Our verses this morning are probably
the most misunderstood passages in the book of James, and can be
quite controversial. There are a lot of people out there that think
they are Christians and really are not. In this passage James, the
brother of Jesus, and the man who tells it like it is, talks about
the difference between real and counterfeit Christians.
The entire New Testament teaches us
that we are saved by faith alone. 'By Grace, through faith'. James
comes along and says, 'it's not just faith but faith and works.' What
is James talking about. Paul teaches faith alone, James is bring up
works. Who is right? They are both right! Paul and James are talking
about different things.
Paul was battling legalism. Remember he
was addressing those who said to be a Christian you had to follow all
of the Jewish laws and regulations.
James on the other hand is not battling
legalism, but trying to get through to people who are saying that is
does not matter what you do as long as you believe. He was talking to
those whose life did not show their faith.
When Paul is talking about works he is
referring to the Jewish laws like circumcision and the foods you eat.
James on the other hand is talking about the Christian Lifestyle,
Loving Others.
Paul is focusing on the root of
salvation, what happens on the inside. James is focused on the fruit
of salvation, what happens on the outside.
Paul is talking about how to know you
are a Christian and James is talking about how to show it.
Paul talks about how one becomes a
believer while James talks about how one behaves as a believer.
These verses are controversial but only
because they are misunderstood.
Ephesians 2:8-10
“8 For you are saved by
grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s
gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are His
creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”
By Grace – Through Faith
– Then Works... If you get them out of order that is when there is
a problem. We are saved by grace, through faith. We are saved by
accepting God's amazing gift. What James is answering is how we show
we are a believer.
James 2:14
“What good is it, my
brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can
his faith save him?”
It does not say that he
actually has faith, he just claims to have it. He talks about it.
Maybe he says the right things, holds up a John 3:16 sign at sporting
events, and even attends church. I heard this week that 70% of
Americans state they are Christians. Do you see 70% of the people you
know living as Christians? Being a Christian is more than just talk,
it takes real faith.
Matthew 7:21
““Not
everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
Not everyone who says they
are a Christian is a 'Real' Christian. Talk is cheap. Where is the
life change? James is telling us that real faith is not just
something you say.
James 2:15-16
“15 If a brother or
sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says
to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t
give them what the body needs, what good is it?”
What good is it if you see
someone in need and you say 'I feel for you.' Real faith is more than
words and more than feelings, it is more than just sympathy. Real
faith requires you to act. Real faith gets involved with people. Real
faith helps others.
1 John 3:17
“If anyone has the
world's goods and sees his brother in need but closes his eyes to his
need – how can God's love reside in him?”
Real faith is generous,
real faith leads to giving. Lack of it shows the absence of God.
James 2:17
“In the same way faith,
if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself.”
This is one of those times
that James is not pulling any punches. Real faith is more than
thoughts, feelings, emotions, or words. Real faith is helping others.
If your faith is not causing you to act or to meet a need, it is
dead.
1 John 3:14
“We know that we have
passed from death to life because we love our brothers. The one who
does not love remains in death.”
Real Faith causes us to
Love Others. Love is a verb, it is an action word. If we do not show
this love in the way we act and in the way we serve others, our faith
is not real.
James 2:18
“But someone will say,
“You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without
works, and I will show you faith from my works.”
Sounds like James is from
Missouri, the 'Show Me' state. 'Show Me' is key here, Real faith is
visible. You can see it, it is obvious, if you claim to be a
Christian, people will be able to see it. James is saying 'show me'
your faith! Your a Christian? Prove It! Let me see your actions back
up your words.
Real faith is more than
something you think, claim, feel, or say.
2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is
in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and
look, new things have come.”
Most of us don't change overnight, but Real faith leads to real change as our actions reflect the new creation we have become.
This week we had an
electrical issue in our galvanizing department that was shocking
operators. They had to shut it down until they could find the cause.
Grabbing onto a hot wire is going to get your attention, and as the
voltage increases your world can change instantly. Our 7 volt is
going to tingle, but a 220 volt shock will not your socks off. If 220
volts will rock your world, how can someone as big as God enter your
life and it not change you. James is calling it like he sees it. If
there isn't any change, there is a question if God is really in your
life. What can each of us see in our lives that proves that we have
real faith?
A few weeks back I
mentioned a quote from the movie 'Do You Believe' and it fits
perfectly with James' message.
