What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can faith save him?  (15) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (16) and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?  (17) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  (18) But someone will say “You have faith and I have works.”  Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

This letter is written by James, who was the half brother of Jesus and the head of the Christian church in Jerusalem. Our verses today address genuine saving faith versus false faith. First we must understand that the Bible teaches us that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ Jesus. James does not dispute this but he is going deeper. James is saying every good and perfect gift is from God – including and especially salvation. The faithful are not saved from anything they do – salvation is a gift from God, not a result of good works.

But Genuine faith necessarily results in a life of good works – necessarily does not mean automatically. But good deeds are inherent in a saving faith. True faith involves a change of heart – we become reborn and are sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The faithful go from death to life and faith by its nature results in a change of outlook; a change of behavior. We act as we believe and can do no other. The Bible tells us that man is saved by faith alone apart from good works but at issue here is the question of faith being genuine.  We are being told that belief in the saving acts of Christ as Lord and Savior causes us to be reborn in Christ.  We become a new man/ woman in thought and of necessity,  in deed.