Faith Without Works Is Dead?
Understanding James 2:14-26
The most common passage when it comes to faith and works is James 2:14-26. An important aspect of Bible study is to interpret an “outlier” passage in light of all the clear passages. (Click here for a list of Scripture references about works).
We KNOW that works do not contribute or add to our salvation.
We also KNOW that God wants us to walk in the good works He prepared for us after being saved because they are beneficial to everyone, including us.
Works ≠ Salvation
Works = Being fruitful and helpful
So, let’s read the section!
James 2:14-26
“14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 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?
17 So 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 apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
23 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.
24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 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?
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”
Take a look at these seeming “contradictions” between verses from this passage and other places in scripture:
James 2:14 – “ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?”
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
James 2:17– “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Romans 3:28– “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
James 2:21 – “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?”
Romans 4:2-6 –“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works.
You can’t deny that on face value, those are direct contradictions! So, what do we make of it?
The key to understanding this passage:
The two keys to understanding this passage are to determine the purpose of this epistle and to unpack the meanings of the following two words: “saved” and “justified.” Oftentimes, when we see these words in different biblical contexts, we assume that it refers to our eternal salvation. But, as we read this passage and align it with other scriptures, we can conclude that “saved” and “justified” are not talking about eternal salvation in this context.
1.The purpose of the book of James:
The book of James is written to Jewish believers. It is important to note that the readers are already saved. Therefore, the content of the book focuses on the practical wisdom and the application of their faith in Christ. It encourages God’s people to act like God’s people. Another key aspect of this book is its warning of the death principle of sin. In other words, when sin is unchecked, it can eventually lead to death and destruction in a person’s life.
This specific passage in James 2 is about practically justifying (revealing) your faith to others for the good of all involved.
2. Meanings of the words
Saved = sozo
The original Greek word for “saved,”sozo, has different meanings depending on the context just like in English. It can be used in different ways: “Can you save me a cookie?” or “The fireman saved the family from the fire,” or “I saved the documents on my computer,” or “Jesus saved my soul.”
Another example would be the word “run.” For example: “I’m going to run an errand,” or “Can you run the car’s engine?,” or “We run for exercise.” The word “run” has a different meaning in each sentence. Therefore, context determines the meaning of a word.
With this in mind, sozo can mean “to be physically made well or healthy.”
Matthew 9:21 says, “For she said within herself, ‘If I may but touch his garment, I shall be healed (sozo).’” This was a woman who had a physical ailment of continual bleeding and she sought Jesus for healing. The context implies that the definition means “healed” or “saved from physical suffering,” not saved from eternal damnation.
James uses it like this in chapter 5:15 – “The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Sozo also means “to be rescued from death or destruction.”
When Jesus was on the cross, He prayed, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour” (John 12:27). Obviously, Jesus is not talking about being saved from spiritual damnation; He’s talking about being physically rescued.
Likewise, James uses this definition in chapter 1:14-15 and 21 – “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death [physical death]... Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you [from physical death or destruction].” He is speaking about the practical ramifications of sin to those who are already believers in Christ (notice how he says, “the word planted in you”). He is exhorting believers to get rid of the sin among them so that they will be saved from the snowball effect of sin that leads to death. For example, a sin like alcohol addiction and getting drunk can lead to death or destruction in different ways: whether it results in angry violence, that person’s liver failure, or it breaks apart that person’s relationships or causes them to lose their job.
In another section, James says, “There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” (4:12). While I believe sozo in this verse could also mean “save from eternal damnation,” commentators have pointed out that this likely means to preserve or take away (destroy) the physical life. The reason is that the two forms of the verbs used in this verse for save and destroy (sosai and apolesia) were commonly used in secular Greek to refer to physical life and death. Additionally, it would be inconsistent for James to use it to refer to spiritual salvation and damnation because he doesn’t use it with that definition anywhere else in this epistle.
James uses sozo a third time with this definition in chapter 5:19-20 – “My brothers and sisters, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” I wrongfully used to see this as a “lose-your-salvation” passage because of the phrase “save his soul from death.” I read my own definitions into those words, but the Greek word for “soul” is psyche and it can simply mean “life.” Likewise, the word “death” is referring to physical death as a result of sin not spiritual damnation. A brother or sister in Christ who helps someone who has strayed will rescue them from facing the death principle of sin.
In total, James uses forms of the word, sozo, five times and each time (with the possible exception of chapter 4), he is not talking about our spiritual salvation!
“Justified” = dikaioo
The original Greek word for “justified,” is dikaioo. Within Scripture, it is commonly used as a synonym for being spiritually saved. However, the meaning of being justified is also to “show, exhibit, evince one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered.” It has to do with showing and revealing one’s righteousness to others.
For example, as a kid you could tell your parents that you got straight As in your classes, but they likely wanted to see the evidence. To justify yourself, you would show them your report card so that they would believe you.