'If you were arrested for
being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?'
How do you know if your a
believer? You will see changes in your life. Real faith always
produced real change.
Real faith is not
something you say, feel, or think. It is also not just something you
believe.
James 2:19
“You believe that God is
one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder.”
There are a lot of people
out there that say they believe in God. They read the Bible and they
can even quote scripture with the best of them. James is saying that
is not enough.
Psalm 14:1a
“The fool says in his
heart, “God does not exist.””
It would be absolutely
foolish to not believe in God. Look around you, look out side and
marvel at God's creation. Especially this time of year with the new
flowers blooming, the baby sheep, and so much more telling us that
God is real. The devil believes in God, he is a great theologian, and
knows the Bible better than all of us put together. Yet, He is not
going to spend eternity in heaven. Simple belief is not enough.
The word 'believe' is to
trust in, cling to, rely on, commit yourself completely. Head
knowledge like the devil has is not enough. Saying I believe is not
going to get your there. James is saying everyone believes in God,
but that in itself is not enough.
Real faith is not just
saying 'I Believe.' 70% of Americans say they believe, they say they
are Christians. They believe in God.
If we poll these same 70%:
Do you think they all go
to church? No. How about do they donate their time? No.
Are they leading a ministry? No.
Do they tithe? No.
Do they expect God to work in their lives? No.
James is telling us that
is not 'Real' faith. A lot of people say they are Christians, but
believing there is a God is not the same an having Real saving faith
that impacts who you are.
If real faith is not
something you say, think, feel, or believe, it is not an emotion or a
thought. What is 'Real Faith'?
James 2:20-26
“20 Foolish man! Are you
willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t
Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son
on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his
works, and by works, faith was perfected. 23 So the Scripture was
fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him
for righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that
a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the
same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when
she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith
without works is dead.”
Real faith is something
you do. It is active, it is a commitment!
James paints an
interesting portrait for us in these final verses in chapter two with
two very different people.
Abraham is Jewish; Rahab
is a Gentile
Abraham is male; Rahab is
femaleAbraham is a patriarch; Rahab a prostitute
Abraham is a somebody, a major character in the Bible; Rahab is a nobody, is a minor character
James uses these two
individuals out of the Old Testament to remind us that is does not
matter who you are as long as you have the one important thing. They
only had one thing in common. Their faith in God led them to act.
Abraham believed what God
had told him. He had faith that even if Isaac died, God would restore
him. Rahab had faith that if she faithfully guided the messengers out
safely she would be spared. Their faith in God changed them, their
faith in God led them to action.
Our faith is not
determined by what we do, it is demonstrated by what we do.
About 40 years ago there
was a famous tightrope walker named George Blondin who, for a
publicity stunt, decided he would walk across Niagara Falls on a
tightrope. On the appointed day they stretched a tightrope from one
side of Niagara Falls to the other.
He got out there and there
were crowds lining both the Canadian and American side. Thousands of
people showed up to see this unbelievable feat. Blondin walked up to
the edge of the tightrope, put one foot on the tightrope and put
another foot out and began to walk across -- inch-by-inch,
step-by-step. He got out in the middle and everybody knew that if
he’d make one mistake in balance he’d fall off the rope and into
the Falls and obviously be killed. Blondin got to the other side and
the crowd went wild, shouting and cheering. Blondin said, "I’m
going to do it again." He got to the other side and the crowds
went crazy. Blondin said, "I’m going to do it again but this
time I’m going to push a wheel barrow full of dirt." He pushes
the wheelbarrow across. He got to the other side. He did this nine or
ten times. On about the tenth time, he pushed the wheelbarrow right
in front of a tourist who said, "I believe you could do that all
day." Blondin dumped out the dirt and said, "Really? Get
in."
That is what James is
telling us. Talk is cheap. Put your money where you mouth is. If you
say you believe in Jesus, your actions should prove it. Actions speak
louder than words and our actions really show what we believe.
If we take into
consideration everything that James has said in the second half of
chapter two of his letter there are a few questions we should be
asking ourselves.
What changes can I point
to in my life?
Is my life style different
from those of unbelievers?
James is not saying we are
justified by our works, he is not saying we can work our way into
heaven, he is saying that our actions demonstrate our faith.
Saved by Grace, through
Faith, that lead us to Act.
Thanks for Reading and May God Bless You Abundantly!
Robert
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