Faith Without Works Is Both Unprofitable And Dead! Series

(5) The needy person is not wanting luxuries. He is only seeking help for what is necessary for his survival.

(6) It is obvious that he is in need. His need shows. We can see him standing in his rags with the cold winds whistling about him and the snowflakes beginning to swirl about his hungry and scantly clothed body.

(7) His face is pale and wrinkled. His skin has the dry, scaly look of dehydration.

(8) Without help, he cannot last long upon this earth.

(9) And what is the response? It is “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled”!

a. “Go in peace” was the standard Jewish farewell. It was roughly equivalent to our cheery “Have a good day!”.

b. “Be warmed and filled” just meant “I surely hope your needs are taken

care of”. “I hope some one down the street will be able to help you”.

c. But the uncompassionate man did nothing to take care of those needs. He didn’t share what he had in his house; he didn’t offer to take him to the local restaurant and clothing store;

d. he didn’t get him in touch with the deacon in charge of benevolence!

e. He just sent him off with words. Cold, empty, useless, meaningless words.

5. What did this profit?

(1) Nothing. You can’t wrap words around a shivering cold body.

(2) There is no nutrition in words. There are no calories in words.

(3) Words without works are worthless, useless!

6. Turn to 1 John 3:16-18. John emphasizes that since Christ went so far as to die for us, then Christians should be willing to sacrifice enough that we would give of our material goods to others. Let’s read 1 John 3:16-18, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 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? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

II. SECOND, JAMES 2:17 TEACHES THAT “FAITH WITHOU WORKS” IS NOT ONLY OF “NO PROFIT” AND “USELESS”, BUT THAT IT IS ALSO A “DEAD FAITH”.

1. Let’s read James 2:17, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”.

2. Faith without works is dead, being alone [being by itself]. It is dead outwardly and inwardly.

(1) For an illustration: A rose bush in the winter appears dead, but it will come to life in the spring.

(2) However, faith without works is dead through and through, with no life whatever. Let’s read verse 26, where James, a second time, declares that “faith without works is dead.” "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (Jas. 2:26).

(3) Let’s also read verse 20, where that a third time James declares that verbal faith only is a dead faith, “20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

(4) As a hungry man is not profited by warm words and fair speeches, so neither is there any blessing