Living Out Our Faith Openly - Chapter 2/Paragraph 2
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Tonight, we are going to back and do a quick synopsis of James 2:14-26. Now, as you may remember, James chapter 2 contains two major paragraphs. Paragraph one starts with verse 1 and ends with verse 13. We pick up the second paragraph in verse 14 and it runs to the end of the chapter. Last week, we concluded our study of each verse within this second paragraph.
PARAGRAPH RECAP
PARAGRAPH RECAP
Let’s begin by going back to our verse study and summarizing what we have learned in each.
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
It is quite apparent that the topic of discussion is faith and its relationship with works. The Holy Spirit poses a great question for us to consider. The essence of that question being what is gained (profit) by the person who says they have faith in the Lord, but there are not works (actions) to back that up. Then, the Holy Spirit follows that up with another question to consider as well. Can faith alone save a person? In other words, is salvation based just on believing alone. We will come back to the answers in a bit.
Next verses were verse 15 and 16 which examined together since they were one compete sentence.
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
The Holy Spirit follows up verse 14 with a practical illustration. The illustration is quite clear. The situation being that we have in our midst a fellow brother or sister in Christ who is in need of two basic things - clothing and food. We know they are in need, yet we say to them “Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled.” A perfectly good thing to say to someone in need. However, not so good, when you have within your means the provisions they need and yet offer no help. Thus, the words you say become empty words. If you really meant what you said then you out of the goodness of your heart would have provided what they needed. Nothing is gained.
We continue with verses 17 and 18 which say...
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 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.
In the same manner as the illustration provided, the Holy Spirit emphasizes the emptiness of faith without works. Here He likens such faith as being dead and being alone. It is quite possible for a person to say they have faith and another to say they have works. Yet, faith without works is dead and works without faith is meaningless. The true believer is a person who performs right actions based on their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and the promises of God’s Word. You can only “shew” your faith by your “works.”
Now look with me at verse 19.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
To believe that there is one God is a wonderful thing. People who do so are on the right path; they do “well.” However, simple belief in one God is not sufficient for a living faith. How do we know? Well, as the Holy Spirit correctly demonstrates, the devils (demons) also believe in God and tremble before Him. A fact easily illustrated by Christ’s encounters with demons during His earthly ministry.
Now comes a series of more thought provoking questions by the Holy Spirit.
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.
Note that there is something we as vain people need to know and understand. We need to know that true, genuine faith in God without works is dead. In other words. a true, genuine faith in God is a LIVING FAITH. From there, the Holy Spirit directs our attention to Abraham. Specifically, the Holy Spirit points to pinnacle moment of Abraham’s faith in the promises of God. It is that moment when Abraham places his only son, the son of promise, upon an alter to sacrifice him. A sacrifice that was ordered by the Lord. And, as we know, Abraham without question and with complete faith in God did what God required. His actions were completely dependent upon his faith. In then end, God was very please with Abraham. For Abraham, it served to increase his faith in God as God answered and provided a sacrifice sparing Isaac, Abraham’s son. Thus, Abrahams faith was “made perfect” or more mature as the Greek word for “perfect” literally means mature. Additionally, Abraham’s actions based on his faith in God fulfilled Scripture, he was counted as righteous before God, and gained the title “Friend of God.”
Look at the next verse - verse 24.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
The Holy Spirit’s illustration of Abraham perfectly demonstrates the importance of faith and works. Abraham’s belief was much deeper than just a simple acknowledgment of God and His promises. His actions confirm this. The emphasis once again being that there is a direct correlation between a LIVING FAITH and WORKS. Any faith without works is DEAD. The justification or confirmation of any person’s faith is their works aka actions.
Look again at our text and now verse 25.
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Here we are provide with one additional example. This time we have someone who is completely the opposite of Abraham. We have Rahab a woman. Additionally, she is not a Jewish woman, but she is an Amorite. She was born as enemy of Israel and, thus, she was born an enemy of God. Furthermore, she was a prostitute. Yet, she was a woman who had heard the stories surrounding Jehovah God. Stories that she chose to believer. Then, when God’s men arrived in her city, she received them, hid them, and helped them to escape. She becomes another example of a someone whose faith was confirmed by her actions earning her a place in Scripture as well as the lineage of Christ the Redeemer.
Now final verse of this chapter - verse 26.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
The Holy Spirit finishes with this brief summary. A body with a spirit is dead. Every person born into this world is born spiritually dead already. They cannot know the things of God and are not capable of living a spiritual life. Thus, it is quite impossible for true, genuine faith in God and His Son to be without works or actions that confirm that faith. Faith without works is dead. That is the BOTTOM LINE!
Now let me remind you that...
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
So, as we look back at this paragraph, what have we learned that is “profitable” for us.
DOCTRINE (aka What is Right)
DOCTRINE (aka What is Right)
The Holy Spirit has taught us much about FAITH. You may recall that a few times I gave you three things that characterizes FAITH as taught in the New Testament. There are three elements of genuine faith. They are...
A FIRM CONVICTION in what God has said or promised in His Word. A conviction so strong that it leads to...
