FAITH THAT WORKS, PART 1: OBEDIENCE

FAITH THAT WORKS, PART 1: OBEDIENCE James 2:14-23 January 16, 2011 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introduction During the ministry of John the Baptizer many religious leaders were coming out to where he was ministering, and not a few of them were baptized along with other penitents. But John said to them: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. That doesn’t sound like a very nice way to treat those who are walking the aisle during your revival meeting! He went on: And do not think you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” (Mat. 3:7f) He told them that unless their faith was real, deep and personal, it would do them absolutely no good. Matthew 7:21 records the words of Jesus, Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (vss. 22-23) Everyone who hears these word of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man . . .(Mat. 7:26) A religious leader came to Jesus secretly by night to talk theology. Jesus told him that talking about faith meant nothing, and that he needed to be born again—to repent and put his whole trust in God. There is a faith that saves people through the grace of Jesus Christ—his death, burial and resurrection—and there is a faith that does not save people. In both cases the faith confessed is faith in God, in Christ, but one will save you and the other won’t. What is the difference? In John 8:30-31 your Bible says, Even as Jesus spoke [to the Jews gathered around him], many put their faith in him. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you continue in my word/teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” The clear inference there is that some, if not many, of those who expressed their belief had really not become his disciples. They were not “MATHETES  ALETHOS,” or, genuine disciples. Famed psychologist Alfred Adler wrote, “…life happens at the level of action…We are not what we say, but we are what we do.” James, the brother of Jesus and author of our scripture text this morning, would agree wholeheartedly with Adler. Because he also says, What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? That’s a rhetorical, conditional question the answer to which is clearly NO. In fact, the New Testament’s consistent teaching regarding real, genuine faith might be summarized by these three points: 1. Only genuine faith is saving faith There is a faith often expressed by disciples that is not genuine and does not save. 2. Only genuine faith produces the new nature As such the disciple of Jesus may discern if his is genuine, saving faith by whether or not the new nature Christ died to provide us is taking shape in his life. 3. The new nature proves itself through good works We know if the new nature is in fact taking shape in us by the presence or absence of good works in our lives. Scripture text This morning and next Sunday’s teaching will both be devoted to verses 14-26 of James 2. I want to develop both of the two themes I see exposed here. Read text. An important clarification James is making an important point in this text—that there is a kind or quality of faith that does not save, that is not “genuine”. He says that the proof of genuine faith is whether that faith produces good works in the believer’s life. What James is not saying is that good works are the means by which we are saved—that is, if we do the right quantity and quality of good deeds, such as these outlined in the text, we will have earned God’s pleasure and He will then, on the basis of our merit give us an eternal reward in heaven, as well as forgiveness of our sins and His indwelling Spirit while we are yet in this life. We want to affirm the basic doctrine of Christian faith, and that is that God grants salvation to sinners by His grace, not on the basis of our merit, but on the merits of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. He gives this salvation to those who believe, or have faith. As Romans 11:6 says, And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Well, if salvation is by grace through faith, how can James say that faith is not enough? He does say, …faith without deeds is useless… (Js. 2:20) So, are we to follow the false teaching that is so prevalent in parts of the church that says If you don’t add good works to your faith, you cannot be saved? Good works do not save you, but they do serve as evidence of your saving faith. This is why James goes to great lengths to clarify that faith that is not genuine, saving faith cannot save you. And to know if your faith is genuine, you should be able to show the evidence of good works. We do not do good works in order to be saved; we do good works because we are saved. Ephesians 2:8-10 – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Now watch this – the basis of our receiving God’s grace gift of salvation is faith. But verse 10 gives us God’s purpose in saving those who believe: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Legally, you need a driver’s license to drive. But if you are driving with a license that is expired or forged, you are no longer legal. And for as long as you were driving with that unqualified document in your wallet, you’ve been illegal. James is telling us there is an illegitimate/dead faith many have that cannot save. We receive God’s grace and are saved by His grace when we believe, or when we exercise our faith and trust in Christ. But if our faith in Christ is merely a bunch of words, it isn’t faith. This is what is frightening about a lot of the easy believism being taught and practiced today. Just say this prayer; just repeat after me: I believe in Jesus… If there is no genuineness in the heart, can such words save a person? Of course, many of us begin our pursuit of Christ, our journey of early discipleship in just that way, and we soon learn what faith and commitment really mean. And our faith deepens, grows in genuineness. But if that growth and deepening never happens, how can we claim we have real faith? After all, James says, even demons believe (mental assent) the key points of the gospel. Of course, this being true, the critical question each of us faces is this: Is my faith genuine, saving faith? Or am I a fool thinking I am saved, when in reality I may be one of those very religious, but misguided people to whom Jesus says, “I never knew you!”? Is my faith actually “saving faith”? James says there is a very simple litmus test—a question to ask yourself: Do I do good works in the name of the Lord? What kind of good works are we talking about? Well, he gives us at least 4: 1. Works of compassion – verses 14-17 2. Works of true belief – verses 18-19 3.  