GOT FAITH?
James 2:14-26
Several years ago in my country there was an advertising campaign to get people to drink milk. It was simply entitled “Got Milk?” There would be a picture of a well known person holding a glass of milk and he or she had a moustache made of milk. All fine and dandy but I don’t like milk. If you stayed awake for our series on John it is pretty clear that you can only be saved by faith…that is believing in Jesus. John made that very clear in his gospel. Remember these verses?
John 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
John 3:16 ¶ "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
So I think it’s pretty clear that we can only have eternal life because we believe in Jesus, right? And remember there is only one work we can do to receive eternal life. Jesus was asked this question.
John 6:28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
John 6:29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
OK, you tell me, all along you’ve been telling us that we can only have eternal life by believing in Jesus. Now you’re telling us something completely different. So I guess the Bible does contradict itself, doesn’t it?
Don’t go. Because we need to ask the question, what part do works play in our salvation? Now that we believe in Jesus are we supposed to just sit back and do nothing? Or is there something we need to do?
This passage is a difficult one, because we need to ask these questions. Works do play a part in our salvation, but let’s see exactly what part they do play. Let me also say that if you believe in Jesus, you don’t need to worry about losing your salvation. I don’t think that’s what James is writing. Remember who he wrote this to? To the 12 tribes scattered abroad. And remember I said earlier James is not teaching on how to become a Christian. No, he is teaching us how to live as a Christian. That’s why I said I usually don’t use this book when talking to someone who does not believe in Jesus. No, I’ll go back to John or to Romans. James is writing to those who already believe in Jesus. And remember this is a book on Christian maturity. If you want to know what the Christian life looks like, look no further than James.
Let’s answer that question that James begins with.
James 2:14 ¶ What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
I’m sure all of us know people who claim to be Christians, but their lives don’t show it. Or as we would say, “all talk but no walk.” What James is going to show us is that works do not save but they are evidence that one is saved. You see there are people that really believe in Jesus. They talk the talk and walk the walk. Their lives show it. I’m also afraid that there are those who claim to be Christians but their lives don’t show it. This can mean one of 2 things. It can mean that they are not truly saved. Or they can be saved but their lives don’t show any fruit. I think James is talking to those who are truly saved but their lives don’t show any fruit. What does faith without works or deeds look like? Let’s look at the next 2 verses.
James 2:15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
James 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?
Someone, and I’m talking about a true believer in Jesus is lacking in his or her daily needs, food and clothing. Because remember Jesus said God knows our needs and if we seek Him, He will meet those needs. Remember this verse?
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
If you know someone has a need of food or clothing what are you going to do for them? Like James said, what good is it? Because these words cannot save a starving person, only food can do that.
1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?
1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
One of the greatest outward signs of our faith is love for others. I can tell you if a person is starving, he or she probably doesn’t want to hear these words, or something like I’ll pray for you. They probably don’t care how much Jesus loves them. All they care about is that they are hungry. And they want you to give them some food. I remember when I was in seminary I would often go to KFC for lunch. I would buy the chicken and go over to my friend’s apartment to eat. I remember one time there was a man who asked me if I could help him; he had no money and nothing to eat. So I bought his lunch for him. I was happy to do that for him. Every semester we used to have a “Day of Evangelism” at the seminary. We would go out into the community and share the gospel with unbelievers. I’ve gone on college campuses, the hospital and downtown Dallas. And I remember talking to a man in downtown Dallas, and he asked what good does it do if God loves me but I don’t have anything to eat?
One of the signs of our faith is showing love to others in meeting their needs. Now if you were here when we did Philippians, you remember that God is the one who meets our needs. After all Paul told us this.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
But often He uses you and me in meeting those needs. And not to help someone with a need when we have the resources is breaking the 2nd commandment. We looked at that last week. Remember what it says?
Matthew 22:39 And the second is like it: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’
When we meet a need like this, we our putting our faith into practice. We are not meeting someone’s need to get eternal life. We are doing it because we have eternal life.
You see, what James is telling us is that faith without works, or faith without action is a dead faith. It is useless. James is talking about a dead, useless faith. This person probably does have eternal life because they believe in Jesus, but there is no evidence of it in their lives.
James 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
This does not mean you will lose your salvation, it just means that your faith is useless. You are living like one who does not believe in Jesus. See James is writing these words to help us to grow in our faith. That’s the message of this book. And if you want to be mature, if you want to grow as a Christian, then you will put your faith into practice. You will do things like love and serve others as a result of your faith.
See, the only way that others are going to see our faith is by our works, or what we do. He says that in verse 18.
James 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.
And you know the way that most people see our faith is how we live it out. You say you believe in Jesus. You’re not the only one.
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-- and shudder.
I should know this because I was raised Jewish. The Jews have a creed or confession of faith you hear at a Jewish service.
Deuteronomy 6:4 ¶ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
I remember in 1994 going to High Holy Day services with my mother. The High Holy Days include the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement Yom Kippur. Most people don’t recite Jewish prayers, but when it comes to this one, everyone knows it by heart. In Hebrew it is called the Sh’ma.
Anyone can say this and believe in God. I’ve heard my family members say they believe in God. Good for you. There is someone else who believes in God; the demons. Does that surprise you? Satan and his hosts stand against everything we believe. Remember he was once an angel who tried to rebel against God. Instead he said “I will be like the Most High.”
Satan and his hosts do believe in God. And they tremble because they know their eternal destiny. See anyone can say they are a Christian or they believe in Jesus. It is another thing to live like you really believe in Jesus. That’s what James is trying to get us to do.
