The Fruit of Faith

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? James 2:14

D.L. MOODY
I believe in a faith that you can see; a living, working faith that prompts to action. Faith without works is like a man putting all his money into the foundation of a house; and works without faith is like building a house on sand without any foundation.
You often hear people say: “The root of the matter is in him.” What would you say if I had a garden and nothing but roots in it?

ERWIN LUTZER
Moody put it well. Our faith must indeed be grounded in God’s Word and there should be a direct connection between the Word of God and our lifestyle. In fact, people who are in the Word consistently are most often committed to the church in their service and generosity. That’s why James commands us to look intently and persevere in the Word, so we may be changed.
The Word of God, says James, is like a mirror. We must respond to what we see. When we persevere in the “law of liberty,” we will be blessed in our deeds (James 1:25). A prime example is controlling our tongue. It doesn’t matter how many sermons we’ve heard or songs we’ve sung, if you cannot control your tongue your religion is “vain” (James 3:1–12).
Let’s not deceive ourselves. We can say, “Look, I’ve heard the Word; I’ve memorized the Scripture.” But hearing the Word doesn’t mean it’s gone deep into our heart. Our faith becomes practical and real when we respond and obey. Let’s not just invest in the foundation but build upon what we learn.

PRAYER
Father, grant me the grace to bear the fruit of a living faith.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why is the tongue so closely tied to faith and works in the book of James?

Biblically, if faith is the root, what is the fruit?