Faith & Works

ME-

Pizza Man story

Ordered pizza had it delivered.

Usually I plan ahead / but was busy with something and didn't plan.

Wife rushes in and hands me 2 twenties.

Caught off guard I rush to the door to get the pizza.

I had 2 twenties and needed change and somewhere in between the exchange of bills it got confusing.

Well I gave him what I thought was more than enough. Got my pizza.

I didn't feel good about what just went down.

So I sit down and think through the numbers and somehow I short changed the guy a few dollars on the pizza and didn't tip him.

I short changed the pizza man!

What made it worse was that I gave him a little attitude when I shut the door.

HOW DO I MAKE THIS RIGHT?

Drove down to the shop and dropped off the correct amount of money.

I remember driving home and thinking “not many people would right that wrong”

They would just pocket the money but not I, I am a Christian.

WE- Anyone ever experience this rollercoaster of emotion (guilt/self-rightousness)?

When you sin, intentionally or not do you ever think that God’s view of you changes?

When you do good do you think God thinks of you as more righteous?

When you sin do you think God thinks of you less?

If Jesus makes us righteous, does this mean this is a license to sin?

If Jesus makes us righteous, why do I go to church, pray, give…etc.

Question of the night:

How are we made righteous before God?

Faith or Works?

GOD-

Does James Contradict Paul?

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.”

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

Which is it, faith or works?

Whenever these types of questions or assertions come up, it so important to look at the passages, the context, culture and historical background.

Overview of Romans

Apostle Paul

Audience was mainly Gentiles, pagans and a small minority of Jews

Written AD 57

Issues: Jewish minority were being rejected by larger Gentile group for following dietary laws and sacred days. There is confusion: am I going to hell if I don't follow these rules?

FOCUS-How to get into right relationship with God.

Chapter 3

22 This righteousness is given through faith in[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[b] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.

Leeway into Abraham

Chapter 4

9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!

Summary:

Paul is stating that there is not difference between Jew or Gentile, all have sinned.

All are justified through Christ Jesus and this redemption and that this is to be received by faith.

Using Abraham as an example he said he was justified by his faith BEFORE circumcision.

Overview of James

James -Brother of Jesus.

Possibly the first book written in the NT.

Audience was mainly Jewish Christians.

Written 50-60 AD

FOCUS-What it means to live as Christians.

James-2:14-26

New International Version (NIV)

Faith and Deeds

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[a]? 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,”[b] 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.

Summary:

James opens up about dead useless faith. (Go and be well fed-hrs lying)

He creates this imaginary argument that faith and deeds are separate. (he says this is foolish)

Makes the point that Abrahams faith and actions were “working together.” and made “complete”

You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by (dead) faith alone.

How do we reconcile?

#1 Paul is talking to newly converted Gentiles/James is talking to complacent Jewish Christians

Two different discussions:

Paul to confused Gentiles; Jesus did it all- receive by faith.

James to complacent Christians; Actions speak louder than words.

#2 Paul is talking about the beginning of salvation, James is talking about the end.

#3 Abraham (Paul-justified before circumcision) (James-Faith made complete / not compete)

Main Point- Faith justifies, works testify.

New International Version (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.

Apple tree example.

Faith Stair diagram

You-

Why does this matter?

It matters because you know exactly where you stand with God.

It matters because you are no longer doing things out of legalism but love for God.

It matters because when you stand before God your works will testify of your faith.

We-

Response:

To the person who is doing to earn justification.

-Repent and receive Jesus to be made right with God.

To the person who knows the truth but isn't acting on it.

-Get in the game, not to be made righteous but because you already have been.

Pray to close.

Break up into prayer groups.