The greatest tragedy of the church today is people who profess Christ and yet don’t live for Christ. This is the theme of this message. Millions profess Christ and are baptized and made members of the church and they think they’ve done all they need to do. They think that now that they are on the church roles, they only need to call on the church when they need something. They don’t follow Christ and certainly don’t live for Christ. They don’t witness for Christ to help lead the lost to Him. Some go so far as to not even live a pure life.
Are they saved? Do they have a genuine faith? This is what James is discussing in this passage of Scripture. This doesn’t necessarily mean they were not saved, but they fight the temptation to profess their faith without any works or deeds that show their faith.
READ verse 14. There are 2 questions that every believer needs to ask of themselves. Can a person have faith and not do good works? Can faith without good works save a person? Every person who is honest knows that the answer to these 2 questions is an emphatic, “NO!” A person who really believes something does something; they act. Yet this is kind of the curse of Christianity and of the church.
Millions profess faith in Christ and belong to the church. They are baptized, they join the church and attend worship services, but they basically do what they want when they want. They just go on and live like everyone else in the world. The only difference between their lives and unbelievers is that they sometimes get up on Sunday mornings and go to church. There is little if any difference between their behavior and speech during the week.
James asks a piercing question, “What good is it if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” So, the person claims to have faith. But it’s only what they claim. They do nothing to show that they really believe in Christ. Their faith is only faith in speech, only a faith of profession, not of possession. James is saying that kind of faith is a dead faith. James calls it a dead faith or useless faith 3 times in this passage (2:17,20,26). Let me ask you, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
That type of faith is just a vain, empty faith, an unprofitable faith. If we really believe, we will do what Christ says. We will live for Christ and do the works or deeds that please Christ. We will live a Christ-centered life, not a Christless life. James gives us 5 examples to illustrate his point.
READ verses 15-17. The first example is that of a destitute Christian believer. This example really rebukes most believers and most churches throughout the world. Again, the example is dealing with believers.
A brother or sister faces some need or problem that makes him or her destitute. They are unable to properly dress themselves, to stay warm, and to secure enough daily food. We see them and share words of comfort with them. We speak peace and sometimes give a few items to help them in their need as they seek to solve their problem for warmth and food. Most believers go this far. When a brother or sister in Christ has a need, we visit, comfort, and wish them well. But James says that’s not enough. What good is it if we don’t give them the things they need?
The point is this: faith, if it doesn’t do good works, is dead. A person can talk about believing in Christ repeatedly, but if that person is not reaching out and helping the destitute like Jesus did, his faith is dead.
True faith is an operative faith, a faith that really works. So, if we really believe in Christ, we will follow Christ. We will take all that we are and have beyond our own needs and help to meet the needs of the destitute brothers and sisters throughout the world. That’s what our missions offering are all about. We give what we can beyond our needs to the local association, the state, North America, and around the world.
READ verse 18. This 2nd example is of two arrogant men. James is painting the picture of two men, but only one man speaks and what he says is only one sentence. The man says, “You have faith; I have deeds.” The imaginary man has faith. He believes that he is saved by faith—that God accepts him because he believes in Jesus Christ even if he fails to live for Christ. Once he has believed in Christ, professed and been baptized and joined the church, God has accepted him and will take him to heaven when he dies. That’s what he believes.
The imaginary speaker claims to have works or deeds—that God accepts him because he does good works and lives as good a life as he can. He believes that the important thing to God is to be religious and do all the good that a person can. If a person does this, God will never reject him. God will accept him no matter who he is and no matter what religion he follows. Again, that’s what he believes.
The thing to note is that it is not a matter of faith or works. To say and profess faith alone won’t save a person, and to follow works to become acceptable to God won’t save a person. James handles both men with one clear statement: “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works,” by “What I do.”
A person who truly believes in Christ, works for Christ. He follows and lives for Christ. A person who only professes Christ lives for himself, going about doing what he wants and when he wants. He doesn’t separate himself from the world. He professes Christ, but lives for the pleasure and things of this day and time.
All of this may have confused you at this point. So, let me put it in a different context to see if it helps explain it. Look at verse 18 as a true believer pleading with a man of false faith. You, as the believer say,
“You profess to have faith, but where is the proof? True faith must have proof; it must be backed up: you must show that you believe. I have works to back up what I profess. Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Your faith is not seen; all I have is your word. There’s no change in your life. But you can see my faith by what I do. I am not working for the Lord to earn my salvation. I am working for the Lord BECAUSE of my salvation.”
READ verses 19-20. Now James gives us the example of the orthodox religionists. A true man of religion believes in one God. He’s not an atheist or an agnostic. Agnostic is a person who neither claims faith nor disbelief in God. They believe that everything must be proven by material phenomena or it can’t exist.
So, a true man of faith is a believer and it’s said to be a good thing. The man does well to believe in God. But believing in God is not enough. There’s a dead belief and a living belief, a belief that doesn’t lead to salvation and belief that does.
James says, “Consider the demons or evil spirits. They believe in God. They KNOW that God exists. They even believe in the deity of Christ. But the demons are not saved. Their belief hasn’t affected their lives and behavior at all.”
Verse 20 says, “You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless.” Don’t be vain, true faith is a living faith, a faith that works, a faith that stirs a person to live for Christ.
READ verses 21-24. Now James gives us the example of Abraham who proved his faith by his works or deeds. Verse 21 is a verse that causes problems for some people, because it seems to say that when Abraham offered up Isaac in obedience to God’s instruction, then he was justified. That is, Abraham was justified by works. Is a person justified by works? Is that what is meant? No! What James is saying is that Abraham proved that he was justified by what he did—by his works. Abraham’s faith was proven to be a true and living faith by his works.
How do we know that is what James really meant? Because James says:
? Abraham’s faith worked with, it cooperated with his works (v.22). That is, his faith was acted out and proven by his works.
? By his works Abraham’s faith was made complete. His faith was proven.
? Abraham’s faith fulfilled Scripture. What Scripture? Genesis 15:6 says, “Abraham believed God; and it was credited to him as righteousness. This was recorded some 30 years before Abraham offered up Isaac. He was proving his faith. There’s not a chance that Abraham would have ever offered up Isaac unless he already believed in God. He believed; so, he did what God said. This is true with any person. If a person believes Christ, he does what Christ says.
So, verse 24 tells us “You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” Faith only, is dead faith, inactive, and a worthless faith.
READ verses 25-26. Here’s the last example that James gives—the example of Rahab, the converted prostitute who proved her faith by works. Why mention Rahab and not end the discussion with Abraham? The point has already been clearly shown in Abraham: a living faith proves itself in works.
Why then discuss Rahab the prostitute? Because she was a prostitute, the very lowest of society. Even the lowest person who claims to believe in God must do good works. They must clean up their lives and follow God. Rahab did. When the spies for Israel were being hunted down by the Jericho soldiers, she hid them.
Why would she betray her country and protect the Israelite spies? Because she believed in God and His promises. She said to the spies in Joshua 2: 9,11, “I know that the LORD has given this land of promise to you…for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.”
She believed in God, so, she acted. She put her faith to work. The conclusion is pretty descriptive, READ James 2:26. A physical body without the spirit or breath is dead. It doesn’t move, act, live, or work. It’s empty, useless, and worthless. It’s a dead body.
So it is with faith: faith without works is dead, it doesn’t move, act, live, or work. It’s empty. It doesn’t live for Christ.
So, the lesson James brings us is to not just profess that you believe in God. Profess it, but then show people you are a child of God by working for Him, reaching people and meeting the needs of a destitute world.
