EXTREME MAKEOVER: DIRTY HANDS
James 2:14-26
April 4, 2004
Introduction:
Today we will be continuing our series titled “Extreme Makeover” in which we are looking at the book of James to see what kind of makeover Jesus would give us. Last
week we saw that Jesus wants us to have big ears so that we can hear his word and obey
his teachings. Today we are going to look at our hands. If you were to watch a makeover
show on TV and they were dealing with hands, you would expect to see the ladies (and
even the men) getting manicures and their nails painted. Before that they would probably
receive some sort of massage or soak for their hands as well. In contrast to that, if Jesus
were to do an Extreme Makeover on your hands, the first thing he would do is to get them
dirty. You say, “What! Dirty hands! Who wants dirty hands?” Your reaction is
understandable for we live in a culture where “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” We pride
ourselves on being clean and well kept. We look down on people who fail to maintain
good, proper hygiene. So why would Jesus want his followers to have dirty hands?
Aren’t we supposed to project a positive image to the world? Aren’t we supposed to be
clean and holy?
Here’s the problem. According to George Barna 50 million Americans claim to be
born again and most surveys show that approximately 40% of Americans go to church on
a given Sunday. But surveys also show that there isn’t a lot of difference between the way
the average churchgoer lives and the way the average nonchurchgoer lives. Where does
that leave us? Shouldn’t the salt and light of 40% of the population be having a greater
impact on our society? or at least the church itself? What is going on here? Is there
something wrong with the Christian faith? Does the gospel not have the power that the
New Testament claims it has? Could it be that our faith needs an Extreme Makeover?
When I suggest that our faith needs an Extreme Makeover I am not suggesting
that the true Christian faith needs a makeover. I am not suggesting that there is anything
wrong with that. I am suggesting that there is a problem with the kind of faith that many
professing Christians have. James says that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by
action, is dead.” (v.17) And again, “faith without deeds is dead.” (v.26) James is saying
that even back in the days of the early church there were some who had the wrong kind of
faith. This false faith is nothing more than profession without practice... intellect without
involvement. This is not saving faith. It has been said that we are saved by faith alone,
but the faith that saves is never alone. You see true faith results in regeneration and
regeneration results in a changed lifestyle. James is very far from saying that we are saved
by works. He is saying that our works or good deeds are the evidence that we have been
saved by faith.
Because of this Jesus wants followers who have real faith and are, therefore,
involved in practicing the faith they profess. Jesus wants us to get to work. It was Paul
who told us “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Php. 2:12) But watch
out because when you get to work you are going to get your hands dirty. Have you ever
seen a mechanic hands when he was done working on a car. They are filthy. If a
mechanic claimed to have been working all day long and his hands were as white and clean
as mine are this morning I would have good reason to question his work ethic. Likewise if
our hands are too clean this morning Jesus has good reason to question our faith. For
dirty hands are the evidence of work and our works are the evidence of genuine faith.
During the stretch drive of the 1978 Canadian Football League season, the
Toronto Argos had hastily flown in what appeared to be a potential "franchise" player and
signed him to a ten day trial. The team set him up in luxury accommodation and catered to
all his lavish needs.
In a short manner of time though, the Argos had discovered that this player was
actually a con man. His specialty was in fooling franchises across the continent into
providing him with all expense paid trips.
This con man both looked like a football player and talked like a football player but
he was no football player. The moment that he set foot on the field, it became
embarrassingly apparent to Argo management that his only true skill was "talking the talk"
and not "walking the walk".
The moral of this story boils down to this: talk backed by inaction amounts to
nothing, whether it be on the football field or more importantly, on the field of life. This
player claimed to be a star talent but could not verify it on the field. You claim to be a
Christian. Can you verify it on the playing field of life? You who claim to have faith in
God - let me see your hands.
A Faith Without Works Is:
1. BELIEF without BENEVOLENCE.
The question that we are ultimately going to be dealing with here is this: What is the
nature of authentic saving faith? Is it a mental or intellectual assent of correct doctrines or
is it belief evidencing itself through behavior? James clearing teaches the latter and
today’s scripture passage is his defense of his understanding of faith.
14What good is it my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such
faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one
of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing
about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not
accompanied by action, is dead.
