Christianity For Dummies: Faith Without Works
James 2:14-26
I. Introduction
A. We are continuing in our series "Christianity for Dummies" based on the Book of James. The first two weeks, we examined How to Respond to Trials & How to Understand & Defeat Temptation. Since that time, our discussion has centered on what does the life of one who professes to have been born again by the gospel look like? Doers of the Word and not just Hearers! We first took a look at The Man in The Mirror. Last time, James wrote about a problem area when it comes to being Doers of the Word and not just Hearers. And that was The Sin of Partiality. Here at the end of Chapter 2, James continues the theme that hearing/faith must lead to doing/works and again writes about a potential problem area in this department - faith without works.
B. What Is The Relationship Between Faith, Works & Justification?
- Faith, works and justification in James 2 has created much controversy in the history of interpretation. In fact, James 2:14-26 is often interpreted as a repudiation of Paul's doctrine of salvation through faith alone.
- Paul writes: Read Romans 3:8 & 4:1-3; Ephesians 2:8-9. Saved by Faith NOT Works! Man is justified by faith apart from works.
- James writes: Read James 2:17, 21-24. Saving faith is not divorceable from works. Man is justified by works NOT faith Alone!
- Can the two be harmonized? Does it even matter? YES and a BIG FAT YES! #1 It is essential because of the doctrine of biblical inerrancy. #2 It is essential because of the doctrine of inspiration.
- Dr. Rogers = "Now, Paul speaks of the root of salvation. James speaks of the fruit of salvation. Now the root is beneath the ground. The fruit is above the ground. God can see the root, only man can see the fruit. Paul speaks of the foundation of our faith. James speaks of the building that is built on that foundation. Paul is speaking of that which is inward. James is speaking of that which is outward. Paul is speaking of the provision of our salvation. James is speaking of the proof of our salvation. Paul is talking about the means of our salvation. James is talking about the marks of our salvation. Paul is talking about a know so salvation. James is talking about a show so salvation."
II. Context, Context, Context
A. Discuss the importance of context.
B. Much of the confusion about the apparent contradiction between James' and Paul's teachings on the relationship between faith, works and justification goes away when we simply consider the context of the letter of James and the Pauline letters:
1) First consider the Literary Context. Audience: Jewish Christians. Not one church but a scattered group of individuals living outside Palestine.Occasion: #1 = Dispersion as a result of Stephen's martyrdom #2 = Persecution by wealthy Jews Literary Features: Not a true epistle, but Wisdom Literature! James is not addressing specific issues that he knows are going on in the church but only certain typical issues that the Jews of the Diaspora were most likely facing. Diatribe - supposed objector asking questions (this passage).Purpose = Dr. Constable = "His preeminent concern was the practice of Christianity, the manifestation of salvation in shoe leather." Adrian Rogers = "Faith is belief with legs on it!" James was writing how to live out their faith.
2) Second consider the Pauline letters - they are a different genre from James. They are mainly occasional letters meant to deal with specific isssues at hand in specific local churches. Thus James and Paul are developing different issues in relation to faith, works and justification. Different sides of the same coin.
C. So let's explore what James has to teach us about the relationship between faith, works and justification as it relates to genuine saving faith. As we do, we will see that James in his diatribe makes An Assertion, An Objection, A Refutation and An Illustration.
III. Scripture Reading & Prayer
A. Read James 2:14-26.
B. Pray - Father, this subject of the relationship between faith, works and justification is one that has been hotly debated amongst people way smarter than I am. Yet we know that you are a not a God of confusion and so we pray you pour out your Holy Spirit on us this AM that our hearts and minds would be illuminated to the truths of your Word.
IV. An Assertion: Faith Without Works Is Dead (vv. 14-17)
A. We must go back and recall 2:13 - James' emphasis on showing mercy and its consequences for the day of judgment leads naturally to such questions as "How can deeds of mercy help in the judgment?" and, "Is not faith all that matters?". James answers by pointing out the inability to divorce faith & works.
B. Read and explain James 2:14.
- James opens this passage with three rhetorical questions, two here in verse 14. These questions are directed to a man who is advocating a "faith only" view - in other words, he's guilty of The Great Divorce, separating faith and works What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? Notice,
#1 If someone says - this phrase governs the interpretation of the entire passage. Discuss Abraham Lincoln asking a boy if a dog has four legs and then you call his tail a leg how many would he have - no matter what you call his tail, it is still a tail. No matter what a man says about his faith, if he doesn't have real faith, it is not real faith. James does not say that this person actually has faith, but that he claims to have it. In fact says and have are present subjunctive active = continuous, repeated action. Thus James is describing someone who continually lacks any external evidence of the faith he routinely claims. Jesus & Paul would say this about such a person - Read Matthew 7:21, Mark 7:6, Luke 6:46, Titus 1:16.
