(This message was introduced with a clip from the movie "Signs", featuring Mel Gibson. During the movie, there is an evening conversation between the character played by Gibson and his brother. It takes place on a coach, with the children sleeping beside them, and is a powerful reflection on people that believe, and those that don’t. The clip was well received by the audience, and drew them right into the message.)
Two groups of people. Miracle men. Those who look at everything that takes place in the world around them, everything that takes place in their lives, and believes there is a being, someone behind it all that is watching out for them. Their lives are surrounded by signs, evidence that a greater being exists. Not just coincidence and luck.
Then there are those that just think life is one gigantic roll of the dice. The situation is 50/50. No one is watching out for us. We are all on our own. And that causes them to live, deep down inside, in great fear.
But actually, there may be a third group of people. Kind of a mix of the two groups. A third group that is a group of people who claim to be in the first group. They claim that they believe in miracles. They claim there will always be someone there to help them. They claim to be filled with hope, and promise based on all the signs and wonders around them.
But they live their lives like the people in group two. Their actions betray them. And no matter how strongly they might protest, no matter how vocal they may be that they are people of great faith. When it comes to the daily living out of that faith. The day to day application of that faith to the real world situations and challenges they are facing week in and week out, they look a whole lot more like the people in group two. Living in fear.
The title of our sermon series is “The Search is On. . .For a Faith that Works.” Not just a faith that we think in our heads, but a faith that actually works in the daily grind that is life. A faith that works in awesome, powerful, sometimes supernatural ways. A faith that those around us see as anything but dead.
And in our series title are two of the major themes and words that you find throughout the book of James: Faith & Works. Throughout the history of the church, those have been two words that have been disputed as to their relationship. Their connection. Their ability to go together.
James thought they did. He thought there needed to be some relationship between faith and works. You couldn’t just say you have faith, and not do anything with it. You couldn’t claim to be in group A, but live like you are in group B. And at the same time, you couldn’t walk the walk of a life of good works in the world without any faith. And in this week’s passage, he really dives into this relationship, this question of the correlation between faith and works.
James 2:14 (read). Good questions. What if you have faith, but nothing outward to show for your faith? Will your faith alone save you? Pretty good question for people to reflect on. Whether in James day, or in 2005.
In fact, as that question has been asked, many people throughout time have argued a contradiction between this teaching James is launching into and a teaching of Paul’s. So there is a couple things you need to know and understand right off the bat. Let’s look at Paul’s teaching that is often held in contrast to this passage in James. Keep a finger in James, and turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians. Ephesians 2:8 (read through verse 10). James asks if faith without works can save you. Paul says emphatically, grace through faith, not works saves you.
A couple things to understand about these two passages. First, James and Paul were addressing different problems. When Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, when he was expounding on this correlation between faith and works, Paul was fighting the problem of legalism. The problem of people caught in this trap of having to keep all the Jewish laws and regulations in order to be a Christian. So Paul writes to them and says, that stuff isn’t what saves you. God didn’t set it up like that. It is by grace that you are saved through faith.
James on the other hand is not fighting legalism but laxity. Those people that say, “It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you believe.”
After spending weeks reflecting on it, I still can’t figure out which one is more relevant to us today. Especially in holiness denominations. For every person I come across who is struggling with legalism, I can find one struggling with laziness. So we have messages from both Paul and James, but the different views aren’t contradictory. They are just addressing different audiences. Different problems. Both of which are prevalent in the church today.
Another thing to know and understand is that they both use the word "works" in different ways. When Paul uses the word "works" he’s talking about Jewish laws, like circumcision and things like that. When James uses it, he’s talking about the Christian lifestyle, acts of love. Those are two totally different uses of the word “works”. Paul was showing the uselessness of those laws and regulations without a faith in Christ, but James is saying that he can’t understand a faith in Christ that doesn’t play itself out in Christ like behavior. Not by upholding Jewish laws and regulations, but by living a daily life reflective of your faith in Christ.
A third difference is their focus. Paul is focusing on the root of salvation. What happens to me internally when I am saved? How does that take place? James focuses on the fruit of salvation, what happens on the outside in my lifestyle when I am saved.
