Chapter 2, Verse 15-16 “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?”
In these two verses we learn that James is not talking about the salvation of Acts 2:38. His discussion is about those already saved by faith and baptism (baptism is not a work) who are charged with maintaining their own salvation (Philippians 2:12 and 1 John 1:7).
We are reminded of what Jesus said would be the challenge to believers when the final judgment takes place (Matthew 25:41-46). James is talking about the Christians who will be treated as goats. The sheep in this chapter of Matthew exercised good works with their faith; the goats, referred to as ‘as wretches’, did not.
Task for Today: Read this Matthew passage carefully. The goats are not viewed as non-Christians. They address Jesus as Lord. The problem for the goats is not if they obeyed the gospel, but if they lived the gospel as Christians. If you are a Christian, are you doing good works?
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