James 2:14-17 — What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Myra and I were talking about the connection between faith and works this morning. It’s a discussion that bears revisiting, often, because it’s more subtle than it might seem.
Paul makes one part of the connection clear, and James, in the second chapter of his letter to “the 12 tribes scattered abroad” addresses the second part.
In the letter to the Christians at Ephesus, Paul says “For it is by grace that you are saved, through faith. This does not depend on anything you have achieved, it is the free gift of God; and because it is not earned no man can boast about it.” (J. B. Phillips translation). It’s quite clear — God gives us, as a free gift, faith — the vision of eternity, the courage to die to our old life and be reborn, and the willingness to confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as Lord.
So what’s the place of “works”? According to Paul … none.
Then James comes along and at first sight he’s contradicting Paul. “Look,” he says “there is no value to faith if it’s not supported by works”. So what’s going on?
What’s going on is that Paul and James are using the same words, but expressing different concepts.
When Paul talks of “works” he is talking about the works of the law. When James talks of “works” he is talking about the works of love. To James those works of love are not the means of salvation, but the demonstration of salvation — the outpourings of love for a gracious God.
Paul is taking a simple view of faith — it is that acceptance of our sin, our salvation and Jesus Christ as Lord. James is more complex. In verse 14, he talks of faith which is a mere intellectual acceptance. In verse 18 he has moved on to a faith that includes an emotional component — maybe even with an element of fear. By verse 22 he reaches the same peak as Paul. “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” Only now does he speak of that faith which reflects the love of God that follows from salvation.
So there it is. God calls us by His grace and gives us the faith to respond. We respond, and then — if we respond and “whatsoever we do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” we show our loving gratitude.