Fake Faith!

JAMES 2:14-26

INTRODUCTION

IF YOU HAVE YOUR BIBLES, PLEASE BE FINDING YOUR PLACE IN JAMES 2.

I HAVE A GREAT QUOTE FOR YOU THIS MORNING.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO WRITE WITH AND WRITE ON, YOU MAY WANT TO JOT THIS DOWN.

“FAITH IS A KEY DOCTRINE IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.”

YOU SEE, FAITH IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

FAITH IS WHERE IT BEGINS.

FAITH IS WHAT HOLDS IT TOGETHER.

AND FAITH WILL END WHEN WHAT WE BELIEVE IN BECOMES SIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES.

THE SINNER IS SAVED BY FAITH.

EPHESIANS 2:8-9 SAYS,

8. FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.

9. NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.

AND THE BELIEVER MUST WALK BY FAITH.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:7 SAYS,

7. FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.

WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.

HEBREWS 11:6 SAYS,

6. BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM: FOR HE THAT COMETH TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDED OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.

AND WHATEVER WE DO APART FROM FAITH IS SIN.

ROMANS 14:23 TELLS US,

23. AND HE THAT DOUBTS IS DAMNED IF HE EATS, BECAUSE HE EATS NOT OF FAITH: FOR WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN.

SOMEONE ONCE SAID THIS ABOUT FAITH: “FAITH IS NOT BELIEVING IN SPITE OF EVIDENCE BUT OBEYING IN SPITE OF CONSEQUENCE.”

WHEN YOU READ HEBREWS 11, YOU MEET SOME MEN AND WOMEN WHO ACTED ON GOD’S WORD, NO MATTER WHAT PRICE THEY HAD TO PAY.

FAITH IS NOT SOME KIND OF MAGICAL FEELING THAT WE CAN WORK UP; FAITH IS CONFIDENCE THAT GOD’S WORD IS TRUE, AND CONVICTION THAT ACTING ON THAT WORD WILL BRING HIS BLESSINGS ON US.

IN THIS PORTION OF SCRIPTURE, JAMES DISCUSSES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH AND WORKS.

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION BECAUSE IF WE ARE WRONG ON THIS MATTER, WE JEOPARDIZE OUR ETERNAL SALVATION.

WHAT KIND OF FAITH REALLY SAVES A PERSON?

IS IT NECESSARY TO PERFORM GOOD WORKS IN ORDER TO BE SAVED?

HOW CAN A PERSON TELL WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE EXERCISING A TRUE SAVING FAITH?

JAMES ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS BY EXPLAINING TOUS THAT THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF FAITH, ONLY ONE OF WHICH IS TRUE SAVING FAITH.

PLEASE STAND WITH ME THIS MORNING AS WE READ GOD’S HOLY WORD.

JAMES 2:14-26

FIRST THIS MORNING, NOTICE THAT THERE IS A:

DEAD FAITH (2:14-17)

EVEN IN THE EARLY CHURCH THERE WERE THOSE WHO CLAIMED THEY HAD SAVING FAITH, YET DID NOT POSSESS TRUE SALVATION.

WHEREVER THERE IS THE TRUE, YOU WILL FIND THE COUNTERFEIT.

JESUS WARNED, “NOT EVERYONE THAT SAITH TO ME, ‘LORD, LORD,’ SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.” (MATTHEW 7:21)

PEOPLE WITH DEAD FAITH SUBSTITUTE WORDS FOR DEEDS.

THEY KNOW THE CORRECT WORDS TO USE.

THEY KNOW THE PRAYERS.

THEY KNOW THE TESTIMONIES.

THEY CAN EVEN QUOTE THE RIGHT BIBLE VERSES FROM THE BIBLE.

BUT THEIR WALK DOESN’T LINE UP WITH THUS SAITH THE LORD.

THEY THINK THAT THEIR WORDS ARE AS GOOD AS WORKS.

HOWEVER, THEY ARE SIMPLY WRONG.

JAMES GIVES US A SIMPLE ILLUSTRATION.

A POOR BELIEVER CAME INTO THE CHURCH.

THIS FELLOW DIDN’T HAVE THE RIGHT CLOTHING.

AND HE WASN’T PROPERLY FED.

