James 2:14-26, Faith withWorks
James 2:14-26
March 18, 2007
Intro: Look at your own life, check it out “WHAT WE DO, REVEALS WHO WE ARE”.
A- You’ll label yourself according to your occupation.
1- When asked what you do you’ll answer who you are.
a- “What do you do for a living”?
b- “Oh I’m a Dr, teacher, construction worker.
2- My daughter, who’s a sister, is now a mother.
a- How do I know this = SQUEEK
- She has produced a baby and cares for that baby.
3- Me, I’m a grandfather.
b- How would you know this.
- My daughter has a child and I play with that
child.
· Returning said child upon crying or
diaper filling.
B- See, what is in your heart will be revealed through your hands.
1- Especially when it comes to faith; Belief will always result in behavior.
a- SO Christian, how do you know that you are SAVED, BORN AGAIN, TRULLY a CHRISTIAN???
- Because: I have faith, responded to the Gospel, I believe.
Ephesians 2:8-9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
· GOOD ANSWER BUT how do you really know that you have faith???
2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves (determine quality). Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
- The best barometer is what flows from
heart to hand.
C- So know this going into this section of scripture with the background I just gave:
1- It’s not about: FAITH AND WORKS, It’s not about FAITH OR WORKS, But it’s all about FAITH THAT WORKS.
a- In your job; If you show up, work hard, be faithful, at the end of the week, YOU’LL GET A PAY CHECK.
- You’ve earned it.
b- In your Christian life; You’ve been given a pay check that you could never earn.
- Then you’ve been asked to go to work.
Ø SO three things that we’ll look at tonight keeping this context:
#1- Dead Faith (V:14-17)
#2- Demonic Faith (V:18-20)
#3- Dynamic Faith (21-26)
Read Verses 14-17
A- So James asks the church to consider; IF THE BEHAVIOUR IS NOT THERE IS THE BELIEF REALLY THERE?
1- See you can not substitute words for deeds.
a- The key to Verse 14 = “If someone says”
- This person is very theologically astute.
* BUT there is no physical evidence to
support what he says.
2- What specific “works” is James talking about.
a- In this epistle he mentions 10:
- Endurance, perseverance under trial, purity
of life, obedience to scripture, compassion,
impartiality, control of the tongue, humility,
truthfulness, and patience.
· A list intended to be an example and not all inclusive.
B- Then he asks the question “Can faith save him?”
1- Better worded: “can that type of faith save him”
a- Is there salvation in a faith that has no bearing on
your life???
Matthew 7:16-18, You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
John Calvin: “It’s faith alone that justifies, BUT faith that justifies can never be alone.”
Ø Now before I read the next verses keep this in mind:
Read 1 John 4:7-11 & 20-21
Read Verses 15-17
1 John 3:17, But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
A- The heart is one of false compassion.
1- The person is basically saying: “God bless you” I’ll pray
for you BUT I’ll not put any effort into helping you.
a- The hard part in the church today is those who truly need help and those who want to help their selves.
- CCO has always been able to meet legitimate needs, and we’ve been taken a few times.
Read Acts 4:32-35
#2- There’s Dead Faith THEN Demonic Faith
Read Verses 18-20
Warren Wiersbe: A person can be enlightened in his mind and even stirred in his heart and be lost forever.
A- James gives a challenge to all who “profess” to be believers.
1- The “someone” here = James
a- He challenges this hypothetical person to do
something that is impossible:
- You can not display faith without works & if works are not displayed then faith needs to be brought into question.
Ephesians 2:8-10, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ø IMPORTANT: Do not confuse knowledge with faith.
A- A person may know the bible from cover to cover and
still not be saved.
1- Look at the example of demons.
Read Verse 19
a- Demons know of:
- The deity of Christ (Mark 3:11-12)
- The existence of hell (Luke 8:31)
- Jesus Christ as judge (Mark 5:1-13)
- AND they are submitted to His word.
· BUT as they believe they also tremble because of a lack of saving faith.
· It’s how even an atheist can do the moral thing.
James 2:20, But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
A- “Foolish” = Godless is the face of God.
1- Dead = ceases to exist (2nd time mentioned)
#3- So there’s Dead Faith THEN Demonic Faith and NOW
Dynamic Faith.
Read Verses 21-26
A- This section of scripture has erroneously turned into the proof text that works are necessary for salvation.
a- If James is contradicting the doctrine of “Faith alone for salvation” then the bible is in error.
- If the bible is in error then all the doctrines are called into question.
2- The misunderstanding lies at the definition of the word “JUSTIFIED”
a- We need to understand that thee are two general meanings of this word:
#1- The 1st and most common is definition is: To be totally and
completely acquitted.
A- This is to be seen as having never sinned.
1- We looked at it and the theology from it at length in Romans.
Romans 3:24, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Romans 3:28, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Titus 3:7, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
#2- The 2nd definition is: Revealed righteousness.
Jesus said: Luke 7:35, But wisdom is justified (revealed) by all her
children.”
B- Look at Abraham’s example:
Reread Verses 21-24 w/revealed
1- James’ point here is look at the scriptures and see when Abraham was no longer seen as a sinner:
Read Genesis 15:1-6 Abe = saved
2- Then there is the events of Genesis 22 (See V:21)
a- Abe’s salvation is seen through his works.
> SO in conclusion (3rd time)
Read Verses 25-26
A- Dead Faith, Demonic Faith, OR Dynamic Faith.
1- Which describes you???
2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
James 2:14-26
March 18, 2007
Ephesians 2:8-9
2 Corinthians 13:5
Matthew 7:16-18
1 John 4:7-11 & 20-21
1 John 3:17
Acts 4:32-35
Ephesians 2:8-10
Romans 3:24
Romans 3:28
Titus 3:7
Luke 7:35
Genesis 15:1-6
2 Corinthians 13:5