4 Living Faith

Halloween = death, veil between living and dead thinnest then? Nov 1= All Saints Day

Celebration in Philippines, all night vigil, then family party in cemetery on Nov 1

Introduce inadvertent Halloween theme - Start with Frankenstein clip

Frankenstein video clip

The real death in this passage is our faith. We’re looking at how to bring our faith back to life and have Living Faith

It helps to begin right up front with the supposed conflict in Scripture – Paul’s teaching on faith vs. James’ teaching on works.

Paul discusses justification by grace through faith, not by works

Understand timing – Although NT order Romans>James, James actually written earlier

Understand audience – Paul to mixed Jewish and Gentile believers, Gentiles receive false teaching from Jews that they must follow the letter of the law.

James writing to believing Jews who know that law does not save them but think faith is enough

Understand purpose - Paul teaching that works of the law are not enough to save/justify.

We do see agreement between Paul and James on this topic, so we know they are not contradicting each other:

Romans 2:13 NIV

13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

do not merely listen to the word, do what it says

Both say to be doers of the word and not just hearers.

Based on James’ statement in chapter 1 he now expands on that theme.

Read

James 2:14–26 NIV

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 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. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 2:14–26 NIV

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 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. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 2:14-26

James 2:14 NIV

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

James starts with a truth claim or question of truth as he does at the beginning of each section.

What good is it?

Claim to faith

Now the example of that truth claim

Read

By his example we know that deeds means good works, action. Acts of love – Royal Law

Not the same as Paul’s works of the law.

See a need but don’t connect, don’t meet the need – this assumes ability. Do we excuse ourselves?

James 2:17 NIV

17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Conclusion – in the same way as example. Dead Faith

Faith that doesn’t get exercised is useless. Muscles that don’t get worked are useless. A car that doesn’t get driven is useless.

Faith that doesn’t result in good works is dead faith.

James 2:18 NIV

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

An example of rhetorical truth challenge

Challenge = from Missouri, Show Me. Prove you have faith without doing something. Not possible.

I prove my faith by the actions that are produced by transformation.

recognize believers by their fruit. Good tree bears good fruit. Tree not bearing fruit is cut down. The example of Hear and do = Wise man builds his house on the rock.

Faith that does not produce acts of love is dead faith.

James 2:19 NIV

19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Demons believe and at least fear God, even if they choose not to follow Him. Examples of Jesus interacting with demons who feared Him.

Demon faith is untransformed faith.

James 2:20 NIV

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

Are you lacking understanding? Do you need proof?

The demon faith is proof of useless faith. demons know, they believe, but they are not transformed and their behavior shows it.

In verses 21-25 he gives the counter examples. We’ll come back to this in a minute.

James 2:26 NIV

26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

The body without spirit, or breath – either way. Zombie.

Faith without life giving action is like a zombie or a cadaver.

Faith without outworking acts of love is dead, or at best a delusion, appears alive but it is not faith, it is not producing real life change.

Works (good deeds or works of the law) without faith is legalism.

Dead faith, demon faith, zombie faith. Let’s look at the examples of living faith

James 2:21 NIV

21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

Example of someone they knew and respected, Abraham.

But how do you know he had faith?

Abraham’s faith/belief was evident because it turned into action. If Abraham did not actually get up and do what he was told to do, he obviously did not believe.

James 2:22 NIV

22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

Key verse – faith active with doing, and resulting in completing faith.

**Faith comes before works. Works completes faith. The two work together

James 2:23–24 NIV

23 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. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

You see… James concludes here that righteousness is both faith and outworking good deeds

Abraham’s faith justified him – set him right with God

Ok, so Abraham is too easy an example, what about one not so clear?

James 2:25 NIV

25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

Rahab – a prostitute. Not the model ancestor. Because of faith, obeyed God, protected His people

What deeds? What actions? What works of love?

, – love me obey my teaching. Not love me does not obey.

the righteous live by faith

Ephesians 2:8–10 NIV

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

by grace, saved through faith, not by works.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

by grace, saved through faith, not by works. Created to do good works.

So, we are justified by living faith that produces good works. AND we are Created to do good works.

Two keys in this passage:

faith and action work together - faith is made complete by doing it

faith without good works is dead just like a body without the spirit/breath

James 2:22 NIV

22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

James 2:26 NIV

26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Zombie faith is conclusion and big idea.

If I say/think I have faith – believe in Jesus – but do not do anything with it, works/actions/obedience/love I have to question whether there is actually faith. Is our heart really transformed by Jesus?

If you believe the Bible, if you believe in God’s Word, if you believe it is true, why would you not do what it says? And not just what it says in outward physical form, but inwardly through transformed heart attitudes?

We can know a lot but not really do anything with the knowledge

We say, “I know that already. I want something deeper. Teach me something new.” But I have found that many/most people who come with that attitude know a lot but do very little with it. They know but they are not living it.

We can do a lot but not really have the transformed heart that comes from faith in God.

We can feed people but not care about them. We can help widows and orphans but not love them. Love and compassion are heart attitudes coming from the transformation of God’s Spirit through His Word and the blood of Jesus Christ. We can do ministry to people, or we can be compelled by God’s Spirit and love to actively care for people in their physical and spiritual needs.

True faith is living faith.

Let’s not make excuses. Let’s not rationalize our lack of obedience.

4 Living Faith

Introduction

Dead Faith

Dead Faith

Demon Faith

Zombie Faith

Living Faith

Conclusion

Big Idea: Faith without action is dead. Authentic (Mature) Faith is living faith.

What About You?