James is referring to mercy on poor believers (see verse 15: “a brother or a sister”). So in this instance James is saying that the sign that we are saved by grace is that we take practical action to alleviate the suffering of the poor in the Christian community. This text needs to be put alongside Galatians 6:10, where Paul tells Christians to “do good” (give practical help) “to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” In other words, compassion for the economic and material needs of all people, but especially of others within the church, is one of the marks of
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