James 2:14-26| Part 9
James 2:14-26 CSB
Faith and Works
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”[d] Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.
20 Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
[INTRO]
I just love the book of James.
James 2:14-26 CSB
Faith and Works
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him?
Is James saying that we are saved by works???
15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.
James is NOT saying that we are saved by works.
We are saved by grace alone…thru faith alone.
But what kind of faith (or quality of faith) do we possess?
What do our actions say that we really believe?
Do not miss the point of this passage! Please!
This is NOT about feeding the homeless.
“Based on results.”
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”[d] Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. 19 You believe that [there is only one] God. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.
Biblical Faith is not “belief” or simply mental ascent.
20 Senseless [foolish] person! Are you willing to learn [willing to acknowledge] that faith without works is useless?
Remember the fool from the Book of Proverbs?
We want to be wise.
We want to have a faith that is alive.
Then, my faith needs to be accompanied with actions.
These actions, works, deeds need to align with what I say that I believe.
Based on results…
21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Abraham’s faith was activated by his actions.
His faith was working together with his actions.
Because Abraham believed God & then acted upon it, His faith was made complete.
MORE complete.
MORE perfect.
Genesis 22:15b-18 CSB
15…this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their[f] enemies. 18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed[g] by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”
25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
She is more afraid of God than she is of her king & his armies.
Joshua 2:11b CSB
“...for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.”
She believes in God…& then she backs it up with her actions.
Matthew 7:17b-20 CSB
…every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit.
Matthew 7:24-27 CSB
The Two Foundations
24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.”
What am I doing with my time?
What am I doing with my money?
How am I using my gifts?
I don’t want us to be like the foolish person.
I want us to be wise.
Matthew 17:20 CSB
“For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”