MPC
23rd September 2018.September 23 - James 2:14-26 - "Faith and Deeds"
MPC
23rd September 2018.
Luke Peterson
Ok I'm going to attempt a challenge this morning...
Who thinks I can get this dart to land on that dart board from over here? Yeah? Who has faith I can do that! That would be pretty cool, right?
That's not an easy thing to do... you know I've gotta aim... get the angle right... You want to see me do it!?
Who reckons I can do it? Hands up! Who reckons I can do this!? Alright awesome just come hold the dart board for me... Just hold it and keep it steady for me? No seriously, your hand was up! I thought you had faith in me... come hold the board!? What? You don't want to hold it!? But I thought you had faith!? Why don't you want to do it? You're hand was up... are you sure you don't want to hold it!? I thought you... hmm ok...
Alright... your loss... you could have got a free piercing this morning!
Now it didn't seem like you had real faith ... I don't think you really had faith in me... did you??
You see this right here is the exact problem that James addresses in this passage we are looking at this morning!
This morning we are starting a new series... thinking about real faith... what it means to have real faith and how that plays out in our lives... You see James, the half brother of Jesus, is writing to this group where there isn't much evidence of their faith being real... in fact there doesn't really seem to be anything that sets them apart or makes them stand out from the world around them; there is greed, favouritism, they blame God, their tongues are uncontrolled, they fight, they slander each other, they are convicted and not repenting... the list goes on!
And James is concerned for them... he's concerned about their faith in God! He is concerned that they don't wholeheartedly trust God and his promises in Jesus and as such are not living lives of obedience. See real faith is a trust that leads to obedience! And James is concerned that something is wrong... he wants to ensure they have real faith!
This morning we are going to see 3 different types of Faith... And you need to listen to this... hear me on this... two of them are false! Two of these "faiths" are false faiths! They are counterfeit faiths... they might look real but they aren't! There is only one real faith... one faith that can save... and you need to know what it is... so lets get started...
James starts by introducing counterfeit faith #1...
Have a look with me.. verse 14:
What good is it my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith... critical word ok... claims to have faith... James is not saying they have real faith but they simply claim to have faith... but has no deeds... no deeds... no action... no works that come out of that "faith"... Can such faith save them?
Did you know on the last census 52% of the population claims to have a Christian faith... that is a lot of people who claim to have faith... half of Australia! Claim to be Christian! Profess faith in Jesus! Most people in this room would claim to have faith...
But James asks the question... if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds... if nothing results from that claim... can... such... faith... save... them!? What good is it? Can it save them?
Very important question! Being saved or not is the determining factor in your eternal destiny! Eternity is on the line here! You see this is what sets Christianity apart from every other religion! It is not about doing things to be saved... it's about what Jesus has already done for us... dying in our place... saving us... giving us forgiveness of sins and relationship with him for eternity... if we what??? Have faith!
And so James is asking... is this the sort of faith that leads to salvation? And he wants us to understand what this faith might look like so he paints this picture of it, verse 15...
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
Another Christian... someone you know... fallen on hard times... struggling to afford the essentials to live... can't keep warm... can't put food on the table:
16 If one of you says to them...
You see this is the problem with this kind of faith is you just say stuff!! You say you have faith and you just say a lot of things but you don't do anything! And so you say "Go in peace... keep warm and well fed,"
You quote a little verse... a little truism... "God closes a door but opens a window..." "Just trust God." "I'll be praying for you..." How many times have we said that as a way to excuse inaction?
"I pray he gives you a coat"... you know what? he already did: it's in your wardrobe! Go and get it!
"I'll pray he gives you some food"... he already did: it's in your fridge!
But instead you see the need... and dismiss them and say good luck! All the best! I hope that works out for you... just trust God!
And James says... what good is that!? What's that actually achieve!? You just say things and don't do anything about their physical needs, what good is that? It's useless! And so he says...
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
So in the same way that nice words to a starving child achieve nothing... faith that does not result in action... achieves nothing... it's dead faith!
Do you know what dead people do? Do you know what dead people do?
Nothing! They do nothing! It's not a trick question!
Do you know what dead faith does? Do you know what dead faith does?
Nothing! It does nothing! It's useless!
Dead faith is all lip service and no lifestyle. Dead faith is claiming something you're not.
Just because you profess faith does not mean you possess faith! I'll say that again: Just because you profess faith, with your mouth, does not mean you possess faith in your heart!
It's like if you came to me and you said "Luke, my health and fitness are really important to me."
Well... "Do you eat right?" No. "Do you exercise? Do you get your proper rest?" No. "Do you take vitamins? Do you ever go for a check up?" No.
What would I conclude? You don't really believe that health and fitness is important!
