Dynamic Faith

James 2:21-24

The State of Massachusetts faced a unique, rather agonizing court case several years ago. The case involved the family of a man who drowned and another man who refused to save him.

According to court evidence, the deceased and his friends were at the lake for the afternoon. He happened to be walking out on a dock when he accidentally tripped on a rope, lost his balance and fell off the dock into the water.

He surfaced, flailing his arms wildly as he sputtered and cried for help—he couldn’t swim. He sank below the water, but then resurfaced again, crying out for help, then sank for the last time into the dark waters of that lake.

His friends were one dock over and saw what was happening. Even though they ran as fast as they could to reach him, by the time they dove in and pulled him out, he was no longer breathing . . . they were unable to get him to breathe again.

The tragedy was only made worse because of the fact that just a few yards away from where that man fell in, on that same dock, a young man was sunbathing, in his beach chair.

Even though he had heard the splash of the man falling into the water; even though he had heard the drowning man‟s cry for help; even though it would be proven that he was an excellent swimmer, in spite of all of that, he never got out of his chair to save this man‟s life.

The family of this deceased man was beside themselves with grief and anger. They were so incensed and hurt by this incredible display of apathy and indifference they decided to sue the sunbather and make him pay for his crime of apathy.

The case reached the state supreme court where arguments were heard from both sides.

Eventually the court decided that the family of the deceased lost the case.

Although reluctant, the court ruled that the young man on the dock had no legal responsibility to try and save the other man‟s life—he had instead the right to choose for himself whether or not he would involve himself in the dying man‟s distress.

That ruling resonates around the world today.

The human heart thrives on self-centeredness. You work hard for yourself and maybe your own family, but then it's all yours and you are responsible for no one but yourself.

The golden rule is actually, “every man for himself.”

The living has no responsibility for the dying or the suffering, or the hurting.

Just look out for number 1!

So what does that mean for the Christian? And what does this mean for the church?

I'll tell you what it means. It means incredible opportunity.

If we are really living at a time in human history where you can sit on a dock and watch another man drown—when you can live your life with such self-centered individuality—where you can live so totally and openly and unashamedly for yourself alone, then that means the Christian has the opportunity of a lifetime to demonstrate the uniqueness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is a gospel that cares. It is a gospel that interacts. It is a gospel that moves into action. It is a gospel that gives. It is a gospel that risks everything. It is a gospel that saves.

Christianity is not simply a gospel of words . . . it is a gospel that works.

You see, we've been given more than a new attitude; we've been given a call to redemptive action.

Jesus Christ said, during his mountain side sermon—Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works—not, see your light, but see your good works, and then what—that they might glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

And it will be the half-brother of Jesus Christ—the Apostle James—who recognizes that theme and delivers a letter to the dispersed, Jewish Christians of the first century. His letter was written to believers, about their behavior.

And in his letter, he defines genuine faith as a faith that works.

James teaches us a lot about putting our faith to work. James wants us to take our beliefs and put them into action.

When you read chapter 2, James tells us about three different types of faith. Dead faith, Demonic Faith and Dynamic faith.

Dead faith is basically, faith without works. Demonic faith is basically, words without faith.

James shows us dead faith by taking us into a worship service and shows us the pious reaction of people in the church when some poor, destitute believers walk in. Without providing any help at all, they simply said, ―God bless you – now be warmed and filled‖. (As if their blessing could take the place of a good meal) (James 2:14-17)

James is making the point that faith that does not work is a faith that really doesn’t work!

It is nothing more than words without meaning.

Then in verses 18-20, James illustrates demonic faith – a faith that has all the right answers on the Bible exam but not the right heart. It knows the answers, but it doesn’t know the Author, and James shocked his Jewish world by telling them that the Devil and his demons have their religious facts straight.!! “Even the Demons Believe…and shudder.”

There is no such thing as an atheist demon. A demon never wonders if the Bible is telling the truth; they have seen its prophecies come true throughout the ages, and they know the final stages of human history, recorded in the Book of Revelation, will come true.