A PERSONAL SURRENDER to the Lord Jesus Christ as your only source of salvation and making Him Lord of your life. A surrendering that is confirmed by...
OUTWARD ACTIONS. Actions that justify your faith and your submission to Christ.
All of these elements are found in our text.
FIRM CONVICTION
FIRM CONVICTION
You must open your ears to hear and your heart to understand the facts of God’s Word. When you do, Scripture tells us that “faith cometh.” Note...
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Thus this kind of faith is a faith that is more than just believing. This kind of faith is the instrument through which God’s grace is able to flow. Simple belief does not cut it. Remember from our text that “the devils also believer, and tremble.” (verse 19). No, this faith is a faith through which God is able to save a person’s soul.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Believing or “saving” faith is nothing more than us hearing God’s Word as we open our hearts to its message. As we do, then the Holy Spirit works to convict us of our sin revealing how truly hopeless and helpless we are before God. He then points us to the cross of Calvary and the sacrificial death of our Lord. We begin to realize that He is our only Hope causing us to fall to our knees asking for God’s forgiveness as we repent of our sins. And, then, we are able to accept fully in hearts the fact that Christ has already paid the price for our sin setting us free from its bondage. Thus, salvation comes not because of what we have done, but all because of what God has done. It is not our works and not of ourselves. It is truly a gift that only comes from God. It is His grace shed abroad in our hearts through faith.
From there, saving faith becomes a living faith. That is the emphasis of this wonderful paragraph in James 2.
PERSONAL SURRENDERING
PERSONAL SURRENDERING
Our firm conviction concerning our sin and the Savior who has redeemed us drives us to a personal surrender to Him as Lord. That was the point of the Holy Spirit’s illustration from Abraham’s life. There is no doubt that by the time Abraham arrives at the moment of God’s request for Isaac’s sacrifice that Abraham learned personal surrendering. Throughout that entire situation Abraham remains an obedient and surrendered servant of God. He does not question God. He does seek alternative solutions to God’s request. He quietly and calmly gathers all the necessary items for the sacrifice. He travels along with his servants and his son, Isaac, to Moriah. Then, he ascends the mountain with his son. His son, by the way, inquires as to the sacrifice itself. When he does, Abraham meekly says with confidence, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering...” The come to the place of sacrifice. Abraham builds the altar, lays the wood on the altar, binds his son placing him on the altar, unsheathes his knife and is in the act of slaying his son when God stops him. Even then, when the angel of the Lord calls out to him, Abraham responds with the words of obedient and surrendered servant saying, “Here am I.” You see saving faith as well as living faith is always characterized by a PERSONAL SURRENDER to the Lord. All of us who are sitting here this evening having place our faith in Christ did so as we personally surrendered to all that the Lord had already done for us. Now, each day, we are to arise out of our sleep ready to face each day as His personal servant focused on doing His will. We are to put aside our desires, wants, and needs. We are to focus each day only on what God desires, wants, and needs. Our prayer every moment of every day is to be “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
As we live our lives firmly persuaded of God and His promises along with a daily personal surrendering to Him as Lord, there is no doubt that our outward actions will be reflection of those things.
OUTWARD ACTIONS
OUTWARD ACTIONS
That is the heart of the Holy Spirit’s message to us in the second half of James 2.
Remember His Words!
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
It why the Holy Spirit says...
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.
Christ said...
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
He also said...
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
The point is clear. A person who genuinely, truly believes in Christ as their Lord and Savior is a person who daily surrenders to Him and demonstrates it through their obedience to Him with their words and their actions. Words and actions that leave no doubt that they belong to Him and He to them.
REPROOF (What is NOT RIGHT)
REPROOF (What is NOT RIGHT)
Well, obviously, it is not right when a person say they have faith and have no works to justify their statement.
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
This is an area where we need to heed caution. Our job is not to judge others. The problem is that too many have in the past taken these verses to mean we have right to judge people based on their actions. It is an easy trap to fall into for sure. I know that I of all people am prone to do so. It is frustrating to continually preach and teach God’s Word week in and week out only to see people who claim to be believers take actions that are contradictory. However, as I said, our job is not to judge others. Our job is look within our own selves making sure we are walking the talk. Christ specifically told us...
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
and followed that up with...
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Therefore, the words of James 2 are meant for our own reflection. We are to ask ourselves are if our actions are backing up our faith. If not, then we need to take the necessary steps to realign our action with our faith. Which brings us to...
CORRECTION (How to GET RIGHT)
CORRECTION (How to GET RIGHT)
Correction is simple.
Realize your mistake. Acknowledge it as such to the Lord. Repent asking for the Lord’s help. Ask forgiveness. Start once again being an obedient servant of the Lord.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
And, then, last...
INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS (How to Stay Right)
INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS (How to Stay Right)
Continually surrender to do the Lord’s will and not your own. Live obediently to His Word. For that to happen, you must daily be in God’s Word ready and studying it. Do so with the intent of living it each day. Our text is great instruction in how to rightly be a person of LIVING FAITH. A challenge that now know and understand. Now, let’s implore the Holy Spirit to helps us live out our faith openly so that all may see Christ as their own personal Savior and Lord.