Show me your evidence
James 2:14-26
I believe that mothers are probably the best detectives in the world. I know that they are not recognized as such, probably because their list of suspects is so small or that the crimes or events seem to be of little consequence.
But how many other people can pick up on the slightest clues and know guilt and innocence. Moms don’t need to dust for fingerprints, or have a lie detector. They just seem to know. They are able to read the evidence, the mannerisms, the tone of voice the look in the eyes and tell what went down. Mothers can find evidence in ways that no one else can.
After our special music last week we are returning to the book of James. And we have reached the delicate, no that is not the right word, upsetting…no…controversial is probably a better choice, section of this book.
The whole book deals with the subject of faith, and James doesn’t just talk in a way that would paint a rosé picture. He is speaking to people living in persecution. Which I believe directly relates to our trials of health, finances and family today. James speaks on equality in the church by illustrating that God sees no difference between rich or poor status… that the church is the great level playing field.
This week’s scripture goes right to the heart of his next point.
There have been plenty of fights over the subject because many people believe that Paul and James disagree.
Paul teaches that faith alone gets you into heaven. And when we read James it sounds like he is saying that there are two parts Faith and Works.
So who is right? Which one knows what he is talking about; Paul the persecutor of the early believers that met Jesus on the road or James the half brother of Jesus and the leader to the church in Jerusalem?
They can’t both be right? Can they? Are you ready for the answer?
Yes they can…..
They are both right because they are talking about different things.
Paul was fighting the problem of legalism. He is fighting the strict adherence to the “Law of Moses” in order to be made right with God. He was struggling to keep the Jewish believers from making the full acceptance of the law a requirement for a person…a gentile to become a Christian. Paul teaches that it is faith and not the law that makes your relationship right with God.
James was not fighting the requirements of the law…he was fighting lack of requirements. He is saying that faith is only the beginning of the relationship with God.
Both men use the word “works” to describe actions.
- However, Paul is talking about circumcision, and diet and cleanliness and separation from the culture.
- James is talking about how faith changes a person’s lifestyle and choices. He is describing how a believer follows Jesus command to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Let me say that one more way, Paul teaches what it takes to become a Christian and James how to show you are a Christian.
**The two men are talking about different parts of a trip. One deciding to go and the other how to act along the way.
In our scripture James asks a question, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?”
The words that catch my attention are “claims to have faith.” He is writing to Jewish believers….to people that claim to be believers.
I started to consider some of the things people claim….
Political candidates claim to know what is wrong with and how to fix our country.
People claim to know how to do things on resumes.
People claim to know famous people.
People claim to care about all kinds of causes like pollution or other social issues.
James’ question identifies that some people claim to have faith but no deeds.
No job experience on how to repair an engine.
No personal letters from your friend Gov. Schwarzenegger or Harrison Ford.
No work days picking up trash or recycling bins in their homes.
His question is a discussion starter. Basically, using a modern proverb, he says, “ if you are going to talk the talk you need to walk the walk.” He is waking up his readers awareness of a truth.
What good is a claim if there is no proof…no evidence?
Next James asks, “Can such faith save him?”
He seems to believe that the answer is obvious to his readers. He is expecting the answer; No, of course not.
Why, because a claim of having faith is different than actually having faith.
He is raising a question that is based on the idea that people will say one thing and believe another.
At this moment you are probably thinking one of two things. One is that people back then were really different from us or you are thinking that People NEVER change!!!
He is saying that some people will lie, or that some people are mistaken when they say that they have faith.
He is saying that just because we say we have faith does it mean that we are saved?
Basically, People make all kinds of claims. Polls tell us that about 50% of Americans claim to be Christians, that is around 50 million people. But the same report tells us that only about 20% of them, 8 million, actually attend church.
I think that people make claims which are not true, all the time. Most people are liars at heart. Claims regarding faith are no different.
Some people feel pressured by friends and family so they walk the isle and repeat a little prayer. Many claim faith just to get people off their backs….maybe to make someone they love happy. Without realizing it moms and dads and friends push people into being liars about faith.
I believe that it is not uncommon for people to attend a church for reasons of their own and only claim to have faith.
Don’t misunderstand, I don’t believe that they are being sinister or misleading.
I believe that most of them enjoy the acceptance and being a part of a church community. But, they have not necessarily come to believe in their heart and mind and soul that Jesus Christ is the son of God. They have not come to a belief that God would be willing to give them eternal life through Jesus Christ.
James is just asking, what good is a claim? A claim of faith is different than actual faith and therefore salvation can be incomplete or non-existent.
James offers a scenario to help us understand his point:
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 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?
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Faith without action is dead. Who is he to judge another person’s faith and to call it dead?
I don’t think that he is judging if someone else has faith. I think that he is suggesting how to answer a question that many people have.
There are lots of people that question how to know if their faith is real.
How can they prove to themselves that they are saved?
James’ suggestion is that if you have faith you will see evidence in how you respond to need and opportunities around you.
If I say, "I believe my health is very important. Personal health is a high priority in my life. I believe that health is one of the most important things we ought to have."