We've got to ask ourselves when it comes to our faith... Are we all hot air? Or do we walk the walk? Is there any sign in my life that my faith is more than mere words... more than a profession of faith... more than claiming to have faith? Is there evidence, any tangible evidence of this faith impacting my life, the way I live, the choices I make? Am I really good at talking about things about Jesus but never actually doing anything for Jesus? Or because of Jesus?
I had this dead faith for years! Grew up in the church and was so good at wearing the Christian badge.. claiming to have faith... telling people I was Christian... knew what to say to excuse my inaction... turned up to church... ticked a box... but I was professing a faith I didn't possess... I had dead faith! There was nothing in my life that pointed to that faith being genuine or real! It was a profession of a faith that I did not possess!
And dead faith cannot save! It cannot save because it is dead! It is useless.. achieves nothing... it looks real from the outside but is false and deceptive and useless! It cannot save! It is not real faith!
Ok so that's dead faith... but James isn't done yet... here's counterfeit faith #2... demonic faith.
18 But someone will say, you have faith..I have deeds...
So James is introducing another scenario... this imaginary objector... someone who wants to intellectualise faith... just wants to argue about it...
"Well James come on... we can all believe in God and you know well maybe there are just some 'faith' people and then there are some 'works' people... Different people have different gifts... different strengths... you have yours and I have mine... that guy he's a 'faith' guy... that's his gift... And that's cool... each to their own! What's the big deal?"
And James goes... hang on a minute.. alright... "show me this 'faith' that you have without works..."
Circle the words show me! James is saying real faith is visible! Real faith can be seen!
Faith is like calories, ok.. .you can't see them but you sure can see the results! You know what I mean? A moment on the lips. A lifetime on the hips!
James is saying you can't have faith in Jesus and it not be visible! You can't tell me that the God of the universe can come into your life, save you, place his Spirit inside of you... and you remain the same!?
Is your faith visible? Would somebody looking at your life... know you follow Jesus? Have Faith?
And James goes on addressing this intellectual of faith... v.19... Oh you believe in God!? You know some doctrine... You believe a truth that "God's one". Well done... that makes you monotheist... so what!? Lots of people "believe in there being one God."
If that's all it is then... You... are... like... a... demon! Because the demons believe in God... The demons know who Jesus is! You read the gospels and who are the ones that always know who Jesus really is... the demons!
In fact if the demons were to write a book on Jesus it would be better and clearer than most of the junk for sale in Koorong! When they talk about Jesus they actually get it right! They would have a more sound theology on who God is than anyone in this room! And they even shudder in the presence of him... literally their hairs stand up on end... because they know who God is! They tremble before the God of the universe...
So demons know who God is ... they know who Jesus is...
But let me ask you a question... But do demons become Christians... yes or no? No!
So they know who Jesus is... and they go to hell! So it's possible to know who Jesus is and go to hell!
You see this is the thing... demonic faith has information but no transformation!
Knowing about Jesus doesn't save you! Believing in God doesn't save you Because you need more than just information... information is not the sign of real faith! You need that information to lead to genuine transformation!
Some of you could pass a test on who Jesus is and get 100% alongside a demon and end up with them forever! Because the test is not "fill in the blank" it's "fill in the life"! Because it's not about what you know... the question is ... has that knowledge changed you?
Has what you know about Jesus led to genuine transformation in you that is starting to flow out of you? Because when we have faith in Jesus' work for us, it begins his work in us, and is seen in his work through us!
You see we don't add deeds to our faith... out of real faith deeds will flow! The idea is this... you cannot come into genuine saving faith in Jesus and stay unchanged!
In the same way you cant touch a 240 volt wire and remain unchanged! When you have real faith in Jesus it changes you!
Is your faith changing you? Even one rough edge at a time? Is there evidence in your life where you have seen Jesus bring changes? Are you growing in your love and affection for Jesus? Are you on the path of transformation? I'm not asking if you are perfect... but is there progression!? Is there an increasing desire to know the God? Is there any sign of a love for Jesus and a desire to be like him? Growing in love for others... seeing needs and meeting them! Like refugees who need nappies... almost 2500 nappies donated by people of faith in this church... that's incredible!
It's very easy to become puffed-up on knowledge, and knowing doctrine well, arguing over the difference between single and double predestination... But here is the thing... good theology doesn't save you... doctrine doesn't save... merely increase of information is not the sign of transformation!
A faith that is purely intellectual and puffed up on knowledge, with no ongoing transformation is the faith of demons! It's not real faith and it will not save!
So we have dead faith and demonic faith... but James shows us a third faith... dynamic faith... dynamic faith...
Have a look with me from verse 20...