You might look at it as Paul is talking about, “How to know within yourself that you’re a Christian.” Not by your actions, but by your faith. That is how you know you are a Christian. James is talking about, “How to show outwardly that you’re a Christian.” Not simply by your internal faith and beliefs, which people can’t visibly see, but by your outward actions. That is how people know you are a Christian. So Paul is talking about how to become a believer, while James is talking about, how to behave like a believer. Finding that faith that works in daily life.
And if you stick with Paul all the way through, there really isn’t any contradiction to even think about arguing. Look at what he wrote again in verse 10 (read). For good works. That is why we were created, that is why we were saved, for good works which God already prepared for us to do. So that is where James is picking up.
Back in James Chapter 2, Verse 15. James is going to draw us a picture of three different types of faith here. This first type he describes in the next couple verses, and when he gets to the conclusion of it, he says it is a. . .
A. DEAD FAITH
And you will see that of the three pictures, or definitions of faith that James is going to give us, this is really the easiest one to spot. This is what he says it looks like. Get this picture with me. Verse 15 (read). Notice the wording. A brother or sister. So James is giving you this picture of a fellow Christian. Another believer, standing side by side with you. But this fellow believer is naked, and doesn’t even have food to eat.
Verse 16 (read). So this Christian brother or sister is right next to you, doesn’t have any clothes and is starving, and you look at them and say, “See ya later.” That’s what he says. “Depart in peace,” was a common good-bye in the day, just like looking at them today and saying, “See ya!” What good is that?
Everybody can see the person’s condition. Everyone knows that Christians are supposed to take care of others, and especially other Christians. Everybody knows that actions speak louder than words. But with a dead faith. . .all that comes out are words. Verse 17 (read).
This is the person that says, “I want the benefits of being a Christian, but I don’t want any of the responsibility that comes with it.” Dead faith. Just words on our lips. Because there is only one element to this faith. . .knowledge. Knowing all the answers, but not doing anything with them. A purely intellectual faith that does not connect in any way with day to day living.
You know, there are a lot of people who claim to be Christians. If George Gallup’s polls are correct than 50 million Americans, 50 million, say, “I’m born again.” Today we tend to label people as Christians if they make the slightest sound of being a believer. But it is more than just talking and having knowledge of the right stuff to have real faith.
One of the hard teachings of Jesus is when he says, “Not everybody who says to me `Lord, Lord’ is going to enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Not everybody with a Christian bumper sticker is a believer. Not every sport fan holding up a John 3:16 sign and wearing a rainbow wig is a believer. Not everyone attending church for years and years is a believer. It is more than knowledge.
James can even picture the intellectual in action. Look at this debate he sees taking place in verse 18 (read). It’s like the really smart guy standing there saying, “You’re into faith, I’m into works. That’s cool. Different strokes for different folks. Let’s debate it. You’ve got your thing, I’ve got mine. To each his own. I believe what I want, you believe what you want.” It’s all just a matter of mental ascent and knowledge anyway.
But James says, “You say you’re a Christian? You say you belong in group one with those people filled with hope of a greater being watching over us. Prove it. Let me see if your actions back up your words.”
In fact, for those who have a good intellect about God. Who know what there is to know. James really starts to play hardball in verse 19 (read).
For those people who have strong beliefs in God and the Bible, and about Christ. Those people who can recite creeds to you and catechisms and talk about doctrines of the Trinity, and quote Bible verses. James says, "Big deal!" Even the devil believes that.
You realize that don’t you? The devil believes in God! In fact, the devil is a great theologian. He knows a lot more about the Bible than you do. He’s been around a whole lot longer. He knows theology backwards and forwards.
In fact, all the demons of hell have pretty good theology. They believe in God. They believe in the Trinity. They believe in the deity of Christ. All the demons believe in the death of Christ on the cross for the sins of the whole world. They believe God created the earth in six days. You know what? Any demon could sign the doctrinal statement of The Wesleyan Church. They believe it. There is no such thing as a heretical demon. They believe everything orthodox — everything.
Truth be known, they actually believe more of the Bible than we do, because they believe they exist. Some of us don’t even believe that. But here is the real kicker. Not only do they believe a good theology, but they even take it one step further in what James would describe as a. . .
B. DEMONIC FAITH
Probably sounds pretty harsh. Probably did to James readers. But that is what he equates it to. He says, “You have the right belief about God. Well isn’t that great? You are in the same ballpark with the demons. Except they are actually one notch better than you. Because their belief, their intellect, their understanding affects them. They shudder.” Theirs is not solely an intellectual faith. . .but it also has a component of emotion.
