Faith and Works - James 2:14-26

Intro: Tell the Story of Abraham Sacrificing Isaac (Gen 22:1-19)

James 2:14 CSB

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?

Point #1: To Be Saved Do I Have to Just Believe in Jesus or Do I Have to Believe and Follow Jesus?

Believe and Follow!

James puts it like this? What good is it if I say I am a Christian, but I don’t reflect Jesus to others and I don’t care for and help people?

Can faith like that save us?

James doesn’t believe so!

It’s not enough to believe the right things about Jesus if you don’t obey Him…if you don’t do what He says!

Belief/Faith doesn’t mean mental ascent (just believing it), it means that you believe it so fully that it changes your behavior! I believe flossing is the right thing to do- but I don’t floss- I haven’ put my faith in it! Belief to John, Paul and James weren’t just brain things they were full life things. Think about family exile and societal persecution with converting to Christianity- It wasn’t just an opinion it was a change of everything about you. It is true that that all you have to do is believe- but if you don’t live it out you don’t really believe it! -Grant Combs

James 2:15–17 CSB

15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

Point #2: The Kingdom of Heaven is Not a Matter of Talk but of Power! (1 Corinthians 4:20)

Matthew 25:31–40 CSB

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO HELP? ARE YOU LOOKING AT OTHERS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE OKAY?

*Do you know someone who doesn’t have enough food?

*Do you know someone that doesn’t have clean water?

*Do you know someone who doesn’t have clothes or shoes to keep them warm?

*Do you know someone who is sick and needs help?

*Do you know someone who is lonely that you could visit?

James 2:18–19 CSB

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.

Point #3: Don’t Tell Me, Show Me!

There’s an old saying that people would rather see and sermon then hear one!

As Christians we are called to show people what we believe by what we do!

When our belief and our actions line up its called having integrity!

The demon’s knew the truth about God but chose to disobey Him!

The reason they shudder is because they know the truth about God and they are terrified of Him, they are God’s enemy!

James 2:20–26 CSB

20 Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Point #4: Faith Without Works is Dead!

God promised Abraham that he would have a child in his old age...

God promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation and that all the nations of the world would be bless through them!

God told Abraham that this would happen through Isaac!

If God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and Abraham refuses, does Abraham really trust God?

Abraham believed God but Abraham also trusted God!

We have to believe and follow God he same way!

Our belief in Jesus has to come with action that cares for and helps people!