These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
Review…
- In light of the purpose of trials – to teach us to abide in Jesus…
- In light of our LACK of wisdom – and the dangers of deceptive temptations…
- Because we have a FATHER of LIGHTS who wants us to bear fruit!
- We should be – IMPERATIVE – swift to hear but slow to speak…
- Be DOERS – IMPERATIVE – of the Word and not hearers only…
- Known by our PURE religion – filled with love for others!
- That love plays out in our life as having NO PARTIALITY…
- Rather than PARTIALITY – we are to fulfill the Royal Law!
- The Law of the King according to the Bible is – LOVE your neighbor as yourself…
- But if we show PARTIALITY – which is the opposite of love – we will end up stumbling people!
- Therefore – SPEAK and DO as those who will be judged by the law of LIBERTY…
- For those who judge without MERCY – will be judged without MERCY…
- But Mercy Triumphs over Judgement!
Faith that Works…
- 1st – Verbal faith… vs. 14 -18
- 1st – Faith verses works…
- The key…
- FAITH – the substance of things hoped for – evidence of things not see – Hebrews 11:1
- FAITH – apart from which it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God – Hebrews 11:6
- FAITH in Jesus – the KEY that unlocks the FREE gift of SALVATION to us…
- Ephesians 2:8-9 – “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works [same word], lest anyone should boast.”
- The commands…
- James has spent the better part of TWO chapters telling us HOW to live our lives in Christ…
- He has already given us 15 COMMANDS [imperatives] in regard to our walk…
- But with all these TO DOs the natural question becomes – where does FAITH come in…
- Is it enough to just have FAITH [πίστις] – or must we also have WORKS [ἔργον]!
- The controversy…
- It is worth mentioning that this passage is by FAR the most controversial in James…
- Martin Luther – the Protestant reformer – famously tore this passage out of his Bible…
- Because what James is about to argue is that we must have FAITH and WORKS!
- Which on the surface is a direct contradiction of the writings of the Apostle Paul!
- Romans 3:28 – “Man is justified by faith apart from the works [same word] of the law.”
- But what we are going to find is that these truths are not independent of each other…
- To the contrary – they are immutable TRUTHS that weave together in beautiful harmony!
- 2nd – Are words enough… vs. 14
- Can words save…
- What does it profit – my brethren – if someone says he has faith…
- But does not have works – can faith save him!
- James first tackles the value of VERBAL FAITH – what if I SAY I believe in Jesus…
- Is it enough just to SAY the words – can [δύναμαι] that kind of FAITH save!
- A powerful question – if we raise our hands at an alter call – say a prayer…
- If we make a confession of FAITH in Jesus – are we SAVED!
- The obvious answer is YES – the Bible says just that – there in nothing we have to DO!
- Romans 10:9 – “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
- ONLY having VERBAL FAITH…
- The key word here is ONLY – if all we have to hold onto is we SAID we believe…
- James argues that is NOT enough – words on their own CANNOT save!
- To illustrate this he gives us the example of someone who is in NEED!
- 3rd – EMPTY words… vs. 15-16
- Naked and Hungry…
- If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food…
- 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!
- The illustration being we see someone who has NEED…
- If we just SAY – DEPART in peace / be WARMED / FILLED [imperatives]…
- The suggestion being – we have FAITH it will happen – we commanded it to!
- As a side note – there is a movement in Christianity called the Word of Faith…
- Teaching if we only have enough FAITH – and SPEAK it – God has to do what we say…
- This flows into what is called the PROSPERITY Gospel – God wants to bless us…
- And the only reason why we are sick / poor – is because we lack FAITH!
- But the assumption is that God HAS TO do what we tell Him too – heal / provide…
- Which contradicts the Bible – we are to OBEY God / not instruct Him!
- John 14:15 – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
- No POWER…
- When that person who was in NEED leaves – were our words any help…
- The obvious conclusion is we did NOTHING – that person went away naked and hungry…
- There was no POWER in WORDS to change the circumstances of the person in NEED!
- This has great application for our daily lives – WORDS are NOT enough…
- We can say all day that we LOVE our wife – or that we RESPECT our husband…
- We can say that we will obey our parents – or honor our boss…
- But it is not our words that have an impact – it is our ACTIONS that speak loudest!
- 4th – DEAD faith… vs 17
- Words with FAITH…
- Thus also faith by itself – if it does not have works – is dead!
- Just as WORDS without ACTION was of no benefit to the man in NEED…
- So also – FAITH without WORKS [a changed life] has not power to SAVE!