As another example, you can tell someone you aren’t afraid to go bungee jumping, but you justify your words to them when you actually go bungee jumping. A person can say something that is true, but without evidence, it can’t be visibly proved to others.
In Luke 16:15, Jesus tells the Pharisees, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.” The Pharisees spent all their time trying to show-off how “righteous” they were. They “justified” their false righteousness by doing good works on the outside, but their hearts were full of darkness.
Another example where dikaioo is used is in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.” In this context, Paul is not talking about being justified for eternal life. He is talking about the judgment at the Bema Seat of Christ (which he previously talked about in chapter 3 of 1 Corinthians). He’s stating that judgments from others or his own conscience don’t necessarily “prove” or “justify” his work for the Lord because only God can and will judge our hearts perfectly.
Misinterpreted Verses:
Now let’s dig into the common verses that are misinterpreted from this passage:
V. 14,16 “What good is it/that?”
The point in this question being asked twice is to point out that faith doesn’t produce practical good for oneself or others without some form of action accompanying it.
V. 14 “...if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? “
Like we talked about above, the meaning of “save” in this verse is not talking about faith that saves someone from spiritual damnation. James is talking about faith that saves someone from physical suffering or from death. We can figure this out because of the context. James provides an example of neglecting to help a brother in need (verses 15-16). Telling someone who is suffering to simply “go in peace,” does no good. It will not help or save that person. Rather, taking action based on faith will save that person from their suffering. Faith without works (faith that is not applied) cannot practically save a person from the death principle of sin.
Consider what James wrote in chapter 1:22-25 –
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
The Christian who responds to their identity (saved by faith in Christ) will be blessed in what he does because the actions from his faith are producing good in his life. His choice to be a doer of the work results in blessings. The Christian that doesn’t respond to their identity will not be blessed because their faith is not being applied.
V. 17 “Faith without works is dead”
In the Jewish mindset, “dead” does not mean “non-existent.” It primarily refers to a state of separation (i.e. the spirit separates from the body upon death, which he mentioned in verse 26). Likewise, practical faith should not be separated from its works. The two go hand-in-hand. The meaning of “dead” is expanded on in verse 20, which says, “Faith without works is useless.” A dead body that cannot move is useless. It’s impractical. Likewise, alive and practical faith involves action, otherwise it is useless.
V. 18 “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
James is rhetorically speaking– to make the point that it can’t be done. You can’t “show” your faith to others unless there are works (evidence) involved. Imagine this phrase re-worded with one of the examples from above: “Show me your grades apart from your report card (which can’t be done), and I will show you my grades by my report card.”
V. 19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”
The overlooked phrase in this section is the last two words: “— and shudder.” James is making a point that even the demons’ belief produces something from them— shuddering!
This verse is often taken out of its context to defend a works-based doctrine that believing in Jesus is “not enough” because even demons believe. Within this passage, however, the purpose of this verse is to make a point and exhort the readers that their faith should result in something. Likewise, this verse cannot be about saving faith for two reasons: firstly, “believing that God is one” is not the gospel, and secondly, demons are not given the option of salvation.
V. 21-23 “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.”
Abraham was already positionally justified (made righteous) with God when he chose to believe God’s promise that he would be blessed with a son and countless descendants (Genesis 15:1-6).
The part that is overlooked in this segment is the final phrase: “— and he was called a friend of God.” When Abraham obeyed God by being willing to sacrifice Issac, this action “proved/justified” his faith outwardly and practically. It doesn’t nullify the faith that Abraham already had; rather, it completed/perfected it and gave him the right to be called a friend of God.
V. 25 “Was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?”
Like Abraham, Rahab already believed in the God of Israel. Rahab tells the Jewish spies: “I know that the Lord has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath” (Joshua 2:9-11).
Her action to save the spies “justified/proved” her existing faith, completing and perfecting it just like Abraham’s obedience completed his faith. Likewise, her faith physically saved her and her family from the destruction of Jericho: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31). Her faith saved her, physically!
In both Abraham’s case and Rahab’s, they were justified by works, meaning that their existing faith was expressed outwardly and revealed to others, bringing about the blessings James spoke about in chapter 1:22-25.
Faith → Action = Justifying your faith before others, resulting in good for others and yourself.
What does this mean for us?
We are called to “work out” our salvation with fear and trembling.
This means that the seed of faith we have wants to and should grow outwardly in our lives. Philippians 2:12-13 says, “...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.”
Our faith becomes profitable to others when accompanied by works.
Titus 3:8 says,“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.”
Living out our faith saves us from the physical destruction of sin and leads to blessings.
Proverbs 12:28 – “In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.”
Psalm 1:1 – “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful…”
For further resources on this topic:
Andy Woods James Sermon Series on Youtube. Click here to take you to the first video of a series.
The Grace New Testament Commentary, Revised Edition. 2010. Robert N. Wilkin.