James’ point is that it isn’t enough to know about the truth— you must personally accept the truth.

There was a man from this area that was dying of cancer. His children were believers but all of his life he had been a follower of Christian Science. Christian Scientists deny the deity of Christ and His atonement on the cross for sin. They believe in a universal salvation and that no final judgment awaits mortals.

During what would end up being the last week of his life, a local pastor went and for an hour was able to share the gospel with this man. At the end the man said that he would think about what they had talked about. The pastor left. Later that week, one day before he died, he informed his family that Jesus Christ now lived in his heart— he had accepted the gospel of Christ!

It’s one thing to acknowledge the existence of Christ – it’s another thing to accept Christ as the living sovereign Lord and Savior.

Think of it, for all of eternity, that man’s acceptance—the day before he died—made all the difference between an eternity in hell separated from God or an eternity in heaven in God's presence.

Demonic faith knows the religious words but will never surrender to Christ. James informs us that the demons even tremble at the implications of the gospel, but they will not and, now in their confirmed unholy state— they cannot surrender to Christ!

What about you? Do you have faith? What kind of faith do you have?

Dead Faith: full of the right “Christian” words without any personal meaning?

Demonic Faith: acknowledging the truth with no personal acceptance?

Hopefully your faith is neither Dead nor Demonic. Hopefully the faith that you want to have is a Real Dynamic Faith. In Chapter 2, James will show us what Real Dynamic Faith looks like.

Let’s say that you have an incurable disease and I told you there was a doctor in California who had developed a cure. Then, I got you a book he’d written that described perfectly your condition. In it he outlined the plan and gave the promise that it would cure you if you submitted to his care.

And I asked you later, ―Did you read his book?‖

―Man, I memorized portions of it. My name was written all over that book— it was like he knew me inside and out!‖

―Do you believe he can cure you?‖

―Absolutely!‖

―So when are you going to California to submit to his program?‖

―I don’t know about that . . . I don’t like to fly . . . how about I just keep reading his book?‖

I believe it’s true, just don’t interrupt my life!

You see, genuine faith in Christ goes beyond saying the right words into acceptance, and James is emphasizing that the genuine item, real genuine faith will ultimately be seen by others by our action.

Real Faith is not something that is done in private, Real faith is lived out in public.

To illustrate what Dynamic faith looks like, James describes someone’s life that his Jewish audience would immediately identify with. — Father Abraham.

Look with me at James 2:21.

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.”

These are verses that a lot of people argue over. Paul presents in Romans about how salvation is by faith alone apart from works. Many people through the years have read what James says here in chapter 2 and misunderstand the true meaning.

At first look you might think that the Bible is contradicting itself. Paul says that salvation is by faith alone apart from any works. James seems to say that in order to have real faith, you have to have works. It can be confusing.

Let me recommend that you write into the margin of your Bible two references.

Look back at James 2:21 where James writes, Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

In the margin of your Bible, next to that verse, write Genesis 22.

Genesis 22 is the chapter where we’re given the full account of Abraham preparing to offer Isaac as a burnt offering in obedience to God’s command.

Now look at what James writes in verse 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ―And Abraham believed God, and it was imputed (counted )unto him for righteousness. (this is a quote from Genesis 15). So, next to verse 23, write into the margin of your Bible, Genesis 15.

The Apostle Paul will use this same quote from Genesis 15 to prove that justification is by faith apart from works. (Romans 4)

But James uses this verse from Genesis 15 to show that justification is not by faith alone.

So who’s right? James or Paul?

There’s no need to wonder . . . they are both right!

They are both looking at Abraham’s life, but from two different perspectives.

Keep in mind that there is such a thing as justification in the eyes of God and that is by faith. But there is also justification in the eyes of mankind and that is by works.

People around you can’t see your faith. But they can see your works. People will see your faith by your works.

There are two sides to the coin of justification.

In fact, there are two general meanings of this word, justified.

One side is: A legal declaration of being righteous.

