Living Faith vs. Dead Faith
Look at James 2:20 - 26
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
While it is true that we are saved by faith and not by works, it is equally true that there is a dead faith that has no power. As we studied earlier, each person is measured enough faith to believe God, but we also have the choice to act according to the flesh. The Spirit reveals the truth of God but faith cannot act according to the flesh. The flesh is dead and faith exercised in the flesh is dead too. This is true when we act in disobedience to God – whether we sin in omission or commission. Commission is doing the things God has commanded that we not do, while Omission is disobeying by not doing the things God has commanded us to do. James 4:17 states, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” Whatever is not of faith is sin.
The point of this passage in James is to explain that we cannot claim to have faith without obedience. Faith is of the Spirit but disobedience is of the flesh. Believing is not enough. God reveals the path we should take while also giving us the power to believe. God reveals truth and measures us the faith to act on that belief. I cannot receive faith and reject obedience. God has a plan and has empowered us to walk in that plan. Look at Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
There are many truths packed into this passage. We know that nothing in salvation is of ourselves. Salvation is a gift of God. The payment for our sins on the cross is a gift of God; grace (or God’s unmerited favor) is a gift of God; faith is a gift of God; the work God has prepared beforehand is a gift of God. Our only role is to let God be God and submit ourselves to Him. God has already prepared the path we are to walk in, equipped us to do the work, and set the work before us. The Spirit calls us by faith to meet the needs God places before us; however, the flesh calls us to act with selfishness, apathy, and disobedience. When we obey the flesh, we disobey God. When we obey the flesh we are not in the Spirit; therefore, our faith is in the flesh and is dead. Nothing in the flesh is of the Spirit. The flesh can believe and do nothing. The flesh can act and attempt to carry out its own plan. There are many people who do good deeds in this life but are not walking according to the Spirit. There are just as many people who claim to walk in the Spirit but are in disobedience to God by their unwillingness to act. Works without faith is dead and faith without works is dead. Both are in the flesh and contrary to God.
Our goal is not to do good deeds but to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. Our goal is to allow God to do His work through us. I once heard someone teach that, “Where you see a need, you have the call of God”. In other words, if you recognize the need you are called by God to fulfill this need. There are times this is true but not always. I see thousands of needs but it is impossible for me to meet every need I see. Burnout is the result of man’s effort to fix every problem. If we see a physical need within our local sphere of influence, it is always our responsibility to meet it. We cannot see our brother hungry and claim to love God if we do nothing to meet that need. Faith that ignores God’s compassion on others is not faith at all. I can believe that God has the power to fill and clothe the needy; however, if I refuse to allow God to meet that need through me, I am walking in the flesh and my faith is dead. Faith never says, “I don’t want to get involved”. Look at 1 Corinthians 13:2-3
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Faith without love is worthless. In other words, faith without works is dead. Even works without the love of God is worthless. Many religions seek works to create faith, but this is an error for works can never produce faith. Many also believe that once they have received faith in Christ, their journey is complete. This also is an error. Faith comes from God as we have seen and love also comes from God. Romans 5:5 tells us that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
All things are of God. The love of God calls us to action and the faith of God believes that He will accomplish His work through us even if there is a cost. 1 Corinthians 13 also tells us that if we sacrifice everything and even give our bodies to be burned but it is not out of ‘agape’ love of God, it profits nothing. You cannot give anything to God that is worthy of a reward. It is God that calls; it is God that enables; it is God that works; it is God that pours His love into our hearts and measures to us the faith to believe. Our role is to respond to the Spirit in obedience and submission. I can sacrifice in faith because I know God will fulfill His promises. I am not creating my own way or my own work; I am following the path God has created and doing the works that God created beforehand for me to walk in.
Faith in God is our Confidence
Begin by looking at Acts 26:15-18
15 "So I said, ’Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ’I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 ’But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 ’I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 ’to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
This is the testimony Paul is giving before King Agrippa. In this testimony we can see the vision God revealed to Paul and the reason for his powerful confidence in God. God saved Paul for a purpose and Paul understood that he had a calling and a mission to complete. Before Paul was killed, he made the following statement in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul’s life did not end until he finished the race God set before him. God preserved Paul’s life through many dangers and protected him until he completed the purpose God had called him to finish. Look at Paul’s testimony about his perils in 2 Corinthians 11:25
Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;
This does not mention all of the threats against Paul’s life. When he first began preaching, the Jews plotted against him by waiting at the city gates to kill him when he left. The other disciples found out about the plot and lowered Paul over the wall in a basket. On another occasion the leaders took a vow of no eating or drinking until Paul was dead. After Paul’s shipwreck, Paul was bitten by a deadly snake which became a testimony to the natives of the island in which he was stranded. During one incident, the Jews attacked Paul as a mob and Roman soldiers came in and rescued him. On yet another occasion when Paul was in prison, his enemies plotted to ask for the Romans to bring Paul before a council to question him while a mob waited to ambush and kill him. In spite of all these threats, no one was able to take Paul’s life until God’s plan had been fulfilled.