What good is it if you claim to have faith but you don’t have any deeds to back up
your claim? The Greek for “good” is literally “profit.” How does this profit or benefit
you? Can this type of faith even save you, James asks? The Greek structure is such that it
is obvious that a negative answer is expected. It is as if James is asking: This type of faith
can’t save him, can it?
To illustrate this James tells us a story of a man or woman who has no food or
clothing. And the one claiming to have faith comes to them and says, “Go, I wish you
well.” The Greek is literally “Go in peace” which was a standard Hebrew farewell. It is
the equivalent of us passing by someone in great need and simply saying, “Have a nice
day.” The one claiming to have faith goes on to say, “keep warm and well fed” which is a
poor translation of the Greek which is literally “get warm and eat your fill.” The mistaken
translation would imply that the needy person was already warm and well fed and that he
should keep or stay that way. But by saying “get warm and eat your fill” this person is
actually telling the one in need to help themselves when they clearly cannot. It would be
like walking passed someone who had fallen down a well and simply telling them to get
out without offering them a helping hand.
Of such a situation James again asks, “What good is it?” The answer is obvious. It is
no good. If belief without benevolence cannot feed the hungry or clothe the naked, how
can it save the soul? Baron von Hugel said, “A Christian is one who cares.” And E.
Stanely Jones said, “The lowest life is sensitive only to itself.” Clearly belief without
benevolence is subChristian living. Belief without benevolence is dead. It is as James
concludes, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
There was a Peanuts cartoon in which Charlie Brown and Linus are inside all bundled
up and Snoopy’s out in the cold shivering in front of an empty dog food bowl.
Charlie and Linus are having a discussion on how sad it is that Snoopy is hungry and
cold. "He’s cold and hungry. We ought to do something about it." They walk outside and
say to Snoopy, "Be of good cheer, Snoopy." Do you know where Charles Schultz got
that idea?
Luke tells the story in the tenth chapter of his Gospel about a time when Jesus was
being questioned by a man, who was an expert in the Jewish law, about what it took to
receive eternal life. Jesus turned the tables and asked him what the law said. The lawyer
replied that it said to love God and love your neighbor. Jesus said that his answer was
correct and was seemingly going to leave it at that. However, being a lawyer the man
couldn’t resist asking one more question in hopes of finding a loop hole. He asked Jesus
who is neighbor was and Jesus responded by telling the now famous parable of The Good
Samaritan. In this story a man is beaten and left for dead by the side of the road by
robbers. A priest came by and when he saw the man he crossed to the other side of the
road so he didn’t have to walk to closely to him. Later a Levite walked by and did the
same. But then a Samaritan (who was despised by the Jews) came by and treated the
man’s wounds and put him on his donkey and took him to an inn where he paid for his
room and gave the innkeeper extra payment to take care of the man until he was well
again.
The first two men in the story were religious leaders who bore the title of Faith, who
claimed to be men of faith, but it was the Samaritan, whose doctrine was confused, that
demonstrated that he did have faith. The so-called faith of the priest and the Levite is
what James would have called dead faith. People with this kind of faith know how to act
in order to fit in at church. The may be able to pray eloquent prayers, recite the scriptures,
and teach correct doctrine. But their words do not match their works. Their talk does not
match their walk.
James and Jesus both agree that real belief leads to benevolence. Genuine faith
causes us to get involved in the lives of others when we see their needs and are presented
with opportunities to minister. But let me warn you, when you get involved in the lives of
those in need you will get your hands dirty.
2. CREED without CONDUCT.
18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without
deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God.
Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.
This statement that James quotes - “You have faith; I have deeds” - has often been
misunderstood. This person is in effect saying, “One person has deeds and another person
has works. To each his own. You’ve got your thing and I’ve got my thing. Your OK
and I’m OK.” It is an assertion that faith and works are not necessarily related. That it is
OK to have one without the other.
To this assertion James responds with a challenge. “Show me your faith without
deeds.” The Greek for “show” is literally “prove.” James is in effect saying, “If you claim
to have faith without deeds, then prove it.” This is a challenge that cannot be answered by
his opponent for faith can not be demonstrated apart from our actions. Faith is an inner
attitude and can only be seen as it influences outer actions. Your creed must influence
your conduct. Mere profession proves nothing.
