Ministry of Grace Church

But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Truth to Learn

Good works are the evidence of our salvation.

Behind the Words

The word translated “someone” is the Greek word tis, which is an indefinite personal pronoun, meaning “some person” or “a certain person” or “someone.” James is using this device to present a rhetorical challenge.

“Show me” is translated from deiknuō, meaning “to show” or “to display.” It is used here in the imperative mood. The subtlety of the imperative mood is that it expresses action that is not taking place but which the speaker wants to take place. This is why it is most often expressed in English as a command. Hence, James is saying, “Your faith is not showing, therefore show me your faith …”

The word translated “without” is the Greek word chōris, which means “separately, by itself, or apart from.” So, James is not talking about a faith that does not have works, he is talking about a faith separated from its works. That’s a subtle distinction but one that I believe James is making.

“By” is translated from ek, a Greek preposition meaning “out of.” So, James is actually saying, “…I will show you my faith out of my works.” In other words, the works are the evidence of the faith.

Meaning Explained

James has just said that faith without works is dead. In order to show that he means that faith cannot exist apart from works, he carries the discussion one step further. He assumes that the reader is arguing that salvation is by faith alone. That is, faith and works are separate and faith is the only thing. James states very clearly here that the works are the evidence of the faith. He is not claiming that we are saved by works, rather he says that once we are saved, our actions and deeds will be the evidence of that saving faith.

James now uses a hypothetical person to make the challenge:

You think that faith is the only important thing in the Christian walk and works have no place in salvation. Therefore, show me the evidence of your faith in something other than works, and I will show you the evidence of my faith, which is my works.

The Apostle John expressed a very similar thing in his first general epistle:

Whoever has worldly possessions and notices a brother in need and yet withholds his compassion from him, how does the love of God remain in him? (I John 3:17)

Once again, let me state very clearly what James is and isn’t teaching. He isn’t teaching that we are saved by works, for we cannot earn our salvation; we are saved by grace through faith and faith alone. What he is saying is, if we are genuinely saved, the evidence of that salvation will be the way we treat other people, especially those brothers and sisters in Christ who have needs that we can fill.

Application

Is there evidence of your faith in what you say and do? Or, here’s another way of asking the same question, “If you were arrested today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”