Genuine Faith

James 2:14–26 NIV

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 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? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 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. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 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. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 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? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Introduction: Too Heavenly Minded to be too earthly good - Atheist who challenged me about the Church being willing to Care - In other words, he was saying the Church’s Faith was not being any earthly good.

James 2:14-

What Kind of Faith is of Earthly Good?

Introduction: Too Heavenly Minded to be too earthly good - Atheist who

20 - Different Kinds of Faith

James sets up a discussion between four different types of Faiths.

Those who have Faith in something other God

Those who have a belief in God, but work against God

Those who have Faith in God’s, but it does not impact their daily actions.

Then there are those who James would suggest have a Genuine Faith.

21 - Genuine Faith Follows God’s Guidance.

Abraham and Rahab examples: A couple of observations....

The Work is not a regulation of the Law (ie. circumcision, or eating certain kinds clean foods, etc...) - This is what Paul was trying to say - Works of the Law do not save you, Faith alone does.

The Work as an example is the Will of God - This is the Spirit of the Law or God’s Guidance. The point of the Law - Love God and Love Neighbor...

Faith = Trust, and it is really hard not to follow the Guidance of someone you trust.

Taste & See Exercise - Jelly Belly taste test. - BeanBoozled.

Heresy 2: F + W = J

22 - Heresy 1: W = J

23 - Heresy 2: F + W = J

24 - Heresy 3: F = J - W

25 - Gospel: F = J + W

Galatians 5:6 LEB

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love.

According to some avid fans, most sports teams lose games because coaches refuse to listen to their recommendations. These sports “experts” watch every game on high-definition monitors, study every replay, and know the statistics on every player, who is injured, how they got that way, and when they will finish rehab. They call out play after play from the comfort of their couches, from the time the game begins to the time it ends. We all know one of these experts. They are the superfans, the couch coaches, and the Monday morning quarterbacks. They insist professional football coaches know nothing about the game—but may have never played past high school themselves (or at all). In verse 2:18, James writes, “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.” We could imagine one of our couch experts telling a coach “You may be the coach, but I know the stats.” To which the coach may reply, “Show me the stats, and I will show you every player I coached to achieve those stats.”

We can tell as many people we want about Jesus, but unless we are showing them love, we are like people shouting at their televisions. No amount of shouting and cheering actually moves the ball. In fact, if that is all the actual players are doing, the other team is going to pick it up and run with it. James tells how to move the ball in the right direction: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (). We have to ask ourselves if we are just going to shout from our couches—or are we going to get in the game and make a difference?

Tennis Illustration:

26 - Evan Almighty Clip...

27 - Start small if you have to. Smile at the cashier at the grocery store, tip your server well, give a homeless person a couple of dollars, and work up from there. Volunteer for after-school reading programs, offer free babysitting for single mothers, volunteer at soup kitchens, or find an organization working to helping others and see what volunteers they need. Even when we just give a little, it can mean a lot. When we decide to start giving, God shows us how much we have to give, and each little act may be the one that moves us on to bigger changes in the world. Jesus tells us, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” (). If we are to see the kingdom advance, we must be faithful with the small things and trust God to use our actions to impact the world around us.

Grow our Faith by excercising our Faith - As a Church Missional Communities, Life Group - Our Mission.

Conclusion:

Application Point: Is there something in your life that you do not want to do, but you know it is what God wants you to do? loving someone that is hard to love, being generous to someone who can not pay you back, living according to God’s wisdom even if it is difficult, joining Jesus’ mission to care for the orphans and widows. Trust God enough to do what he says.

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 20-23, 53, 61-64, 86, 91 Belgic Confession: Articles 22, 23, 24 Canons of Dort: Head I, Article 2-6, Head II, Articles 3, 6-7; Heads III & IV, Articles 13-14, Head V, Article 12 Belhar Confession: Articles 1-5

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Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Catechism: Q&A 20-23, 53, 61-64, 86, 91 Belgic Confession: Articles 22, 23, 24 Canons of Dort: Head I, Article 2-6, Head II, Articles 3, 6-7; Heads III & IV, Articles 13-14, Head V, Article 12 Belhar Confession: Articles 1-5