This is the legal term where the believer is declared right – or righteous before God.

we are justified as a gift by God’s grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24);

having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)

That’s one side of justification – in the court of God’s opinion.

The second meaning is… A demonstration before men. vi

This is justification—demonstrating your faith—in the court of public opinion.

In God’s eyes, justification takes place in a moment. —> In every day life, it takes place every moment. Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail.

So, depending on which side of the coin you happen to be talking about, you can either promote the importance of faith—justification before God; or the importance of works—justification before mankind.

And by the way, both the Apostle Paul and the Apostle James illustrate their particular side of the coin with the same life—the life of Abraham.

They even use the same verse from Genesis 15— Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.

Paul uses the verse to prove the fact that Abraham was justified, before he ever did anything for God.

James will use the life of Abraham to prove the fact that what Abraham did, proved he really belonged to God.

Paul is emphasizing the root of salvation; James is emphasizing the fruit of salvation.

Look at James 22 again. You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

Faith was working –faith and works work together. (We are saved through faith alone, but we demonstrate that faith through the works that we do, how we live our lives.)

James says that Abraham’s faith was perfected. That word perfected is James favorite word that speaks of ―maturity‖. Abrahams faith was brought to maturity.

Look at how James began verse 22? James writes (modern english) – You see! Look at him . . . could Abraham offer up Isaac without having matured in his faith?!

In other words, everybody could see that Abraham had grown up in his faith by the time he got to Genesis 22 and offered up Isaac to God.

Abraham had lived through 50 years of growth . . . and now it’s playing out in the real world, in public view on that mountain ridge of Moriah.

Let’s talk about the story of Abraham for a minute. It is probably the greatest act of faith by any human being on the planet.

But before we watch Abraham raise the knife to take the life of his son—believing it would result in the resurrection of his son Isaac (Hebrews 11:19); before we climb with Abraham and Isaac up Moriah’s hill—that same ridge where God will later keep His promise and provide a Lamb; before that, look at the path of Abraham’s faith. Abraham didn’t get to have a mature faith all at once. It took a long time and a lot of surrendering for Abraham to grow to the place where he could go through the test of sacrificing his son.—it’s one stepping stone after another.

Abraham first demonstrated faith back in Genesis 12 when he left his home—but it isn’t until Genesis 15 where we’re told point-blank that Abraham believed the covenant promise.

In fact, Genesis 15 is the first time in the Bible the word ―believe appears in scripture.ix

Hebrews 11 tells us: that Abraham left home by faith (v. 8); that he lived as a foreigner in another land by faith (v. 9) that he offered up Isaac by faith (v. 17)

The defining moment of belief is said to have been in Genesis 15 when Abraham rested everything on God’s word and he believed God.

We’re not told if Abraham believed God right away or if he went out and thought about it, or prayed about it for a while—we’re not told. But we are told that Abraham believed in God by faith.

But that doesn’t mean from that point forward, Abraham lived a perfectly godly life.

The life of failure is a life of progression. (Your faith will be tested, and you will fail, but those times of failures help us to draw closer to God, they help us to mature, they help us to depend completely on Him.) The Christian life is a progression of spiritual growth.

The Progression is sometimes forward— sometimes backward, like the time when Abraham lied about his wife being his sister to save his own neck. In that particular situation, Abraham was faithless.

But near the end of his life – after 50 years of growing, leaning, confessing, and maturing Abraham was given the greatest test of faith any living human being was ever given.

Nearly 50 years after the original promise of a son through whom a nation would come that would bless the nations of the world—primarily because through that Jewish nation the Messiah would come— here comes God, 50 years later to tell Abraham to surrender his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God

And when God came and spoke to Abraham—who was now more than 100 years old—it was a conversation without exceptions. There was no way for Abraham to get out of it. It was clear.

Abraham, take now your son, your only son; the son whom you love, Isaac. (Genesis 22:2)

Do you think Abraham was hard of hearing or slow? No, but he was stubborn.

Abraham, take now your son

Abraham could have said, ―I have two sons — Isaac and Ishmael.

