James 2:14-26 True Faith is always in Action

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1 James 2:14-26 Michael Silva / Sep 9, 2018 Opening: funny product reviews. A1A Car Wash, 1-star: I wish I could give this place a higher rating, but the new ownership is terrible. Hours are inconsistent. Why is this place always closed when I went to get a wax. Terrible customer service. Lady at the front counter always crying and one time I heard her screaming at another lady to shut up for five minutes straight and she wasn t even saying anything. Not family-friendly business at all. Alameda county Santa Rita jail, 5-stars: first off, you don t even need a ride here. They pick you up from anywhere in the county. Sometimes they even get you out of bed and bring you and it s all free of charge. Max Reflector Standard Accordion Shade, 4-Stars: I love this product. It keeps my car nice and cool, BUT I will say that the only defect I have found so far is that it is very hard to drive with this on. I have had over 5 wrecks since I purchased it. Where Is Baby's Belly Button? A Lift-the-flap Book, 1-Star: DO NOT Buy this book, you can SEE the ending right on the cover! This book is completely misleading. The entire plot revolves around finding Baby s belly button; the title makes this much clear from the beginning. However, there is no mystery. There is no twist. Baby s belly button is right were it s suppose to be, on Baby s stomach. Right where it clearly SHOWS you it is on the COVER OF THE BOOK. Wendy s, 5-stars: This place is BAWLIN yo. Chicken nuggitz be crispy like you never SEEN. I tasted one and I was like WHAAAAT! Are you serious Wendy? Mean girls working the friers, tho. v Reputations & Reviews are very important, it has a strong influence on others. a) Actions and performance establish a reputation. b) Personally, I don t try a restaurant or new product without reading the reviews. i) I read a few good reviews, but I look for the bad reviews to see what or where the problems are. c) As a Christian, what kind or review or reputation would you be known by? i) What would be your rating if people could leave reviews on your life? ii) James is telling us in our passage today that faith should be accompanied by a 5-star performance. Introduction: The Epistle of James The Proverbs of the New Testament. 1. Key Theme: Living out your faith, being doers of the Word and not just hearers of the Word. Let s read our passage today: James 2:14-26 (NKJV) i 1. In the first chapter of James, we are reminded that doers of the word a) Doers of the word count it all joy when they fall into various trials (James 1:2-4).

2 b) Doers of the word ask for wisdom in faith, without doubting (Vs 5-8). c) Doers of the word are not full of wrath, instead they are quick to hear, slow to speak, and receives the Word in their hearts (Vs 19-21). d) Doers of the word Pay Attention to All People, they don t show partiality (James 2:1-10). e) Doers of the word depart from sin and walk in the perfect law of liberty. 2. I ve summarized our passage today:. a) Let your actions as a Christian, motivated by your faith be worthy of a 5-Star review if someone were going to rate your performance or actions. James 2:14 Can faith save him? 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? 1. The structure of the Greek for this question expects a negative answer. Can faith save him? No. a) That sounds inconsistent to the message that we are saved by faith alone. i) Ephesians 2:8 9 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. ii) But Paul also understood and wrote about the necessity of works in proving the character of our faith. (1) For example Paul also wrote in the very next verse, Ephesians 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (2) Paul also wrote in Titus 3:8: This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. 2. What the scriptures clearly teach is that good works accompany saving faith. a) David Guzik explains, Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone. b) You should be able to see one s faith in the actions of the life they live. c) Jon Courson comments, It is not faith and works that saves a man. It is not faith or works. It is faith that works. 15 James 2:15-17 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Page 2 of 5

3 1. Here James connects helping those in need with true faith in the Lord. a) The idea here is that since God cares for those who are in need, so should we. 2. To say be warmed and filled means you know that the person in front of you needs clothing and food. a) The need is obvious, and there is no indication that resources are not lacking, yet the help is not given. b) You know their need well but offer nothing to help them except a few religious words. c) Instead of helping the person in a tangible way, that person is sent away empty-handed, with a prayer over them, but no clothing to go around them or food to go in them. 3. James challenges us, what does it profit to offer mere words without being willing to help meet a real need? a) The implied answer is that it profits nothing. b) Then James connects that to our faith there is no profit in a faith that has no real works. 4. Jesus taught in Matthew 22:37 40 what the greatest commandments were 37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. a) There is an obvious connection between loving my neighbor as myself and helping a brother or sister in need. 18 James 2:18 But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 1. (LABCJ): James responded with a challenge: Show me your faith without deeds. It cannot be done! a) Faith cannot be demonstrated apart from action. b) You can t see the faith that is within us, but you should be able to see our faith the actions it produces through us. c) Anyone can profess faith, but only action shows its genuineness. d) Our faith should grow from internal trust to external action. 2. There is a saying, Complacency kills. If we, the people of faith, don t look any different from the world then the world won t be interested in our faith. a) The danger is that our complacency in the faith, living a life devoid of faith-filled actions, could be detrimental to the souls of those who are watching us. Page 3 of 5

4 19 James 2:19-20 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 1. This should shake any complacent Christian Demons believe there is one God and tremble. Yet they are obviously not saved. a) So if all you are doing is acknowledging God s existence in word, without any faith in action your faith without works may actually be dead. 2. The word foolish is literally hollow. You are a hollow man if you lack saving faith. a) This reminds me of something called Stolen Valor. i) Its where regular civilians get military uniforms and where them like they are a real service member. (1) They didn t earn the right to wear that uniform, but the want the recognition and benefits extended to military members and vets. ii) The point of our passage is you can t say one thing and not back it up in action. 21 James 2:21-24 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. 1. Genesis 15:6 And [Abram] believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. a) Read Hebrews 11:8-10, b) Abraham is the classic Old Testament/Jewish example of living by faith. c) Abraham s faith could be clearly seen in his actions. d) James s point, Abraham s actions are proof of his faith! e) And it was Abraham s faith in action that led to his being called the friend of God. One More Example 25 James 2:25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 1. Rehab also demonstrates faith in action! a) See Joshua 2. b) While Abraham was a Jew, Rehab was a Gentile. Anyone can follow God by faith! Page 4 of 5

5 James 2:26 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. 1. Jesus said in John 15:12: This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. a) John 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 2. Faith in action is loving others and helping those in need! a) Busyness is one of our greatest enemies. Conclusion: What s the big take away from this passage? 1. a) Let your actions as a Christian, motivated by your faith, be worthy of a 5-Star review if someone were going to rate your performance or actions. b) Let s pray that God would help us be Christians whose faith and love are in actions! i) Maybe it s in (1) Helping a single mom with car repairs. (2) Providing a meal for someone in need (3) Buying a gift cards for someone in need. (4) Providing a bag of food or a drink. (5) Helping at church so a weary soul can come a worship. Invitation: Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. i All scripture references, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The New King James Version. (1982). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. Page 5 of 5