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For the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:26)

For the body apart from the spirit is dead. The Greek word (πνεῦμα pneuma) is commonly used to denote spirit, wind, breath, and life force. The meaning here is the obvious one, that the body is animated or kept alive by the presence of the (spirit) life force, and that when that is withdrawn, hope departs. The body has no life independent of the presence of the spirit. The Greek pneuma represent the life force from God that was given to Adam and Eve, which is introduced into every child thereafter, which animates the human soul or person. As James 2:26 states: “The body apart from the spirit [pneumatos] is dead.”

So also, faith without works is dead. It is just as essential that faith and that works should be animated by faith, as there is that the body and spirit should be united to form a living man. If good works do not result from faith, there is no true faith. No justification does not put a person on the path of salvation. There is no being declared righteous by God. If faith does not generate works, a truly Christian life, it is dead. It has no power, and it is worthless. James was not making some argument against real and genuine faith. In addition, he was not making an argument against its significance in justification. He was arguing against the idea Christians only needed faith alone to be on the path of salvation, and it need not come with good works. James argues that if there is genuine faith, it will always follow that good works are there. Just as you cannot have a body without the breath of life, you cannot have faith without works. It is only faith that can justify and save. But if that faith does not have works, it is not really faith. It is pseudo-faith, so no justification, no salvation. If the faith does not result in a genuine Christian life, it is like the body without the spirit (breath of life). It is meaningless.

James and Paul are not at odds with each other, as they both agree that the person needs true faith to be justified, declared righteous, and enter the path of salvation. Both James and Paul agree that to have genuine faith, one must have works as well that evidence a holy Christian life. Both believe the opposite of that is true too. If a Christian does not have a holy life; then, their faith is a mere facade. The entire New Testament makes these things clear. If we do not believe in Jesus Christ, we cannot be justified before God, and if our faith is not genuine, it is impossible to lead a holy life. Claiming that no works are necessary for having faith is like saying a dead body of a living man. It is just ridiculous.

When a person (a soul) dies (beyond clinical death), there is no longer any animating force or “spirit” within any single cell out of the body’s one hundred trillion cells. Many of us have seen the animation video in science classes at school, where the cell is shown to be like a microscopic factory with an enormous amount of work taking place. Therefore, no work is taking place within the lifeless body, as all of the cells that were animated by the spirit are dead. The body is not good for anything. This is the similarity that James is trying to draw our attention to, as a faith that lacks works is just as lifeless, producing no results and of no use as a corpse. The literal eye cannot see faith; however, works demonstrate that faith can be seen. When one is not moved to good works, it is clear that this one has no real faith. Alternatively, any Christian that is motivated to do good works, he possesses a genuine faith.

We have spoken about works for many pages now. So, the next question is what are some examples of works that should be evident in a Christian life? The works are the fruitage of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), the will of the Father (Matt. 7:21-23), and the Great Commission (Matt. 24:14; 28;19-20; Acts 1:8), as well as obeying such things as love your neighbor, helping those who need it if it is within your power, living a holy life, etc.

Mark 12:29-31 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
²⁹Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; ³⁰and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’[1] ³¹The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”[2]

12:29–31. Jesus quoted first from the Shema in Deuteronomy 6:4–5. This describes a man or woman’s relationship with God: with all your heart … soul … mind … strength. Jesus emphasized that love for God should consume our entire being. It encompasses everything that we are, everything that God created us to be. We are to love him with our minds, our emotions, and our will.

The scribe did not ask for the second greatest commandment, but Jesus gave it anyway, quoting from Leviticus 19:18. By giving this commandment, he showed that the two could not be separated. If we love God with all our being, then we will love our neighbor as well. Following this question in Luke 10:29, Jesus went on to define one’s neighbor, using the parable of the good Samaritan. Jesus declared to the Jewish people that the neighbors they were to love as themselves included their hated enemies, including the Gentiles.[3]

[1] A quotation from Deuteronomy 6:4–5, which reads, “Hear, O Israel! Jehovah our God is one Jehovah! You shall love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

[2] Quotation from Leviticus 19:18, which reads, You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Jehovah.

[3] Rodney L. Cooper, Mark, vol. 2, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 204.