Hello Friends!
Welcome Back! Let’s continue our journey through “The
Book of James: Putting Faith to Work!”
The Book of James: Putting Faith to Work! (Chapter 2:14-20)
This
week we will continue our reading of verses
14-20 in chapter 2 as we consider A
Dead Faith…
Inevitably,
people with “dead faith” will always substitute
worthless “words” of the “flesh” for the righteous “works” in Jesus Christ. However, true “faith” is not demonstrated by what we “say“ but is found in what we “do!“ Therefore, we must not trust in words
alone, but in actions. True Biblical “faith” will always be
seen in “righteous” and
God-honoring “works” from a “pure” redeemed heart – But dead faith will not be seen at all!
Therefore,
we could paraphrase James this way: “Faith
plus nothing equals nothing!” And throughout these poignant
passages, James describes this kind of "dead
faith” in three ways:
Empty Confession!
False Compassion!
Shallow Conviction!
Here
again in this serious section of Scripture, James provides for us another test of “true
faith” verses
“false faith” through – Unrighteous works of the
flesh!
A Dead Faith!
James
begins this passage with two telling questions for the “brethren” to consider regarding a phony
“faith” of which does not
please God. Here is an empty confession:
What
does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have
works? Can faith save him? – James
2:14
The
very important point that “we”
must understand in approaching this passage of Scripture is
that there is a kind of “faith”
in Jesus Christ that does not “save” a soul. Valid “faith” has always been verified
by a “fruitful” life of “obedience” to God’s Word. This is the true
saving “faith”
of Jesus Christ!
For
example, James’ big brother Jesus instructed His “disciples” with this command regarding their “good works” in the opening
of His Sermon on the Mount teachings:
Let your light so shine before
men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven
– Matthew 5:16
In
other words, the “light” that
“shines” out of the life of a
true “believer” is one of “good works” demonstrated by deeds
associated with true “repentance”
from “sin” to “salvation” in Jesus Christ. And again
Jesus said this concerning the “will”
of His “Father” at the closing
of His Sermon on the Mount
teachings:
Not everyone that says, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of My
Father in heaven – Matthew 7:21
The point? It is not the “someone”
who “says” they are “doers” of God’s Word. The “brethren” will exhibit true saving
“faith” in Jesus Christ by
their “works” for Him. Sadly,
many “religious” people are
being deceived and deluded by a fatal
“faith” that does not “profit”
their soul nor will save them from an eternal hell. James
is essentially asking the question: “Can that
kind of faith save anyone?”
The obvious answer is NO! Therefore, we must not
trust in what people say – We
must discern what they do!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Because of the
extreme load of man-made “legalistic“
piety found throughout the “religion”
of Judaism, these precious
Jewish people internalized a tremendous amount of stress due to their self-induced
“works-righteousness” belief
system. Imagine being required to keep relentless “religious” laws that you know
you couldn't possibly keep. Imagine being absolutely overwhelmed with a myriad
of rules and regulations of which no human being could ever
uphold. And imagine “believing”
that your “salvation” was dependent
on your own ability… A
tremendously terrible burden! As a result, many of these
Jewish “brethren” may have
gone from the one extreme of “legalism“
found in Judaism to the
other extreme of “cheap grace“
found in Antinomianism pertaining
to an improper understanding of “works”
within their “Christian”
worldview. In other words, if “works”
were not necessary for “justification”
before God, their “faith”
became simply a “dead”
intellectual exercise... Then along came the gracious “Gospel” of “salvation”
as a free “gift” from God in
Jesus Christ – Praise the Lord!
How
do all these concerns manifest themselves in the lives of the phony “one” of whom
James is addressing here? James continues with the “dead” outcome concerning a false compassion:
If a
brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to
them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the
things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by
itself, if it does not have works, is dead – James 2:15-17
James
points to the fact that this kind of “religious”
rhetoric is nothing but a “dead”
and empty confession of a false “faith” in the flesh.
It is a phony “profession”
without provision and a rash “religion” without compassion.
There are no righteous “works”
associated with the worthless “words”
such as “Depart in peace, be
warmed and filled” propagated to a “brother or sister” of whom are in desperate
“need.” James asks how this
kind of phony “faith” will “profit” anyone. True “faith” that is placed in Jesus Christ
alone will receive a “new nature”
manifesting itself – In loving action!
