What good is faith without works?

James 2:14-26

Pastor Durwin

November 3, 2019

 

Intro:

• Overview of vv1-13
• The call to love your neighbor as yourself (v8)
  • Favoring people because of their wealth or status is sin and is evil.
  • To be guilty of one sin is the same of being guilty of all sin.

 

vv1-7: partiality toward rich = judging with evil thoughts (v4)

vv8-13: partiality is sin; being guilty of one sin is to be a transgressor of the law; to be guilty of one sin is to be guilty of whole law

Faith without works (vv14-26)

• • What good is it if someone says he has faith, but does not have works?

 

• A critical question:

• Can that faith save him? (v14)

 

• • James gives four “illustrations” to drive home the answer to this question (vv15-25).
  • He answers the question in v17, v20, and v26.

 

 

• All talk, no action (vv15-17)

 

 

• • Illustration #1 is a person in need of clothing and food.
    • If we say, “Be warmed and filled,” yet do nothing to help provide, we’ve really done nothing.

 

• In v17 James answers his “saving faith” question from v14: “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

 

 

 

• Demons (vv18-19)

 

 

• Illustration #2: Even the demons believe
  • James says if two people are going to argue about faith OR works, we need to change the argument.
    • It’s not faith OR works, it’s faith AND works.
      • “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (v18)
    • Saving faith (v14) is always demonstrated by faithful works.
      • You believe God is one (Deut. 6:4 - “The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”)
      • Even the demons believe that – and shudder!
        • Gospels record instances where Jesus cast out demons and the demons knew exactly who he was. 
          • Mark 1:24 – Capernaum synagogue: “the Holy One of God”
          • Mark 5:7 – Legion of demons: “son of the Most High God”
    • James says our faith is to be demonstrated by our works; we cannot simply say, “Oh, I believe!” if there is no action to back up our belief.

 

 

• Abraham (vv20-24)

 

 

• Illustration #3: Abraham
• James answers his question from v14 for a second time in v20: faith apart from works is useless.
  • The first of two Old Testament characters: Abraham
    • Abraham justified by works when he offered Isaac on the altar
    • His faith was active along with his works
    • His faith was completed by his works
    • Verse 24: “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
      • Not salvation by works.
      • Not in conflict with Ephesians 2:8-10
  • Salvation is not a result of works; rather works are a result of our salvation!

 

 

• Rahab (v25)

 

 

• Illustration #4: Rahab (great, great grandmother to King David in Matt 1 genealogy)
• She was justified by her works
• Received the messengers and sent them out another way (Two Israelite spies, Joshua 2)

 

Close:

 

• Verse 26 James answers his question from v14 for the third time: “faith apart from works is dead.”

 

• • The spirit is the life of the body.
  • Works are the life of faith.