James: Faith That Works Part 9
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James 1:1
The gospel always points us to faith in Christ alone for salvation.
The gospel always points us to faith in Christ alone for salvation.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
“Believes” - Central to the gospel is the truth that we are saved by Grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Anything other that this truth is not the gospel.
The Philippian Jailor asked the pressing question to Paul and Silas -
pause. It is possible to claim, and to believe you possess, genuine saving faith when in fact you do not.
Allber
30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
30
Consistently throughout the text of scripture we are show that the gospel always points us to faith alone in Christ alone as the sole means of salvation from God’s eternal judgment.
Problem - James places a lot of emphasis on works as it relates to one’s standing with God.
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James
Because of this there were those who viewed this book with skepticism and were reluctant to see it as God’s word.
In his first edition of the translation of the bible into German Luther viewed James with a great deal of skepticism. He felt that James clashed with Paul…So in his translation notes he called it an epistle of straw.
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary IV. Canonicity
epistle of straw”
“An Epistle of Straw”
Martain Luther
Does James contradict the gospel’s teaching that faith alone saves? NO
Does James contradict the gospel’s teaching that faith alone saves? NO
James does not teach unbiblical version of salvation.
Faith + Works = Salvation
Faith + Works = Salvation
Jesus + Nothing = Everything
Jesus + Nothing = Everything
Faith that doesn’t result in kingdom works is not saving faith.
Faith that doesn’t result in kingdom works is not saving faith.
Our claims are not always an accurate reflection of what we really think and believe—but our deeds are. We do not always live what we say we believe—but we do always believe what we live out.
It is as easy as saying a few words, checking a box on a form, making a comment on Facebook, or answering a question in a survey. Faith is easily claimed, but James says it may not be genuine Christian faith.
Here is the genuinely frightening truth that should give you and me pause. It is possible to claim, and to believe you possess, genuine saving faith when in fact you do not. It is possible, in other words, to believe you have things sorted with God—that you will not face his judgment, that there is hope for you beyond the grave—and yet remain under the judgment of God. It is possible, in short, unknowingly to possess counterfeit faith.
It is possible to claim, and to believe you possess, genuine saving faith when in fact you do not.
Allberry, Sam. James For You: Showing you how real faith looks in real life (God's Word For You) (p. 74). The Good Book Company. Kindle Edition.
Allberry, Sam. James For You: Showing you how real faith looks in real life (God's Word For You) (p. 74). The Good Book Company. Kindle Edition.
What James means is that that type of faith never saved anyone.
The result of saving faith is always good works.
The result of saving faith is always good works.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Good works is not the cause of salvation but the effect.
Good works is not the cause of salvation but the effect.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
A faith that doesn’t save my soul will never help my neighbor.
A faith that doesn’t save my soul will never help my neighbor.
Question -
Question -
Claiming faith in Jesus Christ is not enough.
Is it possible that I can say the right things about Christ without