Lazy Faith (James 2:14-26)

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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.
This passage of Scripture is the most theological significant and the most controversial in the Letter of James
We must remember Chapter 1 as we read through this! Right approach will lead to a right reading
Ephesians 2:8–10 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. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Works and faith don’t contradict each other - they compliment one another
James is heating up his argument that if there is not a practical outlet for your faith — are you even saved?
This is a tough distinction!
Saving faith REVEALS itself in good works
Lazy, entitled faith
The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

James leaves us in no doubt about the theme of this paragraph, announced three separate times in the course of the argument:

• faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead (v. 17)

• faith without deeds is useless (v. 20)

• faith without deeds is dead (v. 26)

The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

James is not arguing that works must be added to faith. His point, rather, is that genuine biblical faith will inevitably be characterized by works.

The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

Trying to add works to a bogus faith is an exercise in futility, for only by “accepting the implanted word” (1:21) and experiencing the inner transformation that it brings can one produce works pleasing to God. James, in a sense, proposes for us in these verses a “test” by which we determine the genuineness of faith: deeds of obedience to the will of God.

The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

failure to provide for an obvious need not only harms those who are in need, but also raises question about the spiritual state of the one who fails to act to relieve the need

You can do all the good in the world — but if you do not have faith in Jesus you will not be saved.
You can give God all the lip service you want — but if your life is never reflective of the faith you claim, you have not been saved.
“But Pastor we all mess up, nobody’s perfect” — Correct! We are in the process of being saved.
I do not believe that you have to pray the sinner’s prayer every time you sin. Grace covers a multitude of sins and you can know you are saved and Who you belong to!
We must repent of our sins — but we have been justified before God through Christ.
But some are not in the process — they have head knowledge but no heart transformation!
It must be both!
The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

As Mitton puts it, “It is a good thing to possess an accurate theology, but it is unsatisfactory unless that good theology also possesses us

The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

C. S. Lewis is said to have warned new Christians about going into the ministry for fear that constant contact with “holy things” would render them commonplace. Those of us in ministry must beware the danger that our theology—accurate and well stated as it might be—degenerate likewise into a verbal exercise.

Thats convicting
Do we talk about God and the Bible and Jesus MORE than we actually SHARE HIM!
Demons have near perfect theology. They probably know more than us! Let look at their response — they shudder
They understand enough to see that they have “faith” — but no good works - and are afraid. Are fearful of their judgement to come. Knowing they are damned.
The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

James would be claiming that Abraham was “shown to be right” by his actions: his prior acceptance by God (Gen. 15:6), the “righteousness” that he had already attained by faith, was demonstrated in his deeds of obedience.

The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

James is intent on demonstrating that Abraham’s faith went much further than mere intellectual assent

The Letter of James D. Saving Faith Reveals Itself in Works (2:14–26)

James’s point is not so much that Abraham’s faith produced his works as that his faith and works cooperated together

The New Bible Commentary 2:14–26 Generosity and Faith

James now observes that faith and actions (or deeds or works) cannot be separated. Faith which is only in the mind is not yet complete. It becomes complete when it results in a decision of the will and is carried out in action.

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