James goes on to illustrate the danger of holding to a creed without conduct. “You
believe that there is one God. Good!” James is here referring back to one of the ancient
creeds of the Jewish faith. This creed is called the Shema and is found in Deuteronomy
6:4 - “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This basic truth of Jewish
orthodoxy was recited daily by devout Jews. James says that to endorse this creed is
good, but there is a problem. “Even the demons believe that - and shudder.”
He says, “You may have the right creed but so does Satan. What good does it do for
him and his demons?” Writing to the modern church James might just as well say, “You
believe in the Apostle’s Creed. Good! So do the demons.” What does this correct creed
do for the demons? According to James it causes them to shudder. The Greek implies
that this shuddering is a shuddering from fear. Therefore, this shuddering is an evidence
that their belief in this creed is a strong, thorough conviction. This is not something they
merely give lip service to. They really and truly believe it in the depths of their demonic
beings and yet there nature remains unchanged. They have creed with conduct - truth
without transformation. This is evidence that you can believe something with all your
heart and not be changed by it. Saving faith is not mere intellectual acceptance of a
theological proposition or doctrinal position. Jesus taught the same thing when he said,
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only
he who does the will of my father who is in heaven.” (Mt. 7:21)
The consequences of holding to creed without conduct are demonic. Many years ago
a small Jewish boy asked his father, "Why must we surrender our Jewish faith and start to
attend Lutheran services here in Germany? The father replied, "Son, we must abandon our
faith so that people will accept us and support our business adventures!" The young boy
never got over his disappointment and bitterness. His faith in his father and in his religion
were crushed.
When the lad left Germany he went to England to study at the British Museum where
he formed his philosophies for life. From those intensive investigations he wrote a book
that changed the world called, "The Communist Manifesto.” From that book one-third of
the world fell under the spell of Communist ideology. The name of that little boy was Karl
Marx. He influenced billions into a stream that for 70 years ruined, imprisoned and
confused many lives. Today, that system of thinking is crumbling, but only after people
got a good look at its tragic consequences. The influence of this father’s hypocrisy
multiplied in infamy. This is the end result of creed without conduct.
A.W. Tozer said it this way, “An intelligent observer of our human scene who heard
the Sunday morning sermon and later watched the Sunday afternoon conduct of those
who heard it would conclude that he had been examining two distinct and contrary
religions!” (Ritch Grimes/SermonCentral)
Is Tozers quote true of you this morning? What would people observe of your life if
they were to following you home from the service today and to your place of work
throughout the week? Does your creed match your conduct? Show me your hands.
A Faith That Works Is:
3. ASSENT with ACTION.
20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21Was not
our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son
Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and
his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says,
“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called
God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
At this point James says that only a “foolish man” or, as the literal Greek says, an
empty headed person would still think that works are unnecessary. This empty headed
person is someone who has no comprehension of spiritual truth. Thus he is a fool.
Earlier James taught that faith without works is dead. Now he says that faith without
works is useless or ‘barren’ and ‘unfruitful’ in the Greek. Several years ago Rich Mullins
wrote a song that contained this line: “Faith without works is like a song you can’t sing,
it’s about as useless as a screen door on a submarine.” He wrote that song with today’s
passage in mind. Faith without works is like a car that won’t drive or a computer that
won’t compute. It is completely and utterly useless - good for nothing.
To illustrate the necessity of both assent and action James reminds us of how faith
worked itself out in Abraham’s life. He says that Abraham was “considered righteous”
because of his actions when he offered his son as a sacrifice. He is not saying that
Abraham was made righteous because of his actions, but that he was “considered
righteous.” This phrase in the Greek is a forensic term. It means that his actions were the
forensic evidence that proved that he was already righteous. If a CSI team were to
investigate your life would they find enough forensic evidence to convict you of being a
follower of Christ?
James goes on to say the Abraham’s faith and actions were “working together.” The
same Greek term translated “working together” gives our English word “synergy.”
Synergy is defined by Webster as a “combined force” or a “united action.” Abraham’s
faith and actions had combined forces and were working together as partners. “United
action” speaks of the unity of faith and action. Faith and action are wedded together and
they are not meant to be divorced from one another. It was only through this combining
of forces that Abraham’s faith was made complete.