THE PERSON WITH DEAD FAITH NOTICED THE VISITOR, SAW HIS NEEDS, BUT HE DID NOT DO ANYTHING AT ALL TO MEET HIS NEEDS.

ALL HE DID WAS SAY A FEW EMPTY WORDS TO HIM.

“GO, I WISH YOU WELL; KEEP WARM AND WELL FED.”

BUT THE VISITOR WENT AWAY JUST AS HUNGRY AND NAKED AS HE WAS WHEN HE CAME IN.

FOOD AND CLOTHING ARE BASIC NEEDS OF EVERY HUMAN BEING, WHETHER HE IS SAVED OR NOT.

1 TIMOTHY 6:8 SAYS THIS,

8. AND HAV ING FOOD AND RAIMENT LET US THEREWITH BE CONTENT.

MATTHEW 6:31-32 SHOWS US,

31. THEREFORE, TAKE NO THOUGHT SAING, WHAT SHALL WE EAT? OR WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? OR WHERE SHALL OUR CLOTHES COME FROM?

32. FOR AFTER ALL THESE THINGS DO THE GENTILES SEEK: FOR YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU HAVE NEED OF ALL THESE THINGS.

EVEN JACOB INCLUDED THESE BASIC NEEDS IN HIS PRAYER TO GOD BACK IN GENESIS 28:20,

20. AND JACOB VOWED A VOW, SAYING, IF GOD BE WILL BE WITH ME, AND WILL KEP ME IN THIS WAY THAT I GO, AND WILL GIVE ME BREAD TO EAT, AND CLOTHES TO PUT ON.

YOU SEE, AS BELIEVERS, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO HELP MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHER PEOPLE, NO MATTER WHO THEY MAY BE.

GALATIANS 6:10 SAYS,

10. AS WE HAVE, THEREFORE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.

TO HELP A PERSON IN NEED IS AN EXPRESSION OF LOVE, AND FAITH WORKS BY LOVE.

THE APOSTLE JOHN EMPHASIZED THIS ASPECT OF GOOD WORKS.

IN 1 JOHN 3:17-18, GOD’S WORD SAYS THIS:

17. BUT WHOSO HAS THIS WORLD’S GOOD AND SEES HIS BROTHER HAVE NEED, AND SHUTS HIS BOWELS OF COMPASSION FROM HIM, HOW DOES THE LOVE OF GOD DWELL IN HIM?

18. MY LITTLE CHILDREN, LET US NOW LOVE IN WORD, NEITHER IN TONGUE; BUT IN DEED AND IN TRUTH.

THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES IN THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN EACH HAD RELIGIOUS TRAINING, BUT NEITHER OF THEM PAUSED TO ASSIST THE DYING MAN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

EACH OF THEM WOULD DEFEND HIS FAITH, YET NEITHER DEMONSTRATED THAT FAITH IN LOVING WORKS.

THE QUESTION IN JAMES 2:14 SHOULD READ, “CAN THAT KIND OF FAITH SAVE HIM?”

WHAT KIND OF FAITH YOU MAY BE ASKING?

THE KIND OF FAITH THAT IS NEVER SEEN IN PRACTICAL WORKS.

THE ANSWER IS NO!

ANY DECLARATION OF FAITH THAT DOES NOT RESULT IN A CHANGED LIFE AND GOOD WORKS IS A FALSE DECLARATION OF SALVATION.

THAT KIND OF FAITH IS A DEAD FAITH.

“EVEN SO, IF IT HATH NOT WORKS, IS DEAD, BEING ALONE.”

THE GREAT THEOLOGIAN, JOHN CALVIN, WROTE:

“IT IS FAITH ALONE THAT JUSTIFIES, BUT FAITH THAT JUSTIFIES CAN NEVER BE ALONE.”

THE WORD ALONE IN JAMES 2:17 SIMPLY MEANS “BY ITSELF.”

TRUE SAVING FAITH CAN NEVER BE BY ITSELF; IT ALWAYS BRINGS LIFE, AND LIFE PRODUCES GOOD WORKS.

THE PERSON WITH DEAD FAITH HAS ONLY HAD AN INTELLECTUAL EXPERIENCE.

IN HIS MIND, HE KNOWS THE DOCTRINES OF SALVATION, BUT HE HAS NEVER SUBMITTED HIMSELF TO GOD AND TRUSTED CHRIST FOR SALVATION.

