James 2, Faith = Works

The first chapter of James emphasized faith and the commitment required in "true religion". Now we have a number of brief practical statements on how we should live as Christians.

James 2: 1-9, Showing favoritism
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

James strongly confronts discrimination based on class and wealth.  What motivated this paragraph? (Is James confronting a particular church? Or is James thinking about human nature and trying to warn the church away from natural bad habits?)

I have found this passage reassuring and useful during forty years of wearing blue jeans to church.

Who is “him to whom you belong”? That sounds like a Christian phrase? Does “him” refer to Jesus or Yahweh?

The first verse of chapter 2, like the first verse of chapter 1, is one of the few places where Jesus is explicitly mentioned.

James 2: 10-13, Keeping the Law
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

I don’t think I understand the last few sentences here. It seems to both warn (condemn) and then exalt mercy.

The quote in verse 8 is from Leviticus 19:18.  The two quotes from the Ten Commandments in verse 11 come from Exodus 20:14/Deut. 5:18 and Exodus 20:13/Deut. 5:17.

James 2: 14-17, Good faith gives good works
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

To James the distinction between faith and works is artificial. Faith is a decision that leads to correct actions.

James 2: 17-26, Simple "belief" is not enough; faith leads to living works
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Mere intellectual belief is not faith.  One can believe that Jesus rose from the dead and, says James, so believe the demons.  Faith requires a decision, an act of the will, leading to outward, visible results.

Two Old Testament examples are given here: the ancient hero Abraham... and the prostitute, Rahab! Interesting choices.  (Hebrews 11 includes these two and then a much longer list.  Clearly Rahab was a favorite heroine to the Jews.)

The quote in verse 23 is from Genesis 15:6.

We continue to describe correct works and action in the next chapter.