#2 The grammatical form of these questions demand a negative answer. Such faith, "profession without possession" as Dr. Rogers calls it, is indeed NO GOOD. James will soon illustrate in fact how NO GOOD it truly is! Not only is it NO GOOD, of no profit, it CANNOT save!
#3 The way in which many translations render this phrase is actually "Can faith save him?". Yet based on the Greek it is best rendered as the ESV does "Can THAT faith save him?" with that referring back to the bogus faith James just outlined that this man has - "profession without possession." Neither Paul nor James would regard this person's faith as genuine Christian faith - it is bogus.
#4 We must understand the sense in which James is using this word "save." Discuss sanctification as a process - begins in this life on earth, yet perfected/consummated at 2nd Coming. Thus some passages discuss it as a present possession granted immediately by God to those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Paul) and in others as a good yet future possession (here in James). That time in which we will experience final deliverance from sin, death and judgment. This makes good contextual sense as well as, in verse 13, James just spoke of the final judgment. Such a bogus faith, one without works, will be of no profit at the time of God's righteous judgment.
C. Read and explain James 2:15-16.
- Just how deeply troubled James is over the person whose faith consists of "professsion without possession" is clear from the illustration he gives here in vv. 15-16.
#1 Look at the person's description: brother or sister (fellow Christian), poorly clothed (lack of outer garment), lacking in daily food (Greek = ongoing condition, know Scripturally many of the churches were this poor).
#2 Now look at this "believer's" response: Go in peace (familiar Jewish form of dismissal - NEB = "Good luck to you"), be warmed and filled (McCartney = shows a sense of mockery to the needy), without giving them the things needed (this "believer" does NOTHING). It reflects a shallow, flippant response, much like our "I will be praying for you." As Dr. Constable notes, "a benediction cannot save a starving man from death; only bread can do that."
- Yet many of us ignore divine service appointments, one after another. Joseph Stowell tells this story - "StreetWise," a Chicago-based newspaper, is sold by homeless people who collect a portion of the proceeds. One day as I walked to work, I passed a vendor. It was a bitterly cold January morning, and I'd already stopped by Starbucks and paid more than a buck for a measly cup of coffee. Feeling noble, I struggled to find ny wallet, reached in, and took out a dollar. The homeless woman asked, "Do you really want the paper, or can I keep it to sell to someone else?" "Keep the paper," I replied. Then I added, "How are you today?" "I'm so cold," she said. "I hope the sun comes out, it warms up, and you have a good day," I told her as I turned to go. I continued on, with the cup of coffee warming my hand. About a half block later, the conversation finally registered. I wrestled for a moment worth what I should do, but I was late, so I kept walking. Ever since, I've regretted not giving her a cup of hot coffee in Christ's name.
- James ends this illustration with his third rhetorical question, again asking what good is that? The obvious answer can be found on the lips of the poor, destitute, starving man this "believer" has conveniently told "Good luck to you I hope you’ll keep warm and find enough to eat." NONE! Words, however well meant, have not profitted these needy people anything!
D. Read and explain James 2:17.
- James draws a conclusion from his illustration - faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Notice first - by itself - again, profession without possesssion. Second, the Greek word here for dead is "nekros" meaning "corpse." Thus, this faith as Mayor notes is "not merely outwardly inoperative but inwardly dead." Not sick, or even dying, but dead! As one commentator noted, this image would be met with great contempt and disapproval as well as being repugnant to a Jew who coming into contact with a dead body would be made ceremonially unclean. Finally, again the contrast is not between faith and works but between a faith that doesn't divorce itself from works and thus has them and a faith that divorces itself from works and thus doesn't have them.
D. Application: James stands in a long line of Biblical tradition to Walk the Talk! Isaiah called the people of his day to put real meaning into their religious rituals by "sharing bread with the hungry," bringing the homeless into their houses, " and "covering the naked" (cf. Isaiah 58:7-9). Jesus promised the kingdom to those who feed, give drink to, welcome into their homes, clothe and visit when sick and in prison "the least of these my brethren" (cf. Matt. 25). And John denies that anyone who fails to provide for a brother in need can have real love (cf. 1 John 3:17-18). As Moo states, "the warning is one that the church needs constantly to hear. Too often we have been content to offer mere words, when God may have been calling us to action." How is your walk? Does it match your talk?
