A Living Faith

There is more than one kind of faith, and among them is the kind that even demons possess. In James 2:19, we read, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." Despite their belief, demons are not saved. This illustrates that there exists a certain type of belief that falls short of salvation.

The reason demons are not saved is that their faith does not lead them to repentance or produce any change in their lives. They acknowledge truths about Jesus, but this knowledge doesn't transform their behavior. This is a stark reminder that faith without change is dead. As James states in James 2:17, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

James is not suggesting that we earn our salvation through good works. Rather, he emphasizes that genuine faith inherently produces good works. The faith that demons have is ineffective; it doesn't result in salvation. Many people today possess this same dead faith—they believe certain facts about the gospel, but their lives remain unchanged. Such faith, which does not bring about transformation, cannot impart life.

A living faith, on the other hand, is necessary for salvation. James asks rhetorically in James 2:14, "Can such faith save them?" The implied answer is no. A faith that doesn't produce action or change is insufficient for salvation. James illustrates this by comparing faith to responding to a needy brother or sister. If we merely offer good wishes without meeting their physical needs, our faith is useless. Similarly, faith without works is dead.

Salvation requires faith, but not just any faith—it must be a living faith that changes how we live. Paul and James are not at odds in their teachings. Paul clarifies in Galatians 5:6 that "the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." True faith works through love and produces actions consistent with one's profession of faith.

Paul further explains this in Ephesians 2:8-10, stating, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." We are saved by faith, a gift from God, intended to result in good works.

In Titus 3:5, Paul reinforces that we are saved "not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." Yet, in Titus 2:14, he adds that Jesus "gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Thus, the purpose of our redemption is to lead us to good works.

Saving faith motivates us to live differently. It's a faith that transforms our actions, aligning them with Christ’s teachings. Hebrews 5:9 asserts that Jesus is "the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." This underscores that true belief and obedience are inseparable.

Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 1:2, describing believers as "chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ." Genuine faith results in a life of obedience to Christ.

Thus, while we are not saved by works, we are also not saved without them. A living faith compels us to obey Jesus’ commands—repentance, baptism, public confession of faith, and receiving the Holy Spirit. These actions do not earn salvation but are the natural outflow of a saving faith. As Paul declares in Romans 10:9, "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

True faith goes beyond intellectual assent; it transforms our hearts and lives, leading us to walk in obedience and good works, demonstrating the reality of our salvation.