FAITH IN ACTION
Jesus Christ was the most powerful example of faith and deeds the world has ever seen. So powerful was His example that John said in:
Jn 21:25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
Jesus was a man of faith but he was also a man of action. Everyday was filled with faith and deeds and so as we look at James 2 we want to keep in mind the life, the deeds of Jesus.
Jas 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Jas 2:15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
Jas 2:16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
Jas 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Jas 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
James starts off by saying “what good is it if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? It no good at all! Faith without deeds is no good at all. It’s basically worthless. It’s no good because it doesn’t do anybody any good. Jesus had great faith and everyday you could see that faith in action. He was going around doing good. People could see His faith.
Ac 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas ), who was always doing good and helping the poor.
Ac 9:39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
She used what talent she had to bless people. Her faith was expressed with deeds.
This should describe our lives. Always trying to figure out how to help the poor. We help one another out a lot and that’s good but it shouldn’t stop there. We need to help the poor in the community. July 14th will be another opportunity to serve at the domestic violence shelter. It’s our chance to do good and serve.
Jas 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Jas 2:20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ?
James is really challenging them now saying if you have faith but no deeds you’re faith is no better than the demons. And then he calls those that believe in such ways foolish. James is pretty passionate here. You’re foolish if you believe such things if you live this way.
Now he takes them back to Abraham and one of the most powerful examples of faith the world has ever known. Abraham who said he believed God and showed it by offering his son Isacc on the altar of sacrifice. His faith and his actions were working together. Abraham had incomplete faith until he had action. And it was God who orchestrated the action. Let’s see if you really believe in me. Let’s see if you really love me.
Ge 22:2 Then God said, “Take your son , your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”
Ge 22:3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
Ge 22:4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
Ge 22:5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”
Ge 22:6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,
Ge 22:7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
Ge 22:8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
Ge 22:9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
Ge 22:10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
Ge 22:11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
Ge 22:12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
You talk about God testing your faith. God coming up with the action that he wants to see. How did God arrive with that? Let’s see how am I going to test Abrahams faith to see if he really fears me? I know I’ll ask him to give up his son that I gave to him, that he longed to have, the son that I told him that it would be through him that I would bless him, yes I’ll ask him to sacrifice him as a burnt offering.
What a test!!! Not only was Abraham going to have to kill Isaac but also he would have to burn it. Think about the challenge of all this. Abraham was used to killing the lamb and watching the blook run down upon the altar. He was used to then burning it and watching and smelling the smoke of burning flesh. And now it was going to be his son!!!! It’s no wonder he was considered righteous. It’s no wonder called praised him and blessed him so much. Most of us would have been so sick that we couldn’t physically get ourselves to do it. Look at the following text:
Jas 2:21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Jas 2:22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
Jas 2:23 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.
Abraham has a complete faith. His faith and his actions were working together. As a result he was considered righteous and he was called God’s friend. The type of faith that James talks about leads to something powerful. It leads to being considered righteous by God and being called a friend of God. That’s motivation for having faith and deeds.
Jas 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
Jas 2:25 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?
Jas 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
As a church we must not only have say we have faith but we must show it by our deeds. God bless you.
