"Living Faith"

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?" (James 2:14) Some who might read the Book of James without knowing any better, might interpret him as a zealot for works. We have been down this road before, however, this time I wanted to focus on what brings life to the faith that is within us. Looking at the two questions that James is asking, they truly are just one question which is regarding the profitability of faith without works: Can faith alone save a man? I will use an illustration that is used very often for the argument that water baptism is necessary for salvation, which is the example of 'the thief on the cross'. If we look at the account of this that is found in Luke 23:39-43, we can see two products of 'living faith' in the life of 'the thief on the cross'; or whatever life that he had left. The first evidence of this 'living faith' was demonstrated by his rebuke of the other thief that hung with him: "And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward for our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss". This is surely a result of faith that this man had placed in the One hanging with them being blameless of the charges brought against Him; which were charges of blasphemy, in that He called Himself God. The second evidence of this 'living faith' was demonstrated by the request that this believing thief made to Jesus after rebuking his friend: "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, please remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom." In this example of the faith within this man's heart, we see a definite acknowledgement of Jesus not only being Lord, but also having the power to save beyond the point of death. This man had given up on the idea of getting out of his situation; yet he had realized who Jesus was, and that there was more to this life than what we see here on this earth. There was a definite awakening to the power of Jesus Christ in this man's heart; which was soon replaced with "The Joy of the Lord", as Jesus said, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise". Okay; now let me ask you something about this illustration: Would this 'thief on the cross' had profited anything by not speaking out? would his faith alone have saved him?