2:1-13 – Summary – The poor were being made to feel unwanted in the Judean church.  This was wrong.  God loves the poor and so should the rich, and especially the church. 

James 2:14-26 – Introduction – Faith and works or deeds – Paul was preaching justification by Faith which should result in a changed life of good works.  He had the approval of James in doing so.  James here addresses a group who has accepted Paul’s message of faith but were not living right.  He is instructing them to show them faith by the good works their changed lives should reflect.  Paul and James were not contradicting each other at all.  We are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone.  Genuine faith will produce good deeds, but only faith in Christ saves.   James is not speaking a message of salvation through good works.  Hearing must be accompanied by doing.  There’s no room for mere mental acceptance of truth.

(14) – The proposition – James asks two questions to set up his message.  The second question is structured in the Greek so a negative answer is the only answer.  Faith that is not accompanied by good deeds is of no saving value.  True saving faith effects the believer’s behavior so that “good deeds” are performed without trying to earn something by them.

(15-16) – James sets up an illustration to show his point more clearly.   The man in need of clothing and food is wished well by the “believers” with a benediction of “Go, I wish you well” or “go in peace” as James would have said it.  Then he says “keep warm and well fed” which may lead some to think he was already with clothing and food, which is not the case.  There are two possible translations here: 1) be warmed and fed by someone else; or 2) get yourself some warm clothes and some food.  Either one is useless to someone who has no means of getting these needs met.   This is just a facade of caring for one in need and worthless.

(17) – Action is the proper fruit of living faith.  James is not denying the faith aspect of salvation.  We must think of this in the same way as the fruit of the Spirit.  A person filled with the Holy Spirit must be producing fruit.  Similarly, faith that does not yield the fruit of good deeds is not living faith at all.

(18) – James develops his argument here.  Deeds are necessary to prove that a person has faith.  He uses a generalized “You” and “I” which could be written as “one person has faith and another has deeds.”  It appears from this statement that faith and works are not related to each other.  However, James challenges this assertion by saying, “Show me your faith without deeds.”  Faith cannot be demonstrated apart from action.   Profession of faith alone proves nothing as to its reality.  James says, “I will show you my faith by what I do.”

(19) – James builds his second argument… All faithful Jews believe in the creed called the Shema: “Hear O Israel, The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”   James acknowledges their belief in the creed as a good thing, but then brings out that belief in the creed will not save them.  The devil and demons believe in the one God and shudder in fear.  This response shows their faith is not saving faith.  Their belief has not brought them peace with God.  True saving faith goes beyond an intellectual acceptance and involves the whole inner being and expresses itself outwardly in a changed life.

(20) – The next argument … “Foolish man” is speaking of one who is intellectually empty, someone with no comprehension of what he has been talking about, the spiritual truth that faith without works is dead, not living faith.  He offers evidence citing two examples from the O.T. – Abraham and Rahab (vs. 21-25).

(21) – He begins by speaking about their ancestor Abraham.  He is speaking to a Jewish audience who know about Abraham.  He is “considered righteous” or justified because of the action he performed in offering Isaac by faith in God’s perfect plan. 

(22) – James here cements his concept of faith and works being inseparable for the believer.  Abraham’s faith and actions worked together.   A person is justified by faith, but it is an action-producing faith.  Abraham was considered righteous for what he did, not just for what he believed.

(23) – Here James quotes Gen. 15:6 where Abraham is counted righteous because he believed God.  This occurred before he offered up Isaac.  So faith and justification or righteousness came first then he carried out the action of faith. He faith was with deeds and so living and fruitful.  “He was called God’s friend.”  He was right with God.

(24) – He summarizes that deeds complete faith.  Deeds are evidence that faith is present in a person’s life.  Paul also agreed that good deeds were a part of the life of a faithful believer, (Eph. 2:10).  Paul was dealing with people who thought they could earn their way to eternal life, so he stressed faith as the key.  Both Paul and James agree that deeds are the result of saving faith. 

(25) – Rehab, a pagan, a prostitute, chose to identify with the people of Israel, a decision based on faith.  She risked her life and put action to her faith with deeds of righteousness and she was declared righteous.

(26) – He concludes by using the body as an example.  The body without a spirit is a corpse and dead, so faith without deeds is dead and useless.  Faith and deeds are inseparable!