This is one of the most straightforward sections—and one of the most universally indicting—in the book of James. If there’s anything we have learned about James so far, it’s that he has a strong distaste for worthless religion. To James, talk is cheap—and yet, our words matter more than we realize. How we talk to others and about others is a critical indicator of our overall spiritual health and maturity.

James continues the theme of doing and working versus being hearers only and deceiving ourselves (1:22). A faith that is lacking in external evidence of works is useless and dead. James argues that you can’t separate the two because true faith is proven by its fruit – works.

James offers a hypothetical scenario of favoritism as an example of how people act out of step with God’s heart. We become judges with evil thoughts when we take it upon ourselves to ascribe value rather than exhibit the love of Christ for each other. 

Is your faith the real thing? The genuineness of your ‘religion’ is verifiable. One of the challenges we face as followers of Jesus is genuineness – keeping and living out our faith in an authentic way. One of the greatest challenges we have as a community of believers is to help each other stay on the course of genuine, Bible obeying, Christ focused spirituality. For both you as an individual and us as a church, the greater danger is not apostasy – adopting false teaching but accepting an artificial spirituality – doing Christianity in a way that seems acceptable or even impressive but is not the real thing.

Great blessing comes to the follower of Jesus who hears God’s Word and does it.