Faith that Works

Good morning, Ambassadors! I’m grateful to be able to open up the book of James with you once again. We’re in a 3 part series in the book of James, entitled “Morals that Move.” I have entitled this second installment “Faith that Works.” My hope for us this morning is to see that our works build a faith that stands like a strong tower that can withstand all the trials that life can throw at us. Let’s read the whole text together and then we’ll get started.

James 2:14–26 ESV

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. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

So much of the New Testament uses imagery of death vs. life; darkness vs. light. This text highlights the idea that faith is either alive or dead. James’ language, at first glance seems to be at odds with Paul. This is the chapter that causes so much debate in seminaries, denominational settings, and between pastors all around the world. We come to this asking the question:

What role does good works play in my faith?

The doctrine of Sola Fide - faith alone - is a cornerstone doctrine to the majority of Christian denominations. We affirm here that it is by grace alone - sola gratia - through faith alone that we are saved/justified. We see as much here as explained by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

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.

Now we can contrast this with the first section of our text in James 2:

James 2:14–17 ESV

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.

So we see then here that we seem to be at a crossroads. Ephesians 2:9 tells us that we have been saved by faith that is “not a result of works.” James says in verse 17, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” Are we contradictory here? Is Scripture refuting Scripture? Absolutely not. Paul is addressing in Ephesians what produces our salvation. James is addressing what our salvation produces. So as we are in the book of James, let’s look at what James is trying to get us to recognize.

James 2:14 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

If someone says he has faith is SUCH a crucial statement. Is there a person in your life who has made claims about something but never backed it up? Have you ever had a conversation with a friend who is a huge fan of a sports team but you’ve never known them to have ever watched a game? Do you know someone really into fitness but the last time they worked out was when Bush was President (The First One)? None of these people are bad people! They may truly believe that their intentions and desires are enough to make these claims, but their actions do not meet the appropriate standard for their claim.

Story about Grandma that Dad told

Let’s continue to look at this first section once again

James 2:15–17 ESV

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.

We see how our profession of faith seems to others a waste of words unless met with actions. When we talk a good game but fail to act with a generous spirit or to exude the fruits of the Holy Spirit, we essentially tell the world around us “Do as I say, not as I do.” And it is as James asks, what good is that?

So the answer I have for us to our first question is this:

Good works are the fuel we add to the fire of faith.

What happens when you add logs to your fire? The fire grows, it burns brighter, longer, and hotter. So to does our works for our faith. You see, our faith is a gift of God as Paul tells us in Ephesians. God is the one who ignites the fire of our faith and it is only by His grace that it is lit and sustained. Even our works are a result of God’s grace, because it is through grace that we receive faith and through faith that we do good works. But intent in this case is no good. If you’re sitting by the fire, and say, “I really like this fire, I hope it keeps going,” but do not get up to put on more logs, that fire will die out.

Additionally, I do not want to say that those who are unregenerate do nothing good, no; the common grace that God gives lends all people to the ability to do what is good and right. But moreso, the Christian does what is good, honorable, and loving because of the transformation that has taken place. Dr. John MacArthur says it like this:

“Works are the manifestation of the transformation that has taken place.” - Dr. John MacArthur

James 2:18–20 ESV

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

This I believe sets the stage for us for our second question. Because we understand that belief and faith are necessary, and works are necessary evidences of our faith:

So What do the good works look like?

This question is where we find our examples from James. You may ask yourself, “Ok, I hear the Bible saying stuff, but what do I take with me from it?” The Psalmist says about God’s Word, “Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you, God.” This mentality of bringing God’s commands into the depths of our hearts is where we begin to manifest outside what has been transformed inside. We get examples here from James like the hypothetical in verse 15 about clothing and feeding the needy; but we also get examples (two very different people you might consider) from the Old Testament

James 2:21–23 ESV

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.

Abraham as an example comes up so often in the New Testament, because in many ways, he embodies in the Old Covenant everything that Jesus made new in the New Covenant. I love the phrase “Faith was completed by his works.” In the same way, our faith is complete by the work of Christ and being completed in us by our works. But we ought not miss verse 23 - his belief was counted to him as righteousness. It was his faith that made him righteous and his works that acted as the seal of our righteousness. He obeyed God in taking his son Isaac to the altar as a sacrifice, knowing that God’s Word was to be followed even when it was uncomfortable.

Similarly, when we are baptized after making a profession of faith, we are doing a good work that acts as a seal to our salvation. It’s the first major step in the spiritual activity.

Then James brings in Rahab of Jericho.

James 2:25–26 ESV

25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

Rahab could have easily thwarted the spies of Israel and led them to capture, but she followed God and honored the people of Israel. She obeyed.

Last week we look at James 1 where it said:

James 1:27 ESV

27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

So we see even here earlier from James what good works look like and what they are. But they are even rooted in something deeper, as we are shown in the examples of Rahab and Abraham.

Good works begin with Trust and Obedience.

I grew up singing the song “Trust and Obey.” Its first verse goes something like this.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey

Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Abraham and Rahab rooted their deeds in trust and obedience. Even Jesus’ final moments in the Garden before his arrest were the prayers He was praying to the Father, placing His trust in the Father’s plan and obeying to the point of death on a cross.

Now What?

Where do we go from here? When you and I walk out the doors, what ought to be our conviction and conscience?

1. Assess the state of your faith

Where is my walk with God? Is it mature? Are the works/are there markers that give evidence of a faith within? Or am I just going through the motions and saying that I have faith?

2. Place your faith (Trust) in Jesus for your salvation

3. Obey God’s Word by loving Him and others with all your heart