#2 (THE "WITHOUT"
SERIES)
"WITHOUT WORKS, FAITH IS DEAD!"
TEXT: James
2:14-26; Titus
3:8
INTRO: In the
first message in this series we looked at "without faith it
is impossible to please God."
Now we are going to look at the very nature of faith, in other words, "without works, faith is dead."
Faith and good works
go together like "peas and carrots,"
or like "mustard and ketchup," or
like "ice cream and potato chips!"
(My favorite combo!)
Remember the Scottish row boat owner
that took people across the lake.
One oar in his boat was labeled, "Faith" and the other was labeled "Works." He would ask his riders this question,
"Which is more important, faith or
works?" Then he would proceed
to demonstrate how they are both equally important by taking only the oar marked
"faith" and rowing hard, causing
the boat to simply go in circles thus going nowhere fast! Then he would take the other oar marked
"works" and do the same, this time
going in circles in the other direction, again going nowhere fast! Finally he would proceed to use both
oars marked "faith" and "works" and show how quickly the
boat moved through the water to the destination on the other shore, saying to
his riders, “this is how faith and works
must work together, it is not one without the other, but
both!”
PROP.
SENT: Without
works, faith is never seen! Faith
must find expression through our actions as well as our attitudes! Faith is dynamic and powerful, it
therefore must express itself in very real ways!
I. FAITH - IN
DEED!
2:14-17
A. Christian
Faith
1. James picks his words very
carefully here, he describes “Saving
Faith” as having deeds or works to it!
a.
Thus, if a man claims to have faith but no deeds it cannot be the saving
faith taught in the Bible! ... It must be some other kind of “faith!”
b.
Anyone who claims to have faith can be judged by the presence or
lack of presence of works or deeds consistent with “Faith in
God!”
2. James' point is very specific here,
a man or woman who has no works to show for the faith they claim to have has NO
SAVING FAITH!
a.
Saving faith is not just mystical, it has real material expression to
it!
b.
Faith is observable in people's lives, as indeed it was in Jesus’ own
life!
3. Even the smallest measure of faith
will have some expression!
a.
This may well be what Jesus meant when He said, “I tell you the
truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this
mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move.” Matt.
17:20
b.
The smallest faith will cause something to happen, things will move –
things will move!
ILLUS: MANY YEARS
AGO BEFORE MODERN MACHINERY TO BUILD HUGE CONSTRUCTIONS PROJECTS WAS AROUND, A
MAN PROPOSED BUILDING A HUGE SUSPENSION BRIDGE OVER A HUGE GORGE. HE WAS LAUGHED AT, AND WAS ASKED HOW IN
THE WORLD DID HE THINK HE COULD ERECT FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER THE HUGE CHAINS
THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO JOIN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER TO HOLD THE BRIDGE! HIS CRITICS WERE SILENCED WHEN HE
PROCEEDED TO SHOW THEM HOW HIS FAITH IN THIS PROJECT WOULD COME ALIVE ... HE
TOOK AN ARROW AND A PIECE OF STRING AND SHOT IT TO THE OTHER SIDE. ON THE OTHER SIDE, ANOTHER MAN TOOK THE
STRING OFF THE ARROW AND TIED A THICKER PIECE OF STRING TO IT AND THE MAN ON THE
OTHER SIDE PULLED IT OVER. ONCE
OVER, HE TOOK THE THICKER STRING AND TIED TO IT A MEDIUM THICK PIECE OF ROPE AND
HAD THE MAN ON THE OTHER SIDE PULL IT BACK. AGAIN, HE TOOK THIS PIECE OF MEDIUM
THICK ROPE AND TIED TO IT A HEAVY ROPE AND PULLED IT BACK OVER. BACK AND FORTH THIS PROCESS WENT; EACH
TIME WITH SOMETHING STRONGER UNTIL THE TIME CAME TO ATTACH THE HEAVY METAL LINES
THAT WOULD HOLD THE BRIDGE IN SUSPENSION … AND THE BRIDGE WAS BUILT! HIS FAITH FOUND EXPRESSION IS SMALL WAYS
AT FIRST, AND THE END RESULT WAS A WONDERFUL BRIDGE THAT HUGE VEHICLES COULD
PASS OVER! WITHOUT SMALL
EXPRESSIONS OF HIS FAITH, THIS BRIDGE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BUILT! -- Source
Unknown
B. Communicating Faith 2:15-17
1. James now gives an example of what
he means by expressing faith!
