Faith vs Works

09-02-2018

Faith and Works

Intro -

Welcome

I am currently doing a study on the book of James, This book is my dads favorite book and actually one of my wives favorite books of the Bible

Randi likes the books of James because it says it point blank, there is no beating around the bush with James

In understanding some of the history of James you will need to know that James is the half brother of Jesus himself

The other interesting thing you probably need to know is that James did not come to faith in Jesus till later in life

He did not grow up with Jesus and just start believing rather he grew up and later in life during and after the ministry of Jesus he came to faith

The book of James was written to jews in the early church

The book was also written about 10 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus

If you read the book of James it comes off as harsh and short and to the point

Maybe that is the reason a number of people like it

The book does not leave much to the area of interpretation

This morning we want to dig into the part of James that me actually confuse you more than help you

This morning we want to look at works vs faith or works and faith or faith and works of faith instead of works

James 2:14–17 NASB95

14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

At first glance maybe James is saying that faith actually serves no purpose, but we have years of preaching and VBS and AWANA and Bible Study that would tell us all we need it faith

Faith in Jesus saves us, that all we need to do it place our faith in Jesus and all is right in the world

But James is saying that faith by itself is dead

And he is right!

Just faith by itself is pointless and useless

Faith does nothing

But if faith does nothing then why do you and I show up on Sunday and Wednesdays and Tuesdays and Thursdays for studies

Faith is the basis of it all

But faith that is not put into action is like the boxes of stuff in your storage place that you wont go through and wont get ride of

That is why James is saying that faith is pointless

We must be careful though with this statement

James is not saying faith is pointless as a blanket statement

rather he is saying that faith alone and just faith is no good

He says what good is it to tell someone to be warm, that wont make them warm, you know what will make them warm the extra coat you have in the storage place that you wont clean out

Are we making sense here that faith if you are going to use it is pointless

Knowledge if you are not going to use it is pointless

James goes on to clarify

James 2:17–22 NASB95

17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

James explains that you are justified by works

that should throw a wrinkle in your theology this morning because Paul says that you are justified by faith and not of works

so church which is it?

I would offer to you that they are the say thing

Paul shares that works with out faith are just works and emphasis the importance of faith over works

James at first glance is saying that works are more important

And church we have a tendency to do just that we put more emphasis on the works and less on the faith and then we become a works driven church rather than a faith driven church

I believe that James is saying that faith is the basis of everything and must be present

You see church

Faith is the starting point of everything

Hebrews 11:6 NASB95

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Without faith it is impossible to please God

Faith is the belief in something without seeing or knowing everything

You and I need to have faith in God before we can every work for Him

It is the beginning of a relationship with Him

If you will recall when you came to a personal relationship with Jesus, did you know everything about God you know right this minute?

I bet not, so you took a step of faith and started a personal relationship tih Jesus

That is what James is saying that faith is the beginning of everything and should be the starting point

But like Paul James goes deeper and begins to challenge us

Our faith cannot be enough to sustain us, rather our faith should drive us to action by following God

Like Jame said about Abraham

Abraham had faith in God and his faith lead him the action to attempt to kill his son

When you say it like that it sounds weird but think of it

You faith in God should move you to action

Which is why James says show me your faith, which you cannot show someone you have faith because faith is believing without seeing

So physically you cannot show someone just faith, you would have to act out your faith in showing them your faith by your works

But you must have the faith to start the action

lets try this

a 20 dollar bill

do you have faith this is worth something?

What is it worth - 20 dollars right

How do you know - because it is written on there

But you have to have faith that when you go to the store and spend it it will be worth the 20 dollars right

but you know if I give this to you and you put it in your wallet and don't ever spend it that faith you have that it is 20 dollars is pointless it does you no good because you don't spend it

I think James is telling us church to spend our faith

James 2:22–26 NASB95

22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James gives us examples of others who spent their faith

James also shows us that you cannot spend what you don’t have

you cannot fake the action or at least you shouldn't, faith is the base and leads us to the action

So the burning question everyone has it how you spend your faith?

What does it look like to spend your faith

To be honest and to the point the way you spend your faith is to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit on your life

It is to be obedient to what He is calling you to do

But you cannot be obedient if you do not know what He is saying, which is part of the faith element that James is talking about

Abraham spent his faith when God told him to sacrifice his son Issac on the mountain

Esther spent her faith when she went to the king on behalf of her people the Israelites, and saved her people

James, John, Phillip, Peter, Andrew, Thaddeus, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Matthew, Simon, spent their faith when they dropped everything and spent 3 years following the Son of man around, and then spent their faith again when they were sent out to share about Jesus

Paul spent his faith when he went to jail because he told people about Jesus

Martin Luther

Billy Graham