James 2:14-26 “A Faith that Works”
(Preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville on 7.13.25)
Intro: “It doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe something”
–Wrong: 1. CONTENT: Matters What you Believe In; 2. MANNER: Matters what your Belief is like (real or fake)
-James shows us there is a kind of faith we don’t want to have and a kind we want to have
-One kind of faith that is worthless, dead, and unable to save a person
-Another kind of faith that is more precious than gold, living, and able to save.
-James 2:14-26 Challenge: What kind of faith do you have? (1 No Faith, 2 Fake, 3 Real but Immature, 4 Real & Growing)
-Remember James’ theme: ‘Spiritual wholeness’ (James 1:4)
-Today’s passage calls us to examine the reality and level of maturity of our faith in Jesus.
**If we want to have a Christian faith that is real and mature, we must have a faith that works.**
- A Kind of Faith You Don’t Want to Have (14-17)
Christians are those who have placed their faith in Jesus (James 1:2-4; 2:1)
-The unstated assumption of this passage: It is good and right to place your faith in Jesus!
-Also: we can grow in the way we live out our faith in Jesus—don’t just be hearers, but doers too (Jas 1:22)
-There is a kind of Faith you Don’t Want to Have
-Characteristics: “Faith without works” (14a, 17)
-Mere Profession of faith, but not accompanied by real works.
-ILLUSTRATION 15-16àA worthless religious blessing is equivalent to a worthless faith without works
-Assessment: Here’s why you don’t want to have an insincere faith which does not show itself in good works…
-“What good is it?” àNO GOOD
-“Can that faith save him?” àNOPE
–QUESTION: Save from what? From hell (James 3:6b)
-“Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”àDEAD Faith
SUMMARY: There is a kind of faith you don’t want to have: a ‘faith that is without works’
-Such a faith is either insincere or counterfeit and will not save you from God’s just judgment.
A Misunderstanding to Address (18-19)
Lots of mistaken ideas out there about Christianity: cannibals/incestuous (Early); political; moralistic; no fun; anti-science; no suffering…
-Apostles were constantly correcting mistaken understandings
-Here we have a mistaken understanding about faith and works corrected for us.
-Mistaken Understanding of Faith and Works: (18a) But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”
-Some people have faith, some have works.
-Why is this wrong? True faith will show itself and result in good worksà Eph 2:8-10
-A Better Approach (18b)
NLT: “But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
-You can’t show your faith it there are no good works.
-BETTER APPROACH: ESV 2:18b:“I will show you my faith by my works”
-Genuine faith is revealed by good works that are done.
MOO: “James is not arguing that works must be added to faith. His point, rather, is that genuine biblical faith will inevitably be characterized by works… James, in a sense, proposes for us in these verses a “test” by which we determine the genuineness of faith: deeds of obedience to the will of God”
-Whatever task or act or deed God is calling me to, I’m willing to do it.
-Here we see a faith that works…a genuine and real faith.
-An Example of Faith without Works: Demons (19)
-Right doctrine, but not saving faith: 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe–and shudder!
–NOTE: Biblical worldview of demons
SUMMARY: There is a kind of faith you don’t want to have: a faith that lacks works. This kind of faith is unprofitable, unable to save, and is dead. Furthermore, don’t make the mistake of thinking you can separate faith and works—even the demons have right doctrine, but not a saving faith that works. Instead, what we need is a genuine faith that works and shows itself by its works.
- A Kind of Faith You Want to Have (20-26)
Trumpet lessons and my teacher as a model to look up and imitate.
-James shows us two examples of the kind of faith that works: Abraham and Rahab. (20)
-Abraham: a man of faith, whose faith was seen in his works (21-24)
-Abraham’s faith displayed by his willingness to offer up Isaac (21)
-Genesis 22 [son of the promise; 25 years in waiting]
-Faith and works working together (22)
-“faith was completed by his works”: Spiritual wholeness through acting in faith.
-We sense it as we obey and do what God calls us to do: FMSC; Giving; Sharing our Faith
-Abraham’s genuine faith and justification (23)
-Abraham the friend of God (23b)
-Summary of faith showing itself in works: You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. (24)
–WAIT…WHAT ABOUT Romans 3:28? à For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
SOLUTION: Paul and James were speaking about different things.
–Paul=How do we get right with God? Through faith and not by the contribution of our works.
–James=What does real faith look like? Faith that works.
MOO: “James and Paul use “justify” to refer to different things. Paul refers to the initial declaration of a sinner’s innocence before God; James to the ultimate verdict of innocence pronounced over a person at the last judgment. If a sinner can get into relationship with God only by faith (Paul), the ultimate validation of that relationship takes into account the works that true faith must inevitably produce (James)…Calvin puts it, “…as Paul contends that we are justified apart from the help of works, so James does not allow those who lack good works to be reckoned righteous.”
-A SECOND EXAMPLE of Faith Showing Itself By Works: Rahab (25)
–Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
-Joshua 2.
-A Final Image and Summary Statement (26)
–Final Image: Dead Body (26a) 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
-A dead body no longer has the human spirit within
–Bible: when we die our soul goes to heaven or hell.
-Analogy: So ALSO so also faith apart from works is dead.
WHAT KIND OF FAITH DO YOU HAVE?
1. NO FAITH: Consider the gospel and what faith in Jesus offers you: Romans 10:9-10
2. INSINCERE FAITH: There are some who are insincere and not genuine Christians (Matt 7:21-23)
-Repent, and by God’s grace believe and show your faith by your works
-CLARIFICATION: True genuine, saving faith does NOT mean perfection
-Even Abraham, who had genuine faith, sinned (lied TWICE about his wife)
-CAUTION: Some Christians have overly sensitive conscience—’Am I really saved?’
–Consider: 3 Legged Stool of Assurance: Promises of Gospel; Good Works; Inner Testimony of Spirit
–Wisdom: Have a trusted Christian speak into your life
–GET ALONE WITH GOD: Get alone with God, and repent and ask for grace.
3. Immature FAITH: Repent, and by God’s grace show your faith by your works (James 4:6 ‘he gives more grace’)
-None of us obey to the degree we might. We all can grow.
-We grow by putting into work:
1 Whatever obedience to God is in this moment, do it in the power of the Holy Spirit
2 Get Baptized and declare to the world you are a Christians
3 Serve your family/neighbors; Pray; Give; Share your Faith;
4. Hear and Obey the instructions of James! (Slow to anger; avoid partiality; tongue; draw near to God)
4 A MATURE FAITH: Continue to repent, and by God’s grace show your faith by your works
-Rejoice in God and keep going; teach others the truth about genuine and real saving faith
-You do have more to grow…The greatest test of your faith may just be around the corner (Abraham)
CLOSE: **If we want to have a Christian faith that is real and mature, we must have a faith that works.**