a.
He uses the example of someone who is in real need; they are hungry and
naked...
b.
The "brother or sister in
Christ" that simply prays over them "Go, I wish you
well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing in response to their
need in a practical way if they can do something demonstrates NO REAL BIBLICAL
FAITH!
c.
This kind of FAITH in James' words: "what good is
it?"
2. Our faith in God must find
expression in what we do in everyday life!!!
a.
Faith has a mystical dynamic to it,
b.
But it also has a material dynamic to
it!
3. Faith moves toward action, it finds
expression in powerful ways!
a.
While we are saved by FAITH ALONE, FAITH
IS NOT ALONE in its existence in our life.
b.
God’s faith in mankind was demonstrated by SENDING Christ to die for us;
it followed in action, real action that resulted in a way being opened by our
returning faith in Him.
ILLUS: IN 1975 A
CHILD NAMED RAYMOND DUNN JR. WAS BORN IN
4. Faith that is not accompanied by
action is dead, it is not BIBLICAL FAITH!
a.
When the Jerusalem church was suffering and in dire need the Apostles
told the believers to have faith and trust in God to
provide...
b.
THEN they wrote letters to the Macedonian churches and the
Corinthian believers asking for an offering to help their brothers and sisters
who were in need, you can read about this in the letters to the
Corinthians!
c.
Their faith in God and the call to have faith in God was joined with
action and a request of action from other Christians who also had
faith!
d.
This is precisely the point James is making here: Faith is to be coupled by deeds! … Or it
is dead and not a living faith!
II. FAITH - INDIVISIBLE! 2:18-19; Titus
3:8
A. Convenient "Faith!" 2:18a
1. James anticipated that there would
be someone who in an attempt to sound spiritual while avoiding the call to
action would raise an objection:
a.
"You
have faith; I have deeds." Meaning that someone will claim that we
all have different gifts, therefore, I might have faith and no deeds while
someone else has deeds but no faith!
b.
This objection was strictly raised as a way to excuse oneself from the
responsibilities to act out their faith!
2. There have always been people in
God's family that will attempt to convince others that they are deeply spiritual
though they have little action or practical ways to show for it! This is just too convenient, and NOT
BIBLICAL!
a.
First, it is not like Christ, who had perfect faith in His heavenly
father but also added, "My father works and I work!" (Jn. 5:17) … this statement happened around Jesus
healing on the Sabbath and the outcry of the Jews who were angry that Jesus “worked” on the Sabbath … they of course were too spiritual to help
sick people on the Sabbath!
(1. The Pharisees were always good at looking
spiritual, they prayed long prayers in the Synagogues and street corners so that
people would see how spiritual they were but they wouldn't lift a finger to help
someone who was hurting and in need of help!
(2. They knew how to appear to be spiritual
but how to avoid responsibilities to act out their
spirituality!
b.
Spirituality that impresses people without improving
people is worthless
spirituality!
3. The world does not need more
examples of people who are good at sounding and looking spiritual but have no
practical expression of their so called spirituality!
4. The last days are going to be
full of this type of false spirituality ... "having a form of
godliness, but denying its power: from such turn away!" (II. Tim 3:5)
a.
In the New Testament era it was called "Gnosticism" … a mystical kind of
spirituality that had little to no practical
expression!
b.
