Faith Works - The Letter of James - James 2:14-26

Oct 15, 2023 • Andrey Bulanov

Outline:

1. A faith that is not accompanied by actions of obedience is no faith at all.

2. Our actions do not make us right with God; they just reveal if we ARE right with God.

3. Our faith grows and develops as we step out in courageous obedience to follow our Savior.

Scripture References:

- James 2:!4-26

- Luke 6:43-46

- Romans 3:28

- 2 Peter 1:3-10

Application:

- What kind of faith do my works reveal?

- Has Jesus ever truly captivated my heart? Have I ever truly come to know who he is and what he has done?

- As a christian - do you intend to live a spiritually powerful life? Are you committed to it? Are you seeking it?

- Does your daily spiritual life revolve more about you and your feelings? Or is it a dynamic and personal relationship with Jesus and his callings on your life?

Discussion questions:

- How do we explain the seeming contradiction between Paul and James?

- Does this passage teach that we can automatically know who is a real christian and who is fake?

- What does James teach us about the daily relationship between our faith and our works?

- Why is our daily intention to obey God so important?

- What is the difference between being self centered versus Christ centered in our spiritual life?

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Read passage

There is a marked contrast that exists in the church throughout the ages.

Some are willing to be burned at the stake of Jesus, some feel like a hero if they read their Bible three times this week.

Some are extremely rules oriented and critical if anyone doesn't match their standards.

Some say you can be a christian and do anything you want, as long as you prayed a prayer once - you are saved.

These contrasts all intersect on one key issue - how does our faith in Jesus relate to our lives and the things we do.

One of the constant struggle of the Christian life is trying to figure out what is the relationship between our faith in Jesus and our daily works our acts of obedience?

On the one hand, we are constantly challenged by guilt, because we are never good enough, and we fail, and we struggle with sin even though we trust Jesus, even though we have a new heart, and even though we desire to walk in his ways, we’re never fully living up to the calling we’re constantly stumbling and we’re battling a sense of guilt for that

On the other hand, we lean an imbalance that way in the direction of saying that we are saved by grace only and through faith, and that means that it doesn’t matter how much we fail, and it doesn’t matter how much we struggle we are still saved

Many people get very uncomfortable if you talk about any action of obedience, any emphasis on effort, because they say that that is Works religion, and that is not based on faith, and that is not based on God’s grace

Some, go as far as to say that if you ever talk in Christianity about putting effort to obedience, and if you ever talk about the importance of obedience to God's calling, you've gone beyond the gospel, because the gospel is only about trusting in Jesus, and believing in nothing else

on the other extreme, you've always had people who will make Christianity all about works.

They will always make Christianity all about what you do and how you prove yourself through your actions, and there is extremely critical.

This is a central spiritual struggle for all Christians in all times. We are constantly tempted to separate our faith and dependence and belief and devotion in God from our daily actions and how we behave.

Either we don’t have faith, and we just have actions, and we depend on our good works in our actions to make ourselves feel good with God that is human religion

Or we are living a life that is full of disobedience to Gods ways, and we are not walking in the things that he calls us to walk in, but we compensate for our sin by having extra spiritual emphasis in our life and we think just because I believe in Jesus and I do spiritual things it’s OK that I have these other things in my life I’m just struggling

James is speaking directly into this tension. This separation between faith and works and what he hopes to show us in this text is that you cannot separate the two actually there two sides of the same coin. A genuine life of faith and trust in Jesus inevitably flows over and is tied into a life of strong, powerful obedience to God.

1. A faith that is not accompanied by actions of obedience is no faith at all.

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.

As we zoom out here and look at the context of this book, we realize that James is dealing with a group of Christian’s that are saying one thing about believing in Jesus, but their life and their behavior is completely different

You can see this clearly, especially as you look at how James talks about poverty and wealth, and how people in the church are treating each other. It was clear that they were people in the church who were wealthy, who were exploiting poor people they were miss treating them they were saying a lot of good spiritual things, but they were not taking care of each other and loving each other as Christians.

A number of people in this church were preoccupied with worldly pursuits of money and wealth and their methods to pursue. Those things were often completely in conflict with what they said they believe about Jesus.

James point in this whole passage is very simple. He just tries to say this faith without action that demonstrates that faith is dead meaning, it’s no face at all.

What’s important to notice is that James is not telling us that it’s good that you have faith but you need to add to that Faith by doing good works.

Notice what he says he says if someone claims they have faith, but they have no works in their life, there’s no demonstration of that Faith there’s no visible actions of obedience to God’s word.

What kind of faith is this?

The obvious answer is that this is not a faith that’s going to save him. This is a dead faith. In other words. This is not a faith at all.

