James 2

“Faith, if It Hath Not Works, Is Dead”

Can there be a difference between a person who says that they believe in Jesus Christ and a person who exercises faith in Jesus Christ? James offered an important distinction that true faith in Jesus Christ is reflected not just in what a person thinks or says, but also in what they do. This lesson will allow you to examine how you can more fully exercise faith in Jesus Christ through righteous actions.

Helping learners be active participants. While preparing to teach, focus on what the learners will do. Encourage students to put forth effort to learn from the scriptures and from one another. As students do this, their confidence in their ability to learn from the scriptures will increase. Students will also be more likely to apply what they learn.

Student preparation: Invite students to think of someone close to them who has strong faith in Jesus Christ. If possible, invite students to ask this person questions like the following: “How does your faith in Jesus Christ influence your actions and behavior? What do you do differently because of your faith in Jesus Christ?” Invite students to come prepared to share what they learn.

Possible Learning Activities

Receiving blessings—like lighting a fire

Consider drawing a picture of a fire on the board.

Are you seeking a blessing or an answer to prayer from Heavenly Father? It may help to compare the process of seeking these blessings to starting a fire in order to receive light and heat from it.

• What steps would you take to build a fire?

• How important is the action of lighting a match?

Read the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to learn how receiving blessings is like lighting a fire. You can also watch “Abound with Blessings,” available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 1:02 to 3:27.

Let us liken heavenly blessings to a massive pile of wood. … [It] contains an enormous amount of fuel, capable of producing light and heat for days. …

For the energy in the woodpile to be released, the match needs to be struck and the kindling lit. The kindling will quickly catch fire and cause the larger pieces of wood to burn. …

Striking the match and lighting the kindling are small actions that enable the potential energy of the wood to be released. Until the match is struck, nothing happens, regardless of the size of the woodpile. …

In a similar way, most blessings that God desires to give us require action on our part—action based on our faith in Jesus Christ. … The required action, though, is always tiny when compared to the blessings we ultimately receive.

(Dale G. Renlund, “Abound with Blessings,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 70)

• What insights do you gain from Elder Renlund’s analogy?

• What do you think it means to act “based on our faith in Jesus Christ”?

Consider allowing students to reflect on and respond to the next questions in their study journals.

Ponder the following questions:

• In what ways do you have faith in Jesus Christ? What actions do you take because of this faith?

• What answers and other blessings have you received from God as you have exercised faith in Jesus Christ? Are there additional ways you feel the Lord would like you to act in faith? Why?

Pray for Heavenly Father to guide you as you seek answers to these questions during your study.

Faith in Jesus Christ

James used another analogy to teach us the importance of acting with faith in Jesus Christ.

Read James 2:14–16, and try to imagine what you would think if you witnessed this situation. (The word “naked” in verse 15 means poorly clothed.)

Consider inviting two students to come to the front of the class. Ask one of the students to act as the beggar and the other student to act as the person who could help the beggar. Invite a third student to read James 2:15–16 aloud while the two other students act out what is described in these verses.

• What do you learn from James’s analogy?

Read James 2:17–18, 26 (see also James 1:22) and look for a truth that James illustrated through this analogy.

James 2:17–18 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider marking doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so you can locate them easily.

• How would you summarize what James taught?

One way of stating the truth James taught is that true faith in Jesus Christ requires righteous action.

• Why do you think Jesus Christ wants us to put our faith into action?

It may be helpful to point out that one of the reoccurring teachings in James’s letter is that we should care for the poor, sick, and needy (see James 1:27; 2:1–9; 5:14–15). Such actions show faith in Jesus Christ.

• How might remembering the Savior Jesus Christ and His goodness motivate us to act on our beliefs?

Examples of acting in faith

It can be inspiring to think of examples of those who act on their faith in Jesus Christ. Read James 2:21–25, and identify examples of those in the Old Testament who acted with faith.

If helpful, consider asking questions like the following:

• What was Abraham called because of his works? (see James 2:23). Why do you think his faithful actions led to this title?

• How do you think our works can help strengthen and perfect our faith? (see James 2:22).

It also may help to explain that Rahab exercised her faith by risking her life to protect the servants of God (see Joshua 2:1, 3; 6:17, 23, 25; Hebrews 11:31).

Consider inviting students to write their answers to the following questions on two slips of paper. Students can use their student preparation in this activity.

• Who can you think of, whether from your life or from the scriptures, who illustrates putting faith in Jesus Christ into action? What do you learn from this example?

• What is one way Jesus Christ is an example of righteous works? How do our righteous acts help us become more like Him?

After students have written their answers, invite them to fold both slips of paper and hold one in each hand. Students can then move throughout the room and choose a person to share with. Each student can then select the right or left hand of the other student to hear their responses. Students could repeat this activity with other students.

Unlocking blessings through faith-inspired actions

President Russell M. Nelson gave the following challenge with regards to our faith and our actions:

To do anything well requires effort. Becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ is no exception. Increasing your faith and trust in Him takes effort. …

…What would you do if you had more faith? Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith.

(Russell M. Nelson, “Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, 2021, 103)

Ponder the following questions:

• What would you do if you had more faith?

• What are steps you could take to act on your impressions?

Take a minute to begin to act on your impressions. For example, depending on what you feel you should do, you might send a text, offer a prayer, put a reminder in your calendar, or plan what you will do next.

Ask if any students are comfortable sharing what they have started to do or plan to do. Sharing ideas can inspire other students.

Consider sharing testimony or a personal experience about why faith in Jesus Christ should shape our actions.

Commentary and Background Information

Did James’s teachings about faith and works oppose Paul’s teachings?

In the context of James 2:14, James used the term works differently than the way the Apostle Paul had used it. When Paul used the term works, he primarily referred to the works of the law of Moses (see Romans 3:27–31 and Galatians 2:15–16). When James used the term works, he referred to acts of devotion or works of righteousness.

Faith without works is dead, but what about works without faith?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to righteous action. … Action alone is not faith in the Savior, but acting in accordance with correct principles is a central component of faith.

(David A. Bednar, “Ask in Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 95)

Supplemental Learning Activities

James 1:22. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only”

Consider showing the video “Doers of the Word,” available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, which portrays James 1:19–27. Invite students to look for teachings that help them understand the importance of acting with faith in Jesus Christ.

James 2:9. “If ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin”

This principle could be taught as an example of how we can show our faith through our works. Randomly select a student and give them a small treat. Tell the class that you gave this student a treat for some arbitrary reason (such as the color they were wearing). Ask questions like, “How did my treatment of this student make the rest of you feel? Why do we sometimes show favoritism toward others?” Invite a student to read James 2:1–4 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what James warned the Saints about. What did they see? How can we avoid favoring some people over others?

Invite students to read James 2:8 silently, looking for what James reminded the Saints to do that would help them eliminate favoritism. Ask students to think of someone they know who exemplifies loving people of different circumstances equally. Invite students to share who they thought of and why. How did Jesus Christ exemplify loving others equally? Invite students to think about how they might better follow the Savior’s example in how they see and care about others.

James 2:19–20. Having faith in God is different than merely acknowledging He exists

This activity could be taught after Elder Renlund’s statement or video and the questions that follow. How can students better understand the relationship between faith and works? Invite them to read James 2:19–20, looking for the example James gives to show that people can believe in God without having faith in God. What did students see? How would they describe the difference between having faith in God and believing in God?