Show

Me Your Faith By Your Works. Text: James 2:14 26

Introduction

Who is a Christian? Rom 4:1-5 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? (2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. (3) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (4) Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. A Christian is a sinner someone with a sinful nature - whom the Lord has declared righteous The bible says that salvation goes to those who believe that God has justified the wicked. What do you have to believe- accept as unquestionable truth in order to be saved Two things: That you are completely and hopelessly lost. That in you dwells no good thing. That all your efforts to try and be good - is actually very sinful. That you are wrong through and through. You broken, and flawed more than you could actually imagine.In order words, that you are a sinner not because you sinned. Rather you sin because you are sinner. That you are a a hoplessly lost, poor, wretched sinner Secondly - yet God purely and solely - out of his love for you AND NOT because you have done anything to deserve it - has taken away not one, not two, not some - but all of your sins. All of the flaws and brokenness in you all of you pervesions, and sins past, present and future HE HAS ALREADY forgiven. He has already taken away how? By not imputing it on you but on Jesus on the cross of Calvary 2000 years ago. He made him who knew NO sin - to become sin that you maybe the righteousness of God in Christ. That you are, because of Jesus work on the cross, a saint, a child of God one who is now washed and sanctified and purified. In other words because you place your faith on this finished work of Jesus on the cross - you are a sinner, saved by Grace! This is what everyone here must believe 100% - accept as true and accurate in his or her life so they can be saved. Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Rom 10:9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (11) For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How many of us here actually believe this? How many of us here therefore are saved BECAUSE we believe this? James says - the only way you can know for sure that your faith can be justified proved as genuine is the life that flows out of that faith. So the life you live is not what saves you. You are not saved because you feed the poor, or you clothe the naked or visit the sick. You could fast, pray, come to church, feed the poor, give up all you have for the poor and needy - AND STILL NOT BE SAVED! Why because you have not believed that you are a hopelessly lost and wicked sinner who is totally useless to God whom God has shown mercy and grace and saved! But you CANNOT be saved - and yet you do not come to church, fast, pray, feed the poor - because if you have believed that you are a hopelessly lost sinner whom the Lord has shown mercy and grace these things will proceed out of your life like water out of a fountain. And that is the point of James 2:18 - show me your faith WITHOUT your works (you cant) and I will show you my faith through my works. James goes on to demonstrate 4 aspects of this which we would look at now and then conclude.

1. Even the devils believe accurately and are fearful of God but are still devils!
Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. You see this verse should concern a lot of Christians and should really humble us. James here says two things - common with Christians - about devils and yet it does not stop the devils from being devils!

First is that they are doctrinally sound the devils believe that God is one yet it does not stop them from being devils. Friends despite what many people may have you believe, doctrinal accuracy does not mean you are saved and does demonstrate that you are saved. You may be able to prove that women must cover hair, men must not wear jeans. You may be correctly exegete about the hypostatic nature of Christ - about what happened to him from the cross unto resurrection. You may be able to know accurately what Gods standard of holiness is, why women should not braid their hair or speak in church or not usurp authority over man. You may know that God is one talk about the asceity of God, the Godness of the Godhead and yet you are just another devil! Even the devils believe that God is ONE - they are doctrinally accurate - yet they are still devils! I have always said God has never expected us to be 100% doctrinally accurate no one ever has even Abraham did not know the name of God God specifically said that it would be to Moses that he revealed his name for the first time. So all the patriachs from Adam, to Noah, to Enoch, to Abraham, to Joseph - did not know Gods name until Moses! But it did not matter to God! But God expects us to walk in love 100% of the time! 1 Cor. 13! Second point about the devils is not only are they doctrinally sound they are actually fearful of God of his punishment, of hell, of judgment - but yet they are still devils! Friends - I want us to be careful as Christians - I am afraid of going to hell - therefore changing your life because of that - or carrying yourself about because of that does not make you different from devils. Why is this? Let me ask you: assuming for a moment - that there was no hell and no heaven - how many of us will still be Christians? Will still make effort not to sin, not to lie, not to commit fornication, not to commit adultery? How many of us will still come to church on Sundays. Illustration: You see - this is how I describe it: many of us serve God like the man who told his wife the reason why I have not slept with that sexy young girl in my office is because I do not want her to get pregnant or I do not want to catch STD. O so if you do a vasectomy and give you a condom so that it because impossible to catch an STD - you will then sleep with her? That is how some of us serve God Ah I dont want to go to hell o, I dont want to miss heaven o

Which is why many people are Christians and yet they are wicked because someone has told them once you sin, and ask for forgiveness - you will make heaven. Just make sure that you have no unconfessed sin go to bed every night, confessing your sins - once you have confessed it God will forgive you. i.e. we have performed a vasectomy and given you impeachable condoms - so proceed as you are! Even the devils are fearful - and yet they remain - just that - devils. The only way - you can show that you are not a devil - is not by being doctrinally accurate and / or living your life because you are afraid of hell. The only way - is to show what you have believed about Jesus by the works that your life produces.

