FAITH WORKS GENUINELY
James 2:14-26
FAITH WORKS GENUINELY
FAITH WORKS #9,
In our church life in
As you know, just saying something doesn’t necessarily
make it so. And all too many people make professions with words which are not
backed up by their lives.
The theme of James is “Faith Works”. In this message we want to see that Faith
Works Genuinely. True faith is genuine
faith.
GENUINE FAITH IS NOT JUST WORDS – Vss. 14-17
Words alone don’t save.
Vs. 14 – We have in our churches today entirely too
much “easy believism”. If I just say I’m saved; if I just go through the
motions of baptism, I’m okay. I have eternal life.
James is refuting this easy believism claim.
Stating that you are saved; giving personal testimony
of your faith in Christ is important. But stating your faith in Christ aloud is
to be a reflection of something that has really taken place in your heart.
Romans 10:9-10 - That
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with
the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is
made unto salvation.
Paul is saying that if a man has truly put his faith
in Christ in his heart, he will confess it before men.
Unfortunately, easy believism bypasses the heart and
just goes to the mouth. No work has taken place in the heart but a person is
saying he or she believes with his mouth.
Jesus warns in Matthew 7:21, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Let us understand what James is saying in verse 14.
James is saying that if a man or woman has truly been
saved, his life will show it.
There will be more than words. There will be action.
Works will accompany a man’s profession.
Works don’t save you. As Paul says, salvation “is not
of works, lest any man should boast.”
But works do indicate that change has take place. The Gospel is a Gospel of change. 2
Corinthians 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 1:9
Anyone who is genuinely saved is genuinely changed
from what he was, and from what he would be if he hadn’t been saved.
James asks what profit is there in words of faith that
are not backed by good works? He asks can faith without works save a man?
James was not eliminating faith. The question “Can
faith save him?” is actually in the original, “that faith”.
James was simply asking, “Could faith that has no
evidence of good works be true faith?” The implied answer, of course, is “no”.
Titus 3:5 - Not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he
saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Note that salvation is a result of being born again,
which we know is placing one’s faith in Christ.
Titus 3:8 - This
is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that
they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These
things are good and profitable unto men.
The salvation described in Titus 3:5 is to be followed
by the works of Titus 3:8.
James and Paul are showing us that a person who has
truly been born again will evidence a true change by the way they do good
works.
Vss. 15-16 – James gives us an example that the
genuine article of faith is more than words. James mentions a brother or sister believer
without proper food or clothing.
Along comes someone else in the congregation who gives
words. He tells the person “Go in peace! Be warmed and filled!” That’s like
saying, “May the Lord bless you real good!”
There’s nothing wrong with those words, but James says
that without helping these people, “What good have you done?
Vs. 17 – James concludes that a faith that is
all words and no action is a dead faith, because there is no evidence of a
change in life-style.
GENUINE FAITH IS PROVEN BY ACTION – Vs. 18
Vs. 18 – James makes an excellent point here.
One man says “I have faith.”
Another man says, “I have works.”
He says, “Show me your faith without works, and I’ll
show you faith with my works.
Just think of the various actions which prove our
faith.
One might say, “I have faith that God answers prayer.”
Great! Do you pray and not worry as Philippians 4:6-7
tells us to do.
You might say, “I have faith that Christians are
supposed to be thankful.”
Great! Are you continually thankful?
You might say, “I have faith that the unsaved are
going to hell.”
Good! What are you doing to show you believe that? Are
you inviting them to church and witnessing to them personally.
Read Hebrews 11 and discover that the heroes of faith
were men and women of action. And their actions proved their faith.
GENUINE FAITH IS MORE THAT JUST MENTAL ASSENT – Vss.
19-20
There are still very few atheists in this country.
Mostly all believe in God.
And if you ask them, many will say that they believe
in Christ. But genuine faith is more
than mental assent to the existence of God or Christ.
Vs. 19 – James says “you believe in God and you are
doing well.”
But James then adds this zinger – the devils believe,
they know God exists and they tremble!
The demons are scared, but they still aren’t saved.
What is the difference between mere intellectual
belief and true belief?
True belief or faith is trust.
Phillips Brooks gave this acrostic for faith –
“Forsaking all, I trust Him.”
A person who has true faith in Christ as Savior trusts
Him alone for eternal life. He is relying on Christ alone.
Vs. 20 – James concludes that the faith that
is just belief with the head is the faith without action. This is not true
faith. Remember true faith or trust in Christ will produce change.
GENUINE FAITH IS DEMONSTRATED BY BIBLE CHARACTERS –
Vss.21-26
In verses 21-26 James is showing examples of two Bible
characters who had genuine faith.
First, they believed God and then they showed it by
their actions.
Vs. 21 – The first example is Abraham. Notice
that it says he was justified by works.
We normally think of justified as meaning to be
“declared righteous”. And indeed, the only way someone can be declared righteous
is by faith. Romans 5:1
The word justified can also mean to “vindicate” or
“show to be righteous”.
In believe that James is saying that the works of
Abraham when he offered Isaac on the altar at God’s command vindicated him, or showed
that his faith was real.
Vs. 22 – His faith and works went together.
First Abraham had the faith, then he proved that faith with the works of
offering Isaac. This work made his faith
complete. Abraham showed how real his
faith by obeying God.
Vs. 23 – 30 years earlier before the offering
of Isaac, Abraham was declared righteous on the basis of faith.
That Scripture was shown to be true by his action with
Isaac.
Vs. 24 – James is simply saying that this
proves that there must be works if there is truly faith.
Vs. 25 – How did the children of
Her works of hiding the spies, and helping them escape
were the works that proved her faith was genuine.
Vs. 26– James concludes with a challenge.
“Faith without works is dead, just like the body without the spirit. A man who has no spirit is a dead man. A
faith that has no works is a dead faith.
GENUINE FAITH IS NOT JUST WORDS – Vss. 14-17
GENUINE FAITH IS PROVEN BY ACTION – Vs. 18
GENUINE FAITH IS MORE THAT JUST MENTAL ASSENT – Vss.
19-20
GENUINE FAITH IS DEMONSTRATED BY BIBLE CHARACTERS –
Vss.21-26
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