When you read through the gospel accounts of Jesus time on earth, whenever he encountered demons they screamed out who he was. Jesus always told them to shut up. He didn’t need the testimony of demons. But they knew who He was, and they obeyed His command to be quiet.
You see, demonic faith is the faith that believes in the existence of God. . .the knowledge and intellect of dead faith, and that belief even affects the emotions. But still not the will. James says if you have dead faith, even the demons are one up on you. They believe and shudder.
In fact, if your faith is dead. If it is purely based on intellect and knowledge, and doesn’t include at least some whiff of emotion. It no longer stirs you up, raises any passion in you, gets your spirit riled. If your faith is that dead, quite honestly you ought to be scared to death knowing that the ones whose eternal destiny is hell are affected more by their belief in God than you are.
The demons shudder when they consider what they know. The demons and Satan understand the majesty and awesomeness of God. They believe in God and they tremble. Because it is entirely possible, and don’t miss this, that a person may be enlightened in their mind and even stirred in their heart, and still be lost forever! True, saving faith involves something more, something that can be seen and recognized. It involves a changed life.
So James gives us a picture of true faith. . .of. . .
C. DYNAMIC FAITH
Verse 20 (read through verse 25).
Now, this is really interesting. Because here James gives us the examples of two different people that are highlighted for their faith. Abraham and Rahab. And these two are the exact opposite extremes. Look at the contrast. Abraham is a man. Rahab is a woman. Abraham is Jewish. Rahab is a Gentile. Abraham is a patriarch. Rahab is a prostitute. Put in the context of their society, Abraham is a somebody. Rahab is a nobody. Abraham is a major character in the Bible. Rahab is a minor character.
And James uses these illustrations to say, it doesn’t matter who you are as long as you’ve got the important thing. Because these two people only had one thing in common, their faith in God which led them to an action.
You know the story of Abraham. The ultimate test where God asked Abraham to give up his own son. Again, remember the contrast to Paul’s writing here. This has nothing to do with salvation. Abraham was already a believer. This was not going to be some saving act. But this episode in Abraham’s life shows you how he believed. It was immediate. He took his son up. He cut the wood, built the altar and was ready to sacrifice him. He even says to his son while walking up the mountain, “We (not I). . .We will return.” Abraham acted knowing that God would provide somehow. But with Abraham’s faith was action. His works proved his faith. He held nothing back from God.
Rahab. You may not be quite as familiar with her story. You can read about it in the book of Joshua, chapter 2. She literally risks her life to save a couple of God’s spies.
Two examples of dynamic, lay it all on the line, faith. So how do we live with such faith? Let me give you three practical steps to take.
1. Live your life based upon the Word of God.
Look at this verse with me in Romans 10. Romans 10:17 (read). There is the progression for you. True faith. . .real, dynamic faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Remember, that is what James said back in Chapter 1. Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. . .in regards to what? In regards to the word which is able to save your soul. The word of God. Live your life based upon the Word of God. Secondly. . .
2. Allow your faith to involve your entire being.
Remember what we have looked at. Dead faith touches only the intellect. Demonic faith touches the mind and can even spark the emotions, but that is where it stops. Dynamic faith involves the intellect, the emotions and the will. . .action. . .works.
You need to put all three together. Anyone ever seen someone with a purely emotional faith? No intellect or study behind it? That’s not a dynamic faith. Ever seen anyone with a faith that is purely intellectual? No emotion, feeling, or passion to it? How about someone who knows God’s Word, gets really emotional when talking about it or worshiping God. . .but doesn’t do a thing with it. No evangelism. No ministry. No discipling others. Nothing. That’s not dynamic faith.
Remember what the greatest of commandments is according to Jesus? You shall the love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, (there are your emotions) and with all your mind (intellectually engaged), and with all your strength (faith in physical action). Involve your entire being in your walk of faith. Which brings us to the third step. . .
3. Put your faith into action.
James concludes his discussion about faith with an image that he wants to plant in your mind. Verse 26 (read). James wants you looking at a dead body when you are thinking about a dead faith. No life. No movement. No activity.
Now some people with a dead faith try to give the appearance of life. They might go to church a few times. Place a Bible on the coffee table and dust it off every once in a while. Carry one around in your car as a kind of “good luck charm.”