No, take your only son

Okay, but Ishmael and Isaac are the only son of their mother– technically . . .

No, take the one whom you love

Well, I do love Ishmael too

Abraham, take now your son, your only son, the one whom you love – Isaac!

End of conversation! — no room for doubt.

James tells us to, ―Go watch Abraham on Mount Moriah and tell me – is that the greatest demonstration of a man’s faith or what?!

God had promised Abraham a child when he was 75 and Sarah was 65. Life expectancy was 120 years, so there was still a chance Abraham and Sarah might have a child of their own; time passed and slim chances dwindled to none.

When God’s promise to Abraham seemed impossible, just after Abraham blew out the candles on his 100th birthday cake—and Sarah had 90 candles on hers—Sarah announces some shocking news . . . and nine months later they name their newborn son, Isaac.

He grows up— Abraham experiences prosperity—all his prayers seem like they have been answered.

You can almost imagine Abraham saying, ―My tests of faith are over!‖ But, Oh no, God says…

Abraham – take your son and sacrifice him on a mountain ridge I’ll show to you (Genesis 22:2)

As they went to the mountain with no animal sacrifice in hand, (you can only imagine what Isaac was thinking) Abraham told Isaac, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering”

As Abraham raised the knife to take his sons life, an angel stopped him, and Abraham saw a ram nearby with his head caught in the bushes.

God had provided a sacrifice to be killed in place of Isaac.

We so easily overlook the pain of 50 years of waiting and growing—and the thought of taking his own son’s life.

That’s so much like us isn’t it? We minimize the tests of others and magnify the challenges in our own lives.

Here’s where we miss James’ point. James isn’t bringing up Abraham so he can rehearse Old Testament history to prove he stayed awake in Synagogue school.

He’s using Abraham’s decision of faith as an example for us! He’s effectively saying, Abraham is an example of how real faith, Dynamic Faith, lives. We need to follow his example. Abraham had real faith and his actions proved it, We need to have real faith that is demonstrated by our actions and how we live our lives.

This is more than Old Testament history. For Abraham, this was the adding up of 50 years of testing that provided the world an opportunity to see the proof of a mature faith— lived out in the real world. Abraham illustrates to us what real living faith is. This is the living out of dynamic faith.

Matthew 5:16 says, Let your light so shine before men – not in your house with the doors closed, not just on the Christian school property, or in Youth Group, but – before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Is there anything about your lives that would cause an unbeliever to say, ―Wow, their faith is the real deal!

If you are a Christian then you should have a desire to live a life that demonstrates true faith in God as you are living every day. Your Faith has to Work!

This is James’ point : we demonstrate Real, dynamic faith by what we surrender, by what we give away, by how you serve the needs of another , by how we practice what we preach and profess , by how our lives revolve around submission under difficult circumstances and trust in God during impossible times.

Abraham was asked to surrender his son. So . . . what has God asked you to surrender? What situation has God put you in so that your faith can work, so that your faith can shine before men in order to glorify God and lead others to Him?

If you are truly a Born again Believer, are you living out your faith? Do you have True Dynamic Faith? Remember…

Dead faith would say, ―The altar of surrender to Christ is something every Christian ought to do but then, they do nothing.

Demonic faith would say, ―The altar of surrender to Christ exists and it is real and there are many who think they are living for Him, but they will never surrender to Him.

But, Dynamic faith, Real Faith that Works, will say, ―Their surrender to Christ is real and every believer who wants to mature and grow in their faith, will submit to the tests and to the challenges God puts before them– imperfectly at times, but completely at other times – A person with Real Dynamic Faith will say, I am willing to surrender. Are you willing to surrender?

How many of us can say, I will live out my faith in the real world, in the court of public opinion — I will live out the fact that I really do belong to God and God belongs to me.

Paul is correct in Romans when he says that Faith alone justifies, but John Calvin was also correct when he said, the faith that justifies is never alone. [John Calvin,]

James is saying . . . take your faith outside. If your faith is real, then live like it! Put it to work!!!

Real Dynamic faith is the demonstration of faith with life!