“Faith That Works”
James 2:14-26 (ESV)
Good Morning brothers and sisters!
What a joy to worship the Lord together as a body of Christ!
Thank you worship team for leading us into the time of worship. As we come to study His word, let us commit this time to the Lord in prayer, shall we?
Prayer
Introduction
We are going through the series from the book of James and we are in chapter two. Our text today comes from James 2:14-26 and our topic is, ‘Faith That Works.’
This passage has caused a major theological confusion and controversy among Christians. Even the famous theologian Martin Luther hated the book of James because of this portion of scripture. He called it a book of “straw,” meaning it was useless. He even wanted to cut it out of the Bible. …Why all the confusion, controversy and conflict?
...Because…
In Romans 3:28 Paul says,
‘One is justified by faith apart from works of the law.’
But in James 2:17 James says,
‘Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.’
It seems like Paul and James are contradicting with each other. So it might be helpful for us to look at the context in which the book Romans and James was written.
Background
Paul is writing to Christians (particularly Jews) who believe that they are right with God on the basis of their race (nationality) and by keeping the law of Moses (legalism). They would say, "I must keep all the Jewish laws and regulations to be a Christian." Paul’s purpose is to tell them how they could enter into the Christian life by faith alone. So, his emphasis is on the root of salvation…which is FAITH ALONE - what happens on the inside.
James, on the other hand, is writing to Christian Jews who were those saying, "It doesn't matter what you do as long as you believe." They were making Christianity a ‘religion’ without a ‘relationship.’ Now, James’ purpose is to tell them that ‘faith in action is not an option for Christians’ because their action is the evidence of their faith. James is talking about, “How to show you're a Christian.” That’s why his emphasis is on the fruit of salvation…which is GOOD WORKS - what happens on the outside.
They are fighting two different enemies. But they both use the word "works" in different ways. When Paul uses the word "works" he's talking about Jewish circumcision and legalism – acts of Law. When James uses the word “works”, he's talking about the lifestyle of a Christian - acts of Love.
The definition of faith according to Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
We all know that faith is a key doctrine in our Christian life. The sinner is saved by faith, and the believer must walk by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. But, if someone stopped you on the street tomorrow and asked, “How can you tell if a person has true faith?”
Would you be able to give that person an answer?
To help us answer that question, James talks about three different kinds of faith in this passage and only one of which is true saving faith.
In vs. 14-17, he talks about the first kind of faith, which he calls…
1. Dead Faith (Vs. 14-17)
James begins this section by asking a couple of questions.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
James does not say “if someone has faith,” he says, “if someone SAYS he has faith …” There is a difference. It is one thing to talk about faith and another thing, to put it into practice. They claim to have faith, but they don’t show it through their works. “What good is it for a man to say, ‘I have faith,’ if his actions do not prove it? Can that kind of faith save him?” The answer is NO! That kind of faith cannot save a person…WHY?...
In vs. 15-16, James explains why that kind of faith cannot save. He says, “One of your Christian brothers or sisters is without clothes and food. You know their need and you have the means to help them. But without giving the things they need, you just tell them, ‘I believe God can supply all of your needs.’ ‘I pray that God will provide clothes and food for you.’
You know that such a desperate situation demands an immediate response. But all you have done is to speak some kind words to them. You know how to say the right thing, but you do not do the right thing. James is asking them, …What good is it? What good is it if you see someone in need and you say, "I feel for you!" but do nothing to help.
Imagine, you're getting into your car and you happen to slam your fingers in your car door. Now you are standing there in agony with blood on your fingers. A brother walks up to you and says, "I really feel for you," “I hope it stops bleeding” but he does not do anything - is that kind words any help to you? What you really need is the first-aid and a bandge to stop bleeding.
James concludes his point by saying,
‘So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.’ (V. 17).
The word “dead” in this passage comes from a Greek word meaning ‘unfruitful’, ‘barren’ or ‘nonproductive.’ It describes the condition of a faith that is not accompanied by works. That kind of faith is dead faith. And dead faith does not work.
The great theologian, John Calvin, wrote,
“It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone.”
True faith can never be alone, works must accompany it. People do not believe that we are saved if they do not see good works in our lives. Because…“Our action speaks louder than our words.” People are looking at what we do more than listening to what we say.
Illustration
The amazing story of Charles Blondin, a famous French tightrope walker, is a wonderful illustration of what true faith is. Blondin's greatest fame came on September 14, 1860, when he became the first person to cross a tightrope stretched 11,000 feet across the mighty Niagara Falls. People came from miles away to see this great feat. He walked across, 160 feet above the falls, several times... each time with a different daring feat - once in a sack, on poles, on a bicycle, in the dark, and blindfolded. One time he even carried a stove and cooked an omelet in the middle of the rope!
