Victory in Action

I want to read one of the most scandalous passages in scripture. A passage that almost resulted in the book of James being thrown out of scriptural canon. A challenging passage.

READ JAMES 2:14-26

Why is this passage so challenging? It forces the reader to not only let James into the confines of their living room or backyard, but into our closets. Into the places that no one else gets to see.

For tough west Texas people, we have learned that conversations like the one we will have today are often avoided.

Why? Because these verses tell us that simply believing in God does not justify our life before Him.

But what about Paul’s writings? Didn’t he say that we are saved by grace through faith? Is this passage against other writings?

Let’s crawl around in this passage and accept the challenge.

1. Faith Without Action is Useless.

The church that James pastored in his words struggled with taking care of the poor in their neighborhood to the point that James sought to expose their behavior.

James quoted the royal law in “love your neighbor as yourself” to remind the church that we people are made for one another to live in community.

To embrace our differences and to treat everyone as equals.

James having argument with an invisible person.

A common use of writing at the time.

“What’s the point of saying that we have faith in Jesus but don’t serve others?”

“Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed” is the same as looking at someone in great need and say “good luck” to you.

James is explicit by saying, “if your claim to faith cannot be seen by your actions, you don’t have faith at all.”

Saying “God Bless You” is tough to hear at 70 miles and hour. So is saying, “I’ll pray for you” to your neighbor who needs dinner. What about claiming a true faith in Jesus Christ without mentioning His name to others in public.

The church has got to wake up. There is no victory in claiming Jesus without living with Him.

What does “saving faith” produce?

A pure heart and mind.

You don’t live right because you’re supposed to but you live right because you love God in gratitude.

When you sin, you don’t act like its nothing. Sin may be your struggle for it sure isn’t your friend.

You know who you are because of Jesus and what He has saved you from.

A willingness to love God.

The things that God is doing around you is where you want to be.

You see the kingdom in every situation.

God’s word is the only standard to live by. Everything else is pointless.

A heart to love people.

People to you because people matter to God.

You don’t avoid the mess.

The church is focused on caring for the community.

Christ centered people aren’t victorious in perfection but victorious in their focus on God’s kingdom.

Let’s kill the stigma of everyones perception of God’s church by walking in faith.

2. Victorious Faith is Not Proven, but Exhibited.

James is throwing haymakers like Mike Tyson in verse 18 and 19.

“You have faith, and I have works”

As if these two variables ought to start apart.

James is saying that faith cannot be demonstrated apart from action.

“Show” - does not mean here to prove to me, but exhibit to me. The question here is not as to the ground on which Christians are saved, but about the demonstration of their faith.

“I have a machine that makes the ‘worlds greatest milkshake’ but you’ll just have to take my word for it.”

Christians aren’t called to prove anything to the world by their works of righteousness, but we are called to demonstrate our belief in Jesus through our actions.

Our words and actions walk hand in hand. When people see us living contrary to the faith and we don’t exhibit humble character, the legitimacy of our testimony is weakened.

Our actions don’t produce saving faith, but they do exhibit the truth faith that we have within us by belief.

If you believe Jesus is the most important, I should be able to tell that by how you live and act. If I can’t tell that, there’s a problem.

3. A Victory Faith Comes With Documentation.

James uses Abraham, the father of the Jews and Rahab the prostitute to explain the same message.

When Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son to obey God, he exhibited true belief in Jesus Christ. No one questions his devotion to God through this one act.

His true belief provided righteousness, righteousness brought Abraham into a friendship with God, and a friendship with God produced true devotion.

Rahab helped Joshua and the spies survive Jericho and recieved God’s blessings by doing so.

She didn’t have the kind of life Abraham full of honor and pedigree, but her faith was exhibited no differently.

Faith is a spiritual thing, works are material. When one is not working, the other cannot exist either. They walk together.

What if there was no resurrection of Jesus?

1 Corinthians 15:13-15 -

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 15

13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith. 15 Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Being a liscensced driver is a good thing unless you aren’t carrying your license.

Those who are in Christ have a faith story. Moments in their life when their beliefs were called to the carpet and they had to walk in complete belief.

A time when if God didn’t step in and we didn’t trust Him, that everything would have fallen apart.

Am I trying to tell you that you aren’t saved if you don’t display works before others? Absolutely not. I’m simply challenging you to examine your heart and tell if Jesus is there.

When Jesus is in our heart, we are simply different and look at everything with a kingdom mindset.

Can I see some documentation?