In the present era we are seeing this happening again, with the “New Age
movement,” and also in the church.
We must be careful that true revival has practical expression in
changing lives, changing churches, and changing society ... the work of God's
Spirit in our lives is not just to thrill us and give us some deep experience
that cannot be expressed!
5. Faith
must be wedded to works to be God's saving faith, if it is not wedded to works
it is not God's saving faith!!
6. Faith and works cannot do well alone; they
can actually be harmful if separated!
ILLUS: I LOVE SALT
-- IT IS THE MOST USED SUBSTANCE ON EARTH; IT IS A NECESSITY FOR OUR LIVES! IT IS MADE UP OF TWO ELEMENTS: SODIUM AND CHLORINE. IF THESE TWO ELEMENTS ARE CONSUMED
SEPARATELY YOU WOULD DIE! SODIUM IS
A HORRIBLE POISON; IT CAN BURST INTO FLAMES WHEN EXPOSED TO WATER AND AIR. CHLORINE TOO IS A HARSH POISON, AND IF
INGESTED WILL KILL QUICKLY.
IRONICALLY HOWEVER, IF YOU COMBINE THESE TWO POISONS TOGETHER THEY MAKE
AN INGREDIENT WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT!
TOGETHER THESE INGREDIENTS ACT AS A WONDERFUL SEASONING, AS A
DISINFECTANT, AS A PRESERVATIVE, ETC.
THIS IS THE WAY FAITH AND WORKS ARE, SEPARATELY THEY CAN CAUSE DAMAGE;
TOGETHER THEY ARE GOD'S POWER AT WORK IN OUR LIVES!
-- Source
Unknown
B. Committed
Faith
2:18b-19; Titus 3:8
1. It is not enough to simply say, "I believe" but show no practical ways
of this!
2. As an example James says that even
the "demons
believe, and they shudder!"
a.
Faith that does not move us to righteous expression will move us to
shudder!
b.
The demons of Hell believe in God ... but their actions are
anything but righteous, thus they shudder at their faith in God! They shudder in fear of
God!
c.
Faith in God that is devoid of righteous expression is not peaceful, and
it is not the kind of faith God calls us to! Demon
Faith Shudders, Real faith Serves!
d.
Faith in God that finds righteous expression brings peace, comfort,
power, joy, patience... etc.
3. In Titus
3:8 Paul states the same thing when he says, “This is a
trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who
have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good.
These things are excellent and profitable for
everyone.”
a.
Those who trust in God will demonstrate their trust or faith in doing
what is good, expressing their faith in God in ways that others will
recognize!
b.
Notice too that Paul says that this principle is profitable for
everyone!
c.
It is incumbent upon all believers, not just
some!
4. Faith must be committed to
action! Real faith cannot be held back from acting, it will
WORK, and it will ACT!
ILLUS: AFTER THE
BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, WHEN THE FEDERAL TROOPS HAD CLEARED THE HEIGHTS WITH
AN IRRESISTIBLE DASH, GENERAL GRANT SENT TO GENERAL WOODS AND ASKED, “D1D YOU
ORDER THE CHARGE?” THE RESPONSE WAS
NEGATIVE FROM GENERAL WOODS. HE
THEN ASKED HOOKER AND SHERIDAN THE SAME QUESTION AND GOT THE SAME NEGATIVE
ANSWER! APPARENTLY NO GENERAL HAD
ISSUED THE CHARGE, THE MEN WERE JUST SO FULL OF FAITH THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE
SUCCESSFUL THAT THEY COULDN'T STAY IN THE DITCHES AND THEY ALL ATTACKED AT THE
SAME TIME, THEIR FAITH WAS SO GREAT, THEY JUST ACTED WITHOUT ORDERS FROM A
GENERAL! FAITH ACTED!
