Faith Without Works
James • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Ended last week with James saying - James 2:12–13 “Speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has not shown mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
About to see that mercy is action.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?
James immediately brings 2 questions.
The 2nd ? is done in a way that requires a negative response in the Gk.
We all know people who say they have “faith” in Jesus, but there is no fruit.
Fruit is what James is pointing to.
Genuine faith involves the HS.
The HS brings fruit.
Reading about dechurched - many wish their family/friends would listen and show mover mercy, grace, and do more in their community to show they were Christians.
Fruit drives us to ACTION! The world sees it too.
If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?
Let’s go back to last week…
For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,”
Then you’re judges with evil thoughts….
BACK TO JAMES
If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it?
Back to prejudice, and here to the poor.
This is a practical example of what lack of the fruit of the Spirit looks like.
“Shalom and blessings” was a typical thing to say.
Pointing out the hypocrisy in wishing well but doing nothing about it!
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood? Then your light will appear like the dawn, and your recovery will come quickly. Your righteousness will go before you, and the Lord’s glory will be your rear guard.
At that time, when you call, the Lord will answer; when you cry out, he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you get rid of the yoke among you, the finger-pointing and malicious speaking, and if you offer yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted one, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your night will be like noonday. The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose water never runs dry.
Salvation isn’t conditional, but being a Child of God isn’t meant to spoil us. It’s meant to motivate us to doing God’s work here on earth.
In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
Faith, like people, is either alive or dead.
A faith that is living will naturally pour out these kinds of works
As we are alive in the Lord and He flows through us!
A faith that is dead doesn’t produce fruit.
Do you have times in your life that you feel the Lord pulling on you to do something?
Do it! Follow God and experience what Isiah was talking about.
Shine like noon day
Satisfy the parched land (or relieve the flooded land)
Strengthen your weary bones and be like a watered garden providing fresh and luscious fruit.
BE CLEAR - Works do not bring about salvation!
James is telling us that the works are a sign that our faith is genuine and that we are already saved, so that we can go out in confidence and work knowing that we are already in God’s Kingdom.
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works.
This diatribe, or fictitious conversation to show a point, is essentially displaying a common argument:
Aren’t both faith and works separate gifts?
You are gifted in faith, but I’m gifted with works.
Why are you insisting that we all have the same?
His response shows the flaw in the thought and argument! “show me…”
In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.
Talking about false prophets, but the principle applies.
You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.
James points back to the Shema (Shuh-ma - means “hear”), Deuteronomy 6:4 ““Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
You believe in the Most High, the true God. Good!
But demons (in the spirit realm) intellectually accept God as well.
And their works completely appose God.
Shudder - ruffles (feathers), or bristle (hairs on neck and arms go up)
If intellectual believe alone was enough, we’d have demons in heaven. That’s what James is saying!
Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar?
Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son,
Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
SPEAKING ABOUT JAMES - What a stark contrast!
Likens non-working faith, aka dead faith, to that of the demons
Then points back to the father of Israel and his intense and active faith, in following God’s call even up to attempting to sacrifice his own son (who was a already a blessing and gift from above).
You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.
Abraham’s belief and faith was counted as righteousness, because it was authentic. And he proved it with actions. Albeit drastic actions.
Then he gives another example.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Justified - because authentic faith produces works!
James is NOT suggesting that works saves.
Rahab - showing both male and female?
At least a second example, and a second major example. (See Joshua 2)
Rahab’s family were the only survivors on the attack on Jericho, because of her actions based on her faith.
She had heard all that the God of the Israelites had done, and all of Jericho was in fear that they would not survive.
She had hope, believing that the Israelites worshiped the true God, the God of Heaven and Earth.
So she acted on that faith and belief.
Because of that, she was saved, she and her family.
AND - she later bore a son, Boaz.
Boaz took Ruth and so on.
King David was Rahab’s great great grandson.
Which put’s Rahab the prostitute in the genealogy of Jesus. (see Matt 1:5)
Worship Team -
Many tout believing and having faith.
But there are those who act out their faith and change lives.
It’s not about who you WERE, it’s about who God IS and HOW you’re willing to live out His calling in your life.
Prayer, love, kindness, and small acts can add up in massive ways.
More often, it’s a multitude of baby-steps that move the mountains, not giant moves.
Other times, it’s practically practicing your faith at the right moment that allows things to happen.
I encourage you, today, tomorrow, and going forward - practice your faith with your life. Follow God in how He’s calling you. Big or small, trust God in His ways.
PRAY -
Father, we thank you for your wonderful word and your marvelous ways. Let our faith in Jesus flow out of us uncontrollably. Create a spirit in us that can’t help but shine the light of Jesus everywhere we go. Help Central Community Church of God be known throughout Rolla as a lighthouse of hope, where God’s people are and serve His mighty kingdom. This seems like unprecedented times in our world and in our city. Perhaps you made us for just a time as this. Give us strength to show your shalom.
“ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’
And the church said, amen.