It’s not like there’s different levels of faith that he’s talking about here and he’s talking about some people who are very big in their faith, and their faith has works and actions, and then there’s baby Christians, who have faith that they don’t have any works. No, he’s trying to say the simple thing he says if you, if your faith in God is not accompanied by visible at our actions in obedience to God’s word you don’t have faith.

And he illustrates that in this example where he says if you see somebody in need and they’re starving and they don’t have clothing and they don’t have a roof for the over their head and you just come up to them and you give them some nice words and send them on the way

In other words, your actions invalidate your words

There have always been people who come to God's presence, who claim God's promises, who speak very good - but their hearts and their lives are far from him.

Luke 6:43-46

43 “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 A good person produces good out of the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil out of the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?

There are so many people in the church who say they believe and claim that they trust in Jesus but when you look at their lives - the words they say, the interests they have, the music they listen to, the things that fill their minds - there is NOTHING in their about following Jesus.

Why are you here today? Are you here because your family brought you? Are you here because you are looking for answers? Are you here because you are looking for a spiritual emotional boost?

Or are you here because you are a follower of Jesus and you genuinely want to know him more, love his church and live for his kingdom?

Faith that is not revealed in actions of obedience is no faith at all!

Well i guess the question is what do you mean by actions? How good is good enough?

And more specifically, how do my faith and my actions connect or relate to each other?

2. Our actions do not make us right with God; they just reveal if we ARE right with God.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” 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, and he was called God’s friend.

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

There is an obvious reason why for many, this passage seems to go completely against other parts of the new testament - especially Paul's who teaching about justification by faith alone - not through works.

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Romans 3:28

"For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law"

There are many people who create so much drama over this passage - as if it is saying totally contradictory things.

And if you are not paying attention and just trying to pick out some problems in the bible then you may think this does sound kinda contradictory.

But that is totally absurd because it is very clear from Paul and James that they are NOT contradicting each other.

- Paul and James are using the word "justified" differently.

- Paul is talking about how we are made right with God -

- Justification - how do i get my sins forgiven? How do I reach the status of being "not guilty" in God's court?

- James is talking about how we KNOW someone is REALLY made right with God? How do we know someone is truly a believer?

- Justification - how do I prove the genuineness of my faith?

The problem with us, self-centered sinners is that we always wanna rely on our efforts in our works to be the foundation for identity

We always want to feel like God must bless us because we’ve done so good

So when you ask the classic question when you get to heavens gates, and God asks you, "why should I let you into heaven?"

so many people who have spent their lives in the church or around Christianity simply go on to say well I’ve tried my best to be a good person. I’ve done these good things I went to church I didn’t rob, steal or kill.

I’ve been a pretty good person and I’ve tried really hard and because of that I hope God will let me into heaven

That is why many people will face a terrible surprised when they face God at the end.

Nobody gets into heaven from doing good things

THIS is what Paul is after in Romans 3 - it is establishing very clearly for us that NONE of us has ANY hope for getting if its based on our obedience to God's laws. We are lost!

Our only hope is if GOD HIMSELF has found a way to clear our guilt - to wash away the very very long list of all the ways that we have repeatedly fallen short.

I love how Allistar Begg describes the way the thief on the cross next to Jesus must have arrived in heaven.

"Have you ever been to church? - no. What do you know about biblical theology? not much. Have you ever given money to the poor? no, i robbed them. Tell me about your prayer life? Not much to tell. Have you ever read the Bible??? Not really."

Why are you here???

"The man on the middle cross said I could come."

Why should I let you into heaven? Because I’ve trusted in Jesus, for my only hope, and my righteousness, and I have been washed clean because he has died in my place. Because the Son of God became a man so he could take the punishment due to men and give to us the status that only the Son of God himself deserves.

That’s the question Paul is asking that question Paula’s answering nobody is justified by works only by faith in Jesus

Now there could be a second question that God can ask. How do I know that you have trust in Jesus?

This is the question that James is asking.

To that question we can give an answer. Yes, lord I have never been perfect, and I’ve always struggled and yet at the same time I have loved your word I have walked in your ways I have white love live them on your people not because that is something I do to earn the reward, but because I have been given the reward of life in Jesus, and that he is my only hope in my direction, he has captivated my heart, and I desire to live nothing more than this, and even though I feel many times, I confess my sins and I run back to you because I have nowhere else to go because you are my life!