- If we SAY we are Christians – but are still acting like the world around us – where is Jesus…
- Our lives after we BELIEVE in Jesus should be DIFFERENT – changed…
- Do we live in willful SIN – ignoring the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives…
- Or are we running to Jesus – not overcome by sin – but seeking His GRACE to transform us!
- If we are wondering where our walk with the Lord is – we should EXAMINE ourselves!
- II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you.”
- Not to say that we never sin – but we do not practice sin…
- I John 3:9 – “Whoever has been born of God does not [continue to] sin…”
- As believers – if we sin – there should be remorse / confession / repentance…
- If there is NO remorse – NO repentance for sin – there is good reason for concern…
- We cannot SAY we are saved and CONTINUE to live in unrepentant SIN!
- 5th – Faith or works… vs. 18
- One of the other…
- But someone will [indicative] say – you have faith – and I have works…
- Show me faith without works – and I will show you faith by works!
- James anticipates a person might argue – YOU have FAITH – and I have WORKS…
- The suggestion is that we have DIFFERENT gifts – yours is FAITH and mine is WORKS…
- Just because they are different does not mean that one or the other is wrong!
- But James begins to paint the inseparable relationship between FAITH and WORKS…
- He commands [imperative] the person who says this – SHOW their faith without WORKS…
- In contrast he will SHOW them his FAITH – his BY his Works!
- If I told you I could fly – the very next thing you would ask is – show me!
- No amount of words would convince you – unless I took off into the air!
- In the same way it is IMPOSSIBLE to prove we have FAITH apart from WORKS!
- 1st – Faith verses works…
- 2nd – Emotional faith… vs. 19-20
- 1st – Example of demons… vs. 19
- One God…
- You believe that there is one God. You do well…
- If VERBAL FAITH is not enough to save us…
- What if our FAITH is based on EMOTION – I know in my HEART I am saved…
- Is it enough to have EMOTIONAL FAITH – I really / truly BELIEVE there is ONE God…
- BELIEVE [πιστεύω] from the same root word for FAITH…
- It is NOT enough to ONLY have EMOTIONAL FAITH – without WORKS!
- DEMONS believe…
- Even the demons believe – and tremble!
- DEMONS [δαιμόνιον] – 60x in NT – all but FOUR of the in the Gospels…
- 1/3 of the angels [stars] rebelled with satan [dragon] against God – Revelation 12:4
- As a result God cast them out of heaven – they were banished to the earth…
- But there is a final judgment that awaits these fallen angels – Jude 1:6
- When they will be cast into the Lake of Fire prepared for them – Matthew 25:43
- Demons ALSO believe – have FAITH there is ONE God – but they DO NOT have WORKS…
- They even TREMBLE – have EMOTION in reaction to their FAITH in God…
- But their EMOTIONAL faith in the ONE God CANNOT save them!
- I have to admit this is REALY HARD – it means we CANNOT trust our emotions!
- EMOTION is not enough…
- Because we can be CONVINCED of something – and still be VERY wrong!
- Mormons will famously tell you they have the truth – because of the burning heart…
- Jihadists will willing kill themselves in EMOTIONAL adherence to their FAITH!
- A moving worship service can make us FEEL closer to God – in spite of our WORKS…
- Coming to church JUST because it makes us FEEL better – does not change our heart …
- EMOTION does not bring clarity to TRUTH – it often conceals it!
- Our problem is our heart – we are the problem – we are sinners!
- Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked…”
- 2nd – What to know… vs. 20
- But do you want to know – O foolish man – that faith without works is dead!
- For the SECOND time we are told – FAITH without WORKS is DEAD…
- To those who still refuse to see the connection – they are FOOLISH…
- Because we KNOW [γινώσκω] – LEARNED – that FAITH cannot live apart from WORKS!
- We are FOOLS if we hold to VERBAL or EMOTIONAL faith alone – because we are deceived…
- We have convinced ourselves we are SAVED – when we may not be!
- Which has POWERFUL and SOBERING application for our lives / and those we love…
- It is easy to take comfort that someone is going to heaven – because they SAID a prayer…
- Are assure ourselves that someone we love knows Jesus – because of EMOTION…
- But the TRUTH is we have learned that FAITH must also have WORKS!
- 1st – Example of demons… vs. 19
- 3rd – True faith… vs. 21-26
- 1st – Father Abraham… vs. 21-24
- Having laid out failure of VERBAL and EMOTIONAL faith alone…
- James goes on to give us what TURE FAITH looks like using THREE examples…
- The first would be VERY familiar to his Jewish audience – Father Abraham!
- HOW Faith…
- Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar…
- You see [indicative] that faith was working together with his works…
- And by works faith was made perfect!