As further evidence that James is not teaching a salvation by works, he now quotes the
great text used so powerfully by the Apostle Paul to prove that salvation is by faith.
James is quoting from Genesis 15:6 when he says, “Abraham believed God, and it was
credited to him as righteousness.” God had come to Abraham and, although he was at
the time childless, promised to give him descendants as numerous as the stars in the
heaven and as the sand on the seashore. Because Abraham chose to believe God he was
made righteous. He was saved by faith.
The reference to Abraham being God’s friend comes from 2 Chronicles 20:7. “O our
God did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give
it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?” That he was a friend of God
shows that he had a personal relationship with God. Abraham was made righteous and
established a friendship with God through faith.
In light of this many people have been puzzled by James next statement: “You see that
a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” At first glance it does
appear that James is contradicting himself. He has quoted from the Old Testament that
Abraham was credited with righteousness because he believed God and now he says that
we aren’t saved by faith alone. Because of this some church leaders felt that James was
teaching a false doctrine - of salvation by works - and that his book should not be included
in the Bible. Even a great hero of the faith like the reformer Martin Luther called this
book “an epistle of straw” - indicating that he felt the book to be worthless.
It is sad that so many have struggled with this apparent problem because the answer is
relatively simple. James is citing two events in the life of Abraham. The account of
Abraham’s believing God’s promise is found in Genesis 15 and the account of his
sacrificing his son is found in Genesis 22 and according to some commentators may have
taken place as much as thirty years later. In Genesis 15 Abraham believed God and was
saved by his faith. Years later in Genesis 22 his faith was tested - “Some time later God
tested Abraham.” (Genesis 22:1) Abraham passed this test by proving that he was willing
to sacrifice his only son. As Abraham stood on the mountain top about to plunge a dagger
into his son the Lord interrupted him. “But the angel of the Lord called out to him from
heaven, ‘Abraham! Abraham! ... Do not lay a hand on the boy ... Now I know that you
fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” (Genesis
22:11-12) Abraham had been saved by faith but it was thirty years before God said, “Now
I know ...” Notice that God says, “NOW I know...” It wasn’t until Abraham’s actions
completed his faith that God said that He knew for sure. As I said earlier, “We are saved
by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” If we are two understand verse 24
in its context we understand James to be saying, “A person is justified by what he does
and not by a faith that is alone.” If your faith is genuine it will be accompanied by the
evidence of works - assent with action.
Is your faith in action? Are your faith and actions working together? Are your actions
making your faith complete? Could God look down from heaven at your behavior today
and say, “Now I know for sure...”?
Billy Graham had this to say about faith and works: “There really is no conflict
between faith and works. In the Christian life they go together like inhaling and exhaling.
Faith is taking the Gospel in; works is taking the Gospel out.” William Booth, the founder
of the Salvation Army said: “Faith and works should travel side-by-side, step answering
to step, like the legs of men walking. First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and
then works again - until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the
other.”
4. TRUTH with TRANSFORMATION.
25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she
did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
Here is someone who was as unlike Abraham as possible. At the time of Abraham’s
encounter with God described in Genesis 15 he was already following God. Rahab on the
other hand was a pagan. Abraham worshipped the one true God. As a pagan Rahab
would have worshipped many false god’s. Clearly she didn’t have the right creed.
Years before God had appeared to Abraham and called him to leave his native country
and travel to a land that God would show him where his descendants would one day grow
into a great nation. Abraham had done so and was living in obedience. Rahab on the
other hand was a prostitute living in a state of gross immorality. Clearly she didn’t have
the right conduct either.
Why is James mentioning someone here who was lacking in both creed and conduct?
Her story is found in Joshua 3. Some Israeli spies were checking out the Jericho in
preparation for there invasion. While they were there they stayed in Rahab’s house.
When the king of Jericho heard that there were spies staying there he ordered her to bring
them to him, but she hid them and covered for them. She told the king that they had
already left and so he sent his men out to track them down. When the soldiers had gone
she helped them sneak out of town and in return they promised that she and her household
would be spared when God gave the city of Jericho into their hands.