HE KNOWS THE RIGHT WORDS, BUT HE DOES NOT BACK UP HIS WORDS WITH HIS WORKS.

FAITH IN CHRIST BRINGS LIFE, AND WHERE THERE IS LIFE THERE MUST BE FRUIT AND GROWTH.

THREE TIMES IN THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE JAMES WARNS US THAT “FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.”

VERSES 17, 20, AND 26.

BEWARE OF A MERE INTELLECTUAL FAITH.

NO MAN CAN COME TO CHRIST BY FAITH AND REMAIN THE SAME ANYMORE THAT HE CAN COME INTO CONTACT WITH A 220-VOLT WIRE AND REMAIN THE SAME.

1 JOHN 5:12 SAYS THIS,

12. HE THAT HATH THE SON THAT LIFE; AND HE THAT HATH NOT THE SON OF GOD HATH NOT LIFE.

DEAD FAITH IS NOT SAVING FAITH.

DEAD FAITH IS A COUNTERFEIT FAITH AND DRAWS THE PERSON INTO A FALSE CONFIDENCE OF ETERNAL LIFE.

SO, FIRST THING THIS MORNING,JAMES WARNS US AGAINST HAVING A DEAD FAITH.

NEXT, JAMES TELLS US ABOUT:

II. DEMONIC FAITH (2:18-19)

JAMES WANTED TO SHOCK HIS COMPLACENT READERS, SO HE USED DEMONS AS HIS NEXT ILLUSTRATION.

IN RECENT YEARS THE CHURCH HAS REDISCOVERED THE REALITY AND ACTIVITY OF DEMONS.

WHEN OUR LORD WAS MINISTERING ON EARTH, HE OFTEN CAST OUT DEMONS; AND HE GAVE THAT POWER TO HIS DISCIPLES.

PAUL OFTEN CONFRONTED DEMONIC FORCES IN HIS MINISTRY; AND IN EPHESIANS 6:10-20, HE ADMONISHED THE EARLY CHRISTIANS TO CLAIM GOD’S PROTECTION AND DEFEAT THE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF WICKEDNESS.

IT COMES AS A SHOCK TO PEOPLE THAT EVEN THE DEMONS HAVE FAITH.

BUT WHAT EXACTLY DO THEY BELIEVE?

FOR ONE THING, THEY BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF GOD; THEY ARE NEITHER ATHEISTS OR AGNOSTICS.

THEY ALSO BELIEVE IN THE DEITY OF CHRIST.

WHEN THEY MET CHRIST WHEN HE WAS ON EARTH, THEY BORE WITNESS TO HIS SONSHIP.

THEY BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF A PLACE OF PUNISHMENT; AND THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE JESUS AS THE JUDGE.

THEY SUBMIT TO THE POWER OF HIS WORD.

DEUTERONOMY 6:4 TELLS US THIS,

4. HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.

THIS WAS THE DAILY AFFIRMATION OF FAITH OF THE GODLY JEW.

JAMES 2:19 SAYS,

19. THOU BELIEVES THAT HE IS ONE GOD: THOU DOEST WELL: THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE.

THE MAN WITH DEAD FAITH WAS TOUCHED ONLY IN HIS INTELLECT; BUT THE DEMONS ARE TOUCHED ALSO IN THEIR EMOTIONS.

THEY BELIEVE AND TREMBLE.

BUT IT IS NOT A SAVING EXPERIENCE TO BELIEVE AND TREMBLE.

A PERSON CAN BE ENLIGHTENED IN HIS MIND AND EVEN STIRRED IN HIS HEART BUT BE LOST FOREVER.

TRUE SAVING FAITH INVOLVES SOMETHING MORE, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SEEN AND RECOGNIZED: A CHANGED LIFE.

“SHOW ME YOUR FAITH WITHOUT ANY WORKS” CHALLENGED JAMES, “BUT WATCH THIS, I WILL SHOW YOU MY FAITH BY MY WORKS.”

HOW COULD A PERSON SHOW HIS FAITH WITHOUT WORKS.

CAN A DEAD SINNER PERFORM GOOD WORKS?

IMPOSSIBLE.

