Living Out Our Faith Openly - v.20-23

Introduction

Tonight, we finally get back to our continued study of James chapter 2. It has been a few weeks, but I am looking forward to being back into it this evening. So, take your Bibles and open them to James 2.

Our text is...

James 2:20–23 (KJV 1900)

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

I decided to do these three verse together because they are connected in their content. As to whether or not we will finish all three verses this evening remains to be seen. However, we will leave off where ever we are at the end of our hour and pick back up there next Sunday evening.

Before we get into our study though let’s do a little review to refresh our understanding of the context.

This second paragraph of chapter 2 begins with verse 18.

James 2:18 KJV 1900

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

As we noted then, the Holy Spirit is directing our attention to the relationship between faith and works. The premise being that we are saved by faith. Then, because of our faith, there will outward evidence of our faith through our actions. True faith in Christ always produces outward evidence of that faith. Thus, the Holy Spirit says faith will be shown by works.

Verse 19 continues this thought with...

James 2:19 KJV 1900

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Again, we see that people can indeed believe there is one God. There is a difference between belief and faith. Belief acknowledges that something may indeed be factual. However, faith acts upon what is believed. Faith goes further than belief. Faith says I believe it and thus I am now going to act upon it.

Now, we come to verse 20-23 of which we read...

James 2:20–23 KJV 1900

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Let’s break these verses down as we normally do with a simple...

Word Study

James 2:20 KJV 1900

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

VERBS

Wilt thou – to desire; to feel or have a desire for; want strongly.

Know – to know; to know or have knowledge about (someone or something); normally as acquired through observation or the senses.

NOUNS

Man – person; a human being; sometimes collectively as people.

Faith – trust; a strong confidence in, and reliance upon, someone or something; often with the object of trust understood.

Works – duty; work that person is obliged to perform for moral or legal reasons; work, employment, or a task with idea of enterprise.

ADVERBS

ADJECTIVES

Vain – vain; vacuous and devoid of any advantage or benefit.

Dead - lifeless; no life

CONJUNCTIONS

But – but; and; now

That – that; because

Spiritual Application

What is the Holy Spirit talking about?

We know, as we have been studying this passage, that the Holy Spirit is continuing His discussion about the relationship between faith and works. Remember again verse 18.

James 2:18 KJV 1900

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

What is the Holy Spirit in verse 20 saying about the relationship of faith and works?

In order to answer that, we must consider the question as a statement. Remember that is something did this morning and have done several times already in our study of James.

The question is...

James 2:20 KJV 1900

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

“…O vain man...”

The statement then would be “Thou wilt know, O vain man, that faith with works is dead.” It is interesting that the Holy Spirit uses some strong language here as refers to us readers as “O vain man (men).” The word “vain” means empty/devoid of any advantage or benefit. To think that faith can exist without works is a empty thought. There is no doubt, as we will see from two different O.T. illustrations, that those who exhibit true faith in God are those who act on that faith. Thus, we, who are constantly vain in our imaginations, are being once again vain in thinking anything else could be true.

“…wilt thou know...”

Again, the Holy Spirit is very pointed in His language to us. If you look back to your word study sheets, you will note that the phrase “wilt thou” has the idea of strongly desiring something. In the context of verse 20, it references the word “know.” Thus, the idea is having a very strong desire to know something. In the Greek two different words for our English word “know” of “knowledge.” One of them is used when suggesting inception as well as the progress of knowledge. A good way to understand it is that of a child entering kindergarten as they begin their quest of knowledge in school. As the progress, they move to 1st grade, 2nd grade, and so on until the day they reach the 12 grade receiving in the end their diploma. The other Greek words often used suggests a fulness or completion of knowledge. It has the idea of a person having received their diploma crowing the fullness or completion of knowledge. The Greek word used here in our verse is the first one. The one suggesting that we are either at the beginning of understanding or we are still learning. We are still in the process. Thus, if you look again at verse 20, the Holy Spirit is reminding us that we are still in the process of learning the depth of faith and its relationship to work. We have not arrived. For this reason, the Holy Spirit is teaching us about this wonderful relationship between faith and works. Our job is learn. All that is asked of us is to have a strong desire to be taught by Him.

