James 2:18-26

"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. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 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. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 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? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."

Dead faith, useless faith, demonic faith--these are all descriptions of faith that do not benefit the one who says that he believes. Faith must result in works. This is the undeniable conclusion of these verses. Works are necessary. But what are they necessary for? This extensive passage, discussing the necessity of works, never says that meritorious works earn you favor with God. However, it strongly asserts that your faith must produce works.

"Was not Abraham our father justified by works?" Violent is my initial reaction against this statement. However, my initial reaction is a poor one, and it is based on a misunderstanding of what the passage is asserting. The statement that Abraham was justified by works is shortly connected with a statement that would seem to flatly deny it, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." But the second statement is in harmony with the first, even as works should be in harmony with faith. The words in between these two seemingly contradictory statements express the concept that faith and works are complimentary, that is they work with one another, and works complete faith. Works give validity to your faith. By your works, it can be seen that you have been justified by your faith. If you have no works then you have not been justified by faith. You cannot effectively claim that you have been justified by faith unless people can see that your works prove it. Your faith does not declare that you are just, if your works do not declare that you are just.