WHEN YOU TRUST CHRIST, YOU ARE “CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HAS BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.” (EPHESIANS 2:10)

BEING A CHRISTIAN INVOLVES TRUSTING CHRIST AND LIVING FOR CHRIST; YOU RECEIVE THE LIFE, THEN YOU REVEAL THE LIFE.

FAITH THAT IS BARREN IS NOT SAVING FAITH.

THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED “DEAD” IN JAMES 2:20 CARRIES THE MEANING OF “BARREN OR IDLE,” LIKE MONEY DRAWING NO INTEREST.

SO, THIS MORNING, JAMES HAD ALREADY TOLD US ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF FAITH.

A DEAD FAITH

AND A DEMONIC FAITH.

BUT FINALLY THIS MORNING, JAMES CLOSES OUT THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE BY SHOWING US:

III. DYNAMIC FAITH (2:20-26)

DYNAMIC FAITH IS FAITH THAT IS REAL, FAITH THAT HAS POWER, FAITH THAT RESULTS IN A CHANGED LIFE.

JAMES DESCRIBED THIS TRUE SAVING FAITH.

TO BEGIN WITH, DYNAMIC, SAVING FAITH IS BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD.

WE RECEIVE OUR SPIRITUAL REBIRTH THROUGH GOD’S WORD.

WE RECEIVE HIS WORD, AND THIS SAVES US.

ROMANS 10:17 SHOWS US THIS,

17. SO, THEN FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.

JAMES USED ABRAHAM AND RAHAB AS ILLUSTRATIONS OF DYNAMIC, SAVING FAITH, SINCE BOTH OF THEM HEARD THE WORD, RECEIVED THE WORD, AND ACTING OF THE WORD.

FAITH IS ONYL AS GOOD AS ITS OBJECT.

THE MAN IN THE JUNGLE BOWS BEFORE AN IDOL OF STONE AND TRUSTS IT TO HELP HIM, BUT HE RECEIVES NO HELP.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH FAITH A PERSON MAY GENERATE, IF IT IS NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE, IT WILL ACCOMPLISH ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

“I BELIEVE” MAY BE THE TESTIMONY OF MANY SINCERE PEOPLE, BUT THE QUESTION IS “IN WHOM DO YOU BELIEVE?” “WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?”

WE ARE NOT SAVED BY FAITH IN FAITH: WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AS REVEALED IN HIS WORD.

DYNAMIC FAITH IS BASED ON GOD’S WORD, AND IT INVOLVES THE WHOLE MAN.

DEAD FAITH TOUCHES ONLY THE INTELLECT.

DEMONIC FAITH INVOLVES BOTH THE MIND AND THE EMOTIONS.

BUT DYNAMIC FAITH INVOLVES THE WILL OF MAN.

THE WHOLE PERSON PLAYS A PART IN TRUE SAVING FAITH.

THE MIND UNDERSTANDS THE TRUTH; THE HEART DESIRES THE TRUTH; AND THE WILL ACTS UPON ON THE TRUTH.

THE MEN AND WOMEN OF FAITH NAMED IN HEBREWS 11 WERE PEOPLE OF ACTION: GOD SPOKE AND THEY OBEYED.

AGAIN, “FAITH IS NOT BELIEVING IN SPITE OF EVIDENCE; FAITH IS OBEYING IN SPITE OF CONSEQUENCE.

TRUE SAVING FAITH LEADS TO ACTION.

DYNAMIC FAITH IS NOT INTELLECTUAL CONTEMPLATION OR EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, IT LEADS TO OBEDIENCE ON THE PART OF THE WILL.

AND THIS OBEDIENCE IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT: IT CONTINUES THROUGH THE WHOLE LIFE.

IT LEADS TO WORKS.

MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF WORKS ARE NAMED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

“THE WORKS OF THE LAW” IN GALATIANS 2:16 RELATE TO THE SINNER’S ATTEMPT TO PLEASE GOD BY OBEYING THE LAW OF MOSES.

OF COURSE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A SINNER TO BE SAVED THROUGH THE WORKS OF THE LAW.

“THE WORKS OF THE FLESH” IN GALATIANS 5:19 ARE DONE BY THE UNSAVED PEOPLE WHO LIVE FOR THE THINGS OF THE OLD NATURE BEFORE CHRIST.

THERE ARE ALSO “WICKED WORKS” IN COLOSSIANS 1:21 AND “DEAD WORKS” IN HEBREWS 9:14.

