Vs 18. James is not teaching salvation by works. We can’t “see” salvation; we can only see the results of salvation.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE SAVING FAITH
JAMES 2: 14-26
1. Illus. of funeral
• It was the first time it happened to me, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last time.
• As a young pastor, I had been asked to conduct the funeral of a man in our community.
• To be polite, let’s just say this man had lived a somewhat less than godly life!
• The night before the funeral I dropped by the funeral home to pay my respects to the family.
• A brother pulled me over to one side. “I want you to tell everybody my brother is in heaven. He and I made professions of faith at a revival service when we were nine. I know he hasn’t lived like it, but I’m certain he is saved!”
2. How do you know if that loved one’s faith (or even your own for that matter) is real or not? Is it possible to be deceived in this matter? How can we tell the difference between a faith that will take you to heaven and a faith that will not? James answers these questions in our text.
3. Structure- three verses that repeat a formula about faith without works. See vs. 17, 20, 26. The parts in between talk about the visible results real faith always produces.
4. Text: James tells his readers that a saving faith in Christ will always be accompanied by certain identifying characteristics.
5. Today: we can recognize saving faith by checking for the absence or presence of these identifying characteristics.
6. What are the characteristics of saving faith?
I. SAVING FAITH IS MORE THAN EMPTY WORDS
1. See vs 14. Literally, “can that faith save him?” Obviously James is expecting a negative answer. Here is a man who says, “I have become a Christian,” but his so-called faith doesn’t produce the godly works that should accompany salvation. James says, “That is not saving faith.”
2. To make sure we get it, James uses an analogy to make his point. Vs. 15-16. Just like words without works won’t fill a hungry man’s belly, words without works won’t get you to heaven.
3. Principle: A real faith encounter with Christ causes you to start producing godly fruit. If it doesn’t then all you really have is just empty, meaningless words!
4. Illus. of myself
• Very interested in girls, and noticed that boys who got saved were just loved on by the girls afterwards.
• Went forward at a crusade in our school and “prayed the sinner’s prayer.”
• My life didn’t change, and nothing was different. The only difference was that I had prayed a “magic” prayer and started calling myself a Christian. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had died during that time in my life!
5. What kinds of works is James talking about? Bible lists many, but here are a few examples:
1 John 2:4-5 says he will develop a deep desire to obey God.
1 John 3:6-10 says he will be convicted about his old sinful practices, so that one by one he lays them aside
1 John 3:14 says he will begin to love Christians, and love being around Christians.
6. Application: I’ve met many people who say, “I’ve been saved but I don’t care for God’s family, God’s will, God’s Word, or God’s plan.” Friends, I wouldn’t give you half a hallelujah for their chances in eternity. Faith in Christ will produce godly fruit in your life. James is plainly saying, “No fruit means no faith!”
II. SAVING FAITH IS MORE THAN DOCTRINAL ORTHODOXY
1. See vs 19. Remember that these were saved Jews. To the typical Jew, the ultimate test of orthodoxy was monotheism: “do you believe in many gods, or do you believe in only One God, Jehovah?”
2. James is saying, “Are you doctrinally orthodox? That’s good, but it is not enough to make you a Christian. Even the demons of hell are doctrinally orthodox.”
3. Principle: Saving faith involves more than just knowing the right answers to a set of doctrinal questions.
4. Illus. of Satan applying for church membership
• “Do you believe in the deity of Christ?” Oh yes. The Bible is very plain about that. I know He is God’s Son.
• "Do you believe Jesus lived a sinless life?" Yes, tried to get Jesus to sin many times, but He never would do so.
• "Miracles?" Saw each one. Each time a blind person saw etc. I got angry, because I knew I had lost another victim.
• "Substitutionary atonement on the cross?" Witnessed each act, heard each cry.
• "Physical resurrection?" Did my best to keep Him in tomb, saw it when He exploded in resurrection glory.
• Satan has all the right answers when it comes to the fundamentals of the Christian faith. But can you by any stretch of the imagination think that Satan is going to heaven?
5. There is more to it than that!
John 1:12 (one of many verses that talks about this subject) says this: As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become Children of God… To become a Christian you must be willing to turn away from your old sinful life and open your heart to Jesus as Lord, Master, and Savior.
The something more that the devil doesn’t have, and the something more that some Baptists don’t have, is a personal commitment of their lives to Jesus.
6. You may say, “I was raised in a Christian
home. I believe every word of this Bible from cover to cover.” But has there been a time when you came as a lost sinner and personally received Him as Savior and Lord?
III. SAVING FAITH IS MORE THAN A PRIVATE COMMITTMENT
1. Have you ever heard someone say, “God and I have our own little private arrangement. It’s just between us.” James is about to tell us that while a saving faith in Jesus is a very private matter, saving faith will not stay private long. It will demand that we tell others.
2. Two illustrations:
Abraham- vs 21- A reference to that whole Mt. Moriah thing, as recorded in Genesis 22. See vs 23- Reference to Genesis 15, where Abraham has a private (nobody was there but him and God) faith encounter with God. Genesis 22 is the ultimate proof that what happened in Genesis 15 was real!The private faith encounter of Genesis 15 is publicly demonstrated in Geness 22.
Rahab- Story recorded in Joshua 2: 9-11. Privately believed, and then demonstrated publicly her belief by aiding the two spies.
3. Principle: A saving faith in Jesus cannot be kept secret- you will tell others!
4. Illus. of missionary
• Told about being an undercover missionary in a country where it was illegal to be a Christian or a missionary!
• They would win converts, and would gather at the river at midnight to baptize them.
• Dozens of believers would gather there watch those converts stand in the water and say, “I have given my life to Jesus Christ!”
• Why would somebody be willing to make a statement that might get them executed while surrounded by people that they didn’t necessarily know? Because a genuine faith in Christ demands that we tell others!
5. James is not the only on who taught some a thing. See Matthew 10:32-33. Jesus knew that someone with saving faith couldn’t help but tell others.
6. If you say, “I’ll pray to receive Christ, but I’m not going to tell anybody. It’ll just be my secret,” and you can actually do it, then your faith is not real!
CONCLUSION
1. How can I recognize saving faith in myself?
• Did it produce godly fruit?
• Did it involve a personal commitment of my life to Jesus?
• Did it cause me to want to tell others?
2.