Why would she risk the wrath of the king of Jericho in order to help some Israeli
spies? It was because of her faith. “She went up on the roof and said to them, ‘I know
that the Lord has given this land to you...” (Joshua 2:8-9) That was a profession of faith
and she backed it up with her actions by hiding them and helping the escape. And what
was the result? She was transformed from a pagan prostitute into a woman of God. And
she was no ordinary woman of God either. In Matthew 1:5 she is one of only two women
listed in the genealogy of Jesus. Jesus the Messiah was one of her descendants. And in
Hebrews 11:31 she is the only woman mentioned by name in God’s Hall of Faith. “By
faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who
were disobedient.” This verse teaches that she acted by faith. It also says that those who
were killed were killed because of their disobedience. That she was spared implies that
she was obedient. This clearly shows that she was a woman of faith and obedience - of
faith and works. This former prostitute has become for us a beautiful example of the
transforming power of the truth when we place our faith in it and act upon it. Not only
was Rahab transformed, but she also became a part of the process of transforming Jericho
from a pagan city into a city that was governed by Almighty God through his chosen
people. First she was transformed by the truth and then through her the truth transformed
her environment.
“A father and son were raking leaves when they noticed something darting in and out
of the piles. After careful effort they uncovered a chameleon . It was difficult to see among
the brown leaves. It had blended with them by turning brown, too. After catching the little
creature, they put it in a jar of green grass, where it immediately turned green. When they
added some red berries, the chameleon began to take on that color. Some people are
chameleons in character; wherever you put them, they turn that color. Their thinking and
their behavior depend on their environment” (Miller, p. 36). (John William
III/SermonCentral)
Are you more like Rahab or more like the chameleon? Are you transforming your
environment or are you being transformed by your environment? How has the truth
transformed your life? In what ways have you changed since you came to faith in Christ?
In what ways has the truth of God been transforming you in the last six months? How are
you different that you were one year ago?
Conclusion:
After a careful consideration of these truths James concludes:
26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
A faith without works is dead. It is as W.T. Purkiser said, “A religion of externals is a
ghost, spirit without body. But a subjective faith without loving obedience to the will of
God is a corpse.”
Some years back the Chinese dictator Mao Zedong died. When he did some of the
Chinese leadership was afraid of what would happen to this nation without their legendary
leader. They called in his personal doctor, Dr Li Zhisui to do an impossible task. They
wanted the chairman’s body permanently preserved. The doctor didn’t want to do it. He
had seen the dried up shrunken remains of Lenin & Stalin in USSR. He was a doctor. He
knew that a body with no life in it is doomed to rot.
But he had his commands. Twenty-two liters of formaldehyde were pumped into the
dead chairman’s body. The result was horrifying. Mao’s face swelled up like a ball, and his
neck was as thick as his head. The pressure of the fluid in his body caused his ears to stick
out at right angles and the chemical oozed from his pores. A team of embalmers worked 5
hours with towels and cotton balls to force the liquids down into the body. Finally the face
looked normal, but the chest was so swollen that the jacket had to be slit in the back and
his swollen body was covered with the red Communist Party flag. It was sickening.
There is absolutely nothing natural about a dead body. I have been at all kinds of
funerals (Preachers get to do that you know), and I have seen all kinds of dead bodies.
You can put make-up on them. You can fix their hair and dress them up in the best clothes
money can buy, but there is something unnatural about a body with no life. In the same
way there is something unnatural about a faith with no deeds. There is no life in it and it
matters not how you dress it up on Sunday morning - it is still dead.
Faith without works is dead, but a faith that works is alive. It will get your hands dirty
but it will be well worth it. If you want to keep your hands clean and stay uninvolved. If
you want to keep comfortable in your belief without benevolence - your creed without
conduct - then consider this. Colossians 2:20-23 teaches us how to keep your hands clean
while maintaining the appearance of holiness. “Why, as though you still belonged to [this
world], do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’?” ...
Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom ... but they lack any value.”
Do you want to keep your hands clean this morning? Then you must practice a touch
not, taste not religion. It has the appearance of wisdom. It has the appearance of
righteousness - at least to those who aren’t familiar with the real thing. But Paul says that
such a religion has no value.
One day you are going to stand before Jesus to give an account of your life. And you
may be shocked when he begins your examination with these words: “Show me your
hands.”
Please email me if you use this sermon or a revision of it. Thank you!
steveamanda8297@hotmail.com
