*These notes are from Keith Hodges*

#19 – What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. (James 2:14-24)

Ephesians 2:8-10 teaches us we’re saved by grace through faith … not by works … and that we are created in Christ (saved, sanctified) to do good works. James couldn’t have said it more clearly: faith that’s real will be a faith that is busy being good and doing good things according to God’s directions. I suggest we all read this passage another time or two, just to make sure we fully drink it in.

NOTEWORTHY: A false doctrine has crept into Christianity – “faith alone” or “faith only,” e.g. as if only for a fleeting moment someone “believes in Jesus,” that is sufficient. In so doing that ignores all the Bible says about repentance, confession of faith, baptism into Christ, living for Christ, being a part of His church, maturing in Christ, eagerly awaiting His return, etc. The phrase “faith only” never occurs in the Bible, and “faith alone” only here—but not in the way some might wish. 

#20 – In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:25-26)

I wonder if James was a little surprised at himself for thinking (or the Holy Spirit reminding him) of the example of Rahab as one who did a good deed that was intertwined with coming to faith in a very consequential way.

• The story of Rahab, a harlot (a dishonorable and sinful profession) is a stunning example of how God can take anyone and their story and make it into a beautiful part of His plan. (See Joshua, chapter 2)
• Everyone else in Jericho was doing everything they could to resent and resist the people of God coming into their land. But Rahab recognized the work of God and the spies who were in her city on God’s behalf. She gave them shelter and a safe escape from potential captors and certain death. Later, she and her family were spared when the walls of Jericho fell and its citizenry annihilated by the Israelites. Most ironically, Rahab joined the people of Israel, married, and had a child by which she (like Ruth, also a Gentile) became a part of the physical lineage of Christ. (See Matt. 1:5)