James 2: 14-26
A Faith that works
4 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” 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.”19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Work: comes from the greek word Ergon ; Toil (as an effort or an occupation), an act, deed, doing, labor, or work
“The faith to which he objects is not really recognized by James as true faith. It is a profession but not a reality.” Beacon Bible commentary pg 216
James 2:14-17 NLT
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
1. A faith that is dead
John 14:15 NLT
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
Vs 15-16…
Throughout God’s Word we are told to serve others, to use our gifting and talents for others, to love others, to take care of widows and orphans, to visit those in prison, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to house the homeless… etc. What happens all too often is we will see a need, talk about the need, pray about the need, and we assume someone else will take care of the need. If God makes the need known to you, puts a burden on you to pray for it, and gifts and equips you to meet the need, then how do you justify not taking your faith in action? You cannot pay someone else, like a pastor, to work out your faith.
For verse 17… The Greek word for “dead” used here is Nekros, in reference to a corpse, meaning dead. In other words something that once was alive and now is dead.
Romans 10:9-10 NLT
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Matthew 5:16 NKJV
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
James 2:18-20 NLT
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” 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.”19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
II. A faith that is weak
“James does not argue for the priority of works over faith; he only insists that there is no valid Christian Faith apart from works of righteousness. The Apostle says, I claim faith and deeds as well! To the man who says that faith and works may exist independently James can only reply, ‘Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith’”. Beacon Bible Commentary pg 217
1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
1 Timothy 4:14-16 NLT
14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
James 2:21-26 NLT
21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
III. A faith that is lived out
Genesis 22:3 NLT
3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac.
Question: What proof do you have of your faith?
A Faith that works
4 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” 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.”19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
Hebrews 11:1 KJV
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Work: comes from the greek word Ergon ; Toil (as an effort or an occupation), an act, deed, doing, labor, or work
“The faith to which he objects is not really recognized by James as true faith. It is a profession but not a reality.” Beacon Bible commentary pg 216
James 2:14-17 NLT
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
1. A faith that is dead
John 14:15 NLT
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
Vs 15-16…
Throughout God’s Word we are told to serve others, to use our gifting and talents for others, to love others, to take care of widows and orphans, to visit those in prison, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to house the homeless… etc. What happens all too often is we will see a need, talk about the need, pray about the need, and we assume someone else will take care of the need. If God makes the need known to you, puts a burden on you to pray for it, and gifts and equips you to meet the need, then how do you justify not taking your faith in action? You cannot pay someone else, like a pastor, to work out your faith.
For verse 17… The Greek word for “dead” used here is Nekros, in reference to a corpse, meaning dead. In other words something that once was alive and now is dead.
Romans 10:9-10 NLT
9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Matthew 5:16 NKJV
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
James 2:18-20 NLT
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” 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.”19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
II. A faith that is weak
“James does not argue for the priority of works over faith; he only insists that there is no valid Christian Faith apart from works of righteousness. The Apostle says, I claim faith and deeds as well! To the man who says that faith and works may exist independently James can only reply, ‘Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith’”. Beacon Bible Commentary pg 217
1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
1 Timothy 4:14-16 NLT
14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
James 2:21-26 NLT
21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
III. A faith that is lived out
Genesis 22:3 NLT
3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son, Isaac.
Question: What proof do you have of your faith?