WHERE THERE IS DYNAMIC FAITH—SAVING FAITH—YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND GOOD WORKS.

JAMES THEN ILLUSTRATES HIS DOCTRINE IN THE LIVES OF TWO WELL-KNOWN BIBLE CHARACTERS.

ABRAHAM

RAHAB

YOU COULD NOT FIND TWO MORE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

ABRAHAM WAS A JEW; RAHAB WAS A GENTILE.

ABRAHAM WAS A GODLY MAN; BUT RAHAB WAS A SINFUL WOMAN, A HARLOT.

ABRHAM WAS THE FRIEND OF GOD, WHILE RAHAB BELONGED TO THE ENEMY OF GOD.

WHAT DID THEY HAVE IN COMMON?

BOTH OF THESE PEOPLE EXERCISED SAVING FAITH IN GOD.

GOD CALLED ABRAHAM TO THE CHALDEES TO LEAD HIM INTO CANAAN AND OT MAKE THE GREAT NATION OF ISRAEL OUT OF HIM.

IT WAS THROUGH ISRAEL THAT GOD WOULD SEND THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

ABRAHAM’S SALVATION EXPERIENCE IS RECORDED IN GENESIS 15.

AT NIGHT, GOD SHOWED HIS SERVANT THE STARS AND GAVE HIM A PROMISE.

Genesis 15:5–6 KJV 1900

And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

THE WORD COUNTED IS A LEGAL OR FINANCIAL TERM; IT MEANS “TO PUT TO ONE’S ACCOUNT.”

AS A SINNER, ABRAHAM’S SPIRITUAL CHECKBOOK WAS EMPTY.

HE WAS BANKRUPT.

BUT HE TRUSTED GOD, AND GOD PUT RIGHTEOUSNESS ON ABRAHAM’S ACCOUNT.

ABRAHAM DID NOT WORK FOR HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; HE RECEIVED IT AS A GIFT FROM GOD.

HE WAS DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BY FAITH.

HE WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH.

JUSTIFICATION IS AN IMPORTANT DOCTRINE IN THE BIBLE.

JUSTIFICATION IS THE ACT OF GOD WHEREBY HE DECLARES THE BELIEVING SINNER RIGHTEOUS ON THE BASIS ON CHRIST’S FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS.

IT IS NOT A PROCESS; IT IS AN ACT.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE SINNER DOES; IT IS SOMETHING THAT GOD DOES FOR THE SINNER WHEN HE TRUSTS IN CHRIST.

IT IS A ONCE-AND-FOR-ALL EVENT.

IT NEVER CHANGES.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A PERSON IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH IF THE TRANSACTION TAKES PLACE BETWEEN THE SINNER AND GOD PRIVATELY?

ABRAHAM’S EXAMPLE ANSWERS THAT IMPORTANT QUESTION: THE JUSTIFIED PERSON HAS A CHANGED LIFE AND OBEY’S GOD’S WILL.

HIS FAITH IS DEMONSTRATED BY HIS WORKS.

JAMES USES ANOTHER EVENT IN ABRAHAM’S LIFE, AN EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE MANY YEARS AFTER ABRAHAM’S CONVERSION.

THIS EVENT IS THE OFFERING OF HIS SON ISAAC ON THE ALTAR.

ABRAHAM WAS NOT SAVED BY OBEYING GOD’S DIFFICULT COMMAND.

HIS OBEDIENCE PROVED THAT HE ALREADY WAS SAVED.

LOOK AT JAMES 2:22,

22. SEEST THOU HOW FAITH WROUGHT WITH HIS WORKS, AND BY WORKS WAS FAITH MADE PERFECT?

IN OTHER WORDS, “YOU SEE THAT HIS FAITH AND HIS ACTION WERE WORKING TOGETHER, AND HIS FAITH WAS MADE COMPLETE BY WHAT HE DID?”

THERE IS A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH AND WORKS.

AS SOMEONE ONCE EXPRESSED, “ABRAHAM WAS NOT SAVED BY FAITH PLUS WORKS, BUT BY A FAITH THAT DOES WORK.”

HOW WAS ABRAHAM “JUSTIFIED BY WORKS” WHEN HE HAD ALREADY BEEN “JUSTIFIED BY FAITH?”?