Up
to this point, James has said that a “dead”
phony “faith” is marked by an empty confession and a false compassion. Next James contends
that a “dead” and worthless “faith” is also marked by a shallow conviction:
But
someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith
without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works – James 2:18
The
“someone” James refers to here
is most likely himself. Much like the Apostle Paul, James is a “humble” man and therefore speaks here in
the third person. In other words, James says: “Go ahead, show me your faith! How can you show true faith without
your profitable works?” James possesses true “faith” and refers to this “unbelieving” person as the “you” of whom claims
to have a “faith” without
“works.” Incidentally, the
word "show” here means to
exhibit or put on display. Therefore, if there are no
“righteous” deeds nor the “fruit” of “righteousness”
found in their life, then there is no way to demonstrate
the validity of their profession of “faith” in Jesus Christ – It is impossible!
Sadly,
this “unbelieving” person might
even argue further by claiming: "Well, I believe in one God. In
fact, I'm a monotheist!" To this point James again refutes with
this stinging statement:
You
believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and
tremble! – James 2:19
In
other words, James says to this person: “You
intellectually believe that there is one God? Good for you!“
Historically, the Jews have always prided themselves on their “religious” orthodoxy, particularly “believing” in the “one true God” as the shema of
the Old Testament states:
Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! – Deuteronomy
6:4
By the way… The “demons believe” this fact too!
However, unlike this pious “unbeliever,”
at least the “demons” have the
sense enough to “tremble” at
this “truth” – Seriously!
DEMON FAITH? There is no such thing as a liberal
demon! In fact, all “demons”
are quite sound in their theology. They “believe” in the deity of God the Father
and Jesus Christ the Son. They “believe”
in the person of the Holy Spirit and the triune God head. They “believe” in the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. They “believe”
God created everything in six literal days. They “believe” in the Rapture of the Church. They “believe” in Israel’s Biblical place and
God’s future plan for the Jewish people. They “believe”
in a literal return of Jesus Christ to the earth and His Pre-millennial
1000-Year Kingdom to come. They “believe”
in Heaven and Hell. In fact, they could even sign the theological statement of
any “doctrinal” creed. And
although “demons” do not
have the capacity to “receive”
Jesus Christ as “Lord” and “Savior” due to their wicked rebellion
against God, there are no heretical “demons” – They
agree with everything orthodox in the Scriptures!
Now
we conclude our time in this passage as James bluntly questions this “false” and “foolish” critic:
But do
you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? – James 2:20
James
says “O foolish man”
of which means empty-headed
and without a clue. In other words, “Are you
willing to recognize this fact, you empty-headed man? Your false faith without
righteous works is dead!"
This
“foolish man” mentioned here
in verse 20 is the same unbelieving “someone”
mentioned in verse 14! Incidentally,
James uses a different word for “dead”
here than he used previously in verse 17.
Here he uses the word “arga” which means fruitless
such as a tree that bears no fruit and is worthless
for the harvest! Therefore, James reiterates to this “foolish man” that “faith” without
“works”
is indeed a “dead faith” – And it profits absolutely nothing!
POINT TO PONDER: We can hear all
about “faith” but the validity
of it has to be seen in the “life” of the professing person. Therefore, James
essentially asks “Look at your works… What do
they say about your faith?” So… What about your
“faith” – Is it authentic?
In closing:
Inevitably,
someone will ask the question: "Isn't James in conflict with Paul?"
This is the typical “religious”
argument espoused by those who mishandle and malign God’s Word. To answer this
objection, we have to accept what James says in that we must have “works” to validate our “words.” In so doing, we are not denying
what Paul also taught when he said “salvation”
is of “faith alone,” by “grace
alone.” But wait! Since Paul is saying no “works” and James is saying “works” aren't they in conflict?
– Good question!
James
and Paul are not standing face to face in a confrontation. They are standing
back to back fighting two common enemies! Paul is fighting those people who
want “salvation” to be by
their “works” of the fallen “flesh” and James is fighting those people who
want “salvation” to be without
“works” of any kind. Paul is
saying “salvation” is by
“grace” alone and James is
saying “salvation” produces
“works” unto the Lord – There's absolutely NO conflict!
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand that we should walk in them – Ephesians 2:8-10
The
Apostle Paul is defending “the
faith” against a legalistic
“salvation” that claims one
must “work” of their
own merit to be “saved”
through the “Law” of God.
James is defending “the faith”
against a libertine “salvation”
that claims one can simply “believe”
and have no changed life and therefore be “saved” through the intellect.
Therefore, to add any “works”
to the “grace” of God is to deny
“grace” itself! That is the
issue – We are saved by faith alone for the
good works God has prepared in advance for us to do for Him!
With this information as a foundation for your personal studies,
please read through verses 14-20 of the second
chapter of James.
Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah
and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!
We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
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Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><
Encouraging Concepts
Truth for Today
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"Lighthouse Publications <><
