Breathing Life into Faith

James 2:17 (NLT)
So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

- it is always true that merely knowing something and claiming to "believe it" is completely useless if this belief doesn't translate into action.

For example, If a pilot says he is a safe operator, but does not follow through by "grounding" his plane when a defect is found during his pre-flight inspection, then his faith in safety does nothing to actually make our flight safer.

James 2:19 (NLT)
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

- James uses a shocking example to illustrate his point. Demons "believe in God" but of course they do not live according to that belief, or acknowledge God's authority. (and isn't it sadly ironic that the demons at least have the good sense to tremble in their knowledge of God while many humans do not.)

James 2:26 (NLT)
Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

- This is a great expression of how good deeds are the breath of life for faith!

(Does anyone else ever have these experiences of reading a bible passage many times before, but suddenly discovering an idea as if it was not there before!? So strange...)