A Faith that Works, Works
Notes
Transcript
Our text today is James 2:14-26 – this is the heart of the letter, at least for my sermon series
James 2:14–26 (NIV) — 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 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 considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
First things – let’s circle back to a matter I brought up in the introduction: Is James contradicting Paul?
Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV) — 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
James 2:17 (NIV) — 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
To summarize what I said two weeks ago – Paul is battling legalism. James is battling another heresy/false teaching, easy-believism.
Note also, Paul, when he talks about faith is talking about a vibrant, living faith that expresses itself in good works.
1 Thesssalonians 1:3 (NIV) — 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NIV) — 11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.
Galatians 5:6 (NIV) — 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
First, positional righteousness refers to how we stand before God. This is what happens at the initial point of our salvation.
But then Scripture also gives a picture of practical righteousness, which refers to how we live before God. We demonstrate and grow in righteousness in the way we live.
These two understandings of righteousness are not totally separate and distinct from each other. Those who are counted as righteous in Christ practically manifest righteousness in their lives as they grow in the likeness of Christ.
Platt, David. Exalting Jesus in James
Here is James’ point:
1. Christ is the basis of our justification.
1. Christ is the basis of our justification.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) — 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2. Faith is the means of our justification.
2. Faith is the means of our justification.
Romans 5:1 (NIV) — 1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
3. Works are the evidence of our justification.
3. Works are the evidence of our justification.
Legalism puts 3 in the place of 1. Easy believism removes 3 from the equation.
So, with that said, let’s turn our attention to the matter James is addressing here. Before that I would like to read this text from the Message:
James 2:14–26 (MSG) — 14 Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? 15 For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved 16 and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? 17 Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? 18 I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.” Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove. 19 Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? 20 Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands? 21 Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? 22 Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”? 23 The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” 24 Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works? 25 The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing—what counted with God? 26 The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.
What is James saying?
1. Faith is not mere intellectual assent.
1. Faith is not mere intellectual assent.
Faith does include believing some things about God and assenting to them. Faith is not a free for all where you can believe anything you want to or make up things that are convenient for you. We have the revealed word of God in the Bible that constitute the truths of the Christian faith. A criticism of James is that he doesn’t do that, at least in depth. I think it fails to recognize the relationship James had with these readers. They were part of the church James was a leader in. James had taught them. James knows that they know the foundational tenet of the Christian faith. These were Jewish people who had taken and passed religion 101. Apparently they had fallen into the deception that knowing facts was what faith was all about. This is best apparent in 2:19:
James 2:19 (NIV) — 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You believe – you have faith. You have down the #1 belief in Christianity. Good for you. But even the demons believe that and certainly you wouldn’t make the claim that they have faith!
Faith is more than intellectual assent. How does that sit with you? Is that how you define faith? Knowing everything. Being able to pass a Bible exam. Knowing and passing an exam is great but if that is where your definition of faith is then your definition is a faulty one.
2. Faith is not simply an emotional experience.
2. Faith is not simply an emotional experience.
James 2:19 (NIV) — 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Shudder means to shiver, be afraid, your hair standing up, get the chills, even a feeling of awe. All of these things should be part of our experience of God, but that it not the extent of it.
Your awe of God is good and necessary but useless if there is no positive response.
Faith is more than an emotional response. How does that sit with you? Do you define faith because you get the chills during worship or you love going to the mountains because you experience God? Those are good things but if that is where your definition of faith ends, it is a faulty one.
3. Faith involves works.
3. Faith involves works.
True, genuine faith can be seen in what a person does. James lays out this imaginary conversation in 2:18:
James 2:18 (NIV) — 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
A faith that works, works. There is fruit. There are indications in your life.
Faith is not passing a test. It’s not a moving experience like in worship or up in the mountains. For James, faith is seen in what you do!
Faith is not passing a test. It’s not a moving experience like in worship or up in the mountains. For James, faith is seen in what you do!
How does that sit with you?
Maybe your response is like mine – This makes me feel guilty. I need to be doing more! And that’s not bad but using this text to put you and me on a guilt trip is not why James is writing. Guilt trips don’t last long and usually don’t get you to a destination – except usually more guilt.
I think we may be missing the boat if we just say, “I need to be doing more!” I think what is more effective is to remind ourselves of who God is and I see this in the three examples James gives.
Example #1:
James 2:14–16 (NIV) — 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
How does someone become a person who loves others? Not just by willing ourselves to do it. That will only take us so far and that may even make us feel resentful when we do something for someone. Our faith w works when we grow in our understanding of love an our assurance of being loved. Let me use the words of James friend John:
1 John 3:16–18 (NIV) — 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
Before we love others we have to know with our whole hearts that we are loved by God.
Before we love others we have to know with our whole hearts that we are loved by God.
Loved people love others, not because we will/force ourselves but because that is who we become.
How does that sit with you? Do you really know God loves you? Do you realize what he has done for you? As God’s love becomes more and more real to us we will bear the fruit of love. We will help others. Our faith will work!
So instead of telling you to do more, I would tell you to grasp more the love that God has for you and for every human being. Then your faith will work and demonstrate itself in loving others.
Example #2
James 2:20–24 (NIV) — 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 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 considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
The story of Abraham is such a fascinating story. Read it in Genesis 12 and keep reading. In a nutshell God promised Abraham and Sarah a child through whom a nation would emerge. They were old and no child until Isaac came. And then in Genesis 22 Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son. Don’t worry, it all works out good. How was Abraham able to do that work of faith? He believed God’s promises.
I fear many of us fail to have a faith that works because we don’t trust God. Listen to this commentary on Abraham’s faith in Hebrews 11:
Hebrews 11:17–19 (NIV) — 17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
How does that sit with you? Do you really trust God?
So instead of telling you to do more, I would tell you to trust God’s promises more. Know that he is faithful and when we trust him more we will find our faith working more and more.
So instead of telling you to do more, I would tell you to trust God’s promises more. Know that he is faithful and when we trust him more we will find our faith working more and more.
Example #3
James 2:25 (NIV) — 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
Another amazing story. Read about it in Johsua 2. She was a resident of Jericho, the first city that is taken by Joshua and the people of Israel as they inherit the promised land. Here’s an excerpt from that story:
Joshua 2:8–11 (NIV) — 8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the Lorddried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
She knew that victory belonged to the Lord and she was willing to submit herself to God because he was great and mighty or, as she puts it, he is God in heaven above and on the earth below. What is especially amazing about this woman is that she is incorporated into Abrham’s family and actually is listed as an ancestor of Jesus in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus.
How does that sit with you? Do you really believe that victory belongs to God? When you do you will find your faith working more and more.
How does that sit with you? Do you really believe that victory belongs to God? When you do you will find your faith working more and more.
In essence, our faith becomes genuine as we know God more and more. Know him as a God who loves us infinitely, a God who keeps his promises, and a God in whom there is victory. Knowing God and his son makes all the difference.
I was one way and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between was him. - Mary Magdalene in The Chosen
I was one way and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between was him. - Mary Magdalene in The Chosen
What turns a death faith into a living faith – Jesus.
Therefore, if you have not truly believed in Jesus Christ for salvation, I urge you to do so today. And through this genuine faith, Christ will come into your life and change it from the inside out, for your good and for His glory. He will transform your life into one that demonstrates His grace and love and mercy to the world around you. This is the faith that saves, and this is a faith that works