BY FAITH, HE WAS JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS DECLARED; BUT BY WORKS HE WAS JUSTIFIED BEFORE MAN AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS DEMONSTRATED IT.

IT IS TRUE THAT NO HUMANS ACTUALLY SAW ABRAHAM PUT HIS SON ON THE ALTAR, BUT THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD IN GENESIS 22 ENABLES US TO SEE THE EVENT AND WITNESS ABRAHAM’S FAITH DEMONSTRATED BY HIS WORKS.

DYNAMIC FAITH OBEYS GOD AND PROVES ITSELF IN DAILY LIFE AND WORKS.

WE STILL HAVE CHURCH MEMBERS IN THIS HOUSE TODAY THAT FITS THE DESCRIPTION FOUND IN TITUS 1:16.

16. THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD; BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, AND DISOBEDIENT, AND UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK REPROBATE.

PAUL ALSO WRITES THIS IN TITUS 3:8.

8. THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND THESE THINGS I WILL THAT THOU AFFIRM CONSTANTLY, THAT THEY WHICH HAVE BELIEVED IN GOD MIGHT BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. THESE THINGS ARE GOOD AND PROFITABLE UNTO MEN.

JAMES’ SECOND ILLUSTRATION IS RAHAB, AND THE BACKGROUND FOR HER LIFE IS FOUND IN JOSHUA 2; 6.

ISRAEL WAS ABOUT TO INVADE THEIR PROMISED LAND AND TAKE THE CITY OF JERICHO.

JOSHUA SENT IN TWO SPIES TO THE CITY TO GET THE LAY OF THE LAND.

AND THAT’S WHERE THEY MET RAHAB, A HARLOT, WHO PROTECTED THEM AND AFFIRMED THAT SHE BELIEVED IN WHAT GOD HAD SAID AND WHAT GOD WAS GOING TO DO.

WHEN THE MEN DEPARTED, THEY PROMISED TO SAV EHR AND HER FAMILY WHEN THE CITY WAS TAKEN; AND THIS THEY DID.

IT IS AN EXCITED STORY.

BUT IN IT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BIBLE EXAMPLES OF SAVING FAITH.

HEBREWS 11:31 SHOWS US THIS,

31. BY FAITH THE HARLOT RAHAB PERISHED NOT WITH THEM THAT BELIEVED NOT; WHEN SHE HAD RECEIVED THE SPIES WITH PEACE.

RAHAB HEARD THE WORD OF GOD AND KNOW THAT HER CITY WAS CONDEMNED.

THIS TRUTH AFFECTED HER AND HER FELLOW CITIZENS SO THAT THEIR HEARTS MELTED WITHIN THEM.

RAHAB RESPONDED WITH HER MIND AND HER EMOTIONS; BUT SHE ALSO RESPONDED WITH HER WILL: SHE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

SHE RISKED HER OWN LIFE TO PROTECT THE JEWISH SPIES, AND SHE FURTHER RISKED HER LIFE BY SHARING THE GOOD NEWS OF DELIVERANCE WITH THE MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY.

THE HEBREW WORD TRANSLATED “HARLOT” IN JOSHUA 2 CAN ALSO HAVE THE WIDER MEANING OF “AN INNKEEPER.”

RAHAB RAN A GUEST HOUSE, SO IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE SPIES TO GO THERE.

THE GREEK WORD FOR “HARLOT” IN JAMES 2:25 DEFINITELY MEANS THE IMMORAL PERSON.

THIS IS ALSO THE MEANING IN HEBREWS 11:31.

MATTHEW 1:5 INDICATES SHE MARRIED INTO ISRAEL AND BECAME AN ANCESTRESS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

WHAT GRACE!

RAHAB IS ONE OF THE FIRST SOUL WINNERS IN THE BIBLE, AND YOU CANNOT HELP BUT COMPARE HER WITH THE “BAD SAMARITANS” IN JOHN 4.

RAHAB COULD HAVE HAD DEAD FAITH, A MERE INTELLECTUAL EXPERIENCE.

OR SHE COULD HAVE HAD DEMONIC FAITH, HER MIND ENLIGHTENED AND HER EMOTIONS STIRRED.

