Though a man say he hath faith and hath not works, can faith save him?
Now we obviously understand that this passage of scripture is often taken completely out
of context to teach that you have to add works to your faith to confirm you're saved or to
get saved or to stay saved or whatever, when this actually has nothing to do with the salvation
of your soul.
James 2 literally has to do with the salvation, the physical salvation of someone who is destitute
of food and naked.
Someone who is in need of the physical things of this world.
And it's saying here, if a man says he has faith but he doesn't have works, he's not
working his faith, how can your faith save a person who is in physical need of food?
How does your faith in Christ help someone who is starving?
He says if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say
to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things
which are needful for the body, what does that profit?
So in other words he's asking how is it profiting that person who is starving?
How does your faith profit that person if you're not helping them?
If you just say be warmed and filled, God will take care of you brother, God knows your
needs brother, and you have the resources at your disposal and you choose not to help
that individual, your faith cannot save that person, your faith does not profit that individual.
He says even so, faith if it hath not works is dead being alone.
By the way that proves that you can have faith without works.
Because it says if you have faith but you don't have works, then your faith is dead
and it's alone.
It doesn't say it's non-existent, it says it's alone.
Yea man may say thou hast faith and I have works, show me thy faith without thy works
and I will show thee my faith by my works.
Look at Hebrews 6 10, it says in verse number 10 of Hebrews chapter number 6, for God is
not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which ye have showed toward his name
and that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister.
I believe this is what 1 Thessalonians is talking about, when he talks about the work
of faith, it's referring to the fact that they're laboring and working to be a blessing
to the saints, saints being believers.
And I want you to also notice in Hebrews chapter 6 that it says that we have showed
it or they have showed it towards God's name.
So you know when you're a blessing to one of your brothers and sisters in Christ you're
serving it, you're serving that person as unto the Lord.
So even if you never get a thank you, you never get a pat on the back, you never get
a I appreciate everything you've done for me after all these four years, I'm making
all these graphics for you or whatever, according to the Bible, if you're really doing it for
the Lord, God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love.
Now look, I encourage everyone here, you know if someone does something kind to you, kind
for you, if they help you, say thank you, be courteous.
Teach your children to be grateful, to have gratitude, to say yes sir, no sir, you know
yes ma'am, no ma'am, thank you, no thank you, you know show gratitude, you understand?
But if it never happens, if someone never thanks you or recognizes you or says what
a great job that you did, don't worry, God is not unrighteous to forget your works and
labor of love.