"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." James 2:17.
Many an earnest believer has puzzled over this plain statement of scripture which seemed to be so contrary to what one had previously learned and believed.
"How can this be?" Such a one might say, "I have always understood that it was by faith I believed unto salvation, and not of works, and yet here it says faith without works is dead, I cannot understand it.”
The apostle is addressing those who had been brought up under the law, when the keeping of it, together with the various ceremonies and ordinances of the Jewish economy was the object of every pious Jew; and he was bringing before these converts to the Christian faith, the fact that if they "said" they had faith, when their daily lives and conduct showed no sign of it, they did not in reality possess that faith at all!
The conduct and works of those who claimed to have "faith" was a plain indication of whether that faith was real, or otherwise; in other words, if faith was there, the works would follow; and if no works were manifest, it was a sign that the faith was dead.
Some years ago a little circumstance was brought to my attention, which made this matter very plain to me, and it was this: A certain person owned a garden of which he was very fond, and in particular, he was very proud of a fine collection of roses of many varieties, which occupied an important place in it.
He heard of a new variety, grown in a foreign country which was not only extremely rare, but was also very difficult to cultivate, even under favorable conditions, and desiring to try it, he sent off for one.
In due time it arrived, carefully wrapped and packed, and when giving it to the gardener to plant, he gave minute instructions as to the care needed in the planting and tending of the important rose tree.
For weeks after the planting, there was no indication of life, and to all appearances the rose tree was nothing but a dead stick, and the owner of the garden, disappointed at the failure of the plant to grow, quite forgot it. However the gardener did not forget it, but with constant and careful attention he tended it day after day.
One day the gardener rushed up to his employer in great excitement, crying out,
"O! sir, the tree is alive! The tree is alive!”
For a moment the employer was unable to understand to what he was referring, but it was soon made clear that the rose tree was alive! Two or three leaf buds had made their appearance, and though very tiny indeed, they showed that there was life in the tree, and that soon it would be growing along with the others in the garden.
Now, here we have an excellent illustration of the truth contained in James 2:17.
If we liken the rose tree to "faith,' and the buds to "works," we find that if the tree had never produced any buds or other sin of life it would rightly have been accounted as dead, nothing other than a withered, lifeless stick; but when the buds appeared, how different it became, for it was then a thing with life!
The buds did not give the life, but the life in the tree produced the buds, and these became the outward and visible sign of that life! In themselves, apart from the tree, they were useless; and the tree also, if it never produced buds for leaves and flowers, would be useless and dead.
So it is with faith and works—your works will never produce life, but the faith in you, if real, will surely produce works!
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast." Eph. 2:8, 9.
Here we have the basis of salvation, (life), it is the gift of God, and works have nothing whatever to do with its implanting or introduction. On the other hand, works have a great deal to do with the manifestation of that life, for, if there are no works whatever exhibited by one who "says" he has faith, would we not be justified in doubting if any real faith exists in such a one?
Dear friend, we are convinced that if a person turns to God, and in simple confidence accepts God's gracious gift of the Lord Jesus Christ, and is born again (receives life), such a one will not be able to avoid showing it in one way or another, for the life that comes with the new birth, will sooner or later produce works to the glory of God. Mark carefully, however, these works will not bring life, but are the manifestation of the life that already exists, but if no works are produced, how can we do otherwise than add our full agreement to the apostle's statement that "faith without works is dead.”