Genuine, faith, genuine, trust in God, means, knowing what God has done who he he is seeing him as the supreme treasure of our lives, trusting in his salvation for us, and clinging to him for our life

Real faith in Jesus is inseparable from a conscious, clear commitment to two prize to value, and to follow Jesus, and to be his disciple in all of life

This is why real faith is inseparable from a life that is committed to being his disciple to following him into working for his kingdom with our life

Notice how in verse 22 he says that with Abraham offering up his son Isaac his faith was active among in along side his works

Real faith works. it changes us. it channels our hearts to a new direction.

Notice how in Hebrews 11 - there are SO MANY VERBS.

by faith so and so did this and by faith so and so did that and by faith so ....

Your actions always reveal where your real faith lies. Your actions always point to what you truly believe is the most important and most trustworthy thing in your life.

This is why if your actions show that there is no real faith in your life - you don't just need to try harder. Obedience is never a issue of sheer will power - just try harder and you will obey God! - No - if you are not following Jesus, you need to as WHY??

Why has Jesus not captivated my heart? you don't need try harder - you need to get to know Jesus more! you need to focus your heart and life on who he is and what he has really done for you!

You actions of obedience will naturally flow from a heart that is captivated, changed and trusting in Jesus.

3. Our faith grows and develops as we step out in courageous obedience to follow our Savior.

21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar?

Our actions reveal our faith (or its absence)

But that is not all James is saying.

Notice how James is describing a dynamic relationship between our actions and our faith...

"faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete..."

If you know the story of Abraham - you know its the story of a very imperfect man. But throughout his story - his faith grows and develops.

How does it grow?

As he struggles and practices and learns to courageously take actions to follow God's Word in his life.

If we just said that our trust in God is tested in our daily struggles and trials and our call to walk in obedience.

We ALSO know that our struggles STRETCH our faith - they push us outside our comfort zone, and we are always learning, through trail and error.

You see, God did not merely create a transaction in salvation. He didn't just sign a deal.

He has given us the gift of forgiveness and sins and the gift of new life - he has given us his Word and his Spirit - so that he may invite us into a daily relationship with him - a relationship where he calls us to follow him in obedience in the midst of all the challenges we face.

Its not just about "being good" - its about having a new heart so that we can follow HIM back out into the world in the adventure of living for his kingdom everywhere we are.

And the more we actively follow him and serve him and seek his ways in our lives - the more we battle with our selfishness and the evil in the world - the more our faith GROWS.

God told Abraham that through Isaac will come all his descendants. And then he asked him to give Isaac up and sacrifice him.

Abraham knew that God would not lie - and so he new that God would provide a miracle - even if that meant bringing back Isaac from the dead.

Did that make it easy for Abraham to come within milliseconds of the death of his own son??

No.

But you know what - Abraham came down from that mountain a changed man. His faith was changed - because he followed God into the scariest storm of his life, and even though it didn't make sense he still trusted and kept following - and too the ultimate leap of faith - and God caught him.

The more we step out in courageous obedience to God, the more we stake our lives on Jesus and his Word - the more he comes through to provide, guide and lead our lives in ways we never could have imagined.

The problem we get into is we get so self focused - we mope and we complain about our own emotions, we become so self focused our faith is not in Jesus, our faith is in our spiritual feelings and status...

Is your daily spiritual condition more focused on yourself than on Jesus?

The christian life is a relationship with a person - more than that, it is an amazing invitation to know him and to follow him and live for his mission in the world.

"...and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend."

2 Peter 1:3-10

3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble.

Peter says- if you are a christian - you have the power to obey God! And the more you pursue life in him, the more your faith will grow!

One christian author says this powerful observation - why so many christians not living spiritually powerful and devoted lives? Not because they don't know about it or because they don't have the power - its just because they have never really truly intended it.

So many ppl say, "oh well faith and bible is one thing but real life is another..."

Really??

Are you ok with a christianity that just says "I believe" ?

James says - this is no christianity at all.

Martin Luther gives us these beautiful words on faith -

"O it is a living, busy active mighty thing, this faith. It is impossible for it not to be doing good things incessantly. It does not ask whether good works are to be done, but before the question is asked, it has already done this, and is constantly doing them. Whoever does not do such works, however, is an unbeliever. He gropes and looks around for faith and good works, but knows neither what faith is nor what good works are. Yet he talks and talks, with many words, about faith and good works."

Moo, D. J. (2000). The letter of James (p. 144). Eerdmans; Apollos.

Application:

- What kind of faith do my works reveal?

- Has Jesus ever truly captivated my heart? Have I ever truly come to know who he is and what he has done?

- As a christian - do you intend to live a spiritually powerful life? Are you committed to it? Are you seeking it?

- Does your daily spiritual life revolve more about you and your feelings? Or is it a dynamic and personal relationship with Jesus and his callings on your life?