Jas 2:15-17 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? (17) Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Here James makes it clear - you CANNOT say you have saving faith - and it does not show on how you relate with your brethren. And he uses the example of brethren who are in need - but I will show you shortly that it also relates to loving brethren, forgiving brethren etc When a brother is naked and destitute of DAILY food and he comes to you and you say depart in peace, be warmed and filled and you never gave him anything to help out, what is the reason behind this? There could be many reasons, but the underlying, fundamental reason is because you hold a view - that it is that persons fault, that somehow the person deserves what he or she is going through You have refused to help the individual because you believe that you are somehow better than the person. He is not working hard enough or as hard as you are, or praying hard enough or has hard as you - or managing their money as well as they should. Or they are not using their God given talents and ability as well as you are doing yours. Somehow they should do something, And so you say to the person be warm, be filled.

2. The faith that saves affects how you relate with other brethren

 Be warm and be filled is both a prayer and an instruction. Why? Why would you, a Christian, a believe in the grace of God and finished work of Jesus for your salvation - simply end at giving instruction to someone destitute of food and daily clothes? Because even though you have said it 100 times - even though you claim that you believe in the Jesus as your Lord and savior YOU REALLY DO NOT BELIEVE. No. You really do not believe that you are a poor, wretched, destitute and naked sinner whom the Lord came and freely clothed. No. You truly do not see yourself as the prodigal son - who has gone into a far country and wasted away his life in useless , sinful living. No. Even though you know the song Rock of Ages - you never truly believe those verses of that song that said:

Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to the cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless look to Thee for grace; Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.

Because if you did - you will remember and act differently when you see someone who is physically poor and destitute. It will remind you of someone else equally as poor, perhaps even more poor and destitute YOU! Yes if you truly believe the gospel - how poor and bankrupt - totally hopeless incapable of helping yourself - you were and then somehow God showed you mercy mercy you do not deserve. YOU WILL NOT say to a poor and destitute brother or sister Pray, work hard, be warm, be filled No - your bowels of mercy will OPEN up and flow! Because you know this was how you were spiritually and yet God showed your mercy. Friends I am not saying that anyone who is generous and giving to the poor is saved by faith in the Lord jesus However - you cannot have been saved by faith in the Lord jesus and you fully understand how God has saved you how though he was rich and had everything and you were poor and had nothing - YET he gave it all up - to come to this wretched earth to find you and save you

 You cannot genuinely believe this and YET see your brother or sister - destitute, naked and poor and all you say is Be warmed and be filled - If he could be warm and be filled - why would he be destitute of daily bread? If you could have saved yourself - why would God have had to send you a savior? Imagine if you had come to God hopelessly lost, and filthy and needing salvation and all God did was to say to you be saved, be cleansed And he never left heaven. He never came to earth. He never decided to be born in a manger. He never walked on this earth as a man. He never went to a cross he never deserved. He never gave up all his wealth and glory to save you. He just said be saved, be cleansed! Thank God God is not like us! Friends - the reason why as Christians - we do not have compassion and love and mercy and grace - to our fellow believers is because WE TRULY DO NOT BELIEVE. AND IF YOU TRULY DO NOT BELIEVE - You may ACTUALLY not be saved! Even though you may have been in church for 20 years! Spoken in tongues for the last 15. Preached from the pulpit for the last 10! Show me your faith by your works!

We are saved by faith alone - but not by faith which is ALONE!

Let me extend this point Take forgiveness Mat 18:21-35 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? (22) Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. (23) Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. (24) And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. (25) But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. (26) The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. (27) Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. (28) But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. (29) And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. (30) And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. (31) So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. (32) Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: (33) Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? (34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay

all that was due unto him. (35) So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Mat 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. From this passages of the scripture we see something very clearly - if you find it hard to forgive what does that mean? It means that you do not truly believe that God has forgiven you? And if you do not believe that God has forgiven - what does not make you? AN UNBELIEVER - going to hell! It does not matter whether you are pastor, a deacon, a pope a bishop. The ONLY way you can show - that you truly believe that God has forgiven you - is that you easily forgive! Because you remember two things 1) if God had not forgiven me and held things against me - where would I be today and 2) it is the same way God has forgiven me that he has forgiven this very thing this brother or sister has done to me. Am I God? Am I greater than God? Who am I NOT to forgive something that God himself has forgiven! It does not matter how big the sin is God has already forgiven the person. And you better pray and believe that it is so - because if it is not - it means YOU also have NOT been forgiven!