V. An Objection: Faith & Works Are Separable (v. 18)
A. Read and explain James 2:18.
- James moves on to a new stage in his argument, his diatribe, by interjecting the opinion of another person. There is much debate as to who is this person, what position they are adopting and how far the quotations extend. Martin Dibelius says that this is one of the hardest NT passages to interpret for all of those reasons.
- The main point again is that James is reacting against this idea of The Great Divorce - the false notion that faith and works are separable. James continues to insist that faith and works are indeed inseparable and faith will always be accompanied by works, if it is true faith. Think of this way - Can you see faith? Can I see your faith? Can you see my faith? No, no and no. Thus why James stresses the word "show" - faith cannot be seen but it can only be shown and demonstrated by works. Thus for James works are the evidence of a genuine faith. Fruit bearing proves genuineness - Paul agrees (cf. Titus 1:16) as does John (cf. 1 John 2:4). And from whom did all three get their theology? JESUS! Read Matthew 7:16-17. Jesus would agree with James that the faith the objector claims to have is not faith at all.
VI. A Refutation: Faith Without Works Is Useless (vv. 19-20)
A. Here in these two verses, James refutes the argument of the objector stated in verse 18. It is what Dr. Rogers referred to as profession without possession.
A. Read and explain James 2:19.
- You believe that God is one This affirmation of monotheism stems from The Shema (cf. Deut. 6:4), which was and is the pious Jew's daily confession of his faith. James says, Oh you believe that, great! You do well.
- Even the demons believe Not only are the demons monotheists, they also affirmed the Divinity of Jesus in the Gospels - Matthew 8:29, Mark 1:24 & 3:11, Luke 4:41. Mitton says, "It is a good thing to possess an accurate theology, but it is unsatisfactory unless that good theology also possesses us." Profession without possession! Dr. Constable = "I think James selected the demons as an illustration because they are the most extreme and clear example of beings whose belief is correct but whose behavior is not."
- Think of this - Suppose the devil were to try to join Crossway Baptist Church and we question him and we say, “Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” “Yes I do.” “Do you believe He is the Messiah?” “Yes I do.” “Do you believe He is holy?” “Yes I do.” “Do you believe He was born of a virgin?” “Yes I do.” “Do you believe He died on the cross?” “Yes I do.” “Do you believe He was raised from the dead?” “ Yes I do.” “ Will you work in the church?” I will be glad too. I will be a deacon if you will let me.” “I will be glad to fill the pulpit.” The Bible says Satan is transformed as an angel of light. And he could pass all of these tests but he is not born again. Devil, I have asked you a number of questions, let me ask you one more question. “Will you bow the knee to Jesus Christ and crown Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords?” “I will not. I will not."
- Application: Churches are filled with people who think because of their profession they have possession. But they have never bowed the knee to Jesus Christ and made Him Lord. Dr. Rogers = "They are going to miss heaven by some eighteen inches. They have it here but they don’t have it here."
- And shudder Greek = "phrisso," used only here in NT and refers to uncontainable, uncontrollable, violent shaking from extreme fright. Some commentators note that James is using irony here - at least the demons have some sort of reaction to their faith, albeit extreme fear, while people who have a faith without works display no reaction at all to their faith.
B. Read and explain James 2:20.
- James addresses those who would divorce faith and works as you foolish person. This word foolish or shallow literally means "empty." James asks such a person if they would like to be shown that faith divorced from works is useless. This Greek word literally means "not working" or "idle." Thus James makes a play on words - "faith that has no works does not work"!
- In summary, James says that a faith divorced from works is NO GOOD, does not save, does not profit, is dead and useless. Could he paint a more negative picture of such a faith? With two final illustrations, James will add that such faith also does not justify.
C. Application: Ask yourself, do my WORKS match my WORDS? Now those of you here may not be a Rick Warren fan but I do believe he has made some very salient points, one of which is the following: "The last thing many believers need is to go to another Bible study. They already know far more than they are putting into practice. What they need are serving experiences in which they can exercise their spiritual muscles." We need less orthodoxy and more orthopraxy!!!
