Faith Without Works is Dead | Bob Wriedt | James 2:17-26
One of the great rallying cries of the Protestant Reformation was: By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Theologians like Luther and Calvin helped Christians see the beauty, truth, and goodness of this message throughout the Scriptures, and especially in books like Romans, Galatians, and Ephesians.
But there's one New Testament paragraph that has caused hesitation in many to embrace the doctrine of salvation by grace alone: "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:17)
This week at Grace, we're going to talk about this important and sometimes misunderstood section of Scripture. We'll talk about how to integrate it wisely, fairly, and faithfully with the rest of the New Testament, as well as what to do with James' warning for us today.
I'm excited to be back in the pulpit with you this week after my sabbatical this summer, and looking forward to digging into this important passage together. In Christ, Pastor Bob
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James 2:17-26
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.