Works of faithful obedience – verses 20-24 4. Works of kingdom service – verses 25-26 These are all tests that are essentially obedience to God. We should not be surprised that James would give us ways to test our faith. He’s been doing that all along. In chapter one there was the test of perseverance and trust, the tests of trials, humility, and temptations. There was the test of not merely listening to the Word, but doing what it says and the test of keeping a tight rein on the tongue. Chapter two took us through the tests of prejudice and speaking and acting as those who understand the law of freedom. These are all issues of obedience and growth that are found all over the Bible and targeted right at those who say they are the people of God, asking them the key question, If you are a genuine disciple, are these things happening in your life? And we’re not talking about perfection here. We’re talking about a desire to please God in these areas, and real life effort in those directions. After all, we know that God has saved us in order to demonstrate His glory in this world through our good works, and we also know we are called to grow into the character of Christ. What not to do with these good works Let’s be clear, once again, on the process by which we come to engage in the good works. Because if you change the order around, you get teaching on faith and works all messed up. First in order and in importance is this: We are saved only because of the grace of God expressed in Christ, and only when we respond to that grace with genuine faith. Genuine faith does not need to be large—a mustard seed sized faith will do—but it must be sincere toward God as we accept Christ. Genuine faith acknowledges that without Christ I am totally lost. I have nothing to bring to Him but my sinful life and my need of a Savior. That means I know that my best efforts, my good works as a sinner will not earn His favor for me; only Jesus does that. Then, when the faith transaction is made—even as it is being made—God gives me a totally new nature as He promised. If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ. Not because I deserve it, but because Jesus earned it for me, I am forgiven of my sins and I am given the most awesome gift of all—the presence of His own Holy Spirit to live within me. He is there for a host of godly reasons. He reassures me I am God’s child, He brings God’s Word to life for me, He gives me gifts and abilities to put to work for God, He bears the fruit of character development within my life, and He empowers me to do good works for God. Get this: I cannot please God with good works until I am saved and God’s Spirit inspires and generates those good works in me and through me. The Bible is clear: all my BC good deeds are like filthy rags before God; all my AD good deeds are valuable as gifts of sacrifice and honor to God. First, salvation by faith regardless of good works; then and only then, the new nature. Third, filled and empowered by His Spirit, I begin to do good deeds that are inspired and generated by the Spirit. Three things are true: 1) I cannot do these things on my own, 2) When I do them in and through His Spirit they are evidence of the genuine faith and new nature at work within me, and 3) The absence of good works in my life is evidence of the absence of the Holy Spirit, the new nature and therefore my salvation. That is not to say that unless you are doing good works every minute, 24/7, you have lost your salvation (and your new nature and the Holy Spirit), but it does mean that your life will be increasingly characterized by good deeds done in the name of the Lord. Why? Because you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for [you] to do. (Eph. 2:10) That’s how faith and good works are married. And that’s why, when the good works are not evidenced in the life of a person, whatever faith s/he might have is not saving faith. In fact, James calls it “dead faith”—faith “by itself…not accompanied by action.” Conclusion There is a wonderful illustration of this connection between genuine faith and good works. In all the trees that God created there is a system at work. Leaves perform the very important task of photosynthesis. As they work they need constant renewal of energy. That is supplied by the sap the tree produces when it draws nutrients from the roots, which are extracted from the soil. As the leaves consume those nutrients through the sap, a suction is formed that keeps the sap coming up the tree from the roots. In our life of faith we draw life from Christ and His Spirit, but a continual supply of fresh spiritual nutrition depends on our willing obedience in doing good works. Without the works there is no demand, no suction, no drawing on the Spirit for life. When the works aren’t there, there is no perpetuation of spiritual life. That’s a way of looking at the process in reverse. Where true salvation takes place, faith in our heart is looked on by God with favor. When we believe we receive salvation, including forgiveness and His Spirit—in essence, the new nature. When that new nature is in place, it can’t help but bring about the spiritual changes of maturity. James says that one of the most obvious of those changes will be the carrying out of good works for God. If those good works are not there, that is a symptom that the process has not occurred. God is perfectly faithful to fulfill His promises, so the only conclusion possible in a life that is void of the desire to do good works and the obedient response to God through good works is that faith is DOA. What do you do when you discover that sad situation describes you? Here is what you don’t do—you don’t run out and try to manufacture good deeds out of your own carnal strength. That results in failure, misery and confusion. That’s the stuff of empty religious ritual and legalistic efforts. That’s religion, and not relationship with God. All kinds of toxic things happen when we go back to trying to be good enough, or trying to look like we’re good, so others won’t know we’re spiritually dead. What should a person do who realizes his faith is dead, that it is not saving faith? Seek the Lord like any other sinner. Start your conversion all over again. Ask God to bring you a spirit of conviction and godly sorrow over your sin and your lost condition. Then come to Him in repentance and faith, real faith, and let Him save you, give you a brand new nature and release you to do good works     [ Back to Top]