90 New Testament Verses Showing That Faith Without Works Is Dead

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90 New Testament Verses Showing That Faith Without Works Is Dead

100% New Testament Theology

A Scripture Study Prepared by the Priory of Salem Institute of Theology

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The New Testament teaches that salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet it also teaches that true faith is living, active, obedient, and fruitful. Faith is not a mere statement of belief while the heart remains unchanged. True faith produces repentance, love, obedience, holiness, and good works.

St. James says plainly that “faith without works is dead.” This does not contradict grace; it defines the kind of faith that receives grace. A dead faith is empty profession. A living faith works by love, bears fruit, keeps Christ’s commandments, and walks in newness of life.

From the teachings of Jesus Christ, to Acts, St. Paul, St. James, St. Peter, St. John, Jude, and Revelation, the New Testament repeatedly shows that genuine faith is known by its fruits.

The following passages demonstrate that saving faith is not passive or barren, but living, obedient, fruitful, and transformative.

Many modern debates ask whether faith can exist without repentance, obedience, holiness, or good works. The New Testament repeatedly answers that faith without works is dead.

100 New Testament Verses Showing That Faith Without Works Is Dead

“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…” — James 1:22 (faith acts)

“Faith, if it hath not works, is dead…” — James 2:17 (explicit statement)

“Can faith save him?” — James 2:14 (dead faith questioned)

“The devils also believe, and tremble.” — James 2:19 (mere belief insufficient)

“Faith without works is dead.” — James 2:20 (explicit statement)

“Was not Abraham our father justified by works…?” — James 2:21 (faith demonstrated)

“Seest thou how faith wrought with his works?” — James 2:22 (faith and works together)

“By works was faith made perfect.” — James 2:22 (works complete faith)

“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified…” — James 2:24 (faith demonstrated)

“Rahab the harlot justified by works…” — James 2:25 (faith acted)

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” — James 2:26 (summary)

“Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.” — Matthew 3:8 (true faith produces fruit)

“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down…” — Matthew 7:19 (fruitlessness judged)

“By their fruits ye shall know them.” — Matthew 7:20 (works reveal character)

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter…” — Matthew 7:21 (profession alone insufficient)

“He that doeth the will of my Father…” — Matthew 7:21 (obedience matters)

“Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them…” — Matthew 7:24 (faith acts)

“Every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not…” — Matthew 7:26 (disobedience condemned)

“If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” — Matthew 19:17 (obedience expected)

“Whosoever shall do and teach them…” — Matthew 5:19 (obedience honored)

“Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” — Luke 6:46 (empty profession rebuked)

“Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” — Luke 11:28 (hearing and doing)

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” — John 8:31 (perseverance proves discipleship)

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15 (love obeys)

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them…” — John 14:21 (obedience demonstrates love)

“If a man love me, he will keep my words…” — John 14:23 (love acts)

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love…” — John 15:10 (obedience and fellowship)

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” — John 15:14 (friendship through obedience)

“Repent, and be baptized…” — Acts 2:38 (faith responds)

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted…” — Acts 3:19 (conversion includes repentance)

“That they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” — Acts 26:20 (repentance produces works)

“Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers…” — Romans 2:13 (doing matters)

“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.” — Romans 6:1-2 (grace is not license)

“His servants ye are to whom ye obey…” — Romans 6:16 (obedience reveals allegiance)

“Being then made free from sin…” — Romans 6:18 (freedom produces righteousness)

“If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body…” — Romans 8:13 (active obedience)

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice…” — Romans 12:1 (faith acts)

“Let love be without dissimulation…” — Romans 12:9 (faith expressed)

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour…” — Romans 13:10 (love acts)

“Let us walk honestly…” — Romans 13:13 (conduct matters)

“Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…” — Romans 13:14 (living faith)

“Ye are washed… sanctified… justified…” — 1 Corinthians 6:11 (changed life)

“Awake to righteousness, and sin not.” — 1 Corinthians 15:34 (righteous living)

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.” — 2 Corinthians 13:5 (faith tested)

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (faith transforms)

“Christ liveth in me…” — Galatians 2:20 (living faith)

“Walk in the Spirit…” — Galatians 5:16 (faith walks)

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…” — Galatians 5:22-23 (faith bears fruit)

“They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh…” — Galatians 5:24 (faith changes life)

