The Wednesday after the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on September 2, 2026 by under
Scripture: James 2:14-26 (NKJV)
2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Devotion
James in his epistle continues the thought that Moses gave us yesterday. Faith without works is dead. A heart unconcerned for its fellowman is a wicked heart. One cannot say he has faith if he is unconcerned about his neighbor. For faith, by the inworking of the Holy Ghost, creates this desire to help one’s neighbor. Faith produces works. It produces works of love for our neighbors. It produces works of caring for the needy. A heart of faith will readily do good, because that is its very nature.
It will not seek the praise of men when doing works. It will not keep a tab on how these works are viewed by other people, or a record of what it has done. The works flow naturally on account of the faith gifted by the Holy Ghost, for it is the Holy Ghost that works in us.
Such a heart was in our Lord Jesus. He came down from heaven and took upon Himself our flesh so that He might redeem us from sin and death. He did it by offering His own life. Our life was precious to Him. Moses and James are telling us to have the same heart that was in Christ Jesus; He trusted perfectly in His Father. Let us cling to Him in repentant faith, and with a cheerful heart love our neighbor as Christ has loved us.
Collect: Almighty and Everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we may obtain that which Thou dost promise, make us to love that which Thou dost command; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
