Pastor Tricia's Ramblings

Based on James 2:14–19

Let’s talk about something we all wrestle with at some point: what does it actually mean to have faith? Real faith. Not the kind you just say you have, but the kind that actually changes things—starting with you.

James doesn’t sugarcoat anything in his letter. He goes straight for the heart. In James 2:14, he asks, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?” That’s a question that’ll stop you in your tracks. Can a faith that has no action to it really be called faith at all?

More Than a Statement

We live in a culture that often equates faith with words. We say things like, “I’m a person of faith,” or “I believe in God,” and that’s supposed to carry all the weight. But here’s the thing: saying you have faith doesn’t make it real any more than saying you’re a marathon runner means you’ve actually run 26.2 miles.

James is asking, “Where’s the fruit? Where’s the evidence?” He’s not saying works save you. Let’s be really clear about that. Ephesians 2:8–9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” That truth stands. Salvation is a gift. You can’t earn it, work for it, or buy it. You could feed every hungry person in America every day for the rest of your life, and it still wouldn’t balance out your sin. Only one thing could do that: the blood of Jesus Christ.

But here’s the other side of the coin: when you really receive that gift, something changes in you. Real faith doesn’t sit still. It moves.

Faith That Works

James is challenging a passive kind of belief—the kind that says, “I believe in God,” but doesn’t actually trust Him enough to live any differently. He gives a tough example in James 2:15–16: “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”

That hits hard. I think of cold winter days here in North Carolina. Maybe you’re stopped at a red light and there’s someone standing on the corner holding a cardboard sign. You’ve got the heat on, your warm coat zipped up, and your favorite worship song playing. And maybe you think to yourself, “Lord, bless them,” but then you keep driving. No eye contact. No reaching for your wallet. No invitation to see the love of Jesus beyond that silent prayer. I’ve been there. And James is saying, “That kind of faith? That’s dead.”

It’s religious rhetoric. It doesn’t warm the cold. It doesn’t feed the hungry. It doesn’t change anyone’s life—not theirs and not yours.

Belief Isn’t Enough

One of the most shocking things James says in this passage comes in verse 19: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” That’s the mic-drop moment. The demons believe in God. They know exactly who He is. They know Jesus died and rose again. But they don’t love Him. They don’t obey Him. They aren’t transformed by Him.

So here’s the wake-up call: you can know all the right answers and still not know God. You can believe in your head and be completely disconnected in your heart.

Knowing God is not about having good theology—it’s about having a surrendered life. That word “know” in Scripture, especially in verses like John 17:3, points to relationship: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Not know about. Know intimately. That kind of knowing changes you.

Faith Is an Action Word

Faith is not just believing something is true—it’s living like it is. If I say I trust a chair to hold me, but never sit in it, do I really trust it? Same thing with God. If I say I trust Him, but I don’t follow Him, don’t love others, don’t obey His Word, is it really faith?

Galatians 5:6 says, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” That’s what James is getting at. Faith that’s alive shows up in how we love people. It shows up in how we give, how we serve, how we forgive, how we act when no one’s watching.

I think of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22–23—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These aren’t things we produce by willpower. They’re evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in us. A real faith life will start to bear fruit, not to earn God’s love, but because we’ve already received it.

Questions I’m Asking Myself

James’ words make me stop and ask myself:

• Has my faith changed anything about who I am?
• Has it impacted anyone else today?
• How well have I loved people lately—not just in my words but in my actions?
• Does my life reflect Jesus in the small, ordinary moments?
• Would anyone know I follow Christ if I never said a word?

These questions are not meant to induce guilt. They’re meant to spark reflection. I don’t ask them to beat myself up—I ask them because I want to live a life that actually looks like Jesus. Not just one that talks about Him on Sundays.

Real Faith Is Messy and Active

Let’s be honest—real faith is not perfect. It’s not always tidy. It doesn’t mean you’ve got everything figured out. It means you’re moving. It means when you fall, you get back up. It means when you feel that nudge to stop and help someone, you don’t ignore it. It means you forgive when it’s hard. You give when it costs you. You choose obedience even when it’s inconvenient.

I think of 1 John 3:17–18: “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

That’s what we’re called to. Not performance. Not perfection. But love with action.

A Living Faith

The contrast James is painting is between a dead faith and a living one. A living faith has breath. It moves. It responds. It can be seen and felt and experienced by the people around you. A dead faith says, “I believe,” but does nothing. A living faith says, “Because I believe, I’ll act.”

We can’t fake this. But the beautiful thing is, we don’t have to manufacture it either. We don’t have to strive or hustle or pretend. Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” When we open our hearts and surrender to Jesus, He begins the transformation. The Spirit leads us into new ways of living. He nudges us. Convicts us. Changes us. And over time, our faith becomes alive.

Not because we’re trying to be “good Christians,” but because we’re abiding in Christ, the true vine. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.” The fruit is the result of staying connected to Jesus. That’s what real faith looks like.

One Final Thought

At the end of the day, faith isn’t just a belief system. It’s a relationship that changes how you live. It’s not about getting everything right. It’s about letting God shape you from the inside out. When people see you, they should see something different—not because you’re perfect, but because you’re being perfected.

So what does real faith look like?

It looks like compassion when it’s easier to ignore.

It looks like generosity when it would be more comfortable to hold back.

It looks like loving people who are hard to love.

It looks like speaking truth and showing grace.

It looks like showing up, even when it’s inconvenient.

It looks like Jesus.

Real faith isn’t invisible. It doesn’t stay private. It shows up in everyday life—in small, holy ways that bear fruit and point people to the love of Christ.

That’s the kind of faith I want to have.