James 2:17–18: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
August 5th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotionalSome have misread this to say that good works can save a person. NO! James is just stating the obvious, that when a person is truly saved by faith, the result will be that their life is clearly changed, and they will produce visible good works. True faith can be seen, or manifests itself, in practical, observable good works in a believer’s life. The Apostle Paul said the same thing: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). We were saved “for good works.” Faith is the cause of salvation and works are the result of salvation. We are saved by faith through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who did it all, but the fruit, the result of that salvation, will be seen in good works.
In Chicago, on June 16, 1893, the Ferris wheel, built by engineer George Ferris made its debut. It was built in an effort to create an American equivalent to the Eiffel Tower. On its inaugural ride, the Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette reported that when the car (each of which held roughly 40 people) holding Ferris’ wife reached 266 feet high, she stood on the chair and toasted her husband. The paper stated, “She wasn’t a bit afraid as she stood there, and that alone shows the immense amount of faith she must have in George Ferris, both as husband and mechanical engineer.”1 She trusted, and she showed her trust to a watching world by not only riding the machine, white-knuckled, but by bravely standing on the chair. Her work showed her faith.
“LORD, help us to put our faith to some good work this day, we ask in Jesus’ name.”