“…that faith...”

Again, we are brought back to the subject at hand - faith. I would take this moment to remind of three main elements of true faith as it relates to God.

There is FIRM CONVICTION. Faith is all about being fully persuaded in your heart and mind that God is and that He is rewarder of those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV 1900

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Such a FIRM CONVICTION always results in PERSONAL SURRENDER to Him.

John 1:12 KJV 1900

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

That FIRM CONVICTION resulting in PERSON SURRENDER is then evidenced by OUTWARD CONDUCT inspired by that conviction and surrender to Him.

2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV 1900

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Thus, true faith is a conviction that drives personal surrender and outward actions becoming of that faith. Which means, FAITH without WORKS is dead. It is nothing. It is not real faith.

I think it is interesting that when you read Hebrews 11, the great Hall of Faith, that each person noted in that chapter begins with this description - through faith (Hebrews 11:3) or by faith (Hebrews 11:4, 5,7, 8, 9, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33). With each example of faith, there follows evidence of that faith in the actions that these people took. We will deal more with O.T. examples as we continue our study over the next few verses. For, in the next few verses, the Holy Spirit is going to point to the example of a man, Abraham, and a women, Rahab, who demonstrated their faith with works proving once again that Faith without Works is dead.

“…without works...”

Works is essentially in a nutshell outward actions. In the Greek, is simply means a work, employment, or a task often with the idea of enterprise or business. The thought being an action or task being done worthy of receiving award. The preposition “without” here is key. Faith that is without, separated, apart from works is dead. In this light, we see that faith is not really faith if there are no works. Or, in a sense, faith is useless and even unprofitable unless is accompanied by works. It may seem a little redundant, but the truth remains that you cannot separate the two. If faith is the side of a coin, then works is the other side. They both go hand in hand.

“…is dead?”

As we all know something that is dead is lifeless. It has no life. There is no ability to speak, to walk, or even to interact. Thus, in the same way, spiritually speaking a person who claims to have faith and shows no proof in their outward actions is dead. Personally, I am becoming more and more skeptical of those who claim to have “faith in God” and there is no change in their behavior. Just this morning, we noted in 1 Corinthians 6 who the unrighteous (aka the unbeliever) is characterized by a life of sinful actions. Now, we are learning that true faith will always be accompanied by outward actions reflective a person desiring to please God. If there are no outward actions of pleasing God, then is there truly any faith in Him? A person who constantly lives according to the ways of this world and in constant self-gratification is a person who look and acts like an unbeliever. Christ said...

Matthew 12:33 KJV 1900

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Conclusion

Let me stop here for now. And, as I do so, let me leave this short challenge with you.

First, do you desire to please the Lord by being a person of faith. Remember faith begins with a firm conviction. Each of us everyday must make a fundamental choice. We must choose each to day to serve Him or live for ourselves. If we begin each day with a firm conviction that we are going to live for Him and please Him, we begin the day on the right foot. However, that firm conviction each day must be accompanied by personal surrender. We must surrender all that we are, all that the day ahead may hold, along with all that we possess to Him. Then, we must live obediently before Him. We must walk, talk, and think in a way the honor and pleases Him.

Second, as you live your life what kind of fruit do people see in your life? Are they seeing the fruit of a faithful believer? Are they seeing a person who outwardly conducts their life according their firm conviction that Jesus Christ is indeed Savior and Lord of you life? Or are they seeing the fruit of the unrighteous? If they are seeing the fruit of a faithful believer, praise the Lord, keep living that way? However, if they are seeing the fruit of the unrighteous, perhaps it is time to do a little soul searching in the light of God’s Word.