- Abraham was JUSTIFIED – saved by WORKS – when he offered Isaac his son…
- Not by WORKS alone – but by FAITH working TOGETHER with his WORKS…
- TOGETHER – [συνεργέω] – cooperation of things to produce a greater combined effect!
- It was the FAITH of Abraham that worked TOGETHER with his WORKS to justify him…
- Neither had enough power on their own – he could not WORK for salvation…
- Neither was his FAITH alone enough – but TOGETHER they justified the Father of Faith!
- When Abraham offered up of Isaac – it PERFECTED [τελειόω] COMPLETED his faith!
- We see then that a man is justified by FAITH – that is SEEN through his WORKS!
- We know a fruit tree is alive – if there is fruit on its branches…
- In the same way we know there is TRUE FAITH in Jesus – if there is FRUIT…
- If there is no FRUIT / WORKS coming from a believers life – then there is no FAITH…
- The FRUIT / WORKS are the proof that the FAITH is TRUE!
- WHEN faith…
- Do not miss WHEN the FAITH of ABRAHAM produced good WORKS…
- Genesis 15:6 – Abraham was 85 and had no children!
- God told Abraham his decedents would be – as the stars in the heavens…
- Just as you cannot count the stars [TEN billion – trillion] so would his children be!
- Abraham BELIEVED the Lord – and God counted it to him as RIGHTEOUSNESS!
- Genesis 22:2 – God told Abraham to offer up his ONLY child as a sacrifice…
- Abraham was 85 years old when God declared him RIGHTEOUS by FAITH…
- When he offered up Isaac – WORKS – he was between 115-137!
- That means there was up to 50 years before the fruit was seen!
- 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…
- You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith on!
- If we plant a seed – we do not expect to harvest FRUIT a week later!
- FRUIT takes time to grow and develop – but a healthy tree will ALWAYS bear FRUIT!
- If we have TRUE FAITH in Jesus – there WILL be good FRUIT coming from our lives…
- But not all FRUIT is immediate – it might take years for the FRUIT to come out…
- That should be VERY encouraging to us – because we might ask – where is the FRUIT…
- When will my husband / wife change and show the FRUIT of their FAITH…
- The answer is we do not see the heart – but we pray – and wait for FRUIT to come!
- 2nd – Rahab the harlot… vs. 25
- Rahab had FAITH…
- Likewise – was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works…
- When she received the messengers and sent them out another way!
- Rahab had FAITH – she is one of only TWO women mentioned in the Hall of FAITH!
- Hebrews 11:31 – “By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.”
- Rahab was a harlot – she had a VERY sinful and sorted past…
- But she believed – had FAITH in the ONE God of Israel – to save her from judgment!
- Rahab had WORKS…
- Rahab is listed here WITH Abraham as an example of what FAITH looks like…
- All of Jericho was TERRIFIED of the ONE God of Israel – but ONLY Rahab was SAVED…
- She did not just have FAITH in God – she showed her faith by her WORKS…
- She was willing to RECEIVE and SEND away the spies – and was JUSTIFIED [passive] …
- By living out her FAITH with good WORKS – it COMPLETED her FAITH!
- The Genealogy of Jesus Christ – Matthew 1:5
- Rahab would go on to marry Salmon – and have a son named Boaz [married Ruth] …
- She would become the great grandmother of King David – a descendant of Jesus!
- But she was a HARLOT [πόρνη] – porn – in THE genealogy of Jesus!
- Which tells us that FAITH that WORKS has the power to transform ANYONE!
- No matter what our PAST – as we have TRUE FAITH in Jesus – it will produce FRUIT…
- That is the amazing POWER of the Gospel – the ability to make SINNERS into SAINTS!
- Which means to matter how bad someone might be today – there is hope for tomorrow…
- When FAITH – in due time – WORKS in their lives to transform them!
- Galatians 2:20 – “It is no longer I who live – but Christ lives in me…”
- 3rd – The body… vs. 26
- Inseparable…
- For as the body without the spirit is dead – so faith without works is dead also…
- There are two possible ways to interpret this final example…
- If a physical body does not have AIR [πνεῦμα] – then it will DIE…
- But it could also be – if we do not have the Spirit of God – then we are DEAD…
- Speaking of our need for the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT to give us SPIRITUAL LIFE!
- Either way the point is simple – they are inseparable…
- In the same way FAITH and WORKS are INSEPARABLE – we MUST have FRUIT…
- We cannot WORK our way into Heaven – James is NOT trying to argue that…
- But also cannot just think VERBAL / EMOTIONAL FAITH is enough either…
- TRUE FAITH will ALWAYS produce GOOD WORKS – a life transformed by Jesus!
- FAITH and WORKS – two sides of the same coin – defining our life Christ!
- 1st – Father Abraham… vs. 21-24