A Living Faith Produces Something—You Can Identify It.

The faith that doesn’t produce good works is phony. Doing follows believing.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee

We are one when the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. We all stand at the foot of the cross.

Some people walk into church in fine clothes and lots of bling.

They look like peacocks strutting their stuff.

Others come in with torn, shabby clothing.

Be careful not to tell the poor man to stand up in the rear and put the peacock down in front.

Who knows if the poor believer may be that church’s most spiritually rich person?

A living faith produces something—you can identify it.

Faith Alive
Both poverty and riches can be a curse.

Proverbs 30:8 says, Give me neither of them.

What then is God’s solution to the problem of poverty?

God’s war on poverty and riches does not march under the banner of the dollar, where millions are appropriated for relief.

This is a war against class.
Money and class divided the church in James’ day.

Don’t say you love Jesus Christ and be a spiritual snob, he says.

All believers are your family in the body of Christ, whatever their denomination.

There is a fellowship of believers—the rich, the poor, the common people, the high, the low,

the bond and free, the Jew and the Gentile, the Greek and the barbarian, male and female.

We are one when the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. And We all stand at the foot of the cross.

Some people walk into church in fine clothes and lots of bling.

They look like peacocks strutting their stuff. Others come in with torn, shabby clothing.

Be careful not to tell the poor man to stand up in the rear and put the peacock down in front.

Who knows if the poor believer may be that church’s most spiritually rich person?
If you want to please God and obey Him, and act responsibly,

A living faith produces something—you can identify it.

James makes it very clear what you are to do: “Love your neighbor as yourself” and “love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

In addition to how we treat each other, God also tests us through our works and actions.

For generations;

Bible teachers have argued that James’ discussion of good works contradicts the apostle Paul’s assertion that faith alone can save you (Galatians 2:16).

In that day, some religious people said you had to come to the Law to be saved.

Paul answered that by saying only faith in Christ can save you.

Saving faith—a faith that is genuine and real—will transform a person’s life.

If it doesn’t, it was just an empty faith.

James says the faith which saves you will produce works of faith.

The faith that doesn’t produce good works is phony. Doing follows believing.

You can tell when faith is genuine; just look at someone’s life.

James gives the practical illustration of a phony Christian who meets someone in need—whether it be for food or clothing.

They bless the needy person with flowery words but send them on their way, still naked and hungry.

What good is that?

There must be a vocation to go along with the vocabulary.

You can say pious words and sound very spiritual, but it means nothing unless you follow through with action.

A living faith produces something—you can identify it.
You cannot say you are a child of God and live completely unto yourself.

Let your actions speak for you.

You are telling by your life whether your faith is genuine or not.

Lip service is not evidence of saving faith—even the demons believe.

A living faith produces something—you can identify it.

Saving faith produces living faith. Without evidence of a changed life, your faith is empty and futile as far as the world is concerned.
Faith is the root, and the root produces the kind of fruit that the root itself is.

If you have the root of a plum tree, it will grow and produce plums.

If you have a living faith in God, you will produce godly fruit in your life.

Faith without works is like a dead body in a morgue.

But faith alive shows us in whom you believe.

A living faith produces something—you can identify it.

Also Read: Waiting can be Hard. But Wait on the LORD! – Diademng (thediademng.org)

James 2:1-26 KJV
[1] My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

[2] For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;

[3] and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

[4] are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

[5] Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

[6] But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

[7] Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

[8] If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

[9] but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

[10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

[11] For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

[12] So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

[13] For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

[14] What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

[15] If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

[16] and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

[17] Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

[18] 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.

[19] Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

[20] But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

[21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

[22] Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

[23] And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

[24] Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

[25] Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

[26] For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
https://bible.com/bible/1/jas.2.1-26.KJV 

A living faith produces something—you can identify it.