James 2 - Grace without works is dead. Why?

 "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

Walk the talk. This phrase is seen all over. If you believe something, then show it. If you believe in Jesus, then follow Him and His ways. If you believe in God, do everything in your power to please Him.

Let us compare the body without the spirit. It is an empty shell. There is no life in it. So faith without action has no life in it. It is not saying that we will be judged by the Law but rather that if we live by grace, then life in grace shows a different fruit. If the fruit does not show, then the tree is dead. It needs to be nourished. It needs to be attached to the vine.

We need to be attached to Jesus and the fruit automatically shows. It is not the fruit that is important but the attachment to the vine. However, if we show no fruit, then it means that we are not attached to the vine. You can believe all you want that you are attached to the vine but the results prove otherwise. Just as you can say you have worked your hardest, but the results prove otherwise.

So live not for the fruit but for the vine but use the fruit to monitor your growth. Because if you lack action, then it means you lack faith.