Faith VS Works

dean slocumb

Wed Night James • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

James 2:14–26

Good Works

0 ratings

· 30 views

Faith VS Works

Notes

Transcript

Sermon Tone Analysis

Emotion

Language

Social

View more →

Faith VS works

James 2:14 KJV 1900

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Notice James doesn’t write “If a man has faith, but if a man says he has faith”

VS 14

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament Chapter 2

James in these verses is not contradicting Paul. Paul, in Rom. 4:1–5 and Gal. 3, is explaining how the sinner is justified, given a right standing before God; James, on the other hand, is writing about how the saved person proves that salvation before others. People have no right to believe that we are saved if they do not see a change in our lives. A sinner is saved by faith, without works (Eph. 2:8–9), but true saving faith leads to works (Eph. 2:10). Being a Christian is not a matter of what we say with the lips; it involves what we do with the life. (Note that the statement in v. 14, “Can faith save him?” ought to read, “Can that kind of faith save him?” referring to the first sentence in the verse.)

a.There are a lot of people who are full of religion.

b. The question is, if someone says they have faith, but have no works, can this kind of faith save them?

James 2:15–16 KJV 1900

15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

What good does it do if someone is in need and you just tell them, be blessed, have a good day and do noting for them. (This is difficult) We don’t alway have to give.

difficult here)

I think for the ones that James was writing to, they had.

VS 17

a. Works do not save us. But faith that do not lead works is dead.

b. But there are those that have a lot of works, but have no faith, there may be an appearance of faith. There on the inside they are dead.

VS 18

It is not a living faith.It’s the kind of works that are done through love.

AMP BIBLE

c. Works do not save us. But faith that do not lead works is dead. It is not a living faith.It’s the kind of works that are done through love.

18 But someone may say, “You [claim to] have faith and I have [good] works; show me your [alleged] faith without the works [if you can], and I will show you my faith by my works [that is, by what I do].

We’ve all heard the saying, “you talk the talk, can you walk the walk?”

a. When someone becomes a believer, they are going to want to get busy doing something for the Lord. Doing things the Lords way. And it really comes down to love.

(Elab Cindi and the Muslims) (She does a lots of works, but I really don’t see faith because of some the things she believes)

VS 19

1.This kind of faith still does not save you

VS 20

Without works

AMP

20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [spiritually shallow] person, that faith without [good] works is useless?

a. A person that lacks spiritual truth.

VS 21

AMP

21 Was our father Abraham not [shown to be] justified by works [of obedience which expressed his faith] when he offered Isaac his son on the altar [as a sacrifice to God]?

VS 22

22 You see that [his] faith was working together with his works, and as a result of the works, his faith was completed [reaching its maturity when he expressed his faith through obedience].

a. Our works are more then just doing good things, more then just helping people, it also about obeying God.

VS 23

Abraham believed God: That was his faith.

anC

James 2:23 NKJV

23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.

He was called the friend of God: Likely in reference to his work. A lover of God.

James (2) The Obedience of Abraham (Verses 21–24)

Verse 23 asserts that in the offering of Isaac scripture was fulfilled. The Scripture quoted, however, is from Genesis 15 and refers to the initial imputation of righteousness to Abraham many years prior to the offering of Isaac. In what sense then can James say those words were “fulfilled” in Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice Isaac? The idea seems to be that Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac brought out the full meaning of the words in Genesis 15:6. It made it abundantly clear that Abraham was indeed a man to whom righteousness had been imputed

Genesis 15:6 KJV 1900

6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 15:6

VS 25

Elab on what was going on with Rahab.

She believed and she hid the spies, she risked her own life. This was an act of faith that resulted in an act of obedience.

Hebrews 11:31 KJV 1900

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Hrbrew 11:31

She faith and her obedience was also in the act then she when hung the scarlet line (robe) out on the window. It act of obedience showed her belief.

VS 26

James 2:26 KJV 1900

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James 2:26 NKJV

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

VS 26

James 2:24 NKJV

24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

(4) The conclusion (verse 26). Verse 26 sums up the entire discussion. Just as the body without spirit is dead, so faith without works (i.e., faith which is a mere shell of profession, void of fruit) is dead also. It brings no glory to God and yields no benefit to the man who has it. James’ statement suggests that the union of faith and works is as close as the union of body and soul. Faith which does not produce works is therefore comparable to a corpse.