Faith Working Through Love - Part 4

Recap from Last Week

Faith that Works Part 3: The Engrafted Word - James 1:19-27

We studied James 1:19-27

Listening helps us not react out of emotion

Emotions are not the truth, but just an interpretation of the truth

The Progression of Anger:

1. Anger/Offense

2. Insult/Bitterness

3. Slander/Murder of the Heart

Let the Word of God change you by putting it into action

How do we deal with difficult situations?

1. Listen to what others have to say

2. Take time off to think through your feelings

3. Come back and seek reconciliation

The Word will teach you to do the right thing, even when it feels wrong

The blessed are those who act on what they know, rather than being one who forgets what they’ve heard

Knowing the Word is not remotely close to “doing” it

Two Areas to Learn Obedience:

1. Keeping your tongue pure is the first line of obedience

2. The second line of obedience, is to bring God’s justice to those who are oppressed

Lord, give me what you are requiring of me. -Augustine of Hippo

Today’s Teaching

Faith that Works Part 4: Faith Working Through Love - James 2:1-26

Church Feud

Church feuds are not uncommon, especially among cliques in the congregation. But when the pastor and choir director get into it, stand aside.

One week our preacher preached on commitment, and how we should dedicate ourselves to service. The director then led the choir in singing, 'I Shall Not Be Moved.'

The next Sunday, the preacher preached on giving and how we should gladly give to the work of the Lord. The choir director then led the song, 'Jesus Paid It All.'

The next Sunday, the preacher preached on gossiping and how we should watch our tongues. The hymn was 'I Love To Tell The Story.'

The preacher became disgusted over the situation and the next Sunday he told the congregation he was considering resigning. The choir then sang 'Oh, Why Not Tonight.'

When the preacher resigned the next week he told the church that Jesus had led him there and Jesus was taking him away. The choir then sang, 'What A Friend We Have in Jesus.'

Open your Bible with me to James 2:1

Let’s Pray!

James 2:1–7 NKJV

1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

The letter of James is a strong rebuke to spiritual fakers and religious hypocrites

James is giving us the keys to living an authentic spiritual life that changes us and changes the world.

Favoritism is incompatible with a Biblical walk

Jesus came to break down the walls of separation. Why would we rear them back up?

Galatians 3:26–29 NKJV

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

True justice requires us to be impartial

If we are called to be a people that do justly and walk in God’s divine justice, we must learn to be impartial.

Leviticus 19:15 NKJV

15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.

This is who our King is:

Deuteronomy 10:17–18 NKJV

17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. 18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.

According to James, they are treating in a preferential manner the very people that are oppressing them and “blaspheming”, through their actions, the name of the Lord.

Self-Centered Agendas

James speaks to the actions of some in the Synagogue in showing partiality in seating according to social, economic status.

When we show favoritism, we sell out our spiritual family

Placing our prejudice and self-interests aside is part of the disciple's walk

Man-Made Separations

Revelation 5:9 NKJV

9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

Psalm 22:30–31 KJV

30 A seed shall serve him; It shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness Unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

1. Age

a. Elderly

Leviticus 19:32 NKJV

32 ‘You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.

b. Young

1 Timothy 4:12 NKJV

12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

The importance of our younger generations

Children need the older generations of believers in order for the truth that their parents are trying to inculcate in their lives to stick

Statistics show that as soon as the American church started placing kids in Sunday school classes at the beginning of services we began losing a whole generation of kids from church. This became a generation who were told “stories” and entertained in church, but they didn’t see true faith in action, adults speaking into their lives.

The “Assembly” of believers, is made of one big family made out of every generation. We should not remove parts of the Body like our youth, and children from our worship, as that unity by definition makes us the “church.”

We have segregated our society by age and this is detrimental to the development of young people. Children being in school, with friends and at church only with their age group is detrimental to kids, but also to the elderly who both need to pour into the kids’ lives and need the joy and strength (spontaneity) that kids bring to the table.

This is why we as a church have made the conscious decision to only hold kids' church after family worship time. Kids need to be taught in a way they can receive but not at the expense of their contribution to the Assembly.

2. Gender

Genesis 1:27 NKJV

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

1 Peter 3:7 NKJV

7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

3. Ethnicity

Acts 17:26–27 NKJV

26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

One of the most vile forms of prejudice is racism. Racism is sin and sits in its own category of sin, “hatred of one’s brother” in defiance of Lev.19:17 “‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.”

Favoritism and Tribalism is Anti-Gospel

James 2:8–13 NKJV

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

The Royal Law is foundational for believers

If you love your neighbor you will not show prejudice or favoritism towards him. Vice-versa, if you reject God’s law here, you’ve broken it all, because this is at the foundation of everything. The same God who said “ don’t commit adultery”, is the one who said “don’t murder.” You and I don’t get to pick what we will obey!

Matthew 22:36–40 NKJV

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Those that sow mercy and love, will receive mercy and love

Luke 6:36–38 NKJV

36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Sow those things that you desire to see in your life

This is where I had to stop due to time constraints. Everything after this is continued in next week’s message.

James 2:14–16 NKJV

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

Don’t just pray, be an answer to someone’s prayer

Deuteronomy 15:7–8 NKJV

7 “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.

1 John 3:17–18 NKJV

17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

James 2:17–20 NKJV

17 Thus 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 without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

Nekros = Dead, speaking of a corpse

If faith was just a creed, demons would be justified

They acknowledge the truth but their actions are contrary to the truth

Mark 1:24 NKJV

24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

Matthew 7:21 NKJV

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Righteous acts are an outflow of saving faith

This is how we judge if a person is even regenerated

Matthew 7:20 NKJV

20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Salvation is by faith through grace, unto good works

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The Example of Abraham and Rahab

James 2:21–25 NKJV

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

James is not saying that salvation is not by faith, what he is saying is that...

Counterfeit faith does not save

Faith that doesn’t have “fruits” is fake and delusional

Abraham’s faith culminated in him offering his “only” son Isaac on the altar.

“Abraham was not saved by faith plus works, but by a faith that works.”

Warren W. Wiersbe

Hebrews 11:17–19 NKJV

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Rahab had come to faith by hearing of the stories of God’s deliverance of the Jewish people from Egypt.

Her faith working through love, compelled her to do something

1 Corinthians 9:16 NLT

16 Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!

True faith is more than intellectual belief. It’s more than affirming Biblical truth. It is faith working through love!

James 2:26 NKJV

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Is your faith a dead corpse, or is it authentically alive?

In using the term Christian, are you making it a meaningless label, or are you exalting Christ by how you live?

Titus 2:13–14 NKJV

13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

We believe that men are saved by faith alone, but not by a faith which is alone. They are saved by faith without works, but not by a faith which is without works. -Charles Spurgeon

AMEN!