The first portion of the Book of James that most recite is “faith without works is dead” supposing to discredit the entire scripture from Genesis to Revelation that proclaims that faith alone in what Jesus Christ has done for us on the Cross of Calvary is what makes us worthy to enter heaven and stand in the presence of God, Our Father.

James, the author of the Book of James, begins in chapter one by saying that his writing is directed to the people that are being “dispersed” from Jerusalem because of the persecution of the people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. Numerous times throughout his writings James refers to the readers of his letter as “Brothers and Sisters”. These terms of brotherhood were reserved to like people of faith and not people outside of the faith.

James also writes about the “Law of Liberty” in verse 25 of chapter one and verse 12 of chapter 2. Believers are under the Law of Liberty because Jesus Christ “fulfilled” the law in His death on the cross. We, who put our faith in what Jesus has done for us, now live under the Law of Liberty, and in the early days of the church it is possible believers took this liberty too far.

Paul taught that the Law of Liberty was not liberty to sin, God Forbid! Paul also talked about his very own struggle within himself to do what was right and not what he knew to be wrong. Are any of us stronger than Paul, Peter, or James?

The Book of James was written to the believers. Believe it or not, believers can and were as horrible as what the Book of James describes. With the Spirit of God residing within us we ought not to behave in such a manner.

The famous words of James, “faith without works is dead”, in verse 17 of chapter 2 seem to proclaim that the person that is showing no outward “works” has no faith and is unsaved and doomed for hell. On the contrary, James is saying that the “believer” who is doing evil is no “earthly good” to the Church and is damaging the Church. James is bringing to light this fact to the early Church as they are being driven from Jerusalem (verse 1 of chapter 1).

Remember, a faith that is dead is still far better than no faith at all.