How do we know our faith is useless? James will use 2 examples from the OT; Abraham and Rahab. They are as different as night and day. Abraham was the one whom God gave the promise of a son through whom all his descendants would be blessed. Rahab was a harlot, or a prostitute. But both of them, because of what they believed, or better yet, whom they believed in lived what they believed.
Let’s start with Abraham. He was considered righteous by God.
Genesis 15:6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
Now what he is probably best known for is his obedience in offering up his son Isaac.
James 2:21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Now wait a minute, you say. Doesn’t this contradict everything you’ve said about Abraham? I thought God declared him righteous when he believed in God. Because what does Romans say?
Romans 4:3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Good question. As a matter of fact James will answer that for us in the next verse.
James 2:22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
You see Abraham believed God. He believed God’s promises. He believed God would keep His promises. And because he believed God would keep His promises, he obeyed God, even when he didn’t get it. Think of it this way. You are at NRT. You’re going to fly to JFK on a 777. You tell me you believe that 777 can fly. So because you believe it, what are you going to do? If you truly believe it will fly, you will get on it and fly to JFK. Your action is a demonstration of your faith. Because you’re not acting out of ignorance or blind faith. You are acting on what you know. This is not a reckless or careless faith. This is a faith in the One who is perfect and can do all things, including save us from perishing.
When we act in faith, or act based on what we believe our faith is being completed. Or it is being perfected or matured. Remember James 1? What does the testing of our faith produce? Anyone remember?
Look what Abraham’s faith and obedience merit him?
James 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.
Friends, your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour from Sin alone is what saves you. There is nothing you can do to earn favor with God. But when you do believe and you live a life in obedience and your works show it, it is evidence of your faith to other believers and particularly to a lost world. John Calvin wrote that “Faith alone justifies, but faith which justifies is not alone.” It is not faith plus works that saves us it is faith that saves us and our works as a result is evidence of that faith.
Someone said verse 24 is faith minus works.
James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
I like to describe this as faith and works working together. Faith is completed or fulfilled by what it does. If you believe a 777 can fly but you don’t get on, then your faith is a dead faith. It is useless. It is worthless. It’s an empty faith. It would have been better if you said nothing and did nothing, than to say you believe something but don’t do anything based on what you believe. When you act in faith you are showing your faith or demonstrating it. You are acting on what you believe.
Now, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, but you are not living your faith, does that mean you have lost your salvation or you can lose it? Not at all. Remember when we were in John, we saw how we are secure in Jesus. But God promises rewards to those who live their lives in obedience to His word and act on faith. If you are not living a life of faith in obedience to God you will experience His judgment and it can result in premature death.
Let’s look at another one; Rahab.
James 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?
Rahab was completely the opposite of Jesus. James could have quit with Abraham but he also included Rahab. One of my seminary professors said she was the “redeemed prostitute.”
In the OT Moses was chosen by God to lead His people into the Promised Land. Because of his disobedience, when he struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it to give water, God told him he would not enter the promised land. Joshua was chosen as his successor. And in Joshua 2 we have the spies sent to Jericho.
Joshua 2:1 ¶ Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
And she hid them, and when the king of Jericho came to her telling her to bring them out she responded with this.
Joshua 2:4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from.
And she later let them depart.
Joshua 2:15 ¶ So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall.
Now when Jericho was captured and destroyed, Rahab was spared.
Joshua 6:17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent.
Joshua 6:25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho-- and she lives among the Israelites to this day.
Did you know Jesus was a descendant of Rahab?
Matthew 1:5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
And if you read the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews, you will see Rahab there.
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
See Rahab didn’t work to earn favor with God, she obeyed Him because she already believed Him. Her faith grew as a result of her obedience. That’s the way it is for us too. Whenever we obey God’s word or act in faith, we grow as a result. Remember James is calling us to press on to maturity. If that’s what you want, then stay with me. If that’s not what you want, gomennasai, I’m going to preach it anyway.
Let me close with an analogy James gives us in verse 26.
James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
We often talk about the material and immaterial parts of the body. Our flesh, or the part you can see is the material part. When we die, this is the part of our bodies that will decay. Our soul and spirit is the immaterial part. Some say the soul and spirit are the same, others say they are 2 distinct immaterial parts of the body. If you want to know what I think they are, see me later. But the body with no spirit is a lifeless body. In the same way faith without resulting works is a lifeless faith.
See if you don’t live by faith and act by faith, it won’t affect your eternal standing with Jesus. I heard a message given in chapel at Dallas Seminary in which the speaker, Dr Erwin Lutzer said there are many people who are happy to be back row Christians. They know they’re going to heaven, and they’re happy to take a seat in the back row. When it comes time for all of us to give account of our lives to Jesus Christ, there probably won’t be much in the way of reward for back row Christians. But if you want to be a front row Christian, then you need to live your faith by obedience and because of your faith doing good works. Remember the example in the beginning? Meeting someone’s need of food and clothing is a good example.
All of us are saved by faith? But are we living by faith? Does your faith affect the way you live? Why or why not? You have trusted and believed in the death of God’s Son Jesus Christ to save you for eternity. Now, are you trusting in and obeying God in your daily life? These are questions I am not going to ask for a show of hands. These are between you and God. But if you truly believe God, and you want to be mature, you will live by faith. Your faith will have a chance to grow, and it will be a demonstration of what you believe in and who you believe in. And you can be a front row Christian instead of a back row Christian. Or I’ll give you my description. You can fly first class on a 777 instead of economy class on a 777. Let’s be first class Christians, who live by faith. Let’s pray.