VII. An Illustration: Works Show Faith
A. Now we come to the part where everybody REALLY gets in an uproar over the apparent contradiction between James and Paul. Discuss Ephesians 2:8-9 without 10 - a half-truth without the whole truth is an untruth. Look at the three prepositions in Ephesians 2:8-10 = by, through, unto! You are saved by grace through faith unto good works. Repeat after me - By grace, through faith, unto good works. And on this Paul and James wholeheartedly agree. For in closing out his argument, James gives two illustrations to this effect.
B. The Illustration of Abraham - Jewish Patriarch (vv. 21-24)
- Read and explain James 2:21-24.
Again on the surface James seems to contradict Paul. Both use Abraham and both talk about faith, works and justification to prove their theological points. Yet each uses a different event in his life. Paul denies that Abraham was "justified by works," arguing from Genesis 15:6. That's when Abraham got saved. Discuss justification - instant, secret legal act of God. What justified him? He believed God...he put his faith in the coming Messiah! Now comes James arguing that Abraham was justified by works. But he uses a different event from Abraham's life - in fact, one that happened 30 YEARS after he was saved. James argues from Genesis 22:9-10 where Abraham began to offer Isaac on Mount Moriah. His willingness to offer Isaac did not save him. It was not the means of his salvation, it was the mark of his salvation. It was not the root of his salvation, it was the fruit of his salvation. It was not the know so of his salvation, it was the show so of his salvation. You and I can't see a secret, legal, instant act of God. You couldn't see what happened in Genesis 15:6 between Abraham and God when Abraham believed God. But had you been there on Mount Moriah, you could certainly see what happened in Genesis 22:9-10 as Abraham held that knife above Isaac's body!
The same Greek word, dikaioo, our word justify, but used in two different ways - Paul as a declaration of righteous, invisible to man; James as a demonstration before men of an inward reality. No contradiction!!!
C. The Illustration of Rahab - Gentile Harlot (v. 25)
- Read and explain James 2:25.
Notice first the contrast between the illustrations - Abraham (major Bible figure, father of the faithful, the respected, a man) & Rahab (minor participant, a foreigner, the disreputable, a woman). Comprehensive - covers EVERYONE!
Read Joshua 2:8-15. Rahab believed the stories of God's saving work for the Hebrews. Unlike with Abraham, Scripture is silent on exactly when Rahab believed in Jehovah God, when in the Pauline sense she was justified. But we do know that when, at some personal risk, she hid the Jewish spies from her own people, then lowered them on a rope so they could escape she was justified in the James sense.
D. The Illustration of the Body (v. 26)
- Read and explain James 2:26.
Let me ask you, why am I, why are you alive? Because we are walking around? No! I walk around because I am alive. Why does a man do what he does spiritually? Why do I go to Africa? To be saved? A LOT easier ways than that my brothers and sisters! No! Because he IS, I AM saved! The work a human body does doesn't give it life, the work a human body does reveals life. No life = no work. A body without works is dead. Apply that spiritually. No faith = no work. A faith without works is dead.
VIII. Conclusion
A. Discuss difficulty of this passage - tried to exegete it properly - I am not condoning Lordship salvation. But I do believe there are millions of Christians in Baptist churches this AM who are Fire Insurance Policy only Christians.
B. Dr. Rogers = "You say, well I am saved because I know the plan of salvation. You are not saved by the plan of salvation. You are saved by the Man of Salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. The devil knows the plan but he has never bowed the knee to the Man. Every road has two ditches. And the devil doesn’t care which side of the road he wrecks your car on. On the one side is the ditch of those who think they can work their way to heaven, that God is somehow making a list, checking it twice, like Santa Claus. And when we die, he is going to see if our good works outweigh our bad works. And so on the one hand there are those who try to be justified by works.The other ditch is just as dangerous. There are those who say well since I am saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I have an intellectual faith, I believe that Jesus died on the cross. I believe the facts of the Gospel. And so therefore, I just accept that intellectually, casually. But they never bow the knee to Jesus Christ. They never really trust Christ as personal Savior. Over here are those who are trying to work their way to heaven. They will never do it. Over here are those who never really have received Jesus Christ as Lord. They simply have a say so, salvation. But they don’t have a know so salvation. They never trusted the Lord Jesus Christ. Real salvation is salvation BY grace THROUGH faith UNTO good works."
C. Give invitation with heads bowed, eyes closed. #1 I have repented - not mere profession - Jesus has possession of me and I have a living transformational faith? #2 Profession without possession - empty words, recited a prayer, walked an aisle - Jesus doesn't have possession of me and I have a dead faith? #3 I've never repented - I've never asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins - I want him to come into me life, transform me that I may live for Him?
