What Are Works?

[Ceallaigh]

Works is a broad term. How would you more narrowly define works as far as daily living goes? Is praising and thanking God works? Is praying works? Reading the Bible? Seeking truth? Giving some cash to a homeless person you pass by?

 

[Albion]

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17

Works is a broad term. How would you more narrowly define works as far as daily living goes? Is praising and thanking God works? Is praying works? Reading the Bible? Seeking truth? Giving some cash to a homeless person you pass by?

Many people would say it's all of those, since Jesus recommended all of them to his followers.

None of the churches that teach that doing good works counts towards achieving salvation can identify which acts exactly should be done, how many of them are needed for salvation, or if some are worth more to God than others.

But in the verse from James that you posted, he is not recommending good works as more important than Faith or equal to Faith, but saying instead that if one does really have saving Faith, he will naturally do good. If he does not perform good works, then it isn't really Faith.

 

[lismore]

Is praising and thanking God works? Is praying works? Reading the Bible? Seeking truth? Giving some cash to a homeless person you pass by?

All these things are good. Faith produces works, big or small it's all for the Lord. Even a small act of kindness can mean a lot to someone

 

[Job3315]

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17

Works is a broad term. How would you more narrowly define works as far as daily living goes? Is praising and thanking God works? Is praying works? Reading the Bible? Seeking truth? Giving some cash to a homeless person you pass by?

I love that passage because for years I thought it was talking about doing good works without a command. After meditating on it I realized he was explaining how faith works. We hear from God and then we must act upon what He says to manifest our faith; just like Abraham did when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac. So, we must hear God and then act. The works are the fruit of obeying God. Faith without works is dead; you can hear God and not obey him/do the work. And works without faith is also dead, because you are working without a command.

 

[Farmergal]

Ephesians 2:10 For we are all God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared for in advance for us to do.

God has prepared different works for each one of us to do, using our spiritual gifts to do them, we are all different, the work He prepared for each one of us is different and we are not all the same part of His Body.

Your work is not my work and vice-versa.

We are also judged by our works, depending on what we build it upon.

1 Cor 3:12-14 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.

 

[Ceallaigh]

What I'm looking for here are examples of what works are. James gave a couple of specific examples. I gave a few in my opening post. What are some other examples?

 

[lismore]

What I'm looking for here are examples of what works are. James gave a couple of examples. What are some other examples?

Spend some time with a lonely or vulnerable person. You will be blessed too. God Bless

 

[St_Worm2]

...works are the fruit of obeying God.

Hello Job3315, isn't that the same as saying that our works are the fruit of our works (since obeying what God tells us to do is itself, a work)?

Good works .. e.g. Ephesians 2:10 (deeds done in righteousness/deeds done in accordance with God's will for us .. Titus 3:5) are anything that 'we' do as Christians. Good works are a part of that which accompanies our salvation .. Hebrews 6:9, the fruit/result of our having come to saving faith.

--David

 

[St_Worm2]

What I'm looking for here are examples of what works are. James gave a couple of specific examples. I gave a few in my opening post. What are some other examples?

Hello MMXX, here's an interesting passage for you to consider. Jesus was speaking to a group of people who had come looking for Him in Capernaum and...

John 6
28 ...they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
​

--David

 

[Farmergal]

What I'm looking for here are examples of what works are. James gave a couple of specific examples. I gave a few in my opening post. What are some other examples?

Ok. I understand.

Ephesians 4:11 And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers

The other countless spiritual giftings, administrations, singing, prophecy, servants, etc. A mother caring for her children is works God prepared for her, parents raising his family. An adult child caring for their parents.

Walking in the Spirit and listening can open many ways we can do His work on a daily basis, I have had people approach me with Bible verses I needed to hear, purchased books I didn't know I needed, but later gave them to people who did need them. Gave items away that I had no idea people were praying for.

Obedience is work itself, we have no idea how deep our obedience might touch another person.

 

[BNR32FAN]

Many people would say it's all of those, since Jesus recommended all of them to his followers.

None of the churches that teach that doing good works counts towards achieving salvation can identify which acts exactly should be done, how many of them are needed for salvation, or if some are worth more to God than others.

But in the verse from James that you posted, he is not recommending good works as more important than Faith or equal to Faith, but saying instead that if one does really have saving Faith, he will naturally do good. If he does not perform good works, then it isn't really Faith.

I respectfully disagree my friend because James said that faith can be without works and Paul also pointed out that faith can be without love and which is also not profitable.

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:1-3‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Having a faith able to move mountains would be a saving faith but without love it is useless. Personally I think James was making the same message given his statements in verses 14-17.


