INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• There is a widely told story that George Sweating, in his book on James, "How to Solve Conflicts," tells.
• It is the story of Charles Blondin (28 February 1824 – 19 February 1897), the great French daredevil and tightrope walker.
• While performing on a cable across Niagara Falls, he asked his audience, "How many believe I can walk across this tightrope pushing a wheelbarrow?"
• To which the people cheered loudly. "How many believe I can push the wheelbarrow across the cable with a man in it?"
• Again, there came a loud response. Blondin then pointed to one of the most enthusiastic men in the audience, and, said,
• "You’re my man, now get into the wheelbarrow!!" Needless to say, the man made a quick exit.
• I want to take some time today to explore the issue of faith. We toss the word around a lot and we use it a lot of different ways.
• According to and August 14, 2006 article and survey from the Barna Research group, “Americans describe their personal faith in various ways. While more than eight out of ten (84%) view themselves as Christian, a lesser but significant majority label themselves as a "committed Christian" (60%). Within that framework, people’s self-identity includes 45% who call themselves a "born again Christian,”
• This made me wonder what people mean when they identify themselves as a Christian, or to what we will examine today, what does it mean when a person starts using the word “FAITH” in their life?
• When one says they have faith in God, faith in Jesus, what are they really saying?
• Faith is important to God, He wants us to have it and He wants us to exercise it.
• SLIDE #2
• Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
• The word means, “to trust,” The dictionary defines faith as follows: belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.
• Biblically speaking faith may be better defined as “whole-souled trust in God based on the sufficiency of the evidence.”
• In the passage we will study together today, we will see three different things people mean when they use the word FAITH.
• We see a couple of them painted for us in the Blondin story.
• This is something that is important for us to look at and understand because the type of faith that we exhibit will determine our relationship with Jesus, which determines our salvation. There is only one type of faith that is pleasing to God.
• SLIDE #3
• James 2:14–17 (ESV) 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
• Let us begin by looking at the first type of faith that is alluded to in our passage.
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
I. Verbal faith.
• James poses a question in verse 14, it is a simple question.
• If a person SAYS they have faith, but does not demonstrate it, can that faith save him?
• The question is framed in such a way in the original text that a negative answer is expected.
• This is like the person who would tell everyone that they would get into the wheelbarrow, but when given the chance would decline.
• James is not talking about a person who has no faith, just a person who has no works that exhibit their faith. Will this type of faith save you?
• This type of faith is the all talk and no walk faith. James asks his readers if a verbal faith really does anything for them.
• The KJV asks, “what profit” do you get from this type of faith. The NIV asks, “what good is it”.
• The verbal faith is one in which we tell people we are saved, but our life does not reflect it. Once again, we are not speaking of a person who is growing in their faith, but a person who makes no effort to grow.
• A verbal faith is one in which we talk the talk but we do not walk the walk, it is a faith in which we decide we are saved but we do nothing or little of nothing to show it.
• We are given an example of a person who has a verbal faith in verses 15-16
• James speaks of one who is in need; he speaks of an opportunity to be able to DO something that one’s’ faith would lead them to do.
• The one with a verbal faith will say, WOW, but I will pass on the opportunity to help you, but het, GOOD LUCK!
• SLIDE #5
• 1 John 3:17 (ESV) 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
• When we look in verse 17 James answers the question posed in verse 14.
• Can a verbal faith save you, will it profit you, will it be a blessing to you?
• The answer is a resounding NO!
• The type of faith that is all talk and no walk does nothing for us. James says that faith by itself is dead. Action is the fruit of a living faith!
• Let us read verses 19-20
• SLIDE #6
• James 2:18–20 (ESV) 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
• SLIDE #7
II. Intellectual faith.
• Going back to our opening illustration, the one with an intellectual faith would be like the person who knows that Blondin could take the wheelbarrow across the falls, but when asked to prove it, they would do nothing.
• In verse 18 James issues a challenge as he wraps up his first point and leads into the second.
• He says, you say you have faith, I have works, show me your faith without works, I will show you my faith by my works!
• The point is this, how do you display your faith without works?
• James is not saying that your works save you but that your works are how you show you have faith.
• The way we display our faith is through what we do! To further illustrate this James hits us with an example in verse 19.
• SLIDE #8
• 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
• Why did I call this second faith, the intellectual faith?
• In verse 19 James speaks of how the folks believe that God is one, playing off the Old Testament Teaching, from Deuteronomy 6:4-5.
• James even says that it is good to believe. BUT now what does that belief lead you to do?
• The statement is intellectually true, but it doesn’t proceed far enough. A person must believe in God to be a Christian, but not everyone who acknowledges the existence of God has made a commitment to Jesus Christ. — Holman New Testament Commentary
• James tells us that even the DEMONS believe, they acknowledge the existence of God, and at LEAST that knowledge makes then shudder with fear.
• Even though they possess this knowledge, they chose not to be obedient to Jesus.
• The behavior of demons demonstrated that someone can believe the right thing and still have an evil character. Verse 19 concerns intellectual faith, a faith that touches only the mind. — Holman New Testament Commentary
• Knowing a lot about Jesus and knowing Jesus are two different things.
• There are many people who have this type of faith.
• What about the person who no longer comes to church or exhibits their faith because they went to church when they were a child and therefore they have put in their time.
• What about the person who was immersed a year ago or 20 years ago and then no longer darkens the door step of the church?
• Will an intellectual faith save you, or is there something more?
• Let’s finish with verses 21-26
• SLIDE #9
• James 2:20–26 (ESV) 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
• SLIDE #10
III. Saving faith.
• 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
• The question in verse 20 sums it up, there MUST be more to our faith than words or head knowledge, we must add something to that mix.
• Saving faith not only includes the intellect and the voice, but it also includes the WILL, the will to carry out God’s will in our life, the will to be obedient to God’s will for us! Romans 4:16–22!
• James goes to some of the Saints of old to illustrate this point!
• Abraham’s trust or faith in God caused him to do what God told him to do throughout his life. There were times of doubt and struggle in his life, but later in Isaiah 41:8, Abraham is called a friend of God.
• In Hebrews 11, the Hebrews hall of faith, Abraham is listed for his obedience to God, not what he said or thought.
• In the case of Rahab, we have a person who was a harlot; she was a Canaanite woman who helped the Israelites defeat Jericho by hiding the Israelite spies.
• Why did she do this? In Joshua 2:9-ff she explains that she had heard about what God had been doing for them and she believed that God was with them, so she acted. Her faith caused her to act!
• in the case of Abraham, his faith was teaming up with his works, therefore perfecting his faith. This does not mean his faith was perfect, but that it was taking him down the right path.
• In verse 24, James tells us that faith along with works makes us right in God’s sight. James is not talking about our initial salvation, but our obedience that we exhibit because we are saved.
• A saving faith is one that understands that we have a part to play in our salvation!
• SLIDE #11
• Philippians 2:12 (ESV) 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
• Faith will lead us to live a different life, not just know about it or talk about it!
• SLIDE #12
• Galatians 2:20 (ESV) 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
• THAT IS TRUE FAITH!
CONCLUSION
• Here is the question for you. Are you willing to get into the wheelbarrow? Is your faith the type that will cause you to act? Is your faith evident in your life?
• Brothers and sisters, standing before God and telling Him that we have faith, or standing before Him and telling Him that we know all ABOUT Him will not cut it.
• James wraps this whole section up in verse 26 by saying, For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
• There are three kinds of faith, which one do you have?
