Verse 14: What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
Some commentators mark a distinct change of direction at this point in the epistle detaching this verse out of its proper context. It shall be established that what follows actually flows from the preceding exhortations to the believers of impending discipline for their lack of mercy and failing to ‘speak’ and ‘act’ (v.12) out their faith in their daily lives.
The First Question: "What use is it?"
The phrase is one of the keys to this entire passage (2:14-26). The phrase appears here and in verse 16 and only one other time in the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 15:32, where it is translated ‘what does it profit’. The word 'use' has the meaning of benefit, advantage or profit.1 Some of the modern translations render the phrase in a more contemporary vernacular: What good is it?2
The term ‘faith’, which James employs here, when thoroughly analyzed, will provide insightful meaning to the remainder of this chapter. The Greek word has various nuances of meaning in the Scriptures. Indeed, it has the basic meaning of belief when used for belief in God or Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; Hebrews 6:1), and it also denotes trust and confidence (as James uses it in 1:6). But Dr. Zodhiates states that here it indicates the “various predominant traits of Christian character as arising from and combined with Christian faith.”3 Hence, it refers to the visible outworking of ones faith in Christ motivated by their knowledge of doctrine.
To paraphrase the question James poses to the reader: If
someone were to state, "I have faith (a system of doctrinal truth which I
believe),"4 meaning that they have believed in Jesus Christ, and yet there is no outward manifestation of the character of Christ, then what good is it?
At this point, we should be careful for two reasons. First,
this is not intended for us to judge one another by becoming ‘fruit inspectors’ (cf. Matthew 7:16f).5
But instead we are to look inward and question whether our faith can be evidenced by the unbelievers we encounter. And by examining ourselves we should ask: Do I have a Christ centered life, bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) that is perceptible by others?
Secondly, this has nothing to do with ones attempt to work their way into God’s good graces in order to attain eternal life. This would be a distortion of Paul’s writings that salvation is a grace provision: faith alone in Christ alone:
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Paul rightly contends that salvation is acquired only by belief in the free gift of God, made available to all mankind by the finished work of Christ. The work of Christ is wholly sufficient and there is no human system of works, practices or methodology by which a person can obtain this salvation other than to believe.
Our presentation of the gospel—Christ’s death on the cross on our behalf and His Resurrection from the dead—should also include the marvelous advantage of partaking of “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3) afforded to all believers as part of the plan of God. It is a call to action; to demonstrate by one’s life that Christ is living inside, energized by the Holy Spirit to produce divine good (works). This is what Paul meant by Ephesians 2:10:
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
The entire passage of Ephesians 2:8-10 is the gospel of salvation and the Christian way of life concisely stated. It is like a two-sided coin: on one side is belief in the finished work of Christ on the cross on my behalf—there is nothing that a person needs to do to earn it. And on the other side is the directive to respond to His leading by a life of producing good works—divine good. That is how one’s faith can be useful as a witness to the unbeliever.
Even though James wrote before Paul, his intention is not to refute the free grace provision of salvation but to address the believers’ walk of faith. The reality is that a person who believes in Christ for salvation has a choice after salvation to either seek a relationship with Christ by developing a life of faith or to carry on disregarding the true intention of God’s redemptive plan, without any noticeable demonstration of a changed life. Through ignorance or choice, the latter does not invalidate their salvation by faith alone, in Christ alone.6
The Second Question : “Can that faith save him?”
The interpretation of this portion of verse 14 has resulted in much contention throughout Church history. The difficulty is related to James’ use of the word save. The original Greek word has different shades of meaning: “to save, deliver, make whole, preserve safe from danger, loss, destruction.”7
With this in mind, consider again the essential question being asked by this second question: whether that 8 faith—a belief in Jesus Christ as Savior without any visible evidence—can save him?
That is the question which James poses. And yet there is no need for the reader to wonder what the answer might be for the grammatical construction of the original language lends itself to a negative answer: No.9
Now the question is, which meaning of ‘save’ is James referencing? The authors of the New Testament consistently, with few exceptions, use this word to express the salvation of the individual unto eternal life. However James throughout his epistle consistently uses it with reference to deliverance (1:21; 2:14; 4:12; 5:15, 20).
At this point, the immediate context needs to be taken into consideration. James has just informed them in the previous verse of judgement which will be administered for those showing partiality to others. It is not salvation from eternal damnation that James is referring to, but deliverance from the impending judgement of divine discipline. For a believer who shows partiality and is dismissive of “doing well” (2:8) and careless of speech and actions (2:12), will not be delivered from divine discipline.
Summary
To be absolutely clear, the difference between James’ message and Paul’s is that James is questioning whether the believers’ faith motivates and empowers him to live a conspicuous Christian life; while Paul emphasizes the means of attaining eternal life by faith alone, apart from man’s works.
In short, the attainment of eternal life is solely based upon faith alone in Christ alone and is never contingent upon doing or even agreeing to do good works. Therefore, the messages of James and Paul concerning faith and works, provides clarity by complementing and harmonizing each other—they neither conflict nor contradict each other.
[1] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.15.
[2] English Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version and The Living Translation
[3] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G3786
[4]Wallace concludes that the indirect discourse is simply “I have faith.” Wallace, Daniel B. (1996). Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, p. 604.
[5] Although there are certain instances when those in church leadership need to determine if someone it qualified for a position in the church (See 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1).
[6] Scripture suggests that a death bed profession is efficacious without the evidence of works. The thief on the cross is a good example (Luke 23:39-43).
[7] Ibid, Zodhiates, G4982.
[8] Article of Previous Reference: “the article is now pointing back to the substantive previously mentioned.” Wallace, D. B. (1996). Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, p. 218.
[9] There are two negative particles in the Greek: oὐ and μή; James employs μή in this verse. “Oὐ expects the answer ‘yes’ (cf. Mt.7:22) and μή the answer ‘no’ (cf. John 7:31).” Robertson, A.T. (1934). A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research, Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, p.1175; Dana, H.E. and Mantey, Julius (1957). A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, Toronto, Ontario: The Macmillian Co., p.265.
© 2023 David M. Rossi
