## Faith and Works

## James 2:14-26

- The greatest tragedy of the church today is people who profess Christ and yet do not live for Christ.
- Millions profess Christ and they are baptized and confirmed and made members of the church, but they do not follow nor live for Christ.
- They do not live pure and righteous lives, nor do they give all they are and have to reach the lost and needy of the world.
- Are they saved? Do they have a genuine faith? This is the subject under discussion in this passage.

I. Faith and Works: Introduction v14

A. There are two questions that every believer needs to ask himself.

1. Can a man have faith and not do good works?

2. Can faith without good works save a man?

3. The answer to these two questions is an emphatic, "No!"

4. A person who really believes something does something; he acts.

5. Yet millions profess faith in Christ and belong to the church, yet they do not live for Christ.

6. They live for the world and self.

7. The only difference between their lives and unbelievers is that they sometimes get up on Sunday mornings and attend church.

8. There is little if any difference between their behavior and speech during the week.

B. Note two significant facts.

1. The man says he has faith.

2. But it is only what he says; he does nothing to show that he really believes in Christ.

3. He does not live for Christ; he does not live righteously and godly in this present world.

4. His faith is only a faith of speech, not of behavior and life.

5. His faith is only a faith of profession, not of possession.

6. His faith is only a false profession.

C. The Scripture calls his faith: a dead faith.

1. Note that it is called a dead faith three times in this passage (v17, 20, 26).

2. The faith of a false profession is...

a. A dead faith (James 2:17, 20, 26).

b. An unprofitable faith (James 2:14).

c. A vain, empty faith (1 Cor. 15:2).

d. It is a Christ-less faith.

3. It is not enough to claim that we have faith and not live for Christ.

4. We must believe Christ-really believe-that He is the Savior and Lord of life.

5. If we really believe, we will do what Christ says.

6. We will live for Christ and do the works that please Christ.

7. We will live a Christ-centered life.

II. Examples to illustrate the point.

A. There is the example of a destitute Christian believer. v15-17

1. This example really rebukes most believers.

2. And note, the example is dealing with believers, with brothers and sisters in the Lord.

3. A brother or sister faces some need or problem that makes him or her destitute.

a. They are unable to properly dress themselves, to stay warm, and to secure enough daily food.

b. We see them and share words of comfort with them.

c. We speak peace and sometimes give a few items to help them in their need as they seek to solve their problem for warmth and food.

d. Now note: most believers go this far.

4. But this is not enough…What good is it if we do not give them the things they need?

a. The point is this: faith, if it does not do good works, is dead.

b. True faith loves and cares and is compassionate and reaches out to help the needy.

c. A person can talk about believing in Jesus Christ until he is blue in the face, but if he is not reaching out and helping the destitute of the world just like Jesus did, his faith is dead-utterly meaningless.

d. No person really believes in Jesus Christ unless he is following Jesus Christ and doing the works of love and righteousness which Christ did.

5. True faith is an operative faith, a faith that really works.

a. Therefore, if we really believe in Christ, we will follow Christ.

b. We will take all that we are and have beyond our own needs and give it to meet the needs of destitute brothers and sisters throughout the world.

c. Example of woman and tithing.

B. There is the example of two men of arrogance. v18

1. James is painting the picture of two men, but only one man speaks and what he says is only one sentence.

2. The man says to another imaginary man: "You have faith and I have works."

3. The imaginary man has faith.

a. He believes that he is saved by faith-that God accepts him because he believes in Jesus Christ even if he fails to live for Christ.

b. Once he has believed in Christ-professed and been baptized and joined the church - God has accepted him and will take him to heaven when he dies.

c. But is the man truly saved?

"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" (Matthew 7:21).

"He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me" (Mark 7:6).

"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate" (Titus 1:16).

4. The other imaginary speaker claims to have works.

a. He claims that God accepts him because he does good works and lives as good a life as he can.

b. He believes that the important thing to God is to be religious and do all the good that a person can.

c. If a person does this, God will never reject him; God will accept him no matter who he is and no matter what religion he follows.

