02.02. Chapter 2 - Verse 14

James 2:14. What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, and hath no works? Can faith save him?

Here is the second exhortation against boasting of an idle faith, and it suiteth with the last argument urged in behalf of the former matter. He had spoken of a law of liberty; now, lest this expression should justify the misprision of some false hypocrites, who thought they might live as they list, so as they did profess faith in Christ, he disproveth the vanity of this conceit by divers arguments.

What doth it profit, my brethren; that is, how will it further the ends of a profession or a religion? So the apostle, when he confuteth another such presumptuous persuasion, saith οὐδὲν εὐμί, ‘I am nothing,’ 1 Corinthians 13:2; that is, of no esteem with God, upon the supposition that his gifts were without charity.

If a man say he hath faith.—Say, that is, boast of it to others, or pride himself in the conceit of it. It is notable that the apostle doth not say ‘if any hath faith,’ but ‘if any man say he hath faith.’ Faith, where it is indeed, is of use and profit to salvation; and he that hath faith is sure of salvation, but not always he that saith he hath faith. In this whole discourse the apostle’s intent is to show, not what justifieth, but who is justified; not what faith doth, but what faith is. And the drift of the context is not to show that faith without works doth not justify, but that a persuasion or assent without works is not faith; and the justification he speaketh of is not so much of the person as of the faith. And hath no works; that is, if there be no fruits and issues of holiness from it. It is the folly of the Papists to restrain it to acts of charity. There are other products of faith; it being a grace that hath a universal influence into all the offices of the holy life. Can faith save him? that is, a pretence of faith, for otherwise faith saveth; that is, in that way of concurrence in which any act of the creatures can be said to save. So Paul, Ephesians 2:8, Τῇ χάριτι ἐστέ σεσωσμένοι διὰ τῆς πίστεως, ‘Ye are saved by grace through faith, not by works.’ And therefore certainly our apostle meaneth a pretence of faith, otherwise there would be a direct contradiction, and it may be collected out of all the whole discourse. The two next verses show he meaneth such a faith as is in the tongue and lips, such a faith as is alone and by itself; James 2:17, such a faith as the devils may have; James 2:19, such a faith as is dead; that is, no more can be accounted faith than a dead man can be accounted a man. The notes out of this verse are these:—

Obs. 1. That pretended graces are fruitless and unprofitable. Formal graces, as well as formal duties, bring in nothing to the spirit, for the present no grace, no comfort, and can beget no hope of glory for the future. Pretences of the truth are a disadvantage, for they argue a conviction of the truth, and yet a refusal of it. It is a kind of practical blasphemy to veil an impure life under a profession of faith; for we do as it were tack on and fasten the errors and excesses of our lives upon religion: therefore it is said, Revelation 2:9, ‘I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not.’ There is less dishonour brought to God by open opposition, then by profession used as a cover and excuse for profaneness. And in the Gospel it is determined in that parable, Matthew 21:28-29, that that son was less culpable that said ‘I will not,’ than the other that said ‘I will,’ and did not. All this is spoken to illustrate that passage, ‘What doth it profit if a man say he hath faith?’

Obs. 2. Pretences of faith are easy and usual. Men are apt to say they have faith; when they see the vanity of works, and cannot stand before God by that claim, they pretend to faith. In so free a discovery of the gospel, men are apt to declaim against resting in works, but it is as dangerous to rest in a false faith.

Obs. 3. From that and hath no works. He proveth it is but a saying they have faith if there be not works and fruits of it. The note is that where there is true faith there will be works. There are three things that will incline the soul to duty—a forcible principle, a mighty aid, a high aim; all these are where faith is. The forcible principle is God’s love, the mighty aid is God’s Spirit, the high aim is God’s glory. (1.) For the principle, where there is faith there will be love: affection followeth persuasion; and where there is love there will be work; therefore do we often read of ‘the labour of love,’ Hebrews 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; and ‘faith worketh by love.’ Faith, which is an apprehension of God’s love to us, begetteth a return of love to God, and then maketh use of so sweet an affection to carry out all its acts and services of thankfulness: it first begetteth love, and then maketh use of it. (2.) There is a mighty aid received from the quickening Spirit. Help engageth to action; man’s great excuse is want of power. Faith planteth into Christ, and so receiveth an influence from him. He liveth in us by his Spirit, and we live in him by faith, and therefore we must needs ‘bring forth much fruit,’ John 15:5. It is observable that in James 2:17; James 2:26, that the apostle calleth a workless faith a dead or lifeless faith, void of the life and quickening of the Spirit. Where there is life there will be acting. Operation followeth being. Hypocrites are said to be ‘twice dead, plucked up by the roots,’ Jude 1:12. Twice dead, dead in their natural condition and dead after their profession, and then plucked up; that is, plainly discovered to be those that never had any vital influence from Christ. (3.) Where there is faith there will be aims to glorify God. Faith that receiveth grace returneth glory: 1 Peter 2:12, ‘Glorify God in the day of visitation.’ When God visiteth their souls in mercy, they will be devising how they may do him glory; for faith is ingenuous, it cannot think of taking without giving: and when it apprehendeth mercy it contriveth what shall be rendered unto the Lord. Well, then, try your faith; it is not a naked assent or an inactive apprehension; there will be effects, some works, which you may know to be good if they be done in Christ; χωρὶς ἐμοῦ, ‘without me, or out of me, ye can do nothing,’ John 15:5 by Christ, ‘I can do all things through Christ that strengthened me,’ Php 4:13, that is, by the actual influence of his grace; and for Christ, that is, for his sake and glory; ἐμοὶ τὸ ζῆν Χριστός, Php 1:21. Paul’s whole life, his τὸ ζῆν, was consecrated to Christ for the uses and purposes of his glory. In short, they that work in Christ, as united to him by faith, work by Christ, by the continual supply of his grace, and for Christ, with an aim at his glory.

Obs. 4. From that can faith save him? that is, will you come before God with these hopes for salvation? We should cherish no other confidence than such as will abide the day of the Lord, and hold out to salvation. Will this be a plea, then, when all mankind is either to be damned or saved, to say you made profession? 1 John 2:28. The solemnity of Christ’s coming is the circumstance that is often used for detecting ungrounded hopes; as Luke 21:36, ‘Watch and pray, that you may be able to stand before the Son of man;’ that is, without shame and remorse at his coming. So 1 John 4:17, ‘That we may have boldness at the day of judgment.’ Men consider what will serve for the present purposes, what will quiet the heart, that they may follow their business or pleasures with the less regret. Oh! but consider what will serve you for salvation; what will serve turn at the day of death or the day of judgment. No plea is sufficient but what may be urged before the throne of the Lamb. Well, then, urge this upon your souls, Will this faith save me—interest me in Christ, so as I may have boldness at the day of judgment? As Christ asked Peter thrice, ‘Lovest thou me?’ so put the question again and again unto your souls, Can I look Christ in the face with these hopes? Sincere graces are called τὰ ἐχόμενα τῆς σωτηρίας, Hebrews 6:9, ‘Things that accompany salvation.’ This is the issue and result of all self-inquiries, Is it a saving grace? Nothing should satisfy me but what can save me.