Genuine faith can only be known by the works that are the fruit of faith. Works prove that faith is real. That is true in every area of life, isn't it? If I go to the doctor and he diagnoses me with swine flu, and he says,
Thomas SchreinerHave some of this medicine,and I say,You are right, I think this will help me,but I go home and I do not take it, then I do not trust the doctor. Neither do I trust him if I say,Thank you for helping me; but it is false.Or if I take my car to the auto-mechanic and he says,Look at those tires. You are going to have a blow-out unless you get new tires.And I say,You are right, thanks for helping me out,but I do not do anything about it—assuming I have the money and I want to live—I do not believe him. That is not real faith, is it? That is what James is saying. If you claim to be a Christian and your life has not changed, you can call on the question whether you really trust in Christ for your salvation. Talking faith does not save. Another way of putting it is: a genuine faith is more than just believing the right facts about something. Genuine faith is not just a talking faith; genuine faith is not just a mental faith.1
18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.