and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
In this latter part of the chapter, the apostle shows the error of those who rested in a bare profession of the Christian faith, as if that would save them, while the temper of their minds and the tenour of their lives were altogether disagreeable to that holy religion which they professed.
Commenting on James 2:14-26
And one of you say unto them,.... That is, one of the same faith, and in the same communion and church fellowship. Depart in peace; wishing them all prosperity and happiness, inward and outward: be ye warmed and filled; clothed and fed; signifying, that they wished them all the accommodations of life: notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful for the body...
The habit of receiving passively sentimental impressions from sights of woe without carrying them out into active habits only hardens the heart. one of you--James brings home the case to his hearers individually. Depart in peace--as if all their wants were satisfied by the mere words addressed to them. The same words in the mouth of Christ, whose faith they said they had, were accompanied by efficient deeds of love.