Faith must always result in works. If there is no fruit in our lives showing that we are His, our “faith” is suspicious.
People generally act according to what they believe: the facts they accept. For instance, if we believe a stove top is hot, we will not place our hand on it. If we believe vitamins are essential for good health, we will take them. Good marketers persuade people to believe they need a certain product to induce people to buy it. But it’s possible to act against our beliefs. What we can’t act against is our ultimate trust in something: our “faith.” Actions always require some level of faith, and without some faith, no actions are possible.
The actions that result from our faith are no different from those that result from other of our beliefs. If we truly believe God is who He says He is and that the Bible means what it says, we will act accordingly.
Faith without works is dead because genuine faith results in a transformed life and actions that reflect belief. True faith is not just intellectual assent but leads to good works that glorify God. James 2:14-26 and John 15:1-17 emphasize that faith is demonstrated through our actions, as a branch bears fruit when connected to the vine. While works do not save us, they are evidence of a faith that has genuinely saved and transformed us. Our good works, empowered by the Holy Spirit, reflect the change that has occurred in our hearts and confirm the reality of our faith.
When we have true faith in Christ, we are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our lives are transformed and good works result. Faith is not intellectual assent only; it involves life change. Our faith is evidenced by the way we live. Once we are saved, our lives will produce good works. We are a reflection of Christ. As such, we do good to those around us (Galatians 6:10). We are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17), so we act in new ways. The works we do come from a transformed heart and by the work of His Spirit in our lives. Jesus said that people would know His followers by their love (John 13:35). In this way we are a light to the world (Matthew 5:14). Good works, then, demonstrate the veracity of our faith and the character of the God in Whom we believe.
Faith without works is dead because true faith transforms a life. A lack of works implies that there is no deep, ultimate trust in those ideas. It is also true that works without faith are dead. Jesus said that some would call Him "Lord, Lord," but would not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21-23). Some of these people will not have demonstrated the fruit of good works. Others will have done works apart from faith in an effort to save themselves. All our works are as filthy rags to God apart from Christ (Isaiah 64:6). They are tainted by our sin and not sufficient to take us from being dead in our trespasses (Colossians 2:13) to being alive.