A large crowd gathered and the buzz of excitement ran along both sides of the riverbank. The crowd cheered as Blondin carefully walked across - one dangerous step after another - pushing a wheelbarrow holding a sack of potatoes. Then at one point, he asked for the participation of a volunteer. Upon reaching the other side, the crowd's applause was louder than the roar of the falls! Blondin suddenly stopped and addressed his audience: "Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?" The crowd enthusiastically yelled, "Yes! You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. We believe!" Then Blondin asked, so "Who wants to get into the wheelbarrow." Suddenly, the crowd went silent and no one responded.
Application
Brothers and sisters, this unique story illustrates a real life picture of what faith actually is. The crowd watched these daring feats. They said they believed in Bolndin. But... their actions proved they truly did not believe.
Brothers and sisters, Faith is not just a matter of what we say with our lips; it involves what we do with our lives. Real faith is more than just words, sympathy and feelings. It takes initiative to do something about it. It gets involved with people. Do you have fellowship with other believers? Who can count on you in a crisis situation? How many Christians have the freedom to call you up in the middle of the night if they are in an emergency?
Our faith must be demonstrated by our works. The reason why we are saved is, to do good works that God has prepared for us. True faith requires compassion and action. Therefore, we must demonstrate our faith in action!
After talking about dead faith, which does not take action, James talks about another kind of faith in vs. 18-19, which he calls…
2. Demonic Faith (Vs. 18-19)
As we come to v. 18, James is imagining some believers would say, “You have faith and I have works.” They would say that it is just a matter of emphasis. You're into faith, I'm into works; but both of us are Christians.”
For them, James challenges by saying this,
“Show me your faith apart from your works.”
James says, “Show me.” How could a person show his faith without his works? … Impossible! If you claim to be a Christian, I have a right to ask you to prove it by looking at your lifestyle. Somebody said,
"Faith is like calories. You can't see them but you can see the results."
You can't see faith but you can see the results of faith. If you claim to be a Christian, people will have to be able to see it. That's why James is says, “You say you're a Christian? You must prove it by your actions.”
If I would 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." Then you would certainly ask me, "Do you eat right? Do you exercise? Do you get your proper rest? Do you ever go for a check up?" You see, I cannot just say my health is important and do nothing about it. I must back up my belief with proper eating, exercise, rest and regular check up.
James continues his challenge and says,
“I will show you my faith by my works.”
James does not say, "I will show you works instead of faith." Rather, he says, “I will show you my faith by what I do.” James is talking about the works of faith (Acts of love). He is telling them that, it is impossible to show faith without works, but it is possible to show faith through works or through our acts of love.
Former president of the United States, Jimmy Carter in his book “Why Not the Best?” said that one of the turning points in his life was, when somebody asked him, ‘If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?'"
That's a great question. Let us think about it for ourselves. That's exactly what James is talking about here.
His readers were Jews who had been converted to Christianity. Because of their Jewish background, they were very familiar with the ‘Shema’, the Jewish confession of faith:
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!’
It is good to believe that there is one God … but…
Is mere belief in the existence of God sufficient? To answer this question…
James gives an illustration about the demons of hell in v. 19 and says,
“Even the demons believe and shudder (tremble)”
They believe in God and that belief makes them tremble because they understand the majesty and awesomeness of God. In Matthew 8:29 we see how demons acknowledge Christ as the Son of God:
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God?
The devil believes in God! The devil is a great theologian. He knows theology backwards and forwards. He knows a lot more about the Bible than we do. He believes in the existence of God. His demons believe and they tremble. Demons are well informed but not transformed.
James says, ‘just saying I believe in God is not enough to get you to heaven. Someone has said, “A lot of people are going to miss heaven by 18 inches.” They believe in their head but not their heart. A mere ‘profession of faith’ is not enough, if that faith has no works. We cannot separate faith from works or works from faith. Our belief and our behavior must go together. Being a Christian involves believing in Christ and living for Christ. Our faith must result in life Transformation!
Illustration
My father came to know Christ in a very miraculous way. My father was visiting a certain family for his work related meeting. During their meeting, that family was able to share the Gospel with him. It was the very first time he heard the name of Jesus in his life. And on that very day, he accepted Jesus as His personal Lord and Savior. He did not stop there; he went home and put his faith into action.
He threw all the idols and images we had at home. He stopped drinking alcohol completely from that day. He looked for Christians around him, found one and started learning more about Jesus. The very first time he attended church service, he brought his tithe. He was very serious about putting his faith into action because he didn’t just want to believe and do nothing about it. His faith was visible in his life through his works. He had a real life transformation!
