The Character of Faith Pt. 2

James 2:14-26

 

James 2:14-26 (ESV) 

    What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  [15] If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,  [16] and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  [17] So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

    [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.

Introduction-

Here are some important facts to help us understand this passage of Scripture.

-First, is the context-

-Second, is the word meaning-

-Works

-Justified

1- Christ-Centered Faith Is Not An Empty Claim (vss. 14-17)

James pictures for us a fellow believer who has nothing.  James then pictures for us another man, one who claims to be a Christian and claims to possess faith in Christ. 

This second person has the means to help. 

If the person really meant Go in peace, be warmed and filled, he would have taken the poor believer and fed him and clothed him and sent him off in peace.  (cf. 1 John 1:6-7)

2- Christ-Centered Faith Is Not a Mere Agreement to a Confession (vss. 18-19)

James is declaring that such a belief is good and correct but falls short in proving someone possesses saving faith.  James probably uses this to counter the paganism’s belief that surrounded the believers in those days. 

He says that the Demons believe truths about God.  The difference between the person claiming faith because of a belief about God and the demons is that the demons believe this to the point of shaking in their boots while the person claiming this as proof of faith is really doing this in a boasting way…he isn’t trembling. 

It may also be inferred from what has been observed that for persons merely to yield a speculative assent to the doctrines of religion as true, is no certain evidence of a state of grace… The devil is orthodox in his faith; he believes the true scheme of doctrine; he is no Deist, Socinian, Arian, Pelagian, or Antinomian; the articles of his faith are all sound, and in them he is strongly established. – Jonathan Edwards

3- Christ-Centered Faith Does Produce Christ-Like Living (vss. 20-26)

A- The Invitation to Learn (vs. 20)

Do you want to be shown???

B- The Faith of Abraham (vss. 21-24)

Abraham was saved the same way we are, by believing God.   In this sense it can be said Abraham was justified by faith.  Also, Abraham is proven authentic (Justified) by his works.  His works prove his faith is real.  (cf. Hebrews 11:17-19)

How do we know that Abraham was not saved because of his works?  God declared Abraham justified by faith alone in (Genesis 15:6). It’s much later in the account that Abraham was tested and challenged (The occasion James is referring to and says he was justified by works) to offer Isaac that account came in (Genesis 22).  So, when he was told to offer up Isaac, Abraham was already justified (declared righteous) by God.  His obedience in no way helped his status before God but it did prove his status with God.

C- The Faith of Rahab (vss. 25-26)

(cf Joshua 2)

Everything she heard about God she believed.  She also believed God was about to destroy the city.  A lowly prostitute heard of the power of God and God sent her grace and she believed.  She had real faith because she just didn’t voice true claims about God, as James says the demons do, but she believed so strongly she acted out of her faith.