In Christianity there have always been two extremes, and each side has a faithful group of followers, and this is one of the reasons why we must constantly ask God in prayer to lead us on the right path—the true path that is revealed in the light of the Scriptures. Throughout church history there have been debates, arguments, and divisions over doctrines that at times seemed opposite, yet the Word of God has always been the final and perfect guide for believers seeking truth.
During the time of the Protestant Reformation, one of the central issues was the relationship between faith and works. For the Catholic Church of that era, works were elevated above faith. Practices such as indulgences, penances, and rituals were considered necessary steps to draw near to God. According to them, salvation was a cooperative effort—faith plus works. However, through the careful study of Scripture, the Reformers discovered that no human work has the power to bring us closer to God. The only work that truly reconciles us to the Father is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. His sacrifice is complete, perfect, and sufficient. There is nothing man can add to what Christ has already accomplished.
Yet, this truth raises an important question that the apostle James addresses. Let us look at what James said:
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 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?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:14-17
Is James contradicting the apostle Paul here when Paul wrote:
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Romans 9:16
Some people mistakenly believe that James and Paul are in disagreement, as if James were teaching salvation by works and Paul salvation by faith alone. But the truth is that there is no contradiction. Paul and James are addressing two different issues while proclaiming the same gospel truth. Paul is teaching that we are not saved by works; salvation is entirely by grace through faith. No amount of effort, discipline, moral living, or religious practice can earn eternal life. It is solely the mercy of God.
James, on the other hand, is explaining that genuine faith—true, saving faith—cannot exist without producing good works. Works are not the root of salvation, but they are the fruit of salvation. They are the evidence that faith is alive. James is confronting a false kind of faith: a faith that claims belief but demonstrates no transformation, no compassion, no obedience, no fruit. Such “faith” is dead, empty, and powerless.
Beloved brothers, James says emphatically: “Thus also faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.” This does not mean that works contribute to salvation, but rather that authentic salvation always produces works. When a person has truly believed in Christ, that inner transformation is visible outwardly through actions of love, mercy, obedience, generosity, and service. A tree that has life produces fruit; a faith that has life produces works.
It would be completely contradictory for a believer to claim salvation yet refuse to fulfill such basic expressions of love as helping a brother or caring for the needy. John said, “He who does not love does not know God,” because love is the natural overflow of a redeemed heart.
So then, if we have truly believed in Christ, good works will naturally flow from us—not as a way to earn salvation, but as the result of salvation. They are the visible testimony that Christ lives in us. May the Lord help us to have a faith that is alive, active, and demonstrated through works that glorify His name.