James 2:14-17 is often used to prove that good works are necessary for a person to have what they call final salvation before God. But what James is actually doing is calling for born-again people to apply what we believe. It is a powerful passage. But in order to get the most of it, we need to understand it correctly: James was addressing Christian believers, not unbelievers. For the Jewish people, providing and caring for the poor was fundamental for living out the command to love God and love others.
Jesus isn’t saying that our acts toward the poor and needy are what save us. But if our hearts have truly been transformed, we will demonstrate that by being compassionate, welcoming, loving, and generous to others—especially the “least of these.”