But too often the church is populated with Spiritual Zombies, people who think they are living by faith, but who know nothing about what it means to be excited and challenged by the joy of dynamic faith. People outside the church recognize that and it keeps them from wanting to become a part of what they view as a sanctified costume party where people dress up and talk like they have faith, but they don’t do anything that looks like trusting Jesus.
Probably the greatest challenge the church has to overcome in its desire to reach lost people in that they see us as people in group A living like people in group B. Who wants to live like that? Saying you believe in a great, awesome, mighty God. . .but coming unraveled at the seams every time something goes wrong. Constantly paranoid, timid, afraid. Living like those that think life is a huge lottery.
About 40 years ago there was a famous tightrope walker named George Blondin. I bet you had no idea that tightrope walking was one of my areas of interest, did you? Well, for a publicity stunt, George Blondin decided he would walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. On the appointed day they stretched a tightrope from one side of Niagara Falls to the other. He got out there and there were crowds lining both the Canadian and American side. Thousands of people showed up to see this unbelievable feat.
Blondin walked up to the edge of the tightrope, put one foot on the tightrope and put another foot out and began to walk across - inch-by-inch, step-by-step. He got out in the middle and everybody knew that if he’d make one mistake in balance he’d fall off the rope and into the Falls and obviously be killed. But instead, Blondin got to the other side and the crowd went wild, shouting and cheering.
Blondin said, "I’m going to do it again." He got to the other side and the crowds went crazy. Blondin said, "I’m going to do it again but this time I’m going to push a wheel barrow full of dirt." He pushed the wheelbarrow across, and got to the other side. He went on to do this nine or ten times.
On about the tenth time, he pushed the wheelbarrow right in front of a tourist who said, "I believe you could do that all day." Blondin dumped out the dirt and said, "Really? Get in."
Do you believe. . .or do you really believe? Faith without action is dead.
We’ll start to close with this story. As they try to win their cases some lawyers have been known to ask some incredibly unbelievable questions. The Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer’s Journal gave the following example:
Question: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
Answer: No.
Question: Did you check for blood pressure?
Answer: No.
Question: Did you check for breathing?
Answer: No
Question: Then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
Answer: No
Question: How can you be sure doctor?
Answer: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Question: But couldn’t the patient have been alive nevertheless?
Answer: It is possible that the patient could still have been alive and practicing law somewhere.
Of course it isn’t possible. A body without the brain is dead. Likewise, James leaves us with this picture. A body without a spirit. He says, that is what it looks like when you have faith without works. Chuck Swindoll says, “Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is never alone.”
Put down your Bibles, your outlines, your pens. Let’s spend some time reflecting. Personalizing James message. Close your eyes, and let’s walk through this progression together. Starting at the most basic of places. Ask yourself. . .
- Have I ever been seriously worked up over my sins? Allowing emotions to intermingle with knowledge. Knowing I’m a sinner, and being moved emotionally by that understanding to the point of repenting of my sins and making the decision to turn from them. Have you ever been there? Some of you may need to do that today.
- Maybe you are already a Christian. Then ask yourself, has there been a change in my life? Do I maintain good works, or are my good works occasional and weak? Do I seek to grow in the things of the Lord? Can others tell that I have been with Jesus? Or am I a member of group A, living like a member of group B?
- Maybe you are feeling pretty strong in those first two areas. A third question to ask yourself, do I have a desire to share Christ with others? Or am I ashamed of Him? If you really believed that someone is out there watching over us, and caring for us, and if you are surrounded by people living in fear that there is no one out there. . .why wouldn’t you want to tell them?
- One more good area for reflection. Ask yourself, do I enjoy the fellowship of God’s people? Is worship a delight to me? Am I emotionally engaged with my faith?
Not every Christian has the same degree of faith. Not everyone is at the same point of their walk. But how do you answer those questions today? Have you been living a dead faith, which is really no faith at all? It is just a set of intellectual beliefs. Have you been living a demonic faith that puts you in company you would rather not be seen in? You believe the right things, you even allow it to stir you up occasionally. . .but that is as far as it gets. Or are you living a dynamic faith, grounded in the Word, involving your entire being, and put into action?
Let’s pray.
(Thanks to a number of Sermon Central contributors providing various illustrations, and thought flows for dealing with this passage.)
