Do Work

Do Work

Jv parent on the other side of the fence..

Faith in Action

I practice what I believe

James 2:14 (ESV)

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

First let’s define faith

Hebrews 11:1-3 (ESV)

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

have faith in, who trust in, who believe in God and who seek to follow His will, His word, and His way. It is a faith that is confessed, professed, and visibly demonstrated by the attitudes and actions of ones faith. Faith is active.. ongoing never-ending.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Paul vs James

Jesus teaching on the matter.

Matthew 7:16-20 (ESV)

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Galatians 5:6 (ESV)

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

James argues straightforwardly that Abraham was justified by works. When was Abraham justified by works? When he offered Isaac on the altar. To understand this, we need to bear in mind that James is using the term ‘justification’ in a different sense, with a different nuance, than Paul does. Paul deals with the issue of how a sinner is reconciled to a just and holy God.

He uses the term ‘justification’ in its supreme theological sense. James, however, is asking how a person is justified before men, not before God. His question is: How do we know that a person has authentic faith? Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them”

RC Sproul

John 15:5 (ESV)

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

outward expression of inward faith

baptism

James is arguing that faith and works are inseparable..

Faith from God does the saving and your works are a result of that faith in God.

The T’s of Faith

James 2:15-17

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 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? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Test

James 2:21-24 (ESV)

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 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. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

David ask God to test him

Psalm 26:2 (Esv)

Prove me, O Lord, and try me;     test my heart and my mind.

Psalm 139:23 (ESV)

Search me, O God, and know my heart!     Try me and know my thoughts 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,     and lead me in the way everlasting

Isaiah 48:10 (ESV)

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;     I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Temptation

Marshmallow.. pic

Adult version sat you in a room with nothing but your phone and said do not touch your phone for 15 minutes and I will give you a prize..

James 1:13 (esv)

Jesus lead us not into temptation

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

How do we handle these temptations?

God’s word

Psalm 119:11 (ESV)

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

reading it, studying it, believing it, marinating in it, being filled with it, being shaped by it.

Spend time with God

Confess the sin/temptation

1 John 1:9 (ESV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Tools to overcome temptation/sin

James 5:16 (ESV)

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working

You will here more about this in few weeks. But be ready for

Pastors video

Romans 6:12-14 (ESV)

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Dare I say Paul is teaching you a free from sin because of God so know you are free to do work and be righteous

Doing work is all about follow through

James 2:18-20 (ESV)

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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

Who we say we know and who we genuinely hang out with.

Mark 1:23-24 (ESV)

23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

Titus 1:16 (ESV)

16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Titus 3:8 (ESV)

8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Who really is faithfull

James 2:25 (ESV)

25 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?

Anyone who follows God and shows it

Abraham vs rahab.. she gentile woman prostitute..

Joshua 2:11 (ESV) And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

The Measure of faith

James 2:26 (ESV)

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Spirit.. breath

Question for you this am is are you breathing in the Lord?

Galatians 5:22-23

English Standard Version

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Time

Effort

Resources

Jonathan Edwards

All Christ’s peculiar people do not only do good works, but are zealous of good works, (Tit 2:14) No man can do the service of two masters at once. They that are God’s true servants do give up themselves to his service, and make it as it were their whole work, therein employing their whole hearts, and the chief of their strength. (Phil 3:13) "This one thing I do." Christians in their effectual calling, are not called to idleness, but to labor in God’s vineyard, and spend their day in doing a great and laborious service. All true Christians comply with this call (as is implied in its being an effectual call), and do the work of Christians.

Let praise be a weapon that silences the enemy

Let praise be a weapon that conquers all anxiety

Will we sing praise as our faith comes out

Will you calm the storms in our life

Will your faith arise.. Lord let it rise

James 2:14-26 (ESV)

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 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? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 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. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 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? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.