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” — Galatians 5:25 (faith acts consistently)

“Bear ye one another’s burdens…” — Galatians 6:2 (faith serves)

“Let us not be weary in well doing…” — Galatians 6:9 (faith perseveres)

“Created in Christ Jesus unto good works…” — Ephesians 2:10 (saved unto good works)

“Put off… the old man.” — Ephesians 4:22 (faith changes conduct)

“Put on the new man…” — Ephesians 4:24 (new life)

“Walk worthy of the vocation…” — Ephesians 4:1 (worthy conduct)

“Walk in love…” — Ephesians 5:2 (faith expressed)

“Walk as children of light.” — Ephesians 5:8 (faith visible)

“Work out your own salvation…” — Philippians 2:12 (active faith)

“That ye may be blameless and harmless…” — Philippians 2:15 (faith demonstrated)

“Walk worthy of the Lord…” — Colossians 1:10 (faith produces conduct)

“Mortify therefore your members…” — Colossians 3:5 (faith fights sin)

“Put on therefore… mercy, kindness…” — Colossians 3:12 (faith produces virtue)

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (faith sanctifies)

“God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (holy living)

“Follow righteousness, faith, charity…” — 1 Timothy 6:11 (faith pursues virtue)

“Fight the good fight of faith.” — 1 Timothy 6:12 (faith acts)

“Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” — 2 Timothy 2:19 (faith departs from sin)

“The author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” — Hebrews 5:9 (obedience accompanies faith)

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness…” — Hebrews 12:14 (faith seeks holiness)

“As obedient children…” — 1 Peter 1:14 (faith obeys)

“Be ye holy…” — 1 Peter 1:15-16 (faith sanctifies)

“Abstain from fleshly lusts…” — 1 Peter 2:11 (faith resists sin)

“Add to your faith virtue…” — 2 Peter 1:5 (faith grows)

“If these things be in you, and abound…” — 2 Peter 1:8 (faith bears fruit)

“Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” — 2 Peter 1:10 (faith perseveres)

“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.” — 1 John 2:4 (faith proven by obedience)

“Whoso keepeth his word…” — 1 John 2:5 (obedience demonstrates faith)

“He that doeth righteousness is righteous.” — 1 John 3:7 (righteousness practiced)

“Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.” — 1 John 3:9 (new birth changes conduct)

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments.” — 1 John 3:22 (obedience matters)

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” — 1 John 5:3 (love obeys)

“This is love, that we walk after his commandments.” — 2 John 1:6 (walking obedience)

“Keep yourselves in the love of God.” — Jude 1:21 (faith perseveres)

“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” — Revelation 14:12 (faith and obedience united)

“He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end…” — Revelation 2:26 (enduring obedience)

“Blessed are they that do his commandments…” — Revelation 22:14 (obedience rewarded)

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things.” — Revelation 21:7 (victorious faith)

Continue This Scripture Study Series

This article is part of a larger Scripture study prepared by the Priory of Salem Institute of Theology examining repentance, conversion, obedience, holiness, and the new life in Christ.

Related Reading

Recovering True Orthodoxy: Scripture Teaching, Not Merely Cultural Sentiment

Conclusion

The Orthodox Church of the Culdees affirms the historic Christian doctrine that salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet Scripture consistently teaches that this faith is living rather than dead, active rather than passive, obedient rather than rebellious, and transformative rather than merely intellectual.

For this reason the historic Churches developed catechumen instruction, baptismal vows, confession of faith, confirmation, confession of sin, and preparation for Holy Communion. Candidates publicly renounced Satan, forsook the works of darkness, confessed Christ, and committed themselves to walk in newness of life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church of the Culdees practices inter-communion broadly with churches that preserve the mainstream Gospel of Jesus Christ, requiring communicants to be converted, baptized, confirmed where applicable, and prepared for the Holy Mysteries.

We understand Orthodoxy in its broad historic sense: the reception of the Ecumenical Faith, the practice of the Sacraments, and Apostolic Succession. While maintaining our own traditions, including Saturday liturgies and the Biblical Holy Days preserved within our communion, we gladly recognize fellow Christians who confess Christ, repent of sin, seek holiness, and endeavor to walk in obedience to the Gospel.

“Faith, if it hath not works, is dead…” — James 2:17

“Faith without works is dead.” — James 2:20

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” — James 2:26

“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” — Revelation 14:12