A Fruitless Faith

Written By Nicole Vollrath

RLC Home Group Handout | April 19th, 2026 

“Grace that Works - Faith and Works”  | James 2:14-26

Recap

This week we are reminded that genuine faith in Jesus is never merely something we profess with our lips but something that is demonstrated through our lives. As we walk through James 2:14–26, we see that faith without works is not simply weak—it is dead. We are confronted with the reality that true saving faith produces visible fruit, not as a means of earning salvation, but as evidence that our faith is real and alive. Through examples like Abraham and Rahab, we see that faith acts, obeys, and trusts God in tangible ways. Ultimately, we are called to examine ourselves, recognizing that the grace we have received in Christ is a grace that works—transforming us from the inside out and compelling us toward a life of obedience and love.

References 

  • Genesis 22 - Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac reveals active, obedient faith.

  • Genesis 15:6 - Abraham’s faith credited as righteousness—fulfilled through action later.

  • Joshua 2 -  Rahab’s faith in God is proven through courageous, risky obedience.

  • Romans 3:28 -  Works do not save—faith does—but true faith is never alone.

  • Ephesians 2:8–10 -  We are saved by grace, but created for good works prepared by God.

Discussion Questions

Head

  • Is there anything that stood out or spoke to you in this week’s sermon?

  • “Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone.” How is this not the same thing as works based salvation?

  • What role do Abraham and Rahab each play in James’ argument, and why is it significant that he uses both a patriarch and a Gentile outsider as examples?

Heart

  • How do you tend to measure your spiritual health? By what you know, what you feel, or how you live? How does this passage challenge that?

  • Are there areas where you have delayed obedience, telling yourself you’ll act “eventually”? What might be underneath that hesitation?

  • When was the last time your faith led you to do something that required real trust in God? What has changed since then?

Hands

  • What is one step of obedience God may already be prompting you toward that you’ve been hesitant to take, and what would it look like to act on it this week?

  • Think of a real, tangible need in your sphere of influence—what would it look like to respond in a way that reflects living faith rather than passive concern?

Nicole Vollrath
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Faith Shows No Favoritism