Watchman Nee (1903 – May 30, 1972) On The Epistle of James

 Verse 14 says, "What is the profit, my brothers, if anyone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?" What was James's intention in writing these words? Who was he speaking to? He wrote these words because some were saying that they had faith but not works. If he did not stop these people, the church would have been greatly affected. Faith must be kept before God and not vainly boasted of before man. Faith must be accompanied by works. If anyone says he has faith and does not have works, that kind of faith cannot save him. The word save in the Scripture has several meanings. For example, Paul said, "For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:19). Was not Paul saved? "Salvation" in this verse does not refer to receiving eternal life by those who believe, but rather to Paul's release from prison. In 2 Corinthians 1:10 Paul said, "Who has delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver us; in whom we have hoped that He will also yet deliver us." Some think that this refers (1) to the Lord's death on the cross which delivered us from the punishment of our sins in the past, (2) to Christ in heaven as our Mediator delivering us from the authority of sin in the present, and (3) to His coming back again in the future to save our body. This is not what Paul meant. The salvation spoken of here refers to the Lord's delivering the body from affliction. By reading the context, it is clear that affliction came to Paul's company while they were in Asia. They were excessively burdened that they despaired even of living. Yet the Lord delivered them out of this situation. Paul believed that the Lord would deliver them out of their present and future affliction. James's reference to the word save means to profit others in their environment. This is made clear by the following verses. James 2:15 and 16 say, "If a brother or sister is without clothing and lacks daily food, and any one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, yet you do not give them the necessities of the body, what is the profit?" The "one" in these verses is one who vainly said that he had faith, yet he was not supplying food and clothing to the needy brothers and sisters. He vainly said to them, "Go in peace." Being saved in these verses is not a matter of going to heaven in the future, but a matter of being physically warmed and fed in this age. James implied that it is not adequate just to talk and believe without also meeting the needs of the saints

(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 1) Vol. 20: Questions on the Gospel (W. Nee))