“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
‭‭James‬ ‭2:14-17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

 

[St_Worm2]

Is praising and thanking God works? Is praying works? Reading the Bible? Seeking truth? Giving some cash to a homeless person you pass by?

Yes, those are all examples of good works (if we choose to do them because we are Christians & because of the Spirit's leading). Along with witnessing to others (telling others how/why we came to saving faith in Jesus) perhaps the most important "good work" that we can do, 'especially' those of us who are still young in the faith, is to sit at the Lord's feet and learn from Him.

Luke 10
38 As they were traveling along, Jesus entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39 She had a sister named Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with all of her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
42 but only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
​

God bless you!

--David

 

[St_Worm2]

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:17

Hello again MMXX, I believe that St. James speaks of two different ~kinds~ of faith in his Epistle, one that is lively/saving and results in good works (and all of the other things that "accompany" salvation), and another kind of faith that is "dead" (cf the faith of demons .. James 2:19) that results in nothing.

As an aside, I love what St. James has to say in v18 about our works being a visible demonstration of the kind of faith that we possess/a visible demonstration of who were truly are, especially because he seems to say what he does (in the second half of v18) with tongue in cheek

James 2
18 Someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
​

--David
p.s. - sorry about all of these posts in your thread, but I just kept coming up with other things that I wanted to say

 

[Albion]

I respectfully disagree my friend because James said that faith can be without works and Paul also pointed out that faith can be without love and which is also not profitable....

Having a faith able to move mountains would be a saving faith but without love it is useless.

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."

Hello.

I don't believe that's the meaning there. That's an analogy, what some commentators say should be understood to mean the same as "EVEN IF...." In other words, not saying that what is described is literally correct.

“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
‭‭James‬ ‭2:14-17‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

And here he is referring to a CLAIMED faith by a person who does not live like a believer. The reference is not to a genuine faith but, rather, to "faith," i.e. a false claim of faith.

 

[Job3315]

Hello Job3315, isn't that the same as saying that our works are the fruit of our works (since obeying what God tells us to do is itself, a work)?

Good works .. e.g. Ephesians 2:10 (deeds done in righteousness/deeds done in accordance with God's will for us .. Titus 3:5) are anything that 'we' do as Christians. Good works are a part of that which accompanies our salvation .. Hebrews 6:9, the fruit/result of our having come to saving faith.

--David

Yes, when you reach maturity you become aware you are one with Christ so your works are q manifestation of your identity in Him.

 

[Ceallaigh]

And here he is referring to a CLAIMED faith by a person who does not live like a believer. The reference is not to a genuine faith but, rather, to "faith," i.e. a false claim of faith.

What are some examples of living like a believer?

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Works is a broad term. How would you more narrowly define works as far as daily living goes? Is praising and thanking God works? Is praying works? Reading the Bible? Seeking truth? Giving some cash to a homeless person you pass by?

1. Spreading the gospel (via either by telling others about Jesus, or handing out tracts).
2. Feeding the sheep (teaching believers God's Word).
3. Providing for the sheep (by providing for those believers who truly follow Jesus).
4. Help the poor.
5. Love your enemies (Pray for them, and do good towards them).
6. Study God's Word to show yourself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15) (Note: See the King James Bible for this verse and not a modern translation).
7. Pray & Fast so as to understand and obey God's Word.
8. Worshiping God, and singing praises unto Him.
9. Focus on building the fruits of the Spirit in your life (Love, joy, peace, being long suffering towards others, etc.).
10. To trust in God's grace (Jesus) (See: John 6:29).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

@MMXX

Also, works for believers would technically be called the “work of faith.” The “work of faith” is mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 1:3, and 2 Thessalonians 1:11. In other words, works is a part of one's faith. For James says faith without works is dead (James 2:17).

 

[Albion]

What are some examples of living like a believer?

All acts of kindness, charity, compassion. Giving to the poor, coming to the assistance of someone in distress, and 'turning the other cheek' when someone offends you.

 

[BNR32FAN]

Hello.

I don't believe that's the meaning there. That's an analogy, what some commentators say should be understood to mean the same as "EVEN IF...." In other words, not saying that what is described is literally correct.


And here he is referring to a CLAIMED faith by a person who does not live like a believer. The reference is not to a genuine faith but, rather, to "faith," i.e. a false claim of faith.

James is constantly referring to them as brethren through the entire epistle, even in verse 14. James is speaking to his brethren about hypothetical situations not situations that are actually taking place. He doesn’t rebuke anyone in the message, he’s just explaining to them how to walk in the Spirit. There’s nothing here to indicate that he was addressing false professors of faith. He’s basically saying the same thing that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13 which is faith without love is worthless.