Is Your Faith Alive or Dead?
James 2:14-26
Suppose I were to stand before you today and hold up this object (in this case, a piece of chewing gum) and tell you that it is a piece of gum. How would you know that what I am saying is true? You could assume that I am telling the truth because you know that I am generally truthful. You could observe that, as I open the wrapper, the contents appear to hold a piece of gum. If you were close enough, you could smell the gum. If I had enough pieces of gum or you didn’t mind sharing, we could all taste the gum to see that it was indeed gum. The point is that, beyond my statement that this is a piece of gum, you would have to either take my word or test the evidence in order to know for certain what is true.
This is the kind of argument James uses to talk about saving faith in our study today. If you were to consider the book of James to be a series of tests for Christians, then this particular passage would be the test of a genuine salvation. By describing the difference between faith that is false and faith that is genuine, James helps believers reach a deeper understanding of what it is that God expects of those who claim the name of Jesus.
What is the difference in either case? I believe we will see today that it is not enough to simply take one’s word regarding salvation. I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21a, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (NKJV). It is not enough to simply know what it takes to be a Christian – real faith is shown by the way we live and the things we do on an everyday basis.
A LOOK AT “DEAD” FAITH (vv.14-20)
James begins by asking an important question, “Can faith save him?” Let’s begin by considering that question. What he seems to be asking is, “Can a person be saved simply by saying he is a believer?” You and I would probably agree that the answer is at best questionable if not an outright “No.” We have all seen people say that they are Christians when even a passing glance at their lives leads us to believe otherwise. This is exactly the kind of thing James was addressing when he asked his initial question. Genuine saving faith is more than just saying that you are a Christian.
The argument continues with a hypothetical illustration in verses fifteen and sixteen. Consider these things: (1) the people in question are believers, not strangers; and (2) they have real, long-term needs. None of us here today would look at this and say, “Hey, this is only a passing thing. God’s going to take care of you. Hang in there!” At least I hope we would respond differently. Remember, these are not strangers. They are a part of the body of Christ.
So how well do we fare in light of these words? Are we taking care of our own? Sometimes I think we are guilty of writing a check and moving on with our lives, rather than taking the time to care for a brother or sister in need. When needs go unmet in the household of faith, then the church has a serious problem. Before we can ever expect to care for the world, we must first care for our own members. Otherwise, our faith is dead.
Verse seventeen states James’ case succinctly. Faith alone, without works, is dead. His statement sounds like a terse version of 1 John 3:18, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (KJV). If we say that we are believers, then we ought to be moved with compassion for our brothers and sisters.
I suppose I was one of those weird kids who actually enjoyed diagramming sentences in junior high school. One of the reasons was probably the personality of my English teacher, Mrs. Susan Steelman. I will never forget Mrs. Steelman’s approach to teaching prepositions and a particular mishap that still stands out in my mind today. Mrs. Steelman explained that prepositions can denote place, time, or ownership, and she began to demonstrate this by using the sentence, “The teacher is _____ the desk.”
She stood behind her desk and we all said, “The teacher is behind the desk.” She moved to one side and we intoned, “The teacher is beside the desk.” The exercise continued with Mrs. Steelman on all sides of her desk, even under it, which was quite amusing. The coup de grace came as she stepped on her chair and proceeded to mount her desk for the grand finale, “The teacher is on the desk.” I was already cheering in my mind, when, by some misfortune, Mrs. Steelman missed her step and landed on her backside on the floor.
We didn’t know whether to laugh or call an ambulance. Laughter changed to silence in an instant. Then, Mrs. Steelman laughed sheepishly and said to us, “The teacher is on the floor.” The entire class breathed a sigh of relief and cheered all at the same time. I guess it’s no surprise that I enjoy grammar so much today. Mrs. Steelman brought it to life.
I tell you this story to point to the grammatical structures used in verse eighteen. Notice especially the words “without” and “by.” This statement, another rhetorical device pointing to the necessity of acting on one’s faith, shows that works may be a clearer indicator of saving faith than a verbal confession. This is important, especially since some people are more interested in the words we use than in the lives we lead. Look closely at this verse, because in so doing you see again that the evidence of a relationship with Jesus Christ is manifested in the things you do on a daily basis.
