Belief Alone Means Nothing: James 2:19–20
What you believe alone means nothing. What you do means everything.
“You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe—and shudder! But do you want to know, you empty person, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:19–20, TLV)
The minimum action required for salvation is confession, and the minimum belief is in Yeshua’s (Jesus’) Lordship and His resurrection from the dead.
“For if you confess with your mouth that Yeshua is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart it is believed for righteousness, and with the mouth it is confessed for salvation.” (Romans 10:9–10, TLV)
It is impossible to please God without faith. By faith, those who came before us made their belief alive by living in righteousness, walking in holiness, and obeying the instructions given to them by God.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen. For by it the elders received commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen did not come from anything visible.
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. …
By faith Enoch was taken so as not to see death, and he was not found because God took him. For before he was taken, he was commended as pleasing to God.
Now without faith it is impossible to please God. For the one who comes to God must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
By faith Noah, when warned about events not yet seen, in holy fear prepared an ark for the safety of his household. …
By faith Abraham obeyed …
By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive when she was barren and past the age, since she considered the One who had made the promise to be faithful. …
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. …
By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau …
By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph …
By faith Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the exodus of Bnei-Yisrael …
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents …
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Instead he chose to suffer mistreatment along with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. …
By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger—for he persevered as if seeing the One who is invisible.
By faith he kept the Passover and the smearing of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them.
By faith they passed through the Red Sea as if on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were circled for seven days.
By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she welcomed the spies with shalom.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets. By faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, and made foreign armies flee. …
And all these, though commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised— because God had provided something better for us, so that only with us would they reach perfection.” (Hebrews 11:1–40, TLV)
By living in faith through obedient action (activity, exertion, effort), we become faithful.
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful with a little, so I’ll put you in charge of much. Enter into your master’s joy!’” (Matthew 25:21, TLV)
“For yet “in a very little while, the Coming One will come, and He will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by [faith]; and if he shrinks back, My soul takes no pleasure in him.” But we are not among the timid ones on the path to destruction, but among the faithful ones on the path to the preservation of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:37–39, TLV)
“… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10, TLV)