Crosspoint Baptist Church Blog

 

Proposition:  Believers are to have a faith that is demonstrated by the works from which it produces.

 

Intro: Last week, we began to learn about the need of a faith that is more than simply blind faith. The faith that is pleasing to God, Hebrews 11:6, is a faith that is demonstrated by the works of love it produces. The reality of faith is that everyone has some version of it and James teaches about some of these. Remember, these are being contrasted with genuine, authentic faith. These types of faith, as seen in the context of Jame’s argument, are: dead faith (v.17), Orthodox Faith (v. 19), and Empty Faith (v. 20). In light of these types of faith, James presents what genuine faith is, what it looks like, and how it relates to one’s standing before God. Let’s look at our text this morning and learn what a living faith looks like.

 

READ TEXT:

 

“18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” (ESV)

 

* The following outline, the main points only, came from the IVP commentary on this passage. It proved to be too good to pass up.

 

 

    EXEGESIS: James begins this section of his discussion on living faith by answering a potential objection to his previous argument. This argument was in the form of 2 questions: 1.) What is the advanatage of saying you have faith but you do not have works? and 2.) Is this type of faith a saving faith? Now in respect to the entire scope of his letter, James is seeking to compel the readers to live out their faith in everything that they do. No matter whether times are difficult or easy, it is imperative to live out this gift of faith in one’s life. James, answering the objection, challenges the reader to show, that is declare or make known, said faith apart from works. Here an important adverb is used to clarify the entire argument for living faith. Rather than saying that there is some work that can bring about genuine faith in one’s life, James simply is saying show me faith apart from works? The answer is obvious: it is impossible.

 

John Calvin said, ‘ It is the same as though he had said, Thou hast faith only, I have works in addition to my faith, now prove to me that you have true faith without having works connected with it…and I will prove my faith by its fruit, even good works.”Calvin’s Commentary on the Whole Bible 

 

In verse 19, James talks about having the right belief yet no change in life. The demons of hell believe correctly yet they simply shudder and live no differently. The verb tense used here indicates they are presently believing and presntly shuddering at the thought of God. In verse 21, James asks if they desire to be shown that faith apart from works is an empty and hollow faith. The word used is interesting because by implication, this empty faith goes far beyond mere words and ideas, but its nature is injurious to the one who believes it and thus they must be shown the hollowness of their faith.

 

APPLICATION: Genuine, true authentic faith is the initial, that is beginning of one;s relationship with God and it is the continuing context of that relationship. At no point do works take over. Rather, works are the fruit of this saving faith relationship. We live in a world filled with people looking to find peace and they strive after it by simply claiming some orthodix belief, dead belief, or empty belief and we have such a privilege of living out before the them the very fabric of our relationship with God and that is saving faith.

 

ILLUSTRATION: Bad Bank Card

 

 

    EXEGESIS: In verse 21, James brings up the example of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice to the LORD. This incident happened in Genesis 22. The story would have been very familiar to the readers. The main issue in this verse is how Abraham demonstrated his faith through His obedience to God’s call. Though it seemed foolish and without cause, Abraham’s faith was not in word only but it was demonstrated in obedience. The main idea behind the word justified in the New Testament is vitally important to understand because it deals with how one stands before God. As if in a court room before a judge, the criminal is brought in and is then given sentence. The great truth that one stands as having been declared right before God on the basis of genuine faith in Christ alone is paramount to one’s faith because it wipes away the ability of man and show’s the awesome act of God in the Gospel.Roans 1:16  So here James is not contradicting scripture but rather he is teaching the same truth. He is saying that Abraham’s faith in God became visible in his obedience to Him and thus he proved himself to having been justified by God. In verse 22, James goes on and he says that you see, that is you are in the process of discerning, that Abraham’s faith was working these works and from these works, his faith was fully mature. The same can be said of Rahab’s faith in verse 25 that is validated by her faithful obedience to God. In both situations, the narratives from which James is quoting shows that faith preceeded the action yet the action demonstrated the genuiness of the faith claimed.

 

APPLICATION: Saving Faith in Christ alone by faith alone through grace alone for the glory of God revelaed in scripture alone is the bedrock of our beliefs. Yet, we find such a disconnect of what we say we believe the actions that should flow from them. There is such complacency and timidness in living out our faith.

 

Charles Spurgeon said, “if a man will say, I believe such and such a thing is true but I do not wish anyone else to believe it I will tell you it is a lie. He does not believe it, for it is impossible, heartily and really to believe a thing without desiring to make others to believe the same.” He went on to say, “Do not give a penny for that man’s piety which will not spread itself.”

 

Martin Luther said, “O, it is a living busy, active, mighty thing this faith, and so it is impossible for it not to do good works incessantly. It does not ask whether there are good works to do but before the question arises, it has already done them, and is always at the doing of them. He who does not do these works is a faithless man.”Intorduction to the NT, pg. 35 

 

Do our actions justify us before those around us?

 

Are demonstrating for the world that what we say we believe is vital to our very existence?

 

Do we simply claim orthodoxy yet ignore orthopraxy?

 

EXEGESIS: We have seen in several of these verse already that it is faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone as revealed in scripture alone for the glory of God alone that a man is declared right before God. This faith is demonstrated through obedience, no matter how difficult or perplexing, in order that a lost and unbelieving world may see the glory of God.

 

John Calvin said” Faith alone justifies us before God and our works, flowing out of faith, declare us to be right before men. Thus we show our faith to give evidence of its reality and vitality to our life.’Calvin’s Commentary on the Whole Bible  

 

Abraham’s faith was demonstrated through his obedience to God and that is why James says that Abraham was deemed/declared right before God. His declaration of faith was proved in his demonstration of faith. Only a true saving faith can provide the basis of being right before God. As James closes this section he uses a simple illustration: Just as abody with out life is dead, so faith apart from works is also dead.  

 

APPLICATION: What is the basis of your standing before God? Is it simply in having the right belief? Is it your own efforts or opinions? The basis of standing right before God is to have a faith that pleases God. Scripture makes it clear one must have faith and that without it, it will be impossible to please Him. This faith must be genuine and real. The way in which we demonstrate the validity of our faith, thus proving it is genuine, is in obedience. Not obedience for obedience sake, but obedience to the will of God because you understand its extreme importance to your life.

 

 

Conclusion:

1.) How do you stand before God?

2.) Do you demonstrate your faith through obedience each day?

3.) How does your life reflect what you believe?