Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 114

April 24;    James 2:17;   114/260(II);    ‘Faith Without Works’

James 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James chapter 2 must be looked at and understood, so that those who study the Bible do not think that James (led by the Holy Spirit) was saying something other than what the rest of the Word teaches.  Obviously, it is very clear that we are not saved by works.  That is a religious idea that is completely false.  Ephesians 2:9 says that we were created for good works.  Works cannot save us, but works, helping others and acting out your faith is incredibly important.   One example is that if we see someone in need and have the means to help them, God’s love in us for another, should prompt us to do what we can to meet that need.  Telling them you will pray for them (though this is good) and doing nothing to alleviate the need they face, is wrong.  Again, we must be careful, since the unsaved world sees works as Christianity, we must help them to see that this is not true.  Works combined with faith play a very big part in our life as well.  If your leg hurts you and it is hard to walk.  When you receive prayer for the healing of your leg, by faith begin to walk.  The walking is your works, that you do by faith.  Faith acts.  The Bible very clearly teaches in many verses that the Lord desires you to prosper.  But the prospering part of that verse is not automatic.  You must do what the Bible says.  Obey biblical financial principles and indeed you will prosper.  This is putting action or works to your faith.  Mark 11:24 teaches that we are to believe we receive the answer to our prayer when we pray.  Not when the answer comes.  Pray and act in faith as if the answer had already manifested and it will.