Faith Revealed by Works
James • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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The foreman laughed when a tiny old man in a plaid shirt applied for a job as a lumberjack.
“So you think you can be a lumberjack?” the boss asked. “What’s your experience?”
“I’ve felled a million trees single-handedly,” said the old man. “Ever hear of the Mojave Forest?”
“You mean the Mojave Desert,” corrected the foreman.
“Sure—now!”
When people look at us they might underestimate what we can do - actually, we might look at ourselves and underestimate what we are able to do in our lives. Especially, when it comes to the spiritual things of life.
It’s easy to get into the comparison game in our spiritual lives. If I compare myself to Billy Graham I might feel a little inadequate. If you love playing basketball but you are always comparing yourself to Michael Jordan then you might feel like you’re no good.
We would be wise not to compare ourselves to any other person. BUT that doesn’t give us a free pass to sit around and do nothing! God wants His followers to work for Him. Our purpose is found in the work we do for God. Remember in Chapter 6 of Matthew Jesus said a couple of things that give us a clue as to how we are to live our lives.
First He tells us that we shouldn’t worry about this life:
25 “Therefore, I say to you, take no thought about your life, what you will eat, or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they do not sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?
27 Who among you by taking thought can add a cubit to his stature?
This scripture taken out of context would make you think that Jesus is telling His followers that because God takes care of them that they should just find a nice place to plop down and do nothing, but that’s NOT what He is saying.
He’s telling us that God is in control, and that working for WORLDLY things shouldn’t be the focus of our lives. Actually, the focus of our lives should be WORKING for Him in HIS Kingdom.
Let’s go down a bit farther in the same passage:
33 But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
He tells us to put God’s WORK first and DO what He wants! You see, this passage is not an invitation to sit back and do nothing! No way! He is saying that if we have faith in God that we don’t need to be carnally minded, but we should trust God to provide as we walk out our faith by doing His work on the earth.
Each person is called to do a certain work in this world for Jesus. We aren’t to compare our calling, we aren’t to sit back and do nothing. We are told to step up, put God’s work first and trust that He is going to accomplish HIS will - not just our will - through our lives. He says that very thing even earlier in the chapter when He was teaching us how we should prayer.
10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
We should be praying for God’s will to be done. One thing we need to remember is that God has always used PEOPLE to accomplish His work. You and I have work to do!
And this is where we turn to the words of James. James understood the concept of working for the Lord. He dedicated a larger portion of his letter to believers to the topic.
Let’s read the scripture we are going to study:
14 My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you?
15 If you know someone who doesn’t have any clothes or food,
16 you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help?
17 Faith that doesn’t lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!
18 Suppose someone disagrees and says, “It is possible to have faith without doing kind deeds.” I would answer, “Prove that you have faith without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing them.”
19 You surely believe there is only one God. That’s fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear.
20 Does some stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless?
21 Well, our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him.
22 Now you see how Abraham’s faith and deeds worked together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did.
23 This is what the Scriptures mean by saying, “Abraham had faith in God, and God was pleased with him.” That’s how Abraham became God’s friend.
24 You can now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we believe.
25 For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.
26 Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead!
This passage is maybe one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible. It’s been misinterpreted and ever rejected by wise people.
Martin Luther rejected the writing of James because he thought it opposed the doctrine of justification by faith. Basically, he thought James was directly opposing the theology of Paul for instance:
8 You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own.
Compare that to what James says:
14 My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you?
It seems as though Paul is saying that faith saves you and James is saying that faith alone can’t save you! Some denominations of the church have built their doctrine on the misinterpretation of the words of James saying that salvation is based on works rather than faith.
What I want to do is show you that there is NO contradiction in the writings of Paul and those of James.
I read a quote by someone much smarter than me which I think is accurate in describing the writings of Paul and James:
Paul and James do not stand face to face fighting against each other, but back to back fighting opposite foes.
In its context, evidences shows that James is not teaching salvation by works. His emphasis is NOT works, but rather it’s all about faith in Christ.
Here’s what we will see: Faith is the condition of salvation and works is the result of salvation.
We should TEST our Faith
We should TEST our Faith
Verses 14-18 James asks a question that every believer should ask themselves.
What good is it to have faith is you doing do anything for Jesus?
I think one of my favorite preachers that I catch on the radio said something that I feel is right in line with the question James is asking.
He said:
Faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted.
We should be willing to examine our lives to know whether or not we are really walking with the Lord.
14 My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you?
This is the verse that gets the controversy. When you read this you need to keep in mind on of the principle rules for proper interpretation: Context, Context, Context!
It’s like a realtor says, LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!
Context really does matter when you read scripture. We need to know who James was writing to to understand the context. He was writing to Jews that had come to faith in Christ. Their whole lives they had been taught about the LAWS of God which they could never really fulfill because they were imperfect people. The good news that Jesus came and set them free from the law was really really good news! Sadly, some people threw the baby out with the bathwater! They didn’t want to live according to the teachings of Christ or the law of their ancestors. It was mayhem in the early church.
