IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Faith Without Deeds is Useless

Date: Sep. 19, 2022

Passage

James 2:14-26 (ESV)

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 2:24

You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

A person can go around doing many good deeds. But if those deeds are not accompanied by faith in Jesus, those deeds will not save the doer. In the same way, if someone has great faith, but it isn’t accompanied by good deeds, their faith is useless. When someone comes to us with a problem, if all we do is say good words to them and do not give them help, it is useless. We must do more than just believe in God. Even demons do that! We show our faith by the deeds that we do. In other words, we show our faith by our deeds.

James gives Biblical examples of people who showed their faith by their own deeds. Abraham was considered righteous because he obeyed God and offered up his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham’s faith was evident, and it was made complete by him offering his son. “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:6). Rahab was a prostitute. She lodged the Israelite spies and kept them safe from Jericho’s soldiers. She was counted as righteous for what she did. She showed that a person is considered righteous by their deeds, and not by faith alone.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, I thank you for the faith you have given me. May my works be a testimony to my faith in you.

One Word: One Word: Faith without works is useless

Daily Bread

A Satanic Threat

2 Kings 18:17-37

Key Verse: 18:36

But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, “Do not answer him.”

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