Three Kinds Of Faith (3 Of 3) Series

James 2:14-26 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

I. Recap: DEAD FAITH (14-17)

A. Dead Faith says right things but does not follow with actions.

B. Dead Faith is only an INTELLECTUAL faith

C. CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?

1. NO!

2. Knowing about Christ does not mean you Know Christ!

II. Recap: DEMONIC FAITH (18, 19)

A. Do you have Faith? So do demons.

1. Demons believe Jesus is God

2. Their faith is in their mind and emotions (they tremble)

B. CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?

1. NO!

2. True saving faith is repentance that leads to a changed life!

III. DYNAMIC FAITH [saving faith] (20-26)

A. WHAT KIND OF FAITH IS THIS?

1. We know such faith is based upon the Word of God - Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (NKJ)

2. Dynamic faith involves the WHOLE PERSON

a. DEAD faith touches only the intellect (mind)

b. DEMONIC faith involves both the mind and the emotions (the demons trembled)

c. DYNAMIC faith involves the mind, the emotions, and the WILL!

1) The MIND understands the truth

2) The EMOTIONS desires and rejoices in the truth

3) The WILL acts upon the truth

3. True, saving faith, LEADS TO ACTION

a. It is not intellectual contemplation

b. It is not emotionalism

c. It is that which leads to obedience in doing good works

d. It is a reaction to the Holy Spirit’s work in converting the soul

B. Faith in Action (Abraham and Rehab)

1. You could not find two more different persons!

a. Abraham was the father of the Jews; Rahab was a Gentile!

b. Abraham was a godly man; Rahab had been a sinful woman

c. Abraham was a friend of God; Rahab an enemies of God!

2. What did they have in common? Both exercised saving faith

a. Abraham demonstrated his saving faith by his works – vs 20-24

b. Rahab demonstrated her saving faith by her works – vs 25-26

Application:

1. Faith is a gift from God.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

2. Faith is a gift from God that He wants you to USE.

3. Do you have Dynamic Faith (Saving faith)?