus works The Bible is clear. It’s a free gift.

[GS-mhub]

Our position before God never changes once we become Believers. That position is that we as Believers are deemed righteous in the eyes of God based on our belief and reliance on the death burial and resurrection of Christ for the atonement of our sins. While our position before God doesn't change, our state can change. Our state can change our position and testimony before others. Our state can change our peace of mind. Our state can affect our fellowship with others, etc. However, our state can not change our position before God as Believers.

[martenasmith]

When the carnal fleshy mind cannot understand something, it then makes things up to satisfy its desire for understanding. This is what is happening in this example, because the speaker does not understand what Faith and Works really is. In fact, most of the church system does not understand Faith and Works. I cannot wait for God to start teaching them.

Faith means to “Hear the voice of God.” The examples given in Hebrews chapter 11 are all examples of a person hearing God speak to them, 19 examples to be exact. The number 19 in scripture means “Faith”. An example would be in Hebrews 11:17, when scripture tells us that Abraham offered up his son Isaac by Faith. This is because Abraham heard God tell him to do so.

The book of James is about being “Obedient”. The same example of Abraham is given in James 2:21, but now scripture is showing how Abraham was justified by “Works”. Works means “to obey God”. If God tells you to do something, and you do it, then you are doing your “Works”, you are being obedient. Hebrews 11 is all about hearing, James 2 is all about obeying, both must go hand in hand.

In order to be obedient one must first Hear, so what we are seeing is that Abraham first Heard God tell him to sacrifice his son, and then in James we see how Abraham obeyed God thus perfecting his Faith. We must first have Faith before we can have Works. But in order to perfect our hearing we must obey, for if we do not obey, then our hearing is dead. But if we obey, then we are justified in the eyes of God.

James 1:22 says “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”. Most today cannot hear God. Why? Because it was prophesied in scripture that we would not be able to hear God, for Amos 8:11 says “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:”

Jesus was our example, for He was obedient unto death. Much of Paul’s writings are about hearing God and it is assumed that you are also being obedient, because Faith is not Faith unless Obedience is involved. This is the New Covenant law, the Law of Faith (Romans 3:27). If you hear God and obey Him, then you are following the law of God and this is how righteousness is imputed towards you.

Most cases where the scriptures use the word “Believe”, the word should actually be translated as Faith. Because of the mistranslations into English this whole point in scripture has not been understood. If God speaks to someone and gives them revelation through the spirit, only then is scripture translated in its proper form. Most today do not have Faith, they have a belief. But time is coming where all will have Faith.

Blessings