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast our devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" (Matthew 7:22).

5. James pulls no punches: it is not a matter of faith or works.

a. To say and profess faith alone will not save a person, and to follow works to become acceptable to God will not save a person.

b. James handles both men of arrogance with one clear statement: "Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

c. A person who truly believes in Christ works for Christ.

d. He follows and lives for Christ.

e. A person who only professes Christ lives for himself, going about doing what he wants when he wants.

f. He does not live a life of separation from the world, a life of righteousness and purity, nor does he give all he has to meet the desperate needs of this world.

g. He professes Christ, but lives for the pleasure and things of this day and time.

h. He knows nothing of the life of Christ, of the sacrificial giving and living that Christ lived and demands.

6. James tells us that it is Faith and Works, not either/or that is important.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

"Having your conversation [behavior] honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation" (1 Peter 2:12).

C. The example of the religionist. v19-20

1. A true man of religion believes in one God: he is neither an atheist nor an agnostic.

2. He is a believer, and note: his belief in God is said to be a good thing.

3. The man does well to believe in God.

4. But believing in God is not enough.

(John 8:24) "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he (the Son of God), ye shall die in your sins."

5. Consider the demons or evil spirits.

a. They believe in God.

b. They even know that God exists.

c. They even believe in the deity of Christ.

d. But the demons are not saved.

e. Their belief has not affected their lives and behavior at all.

6. A faith that doesn't change the way we behave is a dead faith.

D. The example of Abraham who proved his faith by his works. v21-24

1. What James is saying is that Abraham proved that he was justified by what he did-by his works.

2. Abraham's faith was proven to be a true and living faith by his works.

3. James says that Abraham's faith wrought (worked with, cooperated with) his works.

4. His works made Abraham's faith perfect or complete.

5. A true and living faith works: it completes and finishes its course.

6. If a faith does not work or act or complete or finish its course, it is a dead faith-an incomplete, unfinished, and unproven faith.

7. Abraham's faith fulfilled Scripture.

a) "Abraham believed God; and it was imputed unto him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).

b) These words were declared some thirty years before Abraham ever offered up Isaac.

c) James plainly declares that when Abraham offered up Isaac he was proving his faith.

d) The reason Abraham offered up Isaac was because he believed God!

e) If a person believes Christ, he does what Christ says; he follows Christ.

f) If a person does not believe Christ, he does not do what Christ says.

g) He goes about doing his own thing; he does not follow Christ.

h) True faith is a living and active faith-a faith that proves itself by living for Christ and working for Christ.

E. The example of Rahab, the harlot who proved her faith by works. v25-26

1. Why mention Rahab and not end the discussion with Abraham?

2. The point has already been clearly shown in Abraham: a living faith proves itself in works.

3. Because she was a harlot, the very lowest of society.

4. Even the lowest person who claims to believe in God must do good works.

5. They must clean up their lives and follow God, and Rahab did just that.

6. When the spies for Israel were being hunted down by the Jericho soldiers, she hid them.

7. Why would she betray her country and protect the Israelite spies?

8. Because she believed in God and His promises; She said to the spies: "I know that the Lord hath given you the land [of promise]...for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath" (Joshua 2:9, 11).

9. She believed in God, therefore, she acted; she put her faith to work. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26).

James concludes this discussion with an observation. A body without the spirit or breath is dead. It does not move, act, live, or work. It is empty, totally useless and worthless. It is a dead body. So it is with faith: faith without works is dead. It does not move, act, live, or work. Faith without works is empty, totally useless and worthless. It does not live for Christ, does not follow Him in righteousness or purity nor work for Him in reaching people and meeting the needs of a destitute world. James is not talking about a person being saved by doing good works…he is saying, that if we are saved, we will do good works. According to Ephesians, it is why God saved us.

(Eph 2:8-10) "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast. {10} For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."