Faith in Action
James 2:15-26
October 22, 2006
Evening Service
Introduction
A missionary returning home after many years of service was asked, "Tell me what you found when you arrived in New Guinea."
"Found? I found something that looked more hopeless than if I had been sent into a jungle of tigers."
"What do you mean?"
"Why, the people seemed utterly devoid of moral sense. If a mother was carrying her little baby and the baby began to cry, she would throw it into the ditch and let it die. If a man saw his father break his leg, he would leave him by the roadside to suffer by himself. They had no compassion whatever. They didn’t even know what the word meant."
"Well, what did you do for them?"
"I thought it best to show them my faith by my works! When I saw a baby crying, I picked it up and consoled it. When I saw a man with a broken leg, I sought to mend it. When I found people distressed and hungry, I took them in, comforted them, and fed them. Finally they inquired, ’What does this mean? Why are you doing this for us?’ Then I had my chance, and I preached the gospel!"
"Did you succeed?"
"My friend," said the missionary, "when I returned home on furlough, I left a church!"
Faith needs to make such an impact on the life of a believer that they are changed. The fact that a person cannot remain the same after they find Jesus is just a fact. The genuine nature of faith is proven through the changed lifestyle and changed actions of the believer.
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If 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? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25 In 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? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
I. The conduct of faith (15-17)
James makes a bold comparison here that we simply cannot ignore. Faith without works is like having compassion without the acts of compassion. Dead faith is revealed by false compassion. It is having a verbal concern without the actions to resolve the concern.
James puts the scripture into the light of practical application. He directs his attention to the issue of physical needs. James speaks of a brother or sister who was in rags and starving. James makes it abundantly clear that he is not speaking about someone who was outside of the church but these people are brothers and sisters. They are fellow believers who were in need. The issues that James tackles here is twofold: the need for clothing and the need for food. It was a very real problem then and remains a problem today.
The need for clothing is described by the Greek word nudus, which is where we get our English word nude. It did not necessarily mean a total lack of clothing but rather likely it meant a lack of proper clothing. It means to be without sufficient clothing and to be miserable as a result.
The issue of food did not mean that the people were getting nothing to eat but that the food they had were not meeting their physical needs. James also uses an unusual word for daily – this is the only place that it appears in the entire New Testament. The emphasis was placed on the need for food. James is literally describing an ongoing problem for these people. This was not a one time situation but an ongoing situation.
How can the church meet physical needs?
• Provide food for those who are hungry
• Help people in single parent situations
• Meals for those who are ill
• Helping those without finances attend seminars like Promise Keepers
Our local school district instituted a breakfast program because there were children who did not get a meal before they came to school. There are many situations where the family does not have food in the house. This may be due to the behavior of the parents. No matter how you look at many of the situations around us, one thing is clear – the children are not to blame. The solution to massive social problems is not the addition of new programs by the government. Instead many of our social problems could be solved by the church rising up to be the church. We can make a difference in the community around us but it must begin with caring for those in need within the church fellowship.
17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 1 John 3:17-18
A man came to the pastor one time and said, "I don’t know what’s wrong with my life, but that first Christian joy I knew has passed by. I still live a moral life. I go to church. But how can I recover the lost radiance of my faith?" His pastor said, "this is what you should do: go to the store and buy a big basketful of groceries and go to an address of a poor family I will give you. Then when you have given your gift, you sit down with them to find out what they need. Let them know that you are interested in them and that you are their friend. Then lead them in the Lord’s Prayer before you leave, and the radiance will come back."
In the Hebrew tradition caring for the poor was to walk in the shechinah, pursuing the glory of God. The Christians that James speaks of here do not seek to help but instead say some kind words and move on. The idea conveyed here is much in modern times – I see you have problem, good luck with that.
The James adds: Go in peace, be warmed and well fed. This whole statement is totally heartless because it designates an attitude of complete disregard for the well being of those in need. Too often, we act with a selfish disinterest in the lives of those around us. We are meant to not only sympathize with people but to feel their pain. Mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.
Go in peace was literally a Hebrew farewell blessing. The emphasis was on go. It meant God bless you or God will take care of you. This was to depart with a sense of the peace of God. It was implied that the departing friend had everything that their present needs met and hoped that their future would bring the same. The person was pronouncing the blessing of God without the willingness to be the conduit of God’s care. God meets the needs of His people through the resources of His people.
Keep warm and well fed is equally ironic or sad. Note the problem that is seen in verse 15: a lack of clothing and a lack of food. The idea conveyed by be well fed was to gorge oneself. What is essentially being said here – please go and may god take care of you because I don’t have the time. This is avoiding the work that God has called us to do in His kingdom.
The problem here was not that the people did not have the means to help but that they lacked the desire to help. These people were full of words and empty of works. The old saying is true: talk is cheap. These Christians had the ability to help those in need but did nothing. In the end, they didn’t even offer words of comfort.
Faith that does nothing is no more effective than wishing a poor person to be warm and well fed – wishing does nothing! James says that we miss our opportunity to make a difference. Paul echoes this understanding in Galatians.
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10
Faith without works is no faith at all. It is the form or appearance of faith without any of the real power that comes with true or genuine faith. Faith that produces no works is dead and dead faith will never be able to produce good works. This is a deadly and vicious spiritual cycle to fall into.
Many years ago the church as a whole separated into two basic camps on several issues. There was the liberal camp that put a lesser value on scripture and a higher value on social ministry. The second group was the conservatives, who placed a higher value on doctrine and right teaching and less emphasis on social ministry. There must be a balance between the two. A church with no social ministry will have little impact and a church with flawed doctrine will have little eternal value.
James points out a significant spiritual problem. There were two different ways of thinking within the church. The first was living in faith, being focused on spiritual actions such as prayer and fasting. The second was living in ministry, being focused on serving others through doing compassionate things.
The issue here is that both are wrong. James hits this squarely and states again that faith and deeds go hand in hand. Can we honestly claim to believe in Jesus and not serve Him? Can we serve and not live in genuine love for Christ? Jesus gave us an amazing gift. He gave us Himself. Jesus showed us a living model of faith in action.
MT 7:21 "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. 22 Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Conclusion
Dressed as a rag doll, Melody Schick, 24, sat with a teddy bear cradled in her left arm and staring into space from a revolving platform. Only her eyes moved. Then, five hours and 43 boring minutes later she rose slowly and tried to smile. Miss Schick was seeking to beat the world record for sitting still! The previous record was 5 hours and 32 minutes. The record attempt took place at a Dallas shopping center as hundreds of shoppers watched.
Action is the fruit of genuine faith. Intellectual belief that does nothing is also worth nothing. James is arguing for an active compassion. Believing matches faith with action. When people see our actions it will draw them to our faith.