James was telling these Jewish followers that, yes, you’re no longer condemned by the old law, but you are to live differently than the world because Christ is living in you!
Paul on the other hand was writing to legalistic people who wanted to contaminate the Gospel by teaching that you much accept Christ AND keep the old laws and traditions.
When Paul speaks of works, he speaks of the works of the Law, the keeping of the Law, and provision obtained through the Law.
James speaks of an entirely different type of works. WE have no ability to keep the law, and thus salvation by works of the Law is impossible.
Paul and James agree entirely on that biblical truth. James is not contradicting himself in this verse. The key is in the meaning of the works in which James speaks.
The works that James is talking about in this letter is the not a condition for salvation, they are the RESULTS of salvation in a believers life!
Doesn’t that make sense? Context is so important when we read scripture. It’s like setting a compass, you have to set true north first before you can know your heading.
So let’s read the scripture again with the context in mind:
14 My friends, what good is it to say you have faith, when you don’t do anything to show that you really do have faith? Can that kind of faith save you?
He is asking a simple question. If someone claims to have faith in Jesus, but there is no change in their life, are they really saved?
Evidence is important in a court case and it’s important in those who claim to follow Christ. If there is no evidence that a person has been born again, was their profession of faith true?
You might think I’m being harsh, but I would ask you to consider verse 19:
19 You surely believe there is only one God. That’s fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear.
Saying something with your mouth is different that proving it with your life.
Consider the religious people of Jesus’ day - they were teaching and preaching about the Messiahs coming. They professed to believe the prophecies and they trusted God, but when Jesus, the fulfillment of what they were teaching, was standing right in front of them and they rejected Him.
21 Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in.
22 On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles.”
23 But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!”
He was referring to those who claimed to believe God was sending the Messiah, but they didn’t believe Jesus was that Messiah! Their actions didn’t back up what they professed to be true and Jesus said these types of people will not be allowed into heaven.
In our modern culture we are in danger of preaching and teaching something called “easy believism”. It’s the cheapening of the Gospel to nothing more than raising a hand, repeating a prayer, and asking Jesus into our heart.
James would ask: What type of faith is that grounded in? Is it faith in the preacher or saying the right words?
Personal regeneration comes from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ when CONVICTION had gripped the heart of an unbeliever. We see ourselves in need of a Savior, and Him alone, not going through some modern ritualistic prayer or procedure. Salvation comes when we confess Jesus as our LORD and we surrender to Him as the only way for us to be made right in the eyes of Holy God!
James is asking a good question: What type of faith are you professing to have? Many have made a profession with no possession, and their lives reveal that they have no fruit of that glorious salvation!
Before I move into the next set of verses I think we should test our faith:
How can you know if you are a follower of Jesus?
Let’s take a personal assessment:
Have I confessed Jesus as my Lord? Romans 10:9-10 “9 So you will be saved, if you honestly say, “Jesus is Lord,” and if you believe with all your heart that God raised him from death. 10 God will accept you and save you, if you truly believe this and tell it to others.”
Have I surrendered my life to Him? Matt 16:24-25 “24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. 25 If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”
Have I repented of my sin? Acts 3:19 “19 So turn to God! Give up your sins, and you will be forgiven.”
Am I producing fruit in my life?John 15:5 “5 I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.”
When Jesus is the Lord of our lives, we surrender our will to Him, we stop living like the world, and our life purpose is to bring glory to God by reaching the lost!
We should TEST our faith.
What else does James tell us about Faith being revealed by works?
Our Motives are driven by our Faith
Our Motives are driven by our Faith
15 If you know someone who doesn’t have any clothes or food,
16 you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help?
Here we read that faith in Christ motivates us to ministry. There are two words that I want to associate with these two verses:
Sympathy and Apathy
These are very different concepts and they reveal the motives of a heart.
Verse 15 James starts out talking about a person in need. In his day there were many people who were in desperate need of help from others. They had no way of meeting even the basic needs to survive.
There was a book that was made into a movie called “Pay it forward.” The pay-it-forward concept tells us that we can make a difference in the lives of others and it glorifies random acts of kindness. It tells us that when someone is kind to us, it's a good idea to repay mankind several times over by doing good things for others.
It’s a good idea. I like the thought. Because it reminds me that Christ is the ultimate example for us to follow. Because of His great love, He gave His life for us, and now we are called to “pay it forward” in our daily living.
We’ve been forgiven so we should forgive.
Sympathy is seeing a need and being motivated to help in some way. That’s the sign of a person who understand what they have been given through salvation.
Apathy is the opposite.
16 you shouldn’t just say, “I hope all goes well for you. I hope you will be warm and have plenty to eat.” What good is it to say this, unless you do something to help?
