On Sunday (05.10.09) I did not have time to cite all of the resources related to James 1:14:

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

The point that I was undertaking was this: Has the Church always viewed a person’s profession of faith as a personal act between them and God or is this a modern phenomenon? Is it possible for a person to have true faith and yet never had a sustained and distinct desire to please God with their whole life? The following is evidence that helps us better realize how far the modern church has leaned away from evaluating genuine faith as a faith that produces good works.

Didache

The Didache is one of the earliest of all extrabiblical church writings, written perhaps as early as the end of the first century, and it reads: “Every prophet who teaches the truth but fails to practice what he preaches is a false prophet.”

Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch

Ignatius writing near the beginning of the second century said, “What matters is not a momentary act of professing, but being persistently motivated by faith.”

Second Epistle of Clement

Another of the earliest church writings, known as the Second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, penned about a.d. 100, contains these words:
“Let us not merely call Him Lord, for that will not save us. For He says, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, but he who does what is right.” Thus, brothers, let us acknowledge him by our actions.… This world and the world to come are two enemies. This one means adultery, corruption, avarice, and deceit, while the other gives them up. We cannot, then, be friends of both. To get the one, we must give the other up.”

Augustine

Writing in a.d. 412, Augustine described works of righteousness as an inevitable proof of the operation of the Holy Spirit in one’s life:
“We for our part assert that the human will is so divinely aided towards the doing of righteousness that, … besides the teaching which instructs him how he ought to live, he receives also the Holy Spirit, through which there arises in his heart a delight in and a love of that supreme and unchangeable Good which is God; and this arises now, while he walks by faith and not by sight. That by this earnest, as it were, of the free gift he may burn to cleave to his Maker, and be on fire to approach to a share in that true light.… But to the end that we may feel this affection “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts” not “through the free choice which springs from ourselves,” but “through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Romans 4:5).

Martin Luther

The former Roman Catholic theologian (a person who would never consider good works as part of salvation) wrote: “If (good) works and love do not blossom forth, it is not genuine faith, the gospel has not yet gained a foothold, and Christ is not yet rightly known.”

Dr. Luther also said:
“Faith is not something dreamed, a human illusion, although this is what many people understand by the term. Whenever they see that it is not followed either by an improvement in morals or by good works, while much is still being said about faith, they fall into the error of declaring that faith is not enough, that we must do “works” if we are to become upright and attain salvation. The reason is that, when they hear the gospel, they miss the point; in their hearts, and out of their own resources, they conjure up an idea which they call “belief,” which they treat as genuine faith. All the same, it is but a human fabrication, an idea without a corresponding experience in the depths of the heart. It is therefore ineffective and not followed by a better kind of life. Faith, however, is something that God effects in us. It changes us and we are reborn from God, John 1. Faith puts the old Adam to death and makes us quite different men in heart, in mind, and in all our powers; and it is accompanied by the Holy Spirit. O, when it comes to faith, what a living, creative, active, powerful thing it is. It cannot do other than good at all times. It never waits to ask whether there is some good work to do, rather, before the question is raised, it has done the deed, and keeps on doing it. A man not active in this way is a man without faith. He is groping about for faith and searching for good works, but knows neither what faith is nor what good works are. Nevertheless, he keeps on talking nonsense about faith and good works.… It is impossible, indeed, to separate works from faith, just as it is impossible to separate heat and light from fire.”

Virtually all the creeds that came out of the Reformation identified good works as the inevitable expression of saving faith.

The Augsburg Confession of 1530

said: “Moreover, ours teach that it is necessary to do good works; not that we may trust that we deserve grace by them, but because it is the will of God that we should do them. By faith alone is apprehended remission of sins and grace. And because the Holy Spirit is received by faith, our hearts are now renewed, and so put on new affections, so that they are able to bring forth good works. For thus saith Ambrose:“Faith is the begetter of a good will and of good actions.”

The Belgic Confession of 1561

reads: “We believe that this true faith, being wrought in man by the hearing of the Word of God and the operation of the Holy Ghost, doth regenerate and make him a new man, causing him to live a new life, and freeing him from the bondage of sin. Therefore it is so far from being true, that this justifying faith makes men remiss in a pious and holy life, that on the contrary without it they would never do any thing out of love to God, but only out of self-love or fear of damnation. Therefore it is impossible that this holy faith can be unfruitful in man.”

The Heidelberg Catechism (1563)

asks, “But does this doctrine [justification by faith] make men careless and profane?” and offers this answer: “No; for it is impossible that those who are implanted into Christ by true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.”

The Canons of the Synod of Dort (1619)

describing the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration:
“He pervades the inmost recesses of the man; he opens the closed and softens the hardened heart, and circumcises that which was uncircumcised; infuses new qualities into the will, which, though heretofore dead, he quickens; from being evil, disobedient, and refractory, he renders it good, obedient, and pliable; actuates and strengthens it, that, like a good tree, it may bring forth the fruits of good actions.”

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)

summarizing the doctrine of sanctification:
“They who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them, are further sanctified, really and personally, through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they are more and more quickened and strengthened, in all saving graces, to the practice of true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.… Although the remaining corruption, for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”