-- Source
Unknown
III. FAITH - INDISPUTABLE!
2:20-26
A. Common
ground Faith! 2:20-25
1. James now proceeds to use two
different examples of how FAITH and WORKS go together, and the two examples
couldn't be more different, and yet also the same!
a.
Abraham: the Jewish
progenitor! His faith in God moved him out of Ur of
the Chaldeans and caused him to wander the rest of his life in a strange
land!
(1. His faith in God to have a son wasn't
realized for almost 25 years, yet he still acted in
faith!
(2. When God called him to give up his only
son at a ripe age of around 113 years old, he was willing to act on his faith in
God!
(3. James was writing to both Jews and
Gentiles, to the Jews Abraham was the perfect example, and to the Gentiles James
calls Abraham "their ancestor" ... clearly including the
Gentiles who like Abraham have faith too. It was not DNA that made them
ancestors to Abraham; it was faith that proved their
heritage!
(4. Abraham was the perfect example of faith
and works together, and a greatly admired man of God who was called the "friend of
God" ... a great Jewish example of a real man of
faith!
b.
Rahab: the Gentile
prostitute! These two examples could not have been
more different, and yet there was one thing that was the same in both -- James
is attempting to show they both ACTED IN FAITH and were therefore equally
honored by God!
(1. This is good news, even the lowest in
society can act in faith and be held up as a model!
(2. James picks the most admired man of the
Jews and the lowest woman of the Gentiles to show how the same faith in both had
similar expression in actions!
(3. They both served as models of how saving
faith works!
c.
They were not saved by their works, but their faith made them
work!
2. The common ground of faith is
works, it doesn’t matter who we are, what station in life we hold, if we claim
we have saving faith it must be demonstrated in deeds or acts consistent with
that saving faith!
a.
The playing field is level for all, preacher and parishioner alike must
act out their faith!
b.
Faith and works go together in God's economy!
3. Real faith bursts into action in
all kinds of real ways, it is not just some mystical concept, and it is not real
in those who do nothing!
B. Complete
Faith
2:26
1. James now ends where he began in
verse 14, "faith without
deeds is dead!"
a.
Good works are a part of biblical faith!
b.
In fact, good faith is impossible without
good works!
ILLUS: AN IRISH
BISHOP HAD TAKEN A COUNTRY WALK WITH A FRIEND. ON THEIR RETURN JOURNEY THE FRIEND URGED
THE BISHOP TO HURRY, FEARING THEY MIGHT MISS THE TRAIN WHICH WOULD TAKE THEM
HOME IN GOOD TIME. THE BISHOP
LOOKED AT HIS WATCH AND SAID, “OH, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.” HIS FRIEND HOWEVER ASKED, “BUT IS YOUR
WATCH RELIABLE?” THE BISHOP REPLIED, "I HAVE COMPLETE FAITH IN MY WATCH!" SURE
ENOUGH, WHEN THEY GOT TO THE TRAIN STATION THEY HAD JUST MISSED THE TRAIN BY A
FEW MINUTES! THE FRIEND THEN SAID
TO THE BISHOP, “AH, FAITH AND GOOD WORKS ARE BOTH NECESSARY IN THIS WORLD, YOU
HAD FAITH, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IN THIS CASE (AS HE THEN TAPPED HIS FINGER ON
THE BISHOP'S WATCH) THAT IN THIS CASE THE 'GOOD WORKS' MIGHT HAVE BEEN EQUALLY
IMPORTANT!" HOW TRUE! -- Source
Unknown
2. "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
2:26
3. We cannot do without works as a
demonstration of the real saving faith God gives! How much faith is evident in your
life????
CONCLUSION:
Real faith in God has
real evidences in our lives. Christian faith cannot exist without
expression! While a man or woman is justified by faith alone, his or
her faith will not exist alone without works! Faith is not just a mystical concept; it
is a material and concrete reality that finds expression in our lives by what we
do. Faith cannot exist in a vacuum,
it explodes into reality through the works we do in Christ's name! Do you have real
faith?