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Daily Devotions

James

James 
Day 
Day 29

"If someone says he has faith..."

Text: James 2:14

A GENUINE FAITH

It is difficult to prove that one’s faith is genuine. James however is undaunted by the difficulty!

“What does it profit, my brethren,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?”
James 2:14

1. “What does it profit, my brethren”

a) James approaches this issue in a friendly manner.
b) He calls his readers “my brethren”.
c) He raises a crucial question- “What does it profit?”

2. Addressing claims of genuine faith

a) One may verbally declare that he has faith.
b) Another may speak of feeling sure he has faith.
c) A third may speak of having convictions about having faith.
d) A fourth may even claim to have had an experience of faith.

These claims are not limited to the above! Many more may be added!

3. “If someone says he has faith, but does not have works”

a) This is a conditional sentence.
b) There are two parts to the sentence.
i) A person says he has faith.
ii) But his life does not express that faith in “works”.
c) This type of conditional sentence raises serious doubts about the person making a claim to having genuine faith.

4. Can faith save him?

a) James is not querying “faith” per se.
b) He questions the faith of a person who does not have any works that should issue from true faith.

THE TEACHINGS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

We are reminded of what the Lord Jesus Christ taught. Matthew carefully recorded this teaching. Mere confession of faith will not automatically qualify a person to enter into heaven!

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
Matthew 7:21