Is Your Faith Alive? Series

“IS YOUR FAITH ALIVE?” James 2:14-26

FBCF – 10/16/22

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Sermon bump video (https://www.sermoncentral.com/church-media-preaching-sermons/sermon-video-illustrations/book-of-james-10149-detail)

Continue our series in book of James – “Faith that Works.” So far, we’ve talked about:

- The tests & trials that come to our lives & how those tests develop steadfastness & spiritual maturity in our lives

- The need for wisdom in our lives & the fact that EVERY Christ-follower can have wisdom when they need it

- The dangerous & deadly progression of temptation & sin – Temptation is real, seems good, leads to death, but God offers us something better – life in Him!

- The command for every Christ-follower to be a doer of the Word & not just a hearer – Commitment: I WILL DO WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS FOR ME TO DO

- Today, ask question, “Is Your Faith Alive?”

Sometimes we hear a community leader or politician wax eloquent about how wonderful the local public schools are but enrolls his kids in an expensive private school. Or an executive w/ McDonald’s claims his restaurant offers the best family meals but is seen eating w/ his family at Burger King. Or a husband proclaims his undying love & faithfulness to his wife while having an ongoing, longterm affair w/ another woman.

In each example there is a difference between what is claimed & what is done. What each person did does not match up w/ what the person said. The actions don’t match the words. The behavior of each person gave a much clearer picture of what they actually believed than what they had said.

This is the issue that we are going to see James take up in the passage we are considering for today. Is your faith for real or is it false? Is it genuine or is it counterfeit? Is it alive or is it dead?

EXPLANATION – James 2:14-26

Read a story about a man who walked into his boss’ office w/ a canned Coke in his hand. He had bought it out of the vending machine for the employees. Put money in, made selection, & can dropped through the door as normal. Can looked perfectly normal. Familiar Coca-Cola colors & logo on side. Tab on top still in place b/c it had not been opened yet. Employee handed it to his boss who immediately recognized that the can was empty. No liquid refreshment inside the can, although everything on the outside looked absolutely normal.

Empty soft drink can is not a big deal. But how many people who claim to be Christians are like that can? Have the right label. Look like all the others around them in a typical church service. But inside they are empty. They’re just an empty can w/ a colorful label. There is no life in them.

In this passage, James is dealing w/ the problem of inward emptiness of many who fill churches every week. It is the problem of faith without works – the problem of dead faith.

At the beginning of this chapter, he came right out of the clear command to “Be a doer of the Word & not a hearer only” into a section teaching on the specific sin of partiality & discrimination in the church. Makes it abundantly clear that this is a sin that cannot & must not be found among God’s people. V. 9 – “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin & are convicted by the law as transgressors.”

On the heels of that clear, practical teaching, he comes into this section that is possibly the most controversial in the book. It’s b/c of this section that Martin Luther detested this book, calling it an “epistle of straw.” He failed to recognize that James’ teaching on work complemented, not contradicted, Paul’s teaching of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. James’ emphasis is our application for today:

APPLICATION – Faith that is alive is faith that works.

Several years ago, the old woman in the Wendy’s commercial asked, “Where’s the beef?” James asks, “Where’s the works?” In other words, “Where is faith that is alive & not dead?”

FAITH THAT IS ALIVE IS ACTIVE – v. 14-17 – This passage is really the trademark for the whole book. James keeps circling back to this subject to remind his audience that a faith that is alive will be a faith that is active.

Was talking to Mama about this passage this week. After we got off phone, she texted me this: “James 2:14-16 James says Faith in Christ is a LIVING PRODUCTIVE TRUST IN CHRIST solid unmoveable trust Your Daddy had faith”

v. 14 – It’s easy to “say” that you have faith. Anybody can claim that & make a statement like that. But James asks a question that has an obvious answer – “What good is it…?” It’s no good at all. Faith that is not active is dead. You can walk this aisle. You can sign a card. You can stand up in front of the church. You can even get baptized. But if there’s not active demonstration of your faith, then all that other stuff was for nothing.