You say, "Do you eat right?" "Do you exercise? Do you get your proper rest? Do you take vitamins? Do you ever go for a check up?" No.
It doesn’t matter what I say. What really counts are my actions. Real faith is more than just something you think. You can point it out and see it in people’s lives because of what they do.
Your faith is made visible to you and to others when you do something for God’s sake.
There was a young boy, on an errand for his mother, had just bought a dozen eggs. Walking out of the store, he tripped and dropped the sack. All the eggs broke, and the sidewalk was a mess. The boy tried not to cry. A few people gathered to see if he was OK and to tell him how sorry they were. In the midst of the works of pity, one man handed the boy a quarter. Then he turned to the group and said, "I care 25 cents worth. How much do the rest of you care?"
Living faith turns caring on the inside to something visible on the outside. Something that is visible to yourself and other people.
When we act to help God and the Shriner’s heal children. When you help feed the hungry. When you keep in touch with our home bound members. When we offer a park or in any number of personal ways do the Christian thing.
James adds another rhetorical statement, “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.”
He is saying that some people try to separate Faith and Deeds. That some believe that living a life of prayer and meditation is one way of living a righteous life and works of kindness and love are another.
James does not believe that is true at all. He absolutely believes that the presence of faith in a person’s life should have visible evidence in our lives.
James goes on to explain that belief in something, someone, is not the same thing as faith.
He says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”
Some people think they have a pass to heaven just because they believe in the existence of God. James challenges this with the evidence that the Demon’s also believe in the existence of God.
Think for a moment, Demon’s not only believe – but what they know from experience.
We say that belief in Jesus saves you. Why is it that the demons are not saved? They believe and even know from experience that God exist. They even have fear, they shutter. James is saying that belief without any other evidence of faith, without action is not the same as trusting in God.
-- Faith is more than knowledge; it is trust and that trust leads to action.
James offers his readers two examples of people that demonstrate faith with their actions.
The first is father Abraham, the literal father of all the Jewish people. A man in constant conversation with God. The evidence of his faith in God was in his obedience. When instructed to sacrifice his only son he went with the intent of following through.
Rahab is a gentile a prostitute, a sinful woman. A woman that belonged to the enemy of God. She demonstrated her faith by protecting the spies sent to the promised land. She demonstrated faith by risking all she had because of her faith in their God.
What do these two have in common? Both examples demonstrated, exercised, gave evidence of their faith and trust in God.
We need to make a distinction between “justification” as Paul uses the word and justification as James uses the word.
At first glance it would seem that there is a conflict between what these two biblical writers are telling us about the nature of justification. Paul says in Romans 3 that we are justified by faith….we are justified to God by faith.
When James speaks of justification he is speaking of justifying our faith to man….he is talking about making our faith visible to other people.
Abraham is already justified to God by his faith and his faith is demonstrated to man by his obedience to God.
There was a young man who was an engineer .....
he was sent to Ireland by his company to work in a new electronics plant.
It was a two-year assignment that he had accepted because it would enable him to earn enough to marry his long-time girlfriend.
She had a job near her home in Tennessee, and their plan was to save enough money and put a down payment on a house when he returned.
They corresponded often, but as the lonely weeks went by, she began expressing doubts as to if he was being true to her or not . She expressed concern that he was a single man exposed to lots of young attractive Irish ladies.
The young engineer wrote back, declaring that he was paying absolutely no attention to the local girls.
"I admit," he wrote, "that sometimes I’m tempted. But I fight it..... I’m keeping myself for you."
In the next mail, the engineer received a package. It contained a note from his girl and.... a harmonica.......
"I’m sending this to you, so you can learn to play it and have something to take your mind off those girls."
The engineer wrote back,
"Thanks for the harmonica. I’m practicing on it every night and thinking of you."
At the end of his two-year stint, the engineer was transferred back to his company headquarters. He took the first plane to Tennessee to be reunited with his girl.
Her whole family was with her as he stepped off the plane, but as he rushed forward to embrace her, she held up a restraining hand and said sternly, "Just hold on there a minute, Billy Bob. Before any serious kissin’ and huggin’ gets started here, play me a song on the harmonica!"
God is not the one that needs evidence of faith. He knows our hearts. He is the only judge of our salvation. However, people want evidence of faith. People want and even need to feel the claimed faith offers evidence of real faith before they trust our claim.
My mother was not just a detective of when I did something wrong. She much preferred the take notice of the things I did right.
My mother knew that I understood right from wrong. She knew I knew how to act in public. She loved me even when I messed up. She knows that I love her but she takes greater joy when I show signs to her and others by my actions.
Folks let me be very clear. God is the only judge that you have to worry about in order to get to heaven.
But he does not have a secret service or spies.
He wants representatives that live by faith in a world that has needs and problems. He wants people that will trust him enough to sacrifice things like pride and reputation and show dependence and trust in him.
He want people that do more than privately claim faith….HE wants the people around you to see the evidence of what you believe.
James says, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
Someone once said that faith is like calories, you can’t see them, but you can see their results!”
God wants you to not just practice the harmonica for your personal benefit but to play it with joy and the benefit of others.
All Glory be to God!
