Acts- A Church That Studies

James concerns his discourse with the outward fruits of faith as a man sees them.  God knows whether or not I am a true believer on the basis of my faith apart from any works, but men can only know whether or not I am a true believer as they observe my life outwardly. Jesus said we can distinguish between the true and the false only by man's fruits (Matthew 7:16, 21). (Leman Strauss, 1956, 1989)