BUT SHE EXERCISED DYNAMIC FAITH: HER MIND KNEW THE TRUTH, HER HEART WAS STIRRED BY THE TRUTH, AND HER WILL ACTED ON THE TRUTH.

SHE PROVED HER FAITH BY HER WORKS.

WHEN YOU REALIZE THE SMALL AMOUNT OF INFORMATION RAHAB HAD, YOU CAN SEE HOW TRULY MARVELOUS HER FAITH REALLY WAS.

TODAY WE HAVE THE FULL REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH GOD’S WORD.

WE LIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF CALVARY.

AND WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONVICT AND TO TEACH US THE WORD.

IN LUKE 12:48 JESUS SAYS THIS:

48. BUT HE THAT KNEW NOT, AND DID COMMIT THINGS WORTH OF STRIPES, SHALL BE BEATEN WITH FEW STRIPES. FOR UNTO WHOMEVER MUCH IS GIVEN, OF HIM SHALL BE MUCH REQUIRED: AND TO WHOM MEN HAVE COMMITTED MUCH, OF HIM THEY WILL ASK THE MORE.

HER FAITH IS AN INDICTMENT AGAINST THE UNBELIEF OF SINNERS TODAY.

JAMES 2 EMPHASIZED THAT THE MATURE CHRISTIAN PRACTICES THE TRUTH.

HE DOES NOT MERELY HOLD TO ANCIENT DOCTRINES; HE PRACTICES THOSE DOCTRINE IN HIS EVERYDAY LIFE.

HIS FAITH IS NOT THE DEAD FAITH OF THE INTELLECTUALS, OR THE DEMONIC FAITH OF THE FALLEN SPIRITS.

IT IS THE DYNAMIC FAITH OF MEN LIKE ABRAHAM AND WOMEN LIKE RAHAB, FAITH THAT CHANGES A LIFE AND GOD TO WORK FOR GOD.

EVERY HEAD BOWED.

EVERY EYE CLOSED.

INVITATION

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT EACH PROFESSING CHRISTIAN EXAMINE HIS OR HER OWN LIFE TO MAKE USRE THAT YOU POSSESS TRUE SAVING FAITH, DYNAMIC FAITH.

2 CORINTHIANS 13:5 SAYS,

5. EXAMINE YOURSELVES, WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH; PROVE YOU OWN SELVES.

SATAN IS THE GREAT DECEIVER; ONE OF HIS DEVICES IS IMITATION.

IF HE CAN CONVINCE A PERSON THAT THEIR FAKE FAITH IS TRUE FAITH, HE HAS THAT PERSON IN HIS POWER.

LET ME ASK YOU SOME QUESTIONS THIS MORNING AS YOU EXAMINE YOUR LIFE:

WAS THERE A TIME WHEN YOU HONESTLY REALIZED YOU WERE A SINNER AND ADMITTED THIS TO YOURSELF AND TO GOD?

DO YOU TRULY UNDERSTAND THE GOSPEL, THAT CHRIST DIED FOR YOUR SINS AND ROSE AGAIN? DO YOU UNDERSTAND AND CONFESS THAT YOU CANNOT SAVE YOURSELF?

DID YOU SINCERELY REPENT OF YOUR SINS AND TURN AWAY FROM THEM? OR DO YOU SECRETLY LOVE SIN AND WANT TO ENJOY IT?

HAVE YOU TRUSTED CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE FOR YOUR SALVATION? DO YOU ENJOY A LIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THROUGH THE WORD AND IN THE SPIRIT?

CAN OTHERS TELL THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS?

TO BE SURE, NOT EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS THE SAME PERSON EXPERIENCE; AND THERE ARE DEGREES OF SANCTIFICATION.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THE PRECEDING SPIRITUAL INVENTORY CAN ASSIST A PERSON IN DETERMINE HIS TRUE STANDING BEFORE GOD.

I WILL CLOSE WITH THESE VERSES.

PSALM 139:23-24,

23. SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART: TRY ME, AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS.

24. AND SEE IF THERE BE ANY WICKED WAY IN ME, AND LEAD ME IN THE WAY EVERLASTING.

PRAYER.

LET’S STAND AS THEY SING A SONG OF INVITATION.

COME AS THE SPIRIT LEADS YOU TO COME.

CLOSING

THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING.

INVITE BACK FOR PM SERVICE.

CLOSE IN PRAYER.