James 2:15-16

“If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?”

Back to v 14, James asks what good is ‘faith’ (religion) without works?

To make his point he shares an example of the ‘local church family’ and someone specifically needing immediate food and clothing. 

James was aware of the initial days of the Church when “There was not a needy person among them” (Acts 4:34). 

This letter from James seems to communicate how he longs for the days of the early Church (Acts 2 & 4) when faith and religion were evident by selfless works.