Isn't Faith Without Works is Dead?

James 2:17-22, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?”

Please notice that faith cannot be dead if it doesn't already exist. Can a man's dog be dead if the dog doesn't exist? So in order for a man's faith to be dead, THERE MUST FIRST BE FAITH. In other words, this passage of Scripture is not teaching that you need works to be saved. There is faith. James is talking about a saved man.

Notice that the apostle James says “shew me” and “I will shew thee.” Clearly, James is speaking about being justified in the eyes of other men, and not God. A man can only be justified BY FAITH with God (Romans 4:3-5). Since people cannot see our heart, they can only judge by our outward appearance (1st Samuel 16:7). So with men we are justified BY WORKS. James plainly said “shew me” and “I will shew thee.” James talks about the FRUIT of the Holy Spirit, which will be present in the life of every obedient saint. This has nothing to do with the ROOT of the believer's faith, which Paul talks about in Romans.

God is telling us that our faith will not be effective reaching others for Christ if our walk doesn't coincide with our talk. This is what the Bible means in Hebrews 12:14, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”