James 2: 14-26  "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?" 

Faith.. conviction, persuasion, and trust in God, our Creator and provider.. and in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.. will result in action.. works or deeds.  James warns his readers that we do not have true faith if our actions don't show it.  If we have a real relationship with God, our Father and Jesus Christ our Savior.. if we have been given the Spirit of God to dwell in us and fill us.. then we will live in accordance to His word and His will.  We will do the "good works"  He has prepared for us to do.  We will have that true religion that James wrote about in chapter 1.. abiding in the Word, caring for the needy, and keeping ourselves "unstained by the world". 

 James uses the illustration of Abraham's faith.  Abraham "believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. "  Abraham showed that he had true faith by his actions.. as Hebrews 11 recounts.. he left his home and went to a place he didn't know;  he believed God for many descendants before he even had a son; and he offered Isaac up at the Lord's command.  His faith was not empty.. but life changing. 

James says that "faith without works is dead".  If our relationship with God.. our faith..  doesn't change our lives.. then it is as useless to us as it is to the "demons" who "also believe and shudder."  

James writes in verse 22, speaking of Abraham, " You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected."  The King James version translates it this way.. " Seest thou how faith wrought with his works.. "  That word "wrought" is not used much anymore... but the definition of the Greek word used here "sunergeō" is "to work together, help in work, be partner in labor. (Thayer's lexicon".. or as Strong's lexicon translates it.. " to be a fellow worker, that is co-operate; help with. work together."   There is a partnership between our faith and our works.. our trust in God and our actions.. if either of these are missing.. it's useless.  But, when we act because of our faith in God.. or we put faith into our actions.. then James says, " .. as a result.. faith [is] perfected" .. made complete.. accomplishes what God desires.. to the full!

Father in heaven, let Your perfect Word accomplish Your perfect work in each of us. Help us to have real faith that produces good works.. to the glory of Your Holy Name.  May our lives be testimonies of our faith in the Savior, to the presence of Your Spirit, and to the greatness of Your Majesty.  We cannot produce anything on our own, Lord, You know how weak and helpless we are to change our own lives..  Help us, Lord. We surrender to Your will and Your perfect love.  In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.