"SPECIAL BLESSING" REAL FAITH IS PROVEN BY WORKS

Real Faith is Proven by Works
James 2:14-26
August 28, 2011 AM

Many years ago a young man named Martin Luther uncovered a long hidden truth in the book of Romans. He learned that the bible teaches that justification comes through faith in Christ and faith alone.

He even began to question the inspiration of the book of James because he thought it was contradictory to what Paul had taught on this subject.

Paul said, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”
James said, “Show me thy faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith by my works.”

Luther said, “James is a veritable epistle of straw and destitute of evangelistic character.” However, his error comes to light as we look deeper into James teachings.

Rather than a contradiction, we find complete agreement in these two truths and that one truth only compliments the other.

Paul says, “You can’t work your way to salvation, for it is by faith alone that you are saved.”
James says, “If you are really saved, it is your works that will prove it.”

Paul and James both taught the same simple truth that genuine faith produces genuine works. For even Paul said, “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

There are three key words in our passage that I want you to pay careful attention to:
Say…Show…See

Let’s stand and read the passage together and listen carefully for those three words:

Notice the word Say in verses 14, 16, and 18 – Just because we say something doesn’t make it true.

Notice the word Show in verse 18 - James says, “Don’t just say that you have faith, show that you have faith!

“What you say, says much, but what you do says much more”

Notice the word See in verses 22 & 24 – Genuine faith does not stay hidden within, it works itself out in our lives that others may see that what we say is true.
God sees the faith in our hearts, but others need to see it in our lives. (Mathew 5:16)

Having recognized those important words, now let’s quickly take a look at three kinds of faith in this passage:

First, There Is a Faith That Is Worthless (14-17)

Notice Its Profession (v. 14)
James asks a leading question here, which is designed to make his readers think. “Is there any profit in a faith that says, but does not do?” “Can that kind of faith really save?”

The obvious answer is NO! Faith that only says but never shows evidence bears nothing to validate itself.

For example: If I tell my wife that I love her, but I never show her love, she will eventually say, “You don’t really love me, because you never show it.” For ultimately it is the outward actions that prove that I do indeed love her.

John Bunyan wrote, “At the day of doom the question will be, were we doers or talkers only?”

I John 3:18 - My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

So a worthless faith is one that professes in word, but does nothing in deed.

Notice Its Expression (vv. 15-16)
They say that talk is cheap…and it is cheap specifically when it is not accompanied by action.

A worthless faith is both profitless to the person who has it and to those who heed it. In other words it doesn’t benefit the possessor, nor does it benefit others.

James gives us a practical illustration for this point.
He speaks of our obligation – a brother or a sister
He speaks of their necessity – a need for clothing and food

If we encounter a person who has obvious basic needs and we only say, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled”, we have done nothing for them! What kind of faith is that?
James says in verse 17 that it is a faith that is dead!

Again in I John 3:17 - But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

So a worthless faith is one that expresses itself in word, but takes no action.

Notice Its Affirmation (v. 17)
As believers, we have an obligation to help those in need, no matter who they are.
Galatians 6:10 – “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them that are of the household of faith.”
Jesus said, “Insomuch as you have done it unto the least of one of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Would we turn Jesus away with pious words? Of course we wouldn’t. But what kind of Christians are we when we turn others away? What does that show others about our faith? James says that kind of faith it is worthless, it is profitless, and it is dead!

Second, There Is a Faith That Is Wicked (18-20)

Notice Its Failed Actions (18)
Like the worthless faith, the wicked faith says, but does not show itself by works.

The works that James is talking about here are not rooted in legalism. In other words, these are not required for salvation…they are not required to make us righteous.

But rather we find that they are supposed to be the kind of things that naturally come forth from one who is saved and who is righteous.

Let’s allow Galatians 5:22-23 to illustrate this for us.

We see here that real faith is proven by the work of the Holy Spirit of God in the believer’s life…not by religious deeds! “By their fruits you shall know them”

And this fruit ought to be the natural outworking of a person’s life, who has real faith.

So, this wicked faith has failed actions…

Notice Its Futile Acknowledgements (19)
James uses a shocking illustration in this verse. Demons have faith!

They acknowledge the existence of God.
They are neither agnostic nor atheistic.
They acknowledge the authority and deity of Jesus Christ – Mark 3:11-12
They acknowledge in the existence of a place of punishment – Luke 8:31
They also acknowledge that Jesus is their Judge – Mark 5:7

A Profession of the truth is not enough for saving faith. Why? Because even the devils know and profess truth…they believe and tremble (It literally gives them goose bumps).

James says, “You believe in the existence of one God…that’s good..but even the devils believe, and they tremble!

Believing is not receiving! If intellect alone were enough for saving faith, then the devil could join the average church…Think about it: He believes in Jesus; he believes in the resurrection; the virgin birth, and he even believes in the existence of hell, but he does not have saving faith!

So what is saving faith and how is it different from worthless faith and wicked faith? This helps us flow right into our third point…

Thirdly, There Is a Faith That Is Worthy (21-26)

Example: As Seen in Abraham
If we are not careful here we will misinterpret James illustration. He is not saying that Abraham was saved by works. If we read the whole passage we see that it was Abraham’s faith that was working in his actions.

In other words he did what he did because he believed God! And because his faith responded in action or obedience or works…his faith was made complete or perfect.

John Calvin – “It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies is never alone.”

Abraham believed God…and because he believed God righteousness was credited to his account. Verse 21 says, “Abraham was justified by works when he offered…” It was faith that led him to take action. His action was prompted by God.

So, let us be clear here this morning: Real and Genuine faith believes God; it does the work of God and it obeys God. Friends, that kind of faith is a worthy faith…a real faith!

Example: As Seen In Rahab
Remember Rahab was the one who hid the spies of Israel when they came over to check out the Promised Land. Her act in doing so was one of faith…and God blessed her for acting upon that faith.

It may seem odd that in the two examples that James chooses: One was a great patriarch of Israel, and the other was a lowly harlot from a Gentile nation. However, in these two examples we see that no matter who you are, no matter where you’re from and no matter what you have done, real faith can still save you!

Verse 26 closes us out with this thought: The union of faith and works is as close as the union of body and spirit. Just as the body without the spirit is dead…the same is true of a faith without works…if it has no action is as useless as a lifeless corpse.

Closing: It is important for each of us to examine our own hearts and lives…to make sure that we have real faith…saving faith!
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2 Cor. – “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.”

It is equally important that we learn to put our faith into practice, not for the purpose of good deeds, but for the purpose of loving, helping and pointing others to Jesus.

Senior Pastor John Sweat, Sr
Crossroads Baptist Church
1595 Baxley Road
Middleburg, Florida
904) 376-5049