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and apathy. Works without faith will lead to burnout, frustration, and many times, to sin.
People operating in either extreme eventually leave the church and often, the Christian life.

. . . show (exhibit) me thy faith without (apart from) thy works, and I will show thee my faith
by my works.

James tells this man that his faith and works cannot be separated. Faith and its production
cannot be parted any more than a tree and its fruit. Works should be done before both the
church and the world to exhibit our faith. This is God’s purpose, to meet the needs of
believers and present the gospel to the world.

Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe ‐‐
and tremble!

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils (daimon) also believe, and
tremble (phrissousin: shudder, bristle).

The Greek reads, “You believe God is one, that is good. Demons also believe this and it
causes their hair to bristle.” James is saying intellectual assent is not true faith. Just to say
you believe in the one God does not save you. James puts this person in the same category
as demons who also believe there is one God but are not changed by that belief. Demons
even speak of this in the Scriptures (Mark 1:23‐24, 5:1‐10; Luke 8:26‐33). Demons also know
what awaits them in eternity (Matthew 8:29, 25:41).

James wants his congregation to understand that having faith not acted upon is no better
than an unbeliever who does not act on his faith for salvation. Mental assent will no more
change a Christian than it does a sinner.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

But wilt thou (are you willing to) know (recognize), O vain man, that faith without (apart
from) works is dead (arge: barren, unproductive)?

A believer who has faith and no outward works is no better than a sinner or demon who
believes but does not act. One has no justification before God and the other no justification
before the world. This believer is called “vain”; he is empty or lacking even the remotest
amount of spiritual common sense.

B. Faith Manifested Through Works

Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his
son upon the altar?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the
altar?

Abraham is called the father of those present. These were both Jewish and Gentile
believers. Once a person is a believer, they are in the family of God and joined to the family
of faith with Abraham, whether they be Jew (Romans 4:1, 12) or Gentile (Romans 4:16‐17;
Galatians 3:7, 29). Abraham is the father of all believers (Romans 4:11).