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
Ok, you think you're pretty smart... .think you're pretty wise... think you can have a faith that doesn't result in deeds... if you think it's possible to have real faith and it not result in deeds... why don't you stop for a minute and think about Abraham and Rahab!? Two famous characters from the Old Testament. Two very different people, Abraham and Rahab -- exact opposite extremes. James talks about them from v.21 have a look there...
Abraham's a man. Rahab's a woman.
Abraham's Jewish. Rahab's a Gentile.
Abraham's a patriarch. Rahab's a prostitute.
Abraham's a somebody. Rahab's a nobody.
But they had one thing in common -- their faith in God. It was a real faith... a dynamic faith... a faith that led them to action.
Remember Abraham? He's the one who God promises will have land, many descendants... a great nation... and that all people will be blessed through him! The problem is he doesn't have a son.. an heir!
So after waiting 25 years for his promised son... the son that he loves and adores and treasures... the son whom God had promised to him... the son who would start a nation... Abraham is told by God... that son that I promised you... that son whom you love... that son who you have waited so long for... I want you to kill him... go and sacrifice him as an offering to me! How much do you trust me and my word Abraham!?
I want you to trust me and I want you to give your son back to me... don't withhold anything from me.
So what does Abraham do? Does he sit there and say: "I've got faith, God! I trust you, God! I really do... but you don't actually expect me to kill him do you?!... I trust you... but I don't think I can do that..." No!
He doesn't sit there and have a faith that's an internal thing... no... his faith results in action! He has faith and so he acts!
See what James says in v.22 ... "you see" that his faith and his actions were working together... you see it! It's visible! It's something you can see! You can see faith and actions working together and his faith was made complete by what he did! Not by what he said... or what he thought... but by what he did! His action completed his faith! Showed it to be real! And it was visible! You can see it!
Abraham already believed God! He already had faith... and his actions revealed that!
And the same goes with Rahab the prostitute... she had seen the power and witnessed who the one true God was... and she had faith in him... she took action and hid God's people when they were in need... put her life on the line... her faith led her to take action... her faith was seen through what she did!
That's why James says in v.24, again... "you see" that someone is considered righteous, you see someone of faith from a mile off because of what they do and not by "faith" alone! You can see it!
Because our actions prove what we really believe and what we really trust in! We are saved by faith alone but real faith is never alone!
And over the next few weeks we are going to see what it looks like for this real faith to play out in our lives, in suffering and through our speech... but I wonder... this morning... what would it look for you to have real faith??
People of real faith don't just come on a Sunday and hear God's word and "enjoy" a sermon... or "feel convicted" they hear the word of God, it penetrates in their hearts and by God's Spirit they do what it says.
People of real faith don't just seek information and knowledge about God to feel smart or witty or better than others... they seek to know the Lord who loves them that they might grow in their love for him and his people!
People of faith are known for their generosity with their time and possessions... not hoarding things for themselves... because they know of how generous God has been to them!
People of real faith trust in God to provide for their every need, not providing for themselves in their own strength.
People of real faith are compelled by the great love of God to show love and kindness to all they come into contact with!
People of real faith don't secretly delight in sin, but flee from it handing it over to God and trusting in his power to conquer it!
People of real faith trust that in the sight of God they are loved and accepted and they don't need to seek the approval and acceptance of others.
People of real faith are known for their faith... known by the way you live on the outside that there is something real on the inside!
But maybe you've been exposed this morning in one way or another... Maybe you have never placed your faith in Jesus to save you... and you know that...
Or you've been exposed to having a dead faith... one that is all talk and no walk... been caught up in religion, morality, talking about Jesus but not knowing him... professing a faith you don't possess...
You've been exposed to having a faith that is information but no transformation ... you know lots of things but you don't really know Jesus... a faith that's in your heads and not transforming your hearts...
And if that's you this morning then God is lovingly exposing you and your heart and calling you to him... to cry out to him for salvation... for forgiveness... he is calling you to put your faith in him...
But maybe this morning you've come in these doors... you're feeling a bit beat up... just trying to serve the Lord... you're weary... and you feel like you just have simple faith...
Maybe there is a whole heap of stuff you don't get or understand... you're not as smart as others... feel like you've spent your Christian life not measuring up... but you've got faith... you're not too proud or puffed up on theology that it would be below you to buy nappies for refugees... or to drop a meal around to someone who is struggling... you're here this morning and you have simple faith... you just love Jesus and you're just getting on with serving him and loving people.
Can I say what an encouragement you are! And can I encourage you this morning... to keep going in your faith... Because that is the faith he is calling each one of us to... real faith... to trust in him and live lives of faith for him... Let's pray that we might be people of real faith!