Faith vs Works the Dilemma
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 23 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
I want to pause for a moment on our journey through Ephesians and deal with a heresy in our churches today. There is a concept out there that Paul and James were at odds with each other that Paul was a faith by grace guy while James was a faith by works guy. Thus putting them at odds with each other and one must be on one side or the other either it is faith by grace or faith by works and one or the other is wrong. Now this presents a problem for those of us who believe that every word of Scripture is the word of God and therefore must be true. This then is the dilemma are Paul and James in disagreement meaning one or the other possibly even both are wrong and thus one cannot trust Scripture? Or can we somehow reconcile Paul and James? I propose that such a reconciliation is indeed possible if one but considers the order of events the timeline of salvation.
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 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? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Before Christ We are Dead
Before Christ We are Dead
Paul says Ephesians 2:1-2
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
before Christ your dead no life in you
James writes that much the same in James 1:14-15
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
James is not dealing with the issue of salvation directly but rather the issue of obedience among the saints so he speaks of the nature of sin.
He says out of your own desires come sin and the natural byproduct of sin is death thus James says your inner being naturally produces death
Thus I think it is safe to say that James believed those without Christ were dead in their sins just as Paul says.
Hear and believe the Word
Hear and believe the Word
Next Paul Claims you must hear the word of truth Ephesians 1:13
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
Paul says it is the hearing and believing of the word of truth that brings salvation
Yet James also speaks of hearing the word James 1:18
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Here James teaches that by the word of truth Christ made the apostles the first fruits of salvation. Again It is by the word of truth that one get saved.
However it as this point people claim the difference arises in that James says belief is not enough James 2:19-20
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
James argument is this one can believe that God is who he claims to be and not have salvation.
Even the demons believe that God is who he claims to be and they shudder for they know their punishment is coming.
Therefore he claims one must act upon their belief and do the works of God in order for it to be genuine salvation.
Now he introduces Abraham as an example to prove his point.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
This is the moment James shows he believes as Paul for the Abrahams faith is credited as righteousness in Genesis 15:6
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
This is the moment Abraham gained salvation through faith yet the act of sacrificing his son Isaac doesnt occur for many years in chapter 22
Still his faith is shown in Genesis 22:8 prior to him laying Isaac on the altar.
Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
The works prove the faith
The works prove the faith
Paul then says Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Thus works are an outpouring of our faith and thus prove our faith as genuine.
James on the other hand looks at it in the negative sense that is he says
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
and James 2:14
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
In both cases his concern is that for the one without works their faith was not genuine but dead. In other words they are still lost in their sin. Indeed he even compares them to the demons. James 2:19
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
I would even say this is where most agnostics are they believe there is a God and maybe even admit that he is the God of the Bible. However they reject his authority and rulership in their lives and thus reject his gift of salvation. Ultimately if we reject God’s authority we reject his word and his salvation. What a scary place to be.
James then says that well known statement James 2:18
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James here says I will demonstrate my faith is genuine by my works.
Thus we can see James and Paul both are saying the same things just in different ways due their different perspectives and purposes. These two men are not arguing with one another but instead together give a fuller picture of how God saves us and how we can know that we know we are saved.
Invitation
Invitation
My question for you this morning is this do you know that you know you are walking with the Lord? Do your works testify to your salvation or is your faith dead?
If the answer is no then I encourage you to spend some time getting right with the Lord this morning give your life over to him submit to his lordship accept his gift of salvation and forgiveness of Sin by placing your faith in Jesus Christ.
If the Answer is yes then I ask you are you sharing your faith with all those who are dead around you.