Do you feel the need to pray regularly? Are you drawn to the spiritual things in life? Has your motivation changed directions since you became a Christian? Are certain behaviors you used to enjoy becoming loathsome now? Are behaviors you used to find to be loathsome becoming enjoyable? Works are the evidence of saving faith. Without them, there is no saving faith.
Look now at verse nineteen. This is one of my favorite verses in Scripture. In witnessing encounters where people say, “Well, I believe in God,” this verse just jumps into my mind in a flash. When it comes to orthodox belief, there is no one more correct than the demons of Hell. They would agree with every word of every creed known to mankind. You wouldn’t have to argue one word of doctrine with satan and his demonic host. Their esteem of the Bible is probably greater than yours or mine. BUT, and you knew this was coming, the demons of Hell are condemned to the Lake of Fire already, and nothing will change that.
James said, “You say you believe in God. That’s nice. The demons believe in Him too, and they quake in their boots at his power.” It is not enough to just believe the right things. We must have a transforming faith that produces righteous acts in our lives. Do you remember 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” That kind of faith is not dead at all. In fact, the “I-believe-in-God” faith passes away when we come to know Jesus.
James reminds the “I-believe” crowd again in verse twenty that faith without works is dead. Newer translations substitute words like “useless” or “worthless,” but I have come to find that most words in either category are equal in weight and force. The tone of James’ instruction reaches a high intensity mark in this verse, and the reader is left to examine himself in light of the theses presented. In every case, it becomes clear that real faith must be made manifest in real works of righteousness. Anything less is defective, inferior faith. In James’ words, it’s DEAD.
A LOOK AT “ALIVE” FAITH (vv.21-26)
Two heroes of faith round out the discussion of faith that works with solid examples of what a living faith looks like. The first is Abraham, father of the Jewish people and archetype of a life of righteousness before God. The second is Rahab, Gentile prostitute from Jericho and ancestor of Jesus Christ by her marriage to Salmon, a descendant of Judah. Through these two examples, James covers every possible excuse and solidifies the necessity of a works-producing-faith.
The illustration from Abraham’s life deals with the challenge from God to go to Mt. Moriah and sacrifice Isaac. It is good for us to remember that Isaac was born when Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 90. It is also good for us to remember God’s promise to Abraham that he would have descendants more numerous than the sand at the seashore. We should probably not forget that Abraham had had a son by Sarah’s servant, Hagar whom she had named Ishmael, and that he was not to be the heir to God’s promise. Do you begin to grasp the seriousness of God’s request?
The Bible tells us in Genesis 22 that Abraham took Isaac, carried him to Mt. Moriah, built the altar, tied him up and lay him on the altar, and drew the knife to cut his throat. Were there tears in Abraham’s eyes? Did Isaac struggle to be free from the cords around his ankles and wrists? Did he cry out as he began to see the plan come together? Was there anger in Abraham’s heart, or intense sorrow? Here he had been childless for almost a hundred years when suddenly a child whose name meant “laughter” brought joy into his home. He had been with Isaac every day of his life, more like a doting grandfather than a father. And now, this.
He had heard God’s voice calling him to go to Canaan. He had seen the plagues God sent on the Egyptians while he and Sarah were in Egypt. He had personally witnessed the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He had hosted the messengers of God in his own tent. He had spoken as with a friend to God on numerous occasions. And now, this.
Was it important that Abraham obey God’s request for the life of Isaac? Friends, Abraham’s salvation was at stake. If Abraham had not carried through at this precise moment in history, I daresay God would have put him on the shelf and the Jewish nation would call someone other than Abraham “Father.” It was that important. James says that he was justified by his works (v.21). He also goes on to say that faith was made “perfect” through works. We have already seen that this word, “perfect” implies completion and maturity. Abraham’s obedience to God was vital to his justification before God.
