Untitled Sermon (5)

CHAPTER 2 — PRACTICALITY OF THE MASTER (TRUTH PRACTICED)

Key Verse — 2:12

A. Love your brother — 2:1-13

1. The Exhortation (No Respect of Persons) — 2:1

—Dr. Lehman Strauss: Never Show Favoritism based on a person's...

a. Possessions

b. Position

c. Personality

d. Pedigree

— A real test of our faith is how we treat other people

2. The Example — 2:2-4

— Two men attending church. They were judged based on outward appearance.

3. The Examination — 2:5-13

a. The Principle: passion toward all with no partiality toward any. 2:8

— The royal law: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

b. The Process: judged by the law of liberty. 2:12

c. The Pronouncement. 2:9,13

(1) You commit sin — 2:9

(2) You receive judgment without mercy — 2:13

— Charles Swindoll:

• Let Scripture be your standard — 2:1-2

• Let love be your law — 2:8

• Let mercy be your message — 2:13

B. Live your belief — 2:14-26

— There is no act of grace in the heart where there is no activity of grace in the life.

— Will the real phony please stand up?

— Two key questions introduce this section:

(1) What is the use of saying you have faith unless you prove it with your actions? 2:14

(2) Will this kind of faith save any one? 2:14

— James versus Paul, is there a contradiction?

— — Justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

— — You see how by works a man is justified and not by faith only.

— Paul: the Root — God's part — Justification.

— James: the Fruit — Man's part — Validation.

— By faith, righteousness is declared.

— By works, righteousness is demonstrated.

1. Essential Faith — ;

— There are over 150 verses in the New Testament that base salvation on faith (believing God).

— Definition of faith: belief; complete trust; something believed with strong conviction.

— Faith is belief in action.

— Faith is the link that binds our nothingness to His almightiness.

— There are a thousand ways to please God but not one without faith.

— Faith perceives the invisible, believes the incredible, receives the impossible!

a. Commence by faith — Salvation — ; , ;

b. Continue by faith — Service — ;

c. Conclude by faith — Satisfaction -

2. Experiential Faith (Genuine Faith) — 2:17,22

— Charles Swindoll:

• It is not indifferent: People of genuine faith become involved in the lives of others. 2:15-16

• It is not independent: There will be a marriage of faith and works. 2:17

• It is not invisible: “To Show” means to bring to light; to display; to exhibit. 2:18

• It is not intellectual: Not a “mental assent” to the gospel but “heart consent”. 2:19-20

3. Evidential Faith — 2:21-26

— Illustration: He uses two different people.

a. Abraham: Male, Jew, Friend of God — 2:25

(1) Basis of Faith — 2:23

(2) Behavior of Faith — 2:21

(3) Benefits of Faith — 2:23

b. Rahab: Female, Gentile, Harlot — 2:25

(1) Basis of Faith —

(2) Behavior of Faith —

(3) Benefits of Faith —

— Wherever you find separation you find death.

• Separation of the soul from the body: physical death.

• Separation of the soul from God: spiritual death.

• Separation of works from faith: dead faith.

FAITH: FORSAKING ALL I TRUST HIM. HE IS TRUSTWORTHY!