James 2:22 (NKJV)
Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
Faith is perfected by making Jesus Lord of every area of your life. Works, deeds, and actions refer in part to making Jesus Lord of your time, talent, and treasure. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, you find out what God wants you to do with your time, talent, and treasure.
Now let’s clarify something: What you do with your time, talent, and treasure will not save you, because you are saved by grace through faith, not by works, deeds, and actions. What you do with your time, talent, and treasure will not determine WHERE you spend your eternity, but it will affect HOW you spend your eternity.
Many people have made a decision to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior, but they have never made the commitment to make Him the Lord of every area of their lives. A true believer is one who has made Jesus Christ the Lord of every area of their life; including their time, talent, and treasure.
James is challenging his readers, who are saved, to make Jesus Lord of every area of their lives. He is challenging their faithfulness to the Lordship of Jesus in their personal lives.
For more on perfecting your faith, you can read our post entitled, “Is Jesus Lord of your time, talent, and treasure?”