Verse twenty-three brings us to another important point in James’ argument. He quotes a reference from Genesis 15:6 that says, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Abraham’s belief was not merely a confession or and agreement with God: it was a lifestyle that affected the way he did almost everything. It was a living relationship that was forever different from what it had been when he was living in Ur of the Chaldees.
The result of this lifestyle is found in the final clause of verse twenty-three: “. . . and he was called the Friend of God.” That is a pretty meaningful title. I have heard of many servants of God and men of God and women of God, along with an occasional enemy of God or a fool for God. Rarely, though, do you hear one called a “friend” of God. Perhaps it is because it was a title assigned to a great man like Abraham. There have been few to live since him who have been friends of God. In any case, the title fits Abraham. Maybe as we live out our faith on a daily basis, it will come to fit us, too.
As we come to Rahab in verse twenty-five, it is interesting that James quickly points our her career, her relationship to the Jews, and her ministry. He tells us first that she was a harlot, a paid prostitute. While this may have been acceptable in many cultures of the day, it was not the kind of thing that God wanted his people to be involved in. God has always maintained that the proper context for a sexual relationship is between one man and one woman in the confines of marriage. The Jews had no call for temple prostitutes or sexual slaves in their religious practices. The fact that Rahab was a prostitute amplifies the remarkable nature of her faith.
The second thing that is implied about Rahab was that she was not a Jew. She welcomed the spies (James: “messengers”) into her home. We all remember the story of the scarlet thread hanging our her window that spared her and her family from the conquest of Jericho after the walls fell. Rahab found a kinship with the Jewish people that eventually led to her marriage to Salmon, a descendant of Judah. Through this marriage they had a son named Boaz. Boaz married Ruth, a Moabite woman, and had a son with her named Obed. Obed had a son named Jesse, and Jesse had a son named David, the second king of Israel. You see, in welcoming the Jewish spies into her home, Rahab unwittingly became the great-great grandmother of one of the greatest rulers in Israel’s history.
As far as Rahab’s ministry is concerned, we can all imagine the risks she took in not only sheltering the spies but helping them escape the city. Yet she did it willingly and graciously, helping them and advising them in their preparations to conquer what at that time was one of the great cities of the ancient world. With walls wide enough to drive chariots around the top, the conquest of Jericho was a feat that only God could accomplish. Rahab became a part of God’s plan as she aided the spies in their reconnaissance mission. It was her actions that justified her and her faith before God.
We have seen the examples of Abraham and Rahab, and now James concludes his challenge with one final illustration, found in verse twenty-six. He compares the relationship of faith and works with the spirit or breath in a living body. Take away the works and the faith is dead. Take away the spirit and the body is dead. A person can give the appearance of life by many signs, but life itself is made manifest in the works that go along with living. They are inseparable.
Do you remember my piece of chewing gum from the beginning of this message? We considered the reality of the gum, the visible indicators of its existence, any other stimulants we could find, all determined to prove or disprove the reality of what I told you. Did you know that you can do the same kind of examination of your faith? As we close our study of James today, I want to invite you to look with me at Ephesians 2:8-10.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Being a Christian happens by God’s grace as we trust in Christ to save us. According to these verses, God even provides the faith needed to be saved, if we will accept it. Nobody can be good enough or do enough good things to obtain it. And when we become God’s handiwork, our motive for anything good that we do is no longer to try to obtain God’s approval, but a tribute of gratitude to him for all that he has done for us. We do good things because we love God and we want to thank him for his generosity.
Are you producing the works that indicate your faith in God? What evidence is there in your life that you are what you claim to be? Matthew 7:20 says, “Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.” Even if you have all the right words and believe the right things, James says that faith without works is dead. Are you caring for our brothers and sisters in need? Are you obeying the Scriptures in what they teach? Are you cultivating a growing relationship with Jesus Christ on a daily basis? Do you have more than a nominal belief in God?
Friend, I have tried to convince you that there is a stick of chewing gum in my hand this morning. Is God convinced that you are his child this morning? Only the works produced by a living faith will tell.
