THE CODE 16 JUNE 2026 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them. "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14–17 NKJV). An explanation James wastes no time getting to the heart of the issue in this passage. He began with a question: “What does it profit — what good is it — if someone claims to have faith but doesn't back up that claim with actions?" To put it bluntly, a faith without any accompanying fruit is a false faith. Earlier, on a Galilean hillside, our Lord said the very same thing in a different way: "By their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:20). Observe carefully what James was actually saying and note what he did not say as well. James was not referring to a man who has faith, but to someone who "says he has faith." James was addressing a false claim to faith, not the nature of genuine faith. The mere claim that one is a believer does not make him such. Many people today say they are people of faith, but they have never placed their faith in Christ alone and experienced what Jesus called “the new birth.” In fact, Jesus framed it rather bluntly: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Much of the confusion in the faith-works debate stems from the translation of James' second question in James 2:14. Both the King James Version and the New King James Version ask, "Can faith save him?" The Greek text has an article in front of the word faith, indicating that this faith is the same faith just mentioned in the first question of verse 14 — that is, a false faith. Properly translated, the question reads, "Can such a faith, can that kind of a faith, save him?” James was certainly not saying that faith cannot save a person, but that a faith characterized only by intellectual assent that exhibits no fruit is, in the final analysis, a false faith. Every Sunday multiplied thousands of people say they have faith. But James asked, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can [that kind of] faith save him?" The answer is no. An illustration Having described a false faith, James proceeded to illustrate it. He painted the picture of someone in need of food and clothing, the basic necessities of life. This person is not a professional con artist or streetwise person with a slothful lifestyle, but someone with a legitimate and immediate need. A person who claims to have faith goes to him, puts his hand on his shoulder, pats him on the back, and says, "Have a good day. Be careful out there and try to stay warm. I hope you find something to eat. Bless you." Then came the rhetorical question: “What good does that response do for the hungry and cold man?" James was shining the spotlight on those of us who seem to prefer words over works, who know how to talk a good faith game yet have no impact on the world around us because our faith does not produce fruit. An application Recently, I was called to jury duty. Judges and lawyers are quick to tell you that in a trial there is no place for hearsay. Only hard, cold facts qualify as indisputable evidence, a truth that reminds me of a question we all should ask ourselves: “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" More specifically, would anyone be able to take the stand on your behalf to say-in Jesus' words, "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me" (Matthew 25:35-36)? One more note about faith and works. Among the legacy of the Reformers is their often-repeated affirmation, "It is faith alone that saves, but faith that saves is never alone." In James's words, "Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." Remember, James was not talking about faith and works but about a faith that works. Taken from The James Code by O.S. Hawkins. Copyright © 2015 by Dr. O.S. Hawkins. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. O. S. Hawkins, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, is a graduate of TCU (BBA) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv, PhD). He presently serves as Chancellor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the former pastor of the historic First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, and is President Emeritus of GuideStone Financial Resources, where he served as President/CEO from 1997-2022. Hawkins is the author of more than fifty books, including the best-selling Code series of devotionals published by HarperCollins/Thomas Nelson with sales of more than three million copies. Criswell: His Life and Times is the sequel to his previous book, In the Name of God: The Colliding Lives, Legends, and Legacies of J. Frank Norris and George W. Truett. He was recently inducted into the White Rose Society by Israeli President Isaac Herzog for his long-standing support of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. He is married to his wife, Susie, and has two daughters, two sons-in-law, and six grandchildren. Visit him at OSHawkins.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @OSHawkins. - Dr. O.S. Hawkins - Chancellor, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary A Faith Without Fruit is a False Faith Pomegranate garden in Turkey with vibrant red fruit hanging from trees.
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