Application
Brothers and sisters, our faith must be visible in our daily lives. It is not enough to say, ‘I believe in God,’ because any demon can say the same.
In Matthew 7:21, Jesus said,
"Not all who say 'Lord, Lord' will have a place in my Kingdom."
Though our good works alone cannot save us, but when we are saved, we must produce good works.
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mat. 5:16).
Brothers and sisters, Do people see Christ in us? Do your relatives, employees, employers, co-workers, classmates know that you are a Christian? People around us are looking at our lives. Let us be the light to the people around us so that they may see Christ in us. Let us show our faith in God by our good works!
After talking about demonic faith, which is ‘informed but not transformed’, James talks about another kind of faith, which is…
3. Dynamic Faith (Vs. 20-26)
In vs. 20-26, James explains about dynamic faith, which is the true saving faith. He says dynamic faith is the faith that is actively at work. It is based on God’s Word. Dynamic faith is real and it results in changed lives. Dynamic faith involves the whole person: head, heart and hands.
In v. 20, James repeats this phrase for the second time,
‘Faith apart from works is dead (useless)!’
If you see a tree without any branches or leaves what would you think of it? It is “dead.” A tree without branches and leaves is a dead tree! Likewise, faith apart from works is dead faith. To show his readers that ‘faith apart from works is dead,’ James gives 2 examples. These are two great persons in the Bible who had dynamic faith in God. The first person is…
Abraham (vv. 21–24)
God promised a son to Abraham when was 75 years old. Abraham believed God’s promise, and this faith gave to him the righteousness he needed for salvation. God had promised Abraham that through Isaac, he would have children more numerous than the sand of the sea and the stars of the heavens. Then God asked Abraham to sacrifice that son Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. Abraham had faith in God, and therefore he was not afraid to obey Him. He cut the wood, built the altar and was ready to sacrifice his own son. Hebrews 11:17–19 indicates that Abraham believed that God could even raise Isaac from the dead. In short, Abraham proved his faith by his works. His obedience to God was the evidence of his faith in God. His faith was made perfect in his act of obedience. Therefore, Abraham was not saved by obeying God’s difficult command. God declared Abraham righteous long before he was commanded to sacrifice his son Isaac. So…
Abraham was not saved by ‘faith plus works’, but by ‘faith that works.’
James’ second example of the person who had dynamic faith is…
Rahab (v. 25)
In Joshua chapter 2, we read that Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho. Israel was about to invade their Promised Land and take the city of Jericho. Jericho was the first and most intimidating target, so Joshua sent spies into the city. They went to the house of Rahab because they thought that, it would not arouse suspicion for strangers to go to the house of a prostitute. But they were mistaken. The king of Jericho got word that spies had come to the city and were at the house of Rahab. The king immediately sent men to search for the spies. But, Rahab hid them and helped them to escape. Because of her faith proved by her works, her life was spared when Jericho fell.
Rahab was already a believer in the God of Israel before the two spies came to her house. The Word about Israel and her God had come to Rahab and the other inhabitants of Jericho before the spies ever came. And Rahab had believed that Word. In Joshua 2:11 she said,
“When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
Her reception and protection of the two spies proved her faith in God. So, “Rahab was not saved by ‘faith plus works’, but by ‘faith that works.’
In the last verse, v. 26 – James repeats for third time,
“For as the body apart from the spirit is dead,
so also faith apart from works is dead.”
Faith and works are like the ‘body’ and the ‘spirit.’ Apart from the spirit, the body is dead. Likewise, apart from the evidence of works, faith is also dead. Faith without works is dead because, it reveals a heart that has not been transformed by God. James makes it clear that dynamic faith in Christ transforms lives and produces good works.
Illustration – The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37)
The priest and Levite in the Parable of the Good Samaritan each had religious training, but neither of them paused to assist the dying man at the side of the road. They had either ‘dead’ or ‘demonic’ faith because they never demonstrated their faith in action. But, the Good Samaritan had dynamic faith; he demonstrated his faith through his works.
Application
Brothers and sisters, what kind of faith do we have? Abraham, Rahab and the Good Samaritan had dynamic faith. They demonstrated their faith by their works. Dynamic faith not only saves us but also transforms our lives. It involves our head, heart and hands together to put our faith in action. We must demonstrate our faith through works in our daily Christian life. Our ‘faith apart from works is dead.’
Brothers and sisters, let us take some time to examine our hearts. Make sure that we do not have dead faith or demonic faith, but… we have dynamic faith…because…
Dynamic Faith Works!
Let us pray!