God is also able to preserve our lives as well. When we are walking in God’s plan, nothing can spoil the purpose for which we have been set apart for God. Disease, injury, enemies and unforeseeable circumstances all bow at the purpose of God. With God, there are no unforeseen circumstances. This is where faith is absolutely essential in the Christian life. As Christians, we often allow our faith to be overthrown because circumstances rattle us or even devastate us. This shows that we are more confident in our plan than God’s plan. God WILL allow your faith to be tested. He will allow circumstances to arise that seem to destroy our ability to obey God’s call; however, God is in absolute control. We don’t see the end from the beginning but God does.
Consider the times God’s plan didn’t make sense to His followers. God anointed David to be king over Israel yet God allowed many struggles to transpire before this became a reality. David was anointed by the prophet of God and proclaimed to be king years before he actually took his God given place. Instead, David was chased mercilessly by Saul who had plunged into wickedness. Not once did David take matters into his own hands but he remained faithful and trusted God.
Look at the followers of Jesus when He died on the cross. After He died, his disciples lamented that they thought this was the one who would be the deliverer, but now He was dead. From their perspective, the plan seemed to have failed. God used the wicked leaders of Israel and the pagan rulers of Rome to execute Jesus. Not one person was aware of God’s plan of Jesus’ resurrection until after He arose. Historically we can look back and see God’s plans and how they were miraculously fulfilled but when we are in the middle of a difficult circumstance, we cannot see how God is working.
Jim Elliot inspired a recent movie in Hollywood called ‘The End of the Spear’. While the movie does a poor job of portraying the Christian perspective, it does remind us of a significant historical event that did not make sense at the time but soon became a great example of true faith. Jim and his mission team spent almost a decade preparing to reach an unreached tribe in Ecuador. After years of learning the language, culture, customs of these people and praying and preparing for this trip, he arrived and was immediately killed and dragged through the streets by the village leaders. You know that this tremendous blow had to shatter the faith of many believers who knew this mission team and at the time it seemed so senseless. In retrospect, we see that this massacre became the catalyst for a great revival in that region of the world and many churches stand today as a testimony of how God blessed the vision He gave Jim.
Jim’s wife and many of those close to Jim encouraged themselves in the Lord and returned to the land where he was killed. They preached forgiveness and showed the contrast between God’s mercy and man’s natural desire for vengeance. Even one of the men who thrust the spear that killed the missionaries accepted Christ and is now preaching the gospel. What a blessing that would have been missed if those who supported Jim Elliot had become bitter and turned from God. Christians frequently react against God when His plan does not make sense and remove themselves from His will so that they never find out the great things God is doing and wants them to be a part of.
The reality is that we don’t know God’s plan for us or how He will use our efforts of obedience. However, we can stand in absolute confidence that if we are following the heart of God and standing in faith, God’s plan will prevail. I can say with confidence the testimony of David in Psalm 27:1-3
The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident.
God is able to preserve my life; God is also able to give me the grace to endure suffering. My only role is obedience and surrender. Psalm 34:7 reiterates this:
7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
God has the power to preserve those who follow Him. God also has the right to allow His people to suffer. Faith promises me that if I suffer, God will reward me. Faith promises that I will never suffer beyond my ability to endure. Faith also promises that everything God brings into my life will be for my good. We have the promise that everything in our life will accomplish His plan and glorify God but it will also be for my good. God’s plan will always bless your life if you are willing to trust Him until the end.
Conclusion
To conclude this study on faith let’s reiterate the things God has revealed about faith. Understanding faith is a foundational principle in the Christian life and it is essential that we have a true perspective on faith. Faith is based on the Word of God. I believe the things that God has revealed in His word and by faith, I act upon those things. Works do not create faith but rather faith in God calls me to obey and work. Faith in the flesh is dead. This is true if we are apathetic to God’s call and inactive or if we are working outside of God’s plan. We know the will of God by studying the word, praying and submitting ourselves to God. Faith is believing God and putting our trust in Him and by faith, we are justified and made righteous in Jesus Christ.
Only by faith can we obey the command to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. Faith gives us the confidence to stand firm in obedience regardless of the circumstances or cost knowing that God is able to use us and accomplish exactly what He has determined to do. Faith is having confidence in God to work through us regardless of our shortcomings, lack of ability or qualifications. I also trust God to increase my faith as I submit to Him. God is not dependent on my ability to muster up faith; instead, I am dependent on God to give me the power to believe. Even in fear, I can trust Him and submit to His will. Elijah, Moses, Gideon, Nehemiah, Abraham and many others were fearful, yet still trusted God and were used mightily.
No where does the Bible say that it is a sin to be afraid or to struggle with doubt. It is only a sin when we allow the flesh to become our trust. Fear and doubt are of the flesh and we have no power to prevent the flesh from expressing its desire; however, we do have the God given power to rule over our sinful passions. This has been true from the beginning. Look at Genesis 4:7
7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
Faith is believing in spite of the circumstances that challenge us. Unbelief is believing the desires of the flesh over God while faith is believing God and submitting ourselves to Him. By faith and faith alone we walk in the Spirit and by this, we please God. Finally, look at Galatians 5:24-25
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
We walk in the Spirit by walking in Faith. Believe God and walk in a way to exercise that confidence in Him.
