Faith that Works
James 2:14-26
October 8, 2006
Evening Service
Introduction
In one of his sermons, A.C. Dixon told of an incident that took place in Brooklyn, N.Y. A detective who had been looking for a local citizen finally tracked him down in a drugstore. As the man began to make his purchase, the officer laid his hand on the citizen’s shoulder and said, "You’re under arrest; come with me!"
Stunned, the man demanded, "What did I do?"
The detective calmly replied, "You know what you did. You escaped from the Albany penitentiary several years ago. You went west, got married, and then came back here to live. We’ve been watching for you since you returned."
Quietly the man admitted, "That’s true, but I was sure you’d never find me. Before you take me in, could we stop by my house so I can talk to my family?"
The officer agreed. When they got to his home, the man looked at his wife and asked, "Haven’t I been a kind husband and a good father? Haven’t I worked hard to make a living?"
His wife answered, "Of course you have, but why are you asking me these questions?" Her husband then proceeded to explain what had happened and that he was now under arrest. He apparently had hoped that his record as an exemplary husband and father would impress the officer. Even so, he was still an escaped criminal. Though he was "right" with his family, he was all wrong with the state of New York.
No matter how much you try there is nothing that you can do to atone for the sins that you have committed. You can never be good enough to make up for the wrongs that you have already committed. The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. The only way to be forgiven of your sins is through the grace of God and faith in Jesus.
Notice some of the more potent statements made in the New Testament about the subject of faith.
Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Romans 5:1-2 - 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God
Faith is at the foundation of Christian belief that there must be genuine belief to experience the power of the God and the salvation of Christ. Faith is the being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. There can be no salvation without faith in Christ.
Faith must be genuine to be effective. A counterfeit faith is worthless. It must be real for it to bring salvation. Real faith brings a change in the life.
The fact is that James understood this reality and wrote to Christians long ago to express the need for genuine faith.
If you have your Bibles open them to James 2:14-26
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. James 2:14-26
Over and over through this passage James writes about the issue of faith. In verse 14 he begins the discussion of genuine faith. Genuine faith is one that brings life change with it. There is no possible way for a person to experience saving grace and not be changed by it. The issue that James is dealing with here is one of seeing the evidence of faith in the life of a believer.
There is a clear expectation from Jesus that the believer would bear lasting fruit in their life. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
James poses two important questions that must be answered:
1. Can someone have faith and not do good works?
2. Can faith without good works bring salvation?
The understanding that James is communicating is not that works has a role in the saving work of Jesus. James is not saying that works lead us to salvation. In fact, he is saying just the opposite. Saving faith must be seen in our lives through the fact that we do good works. Works are not part of salvation but rather they are the evidence of salvation.
[According to a recent poll] 88% of Catholics and a majority of Presbyterian and Methodist evangelizers [those who actively try to share their "faith"] believe that "if people are generally good, or do enough good things for others during their lives, they will earn a place in heaven."
National & International Religion Report, August 23, 1993
When James uses the word works here it is not referring to some type of service that is done. He is speaking of the way of life that faith brings, which includes service. Good works or beneficial living is the evidence of genuine faith. If you truly believe in something – you want to do something about it.
How many people have protesting the war in Iraq? I don’t agree with them but it is clear that they believe strongly and then act on those beliefs. What would happen to our nation if the committed Christian would rise up and act on their beliefs?
Paul Harvey once said – if you don’t live it, you don’t believe it.
When James writes his letter this issue was a major problem for the church. People were making the claim to be Christian but nothing was different in their life. They were coming into the faith but they were still living as they pleased following conversion.
Sadly not much has changed from then until now. We claim to have a Christian nation but we do not follow Christ. America has the freedom to worship God and many never do. The Bible is the best selling book in the world but how often is it read in America? People are coming into the church and making an intellectual decision about Christ but never making a personal commitment to Christ.
James talks about works being a way of life and what he is saying here is that genuine faith leads to a different lifestyle.
Again the evidence of genuine faith is a changed life. People have equated church membership or the ritual of baptism with genuine faith. The problem becomes that the claim of faith with proof.
Our courts rely on an evidence based trial system. Evidence is submitted to prove the point being made. Only Perry mason can win cases without proof. James is saying that the same kind of thing must happen with our faith. There must be more than just a profession.
I. There is the claim to faith
When James says this he is talking about someone who has merely made a claim that they believe. The claim is all that they have because there is no evidence or fruit to show that they are indeed Christian.
Faith changes us and makes us different from the world around us. There is no way to have a genuine experience of faith in Christ and not be changed by it.
Three major essentials to faith
1.) Commitment
You cannot be Christian by knowing the right doctrines, or affirming a certain set of beliefs. You cannot be Christian by accepting that scripture is true or agreeing that the Bible contains facts. The only way to be Christian is to make a commitment with your heart and your mind to Jesus.
2.) Conduct
Right actions are a by product of a living faith. They are a natural result of genuine faith. Our behavior should change. The gospel is like a seed that is planted and then produces fruit.
3.) Work
Faith without works is useless and lifeless. It is like a seed that is planted that never sprouts, never sends out a shoot, and never ripens. Can we even say that a seed was planted? There is no evidence.
James calls faith without deeds dead or useless three different times. Can faith that is dead be of value? When James calls faith dead, he means just that dead. There is no life to it at all. This kind of faith is hollow, worthless, and powerless.
Conclusion
While assembling supplies for the African nation of Biafa, an American Red Cross volunteer came across a box with a strange note on it. The note read: “We have recently been converted and because of our conversion we want to try to help. We won’t be need to use these again. Can you use them for something?”
Inside the box were several Ku Klux Klan sheets that had been used as disguises. Those sheets were cut into strips for bandages. Those bandages were later used to bind the wounds of Africans who desperately needed assistance.
Can people tell you are a Christian without being told? Do they know you believe in Jesus by the way you live?
