Actually James 2 is a clear indication of seeing the Spirit thru the actions of believers.
There is nothing in the book of James about "seeing the Spirit" through actions.
James' point was about whether others can see one's faith through actions.
Jesus also said you can identify a person by their actions.
No He didn't. He said false teachers are revealed by their actions.
“Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
Before we continue in James 2, I need to correct your quote marks. Yeah, yeah, I know that most translations have it as you do. But words prove differently.
So, this "someone" says this: some have faith, and others have deeds. OK. The next sentence is a question: How can YOU show ME your faith if you don't have deeds? So the "ME" in this sentence refers back to this "someone".
We know this from the very next statement: I will show you my faith by my deeds.
Consider this someone's opening statement: some have faith and others have deeds.
And this someone now admits that he also has faith but he also has deeds.
His challenge is towards those believers who have faith but are not showing it by deeds or actions.
And guess what: James then gives us a perfect example of just such a believer in the next 2 verses:
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
Where is the person's deeds here? No where. Lip service only. But not in saving faith, but in lifestyle.
We see this same principle in 1 John 3:18 - Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
This is exactly the same principle in James 2:15,16. So the hypocrite in James 2:15,16 is a believer, not an unbeliever.
If it is impossible for a believer to commit the sin of James 2:15,16, then John would never have had to write 1 Jn 3:18. It simply wouldn't be necessary to say that.
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.”
James 2:18-25
Just know that v.19 has nothing to do with "saving faith" as so many claim and try to show that demons believe but aren't saved.
What the demons believe in v.19 is that "God is One", or what's called monotheism.
And they believe that, not from unseen faith, but because they actually experienced God. They SAW Him, so they know He is One.
