Living faith vs dead faith

 

Text: James 2:14-26

The faith you have can either be a living faith or a dead faith. In James 2:17, it says, "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (NKJV)

 

What differentiates a living faith from a bad faith is it's work. A working faith is a living faith, but a faith that so-called works with no action is dead.

 A fruitless faith is a dead faith and a faith that demonstrates good works is a living faith. A dead faith will try to look like a living faith but there will be no love or good works, it dwells only in the tongue and not in the heart.

What makes a living faith to have good works is by the obedience to God.

 They are examples of people who demonstrate living faith and dead faith. For living faith:

Ÿ  Abraham. In James 2:21-24, we see that Abraham was made right with God by what he did. He offered his son Isaac to God on the altar. Abraham’s faith and what he did worked together. That is why we also see that his faith was made perfect by what he did.

Ÿ  Rahab. In James 2:25-26, we see that she was a prostitute, but she was made right with God by something she did. She helped those who were spying on God’s people. She welcomed them into her home and helped them escape by a different road.

 Example of dead faith:

Ÿ  The devil: the devil believes God exists, but he himself is an example of a death faith because it does not lead to right action. In James 2:19-20, we were told that even the demons believe that there is one God, but they tremble in fear. 

     The question you should ask yourself is is my faith fruitful (living faith) or fruitless (dead faith)? Do I have to tell people first that I have faith or do people say that I wish I had faith like you?

 Quote: Faith makes you right with God

 Prayer:

Ÿ  God, please make me right with you through my faith in you.

Ÿ  God, please help me to exhibit a living faith and not a dead faith.

Ÿ  God, please bless everything I do, so that my faith in you will produce good works which are fruitful.