Genuine Faith Is Vibrant Faith Series

Genuine Faith is vibrant Faith 2:14-26

1. Many here today demonstrate their genuine faith daily. ?

2. Many here today DO have genuine faith but are living a lie

? Trademarks of a carnal person:

? Protracted Infancy:

Scant Spiritual Victory:

Lack of Connection to Spiritual Gifts:

Little Intentional Application of the Word:

3. Many here today do not have genuine faith and are lost

Genuine faith: not just believing that these facts are true, but that they’re true for YOU!

Believe it or not, there have been multiple instances of women faking their own pregnancy. (PIC) The reasons vary. One lady said she did it to try to get her boyfriend to propose to her. I’m not sure that would do it; as a matter of fact, it didn’t. He cut as quickly as he could. One woman faked a pregnancy so her boyfriend wouldn’t got to his friend’s housewarming party. One lady confessed that she faked her pregnancy so she could get time off from work. Finally there was the young woman who said: “I lied about having a baby so many times because I really just wanted a baby.”? It seems absurd, doesn’t it, that someone would pretend to be something they weren’t? One woman wasn’t even pretending: she really thought she was pregnant when really she was only gaining weight and losing muscle tone in her abdomen area.? When you read these stories, you get a sense of sadness. But there are some people here this morning doing the same thing. No, not faking pregnancy, but pretending to be someone you’re not. ? Turn with me to James 2:14-26. As we work through the book of James, we tackle a very critical and difficult biblical principle: genuine faith produces a genuine life. This has been James’ theme all the way through, but it comes into full focus this morning because there are countless people who claim to have faith in Jesus, but upon examination of their lives, it becomes obvious that their faith is not a genuine faith; like the women I discussed, some of us here are either faking our faith, or we labor under the misconception that we have genuine faith when we really don’t. At the conclusion of my message this morning, I’m going to offer the opportunity to stand up and display genuine faith. ? So let’s dig in to the text. James makes a fairly intricate but substantial argument that genuine faith is something that can be seen; it is observable in a transformed life; transformed from the inside out.? v.14 James just comes right out and asks the key question: If someone claims to have faith, claims to be saved, but there is no evidence of it, can they be saved? The presumed answer is “Heck no!” Then he gives an example in vv.15-17 to say that genuine faith doesn’t just talk the talk but walks the walk. ? v.16 “what good is that?” What profit is there in that? What is that good for? Well, the obvious answer is nothing. A faith that doesn’t evidence itself in godly living is worthless. And that’s what he says in v.17? v.17 This is the first of two references describing faith as either being alive or dead. It’s like these 2 trees (pic of a green tree with obvious fruit on it) If a plant or tree is healthy, it has green evidence, right? Green leaves or flowers or fruit are the evidence. But if it’s dead, (pic of dead tree) it may have some attributes of being a plant or a tree, but it’s dead: no green leaves, no flowers, no fruit. ? v.18 James possibly quotes a person who had been arguing with him: “You have faith, but I have works.” But then James responds to this imaginary person: “Listen, you’re putting too much emphasis on your works; on your good deeds. Only works that are born out of a genuine, vibrant faith are any good.”

v.19 Now James challenges the KIND of faith a person has: is it no more than mental assent to the facts or is it true, transformative, life changing faith. READ Why do the demons tremble? They know the truth! They know what they’re facing in the future Heb.10:27 “a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries.” This not only awaits the devil and his demons, but listen to me: it awaits every person here who has not surrendered to Christ and exhibited genuine, saving faith. The demons know the facts; they believe the truth; but that kind of belief, that kind of faith is worthless.

v.20 Useless, Senseless; foolish; worthless; not real and reliable; BARREN. Like the woman who claims that she’s pregnant, even puts pillows inside her dress to make it appear that way, but in the end, she’s not pregnant and it’s a false claim.? Now in vv.21-23 James calls on a well-known story: how Abraham heard God, believed God, and acted on that belief. God told Abraham to take his son, his only son Isaac and sacrifice him. Abraham certainly was grieving, but his faith compelled him to act on God’s word. The proof of his faith was when he tied up Isaac and put him on an altar and raised the knife to sacrifice him. Then God said, “This was a test for you Abraham to see how important actions are to reveal the strength of your faith.” READ vv.21-23