But time will not permit me to spend more time on this. But Rehab took a risk for God - because she believed. Shedrech, Meschech and Abednego - said to the King Our God will deliver us from the fire, but even if He does NOT - we will not bow to the idols.

3. James also talked about how genuine faith shows in how you take risks for God

 Many Christians today are not able to lay down their lives for what they believe - because they actually do not believe anything worth laying down lives for!

Jas 2:21-23 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? (22) Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? (23) And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. If you genuinely believe - that you, a rotten, useless, hopeless - sinner if you truly confessed like Deut 26:5 - that you were an enemy of God ready to be destroyed and wiped out - and deservedly so and yet God - out of his love for you - unilaterally - came and suffered and paid the ultimate price to save you! If you truly believed this it will show in how you relate with God! Nothing will be too much to give up for this God who has loved you so!

4. Finally the faith that saves affects how you relate with God

No Isaac will be too much to lay at the altar!

Why is there no fire and passion to serve God in our hearts today? Why is it that for many of us in the church - even the bare minimum we struggle with? Why is it that there is compromise and luke warmness in the body of Christ?

Because we serve God on a lowest denominator basis!

We go about asking stupid questions like Is it a sin for me to wear lipstick? Should I tithe on gross or net? Am I allowed to wear skirts this long or this short? Is it a sin if I say I am a citizen even though I am just green card holder Is it wrong for me to watch Days of our Lives or Lifetime Movies? Is worldly music bad?

 What nonsense! You think God cares about the color of your lips as much as he cares about the color of your heart? Go back to that story of Abraham in Genesis 22. Abraham did not serve God on a lowest common denominator basis! Abraham went after God with all he had! Abraham served God - because he LOVED GOD! This God - who saved him when he was a Syrian perishing Deut 26:5 This God who took him out Ur of the Chaldees and for no reason whatsoever at least no reason Abraham could point a finger to - entered into an eternal covenant with Abraham and swore and oath - so that with two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie - He knew that God had given him a future. This was the God - who went through the cut calf, and cut birds and said to Abraham - rather than me Abandon you or your descendants may I be cut up like these animals This was the God who brought him out - and showed him the stars - and said - like the stars - so shall you seed be! Alleluia! Who is Isaac? What is Isaac? When compared to this God! What is skirt? What is tithe? Is this not the God who even gave him Isaac? What are you talking about? In fact - is it only Isaac he wants? Why has he not even asked for my life! Friends - I want you to know Abraham - offered up Isaac - not because it was part of the 10 commandments! Abraham did NOT because it was number 3 step in Seven steps to financial breakthrough! Abraham did not offer up Isaac because it was time to empty your pocket, see how God will visit you with a 100-fold return! It was not a law of God in fact if Abraham did not do - IT WOULD NOT HAVE changed the covenant God entered with Abraham more than 25 years ago! That covenant was IMMUTABLE, unchangeable and there was nothing Abraham could do to enhance or improve on that covenant!

 No Abraham willingly and easily gave up Isaac - because GOD WAS HIS FRIEND. And when someone is your friend NOTHING is too big to give up for your friend.

Brethren - even if there is no hell to punish me for my sins, even if there is no heaven to reward me for my good works - I have made up my mind that if it will make God happy - I will do it any how! He deserves it! He deserves my love! He deserves my Isaac! Yea more than my Isaac

Even if I gave him ALL it would not be enough. Friend, what is that thing that is too much to give up for Jesus? If there is something in your life - a hurt, a pain, a habit, an addiction to porn, to alchohol - that is too hard to give you maybe, just maybe, you really do not believe, even though you think you do! Show me your faith - SHOW YOURSELF your faith - show me that you believe by what you do today! Abraham showed that he truly believed God - when he did not think twice to lay Isaac on the altar for the God who was his Friend . Even though it was not in the 10 comandments Even though it was not a requirement . Even though it would not have been a sin if he did not He did it all the same - because he had believed on this God who loved him so. 1. When I survey the wondrous cross On 2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, Save in which the Prince of glory died, My richest the death of Christ my God! All the vain things gain I count but loss, And pour contempt that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His on all my pride. blood. 3. See from His head, His hands, His feet, 4. Were the whole realm of nature mine, That Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did were a present far too small; Love so eer such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my compose so rich a crown? life, my all.