This is very simple and easy to understand. Empty words will not clothe the naked or feed the hungry. We can talk of faith as much as we want, but if our faith doesn’t motivate us to action, it is faith of little profit or value. This is the classic example of faith without works
Apathy is seeing a need and not caring about that need. Now, listen, I know we cannot possible meet every need we encounter, but we ought to be a people known for generosity and compassion.
James likely knew those who professed faith in Christ, having the means to help others, and yet their actions never matched their words. Genuine faith will create a desire to help others. It will be impossible to realize the needs of others and not be moved by them. We will be compelled to do all we can to make a difference in the lives of others.
We are called to have sympathy over apathy if we are people of faith.
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We should test our faith, check the motives, and we should know whether or not we have
Faith that is Alive
Faith that is Alive
17 Faith that doesn’t lead us to do good deeds is all alone and dead!
18 Suppose someone disagrees and says, “It is possible to have faith without doing kind deeds.” I would answer, “Prove that you have faith without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing them.”
Here’s a fundamental truth: Faith can’t LIVE on it’s own. If our faith is mixed with works, then it is dead! Genuine faith will generate works in the life of a believer.
You know who gets upset at that statement? People who don’t want to do anything for the Lord! A person who possesses real faith has no problem with these truths.
Those whose hearts are right with God, those who are walking in close relationship to Him, will produce works consistent withy their faith.
Their faith is ALIVE and active.
Verse 18 tells us that Actions speak louder than words. In fact, I would say that actions speak so loud that we can’t even hear the words being said!
Many people TALK about their faith, but there is never anything to back it up! Here’s a good goal for us:
Our relationship with Christ, and our faith in Him, to be self evident!
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The rest of this scripture is talking about the different expressions of faith which I will just touch on very briefly.
There is intellectual faith, general faith, and optimal faith.
Intellectual Faith
Intellectual Faith
19 You surely believe there is only one God. That’s fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear.
James is dealing with the Jews. He is dealing with those who were raised reading and reciting the Old Testament Scriptures. He would have been hard pressed to find a Jew that denied the existence of the true and living God. They would have readily admitted that God existed and that He alone was God.
James is not making light of their recognition of God. I am sure he was glad they believed that God existed. In fact, they likely believed in the miracles He had performed in the lives of their ancestors. There would have been little argument that God had exercised a profound presence in the lives of Israelites throughout history.
There was one major problem however; this was a mere head knowledge, intellectual knowledge that lacked heart knowledge. They had faith that God existed, and that no other rivaled Him, but they did not possess a heart knowledge of Him. Intellectual faith lacked a genuine relationship with Christ, and produced no fruits of salvation. Have we not met many like that in our day as well. There are many who possess intellectual faith, but lack saving faith in Christ. It is never enough just to believe that God exists!
To quote Adrian Rodgers again:
You can have the Knowledge of God without KNOWING God.
General Faith
General Faith
19 You surely believe there is only one God. That’s fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear.
The demons also believe in God. We know that is true by the account of Jesus encountering them with the Maniac among the tombs.
7 He shouted, “Jesus, Son of God in heaven, what do you want with me? Promise me in God’s name that you won’t torture me!”
The demons recognized Jesus; they even admitted that He was the Son of God in heaven, but they had no desire or intention to come to Him by faith.
There is a general faith that many possess, but this faith is empty and void. There are a lot of people who believed that Jesus was the Son of God, but never received salvation. Many of them have died lost and found themselves in hell, separated from God, although they believed He existed.
Intellectual and general faith are never enough. There must be faith that recognizes Jesus as the Savior of the world, admitting our lack and need for Him, coming by faith in salvation.
Optimal Faith
Optimal Faith
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Optimal faith in the Lord will be faith that consistently produces works. We understand that works do not save, but they will be evident in the life of those who are saved. Some will produce more works than others, but salvation will produce works. They will be evident in the life of a believer.
Once faith moves from the head to the heart a definite change takes place. Our lives are no longer dictated by our thoughts, outside influences, or desires of the flesh.
Our lives are submitted to the authority of the Lord.
That is not to say that we will always behave as we should, but our faith will show and it will be evident for the world to see.
If one has to argue their faith or continually seek to convince others of their faith, it is evident their faith is lacking. Those who belong to Christ will have their faith confirmed by their works!
Let’s wrap this message up:
James does NOT present salvation by works, but FAITH REVEALED THROUGH WORKS.
Modern theology has so minimized the Gospel that the expectation for “believers” is not consistent with biblical truth.
Works have never saved, and they never will, but those who are genuinely born again will produce works consistent with their salvation.
If someone professes Christ and there are never any works consistent with the new birth, I would be skeptical of their conversion.
What type of faith do you possess?
I hope it is much more than intellectual or general faith.
I pray you have experienced saving faith in Christ, and in Him alone.