"Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." James 2:1717Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:17). Dead faith is worthless. It is, indeed, worse than worthless, for it is like a counterfeit coin. It is a deceiver. If not stopped, its currency will work injury wherever it goes; and at last it will bring its owner into the hands of justice.
Dead faith may look very much like living faith. Just so, a corpse, at first sight may be taken for a living person. Many people are too polite to lookly closely into a man's faith, and too careless toward themselves to inquire into their own. These take it for granted that faith professed is of real value.
Since the greater number of persons in our country claim the Christian religion as their own, there is all the more danger of dead faith prevailing among us. Young persons educated to believe that they are Christians, too frequently are content with the Christianity of their education. They take no interest in a personal relationship to God through Christ.
One may be a Christian in name while his heart is as dead toward God as the heathen's. Now, if we are right with God, we shall be right with our fellow men. If we truly believe in God, we shall believe in His Son. (John 14:11Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1).) If we obey Him, our obedience will find its energy in love, for faith worketh by love. We shall seek to please God, because we love Him.
One often hears: "If a man does his best, it does not matter what he believes." But Scripture says if a man has not faith in God it is impossible to please Him. Only through faith in God and trust in the efficacy of the death of His Son can a soul approach the Majesty on high.