Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

If you are paying attention to the full testimony of God’s Word, James 2:14-26 is pretty jarring. For example, the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9 that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works, and yet here’s James asking, “What good is it… if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”  

At first glance, it feels a lot like they’re contradicting each other. This tension has been at the foundation of countless debates surrounding Christianity. However, I would argue that Paul and James do not contradict one another. If anything, they are serving as two partners in a beautiful dance. Paul is making it clear that no works, no matter how good, can earn salvation. James is reminding us that real faith, saving faith, never stays alone. True faith always shows itself in action. It’s not faith plus works that saves us. It’s faith that works.   

That distinction matters. I’ve had plenty of moments where my faith has stalled out in words or intentions. I’ve told people, “I’ll pray for you,” but I didn’t lift a finger to help when I could. I’ve had the chance to give, to serve, to step into someone’s need—and found excuses instead. That’s the kind of faith James calls out. It’s like a body with no breath. Lifeless. Dead. 

But here’s the flip side, the hopeful side. Real faith is alive. Real faith works. It’s active in the world around me and effective in changing lives. When I choose to love tangibly, through patience, generosity, or mercy, something shifts. It doesn’t just bless the person I’m serving. It also reshapes my heart. God uses active faith to pull me away from selfishness and into the kind of love that looks like Jesus. 

James points to Abraham and Rahab, two VERY different people, whose faith came alive in action. Abraham trusted God enough to obey, even when it cost him dearly. Rahab believed in God enough to risk her own safety for His people. Their faith wasn’t proven in what they claimed to believe; it was proven in what they did. 

So, here’s the question James is pressing on: if someone looked only at my actions, would they recognize faith in Jesus? Or would it stay hidden in my words and intentions? 

I want to live with a faith that breathes, a faith that moves, a faith that is alive, a faith that works. Faith alone saves. But saving faith is never alone. 

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.

• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.