James and Abraham: Faith that works
Faith without works is dead

‭‭James‬ ‭2:14-23‬‬
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

At the onset, it seems like there is a lot happening in this text, and indeed it is. However, the truth of the passage is clear and simple.
Faith without works is dead.

As we embark on this study, we should note two things that will help guide us through our study.
1. James is not comparing faith to works, rather he is contrasting living and dead faith.
2. Secondly, there is such a thing as “dead” faith, and it is essentially useless.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:14‬‬
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

“Faith is not seen by James to be deficient as though it needed something extra, but he contends that true faith must find some expression other than verbalization or pious sentiment” – Ralph Martin (Word Biblical Commentary)

James is therefore not opposing the Apostle Paul or the reality that it is only by faith that we are saved, however, James does insist that faith must change our lives, our very conduct, if in fact it is genuine.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:15-17‬‬
Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

The condemnation of James here is not against well wishes or encouragement, rather the failure to actually meet the needs right before them.

In verse 17 he connects this failure to act in meeting the needs of the poor, to the failure of dead faith to produce action in our lives.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:18-19‬‬
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

In these verses James brings in another voice as an objector to his position. This “objection”, if you will, allows James to ramp up and clarify his position even further.

The reality for us today is that faith without works is on par with the faith of the demons.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:20‬‬
You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

“You foolish person” is directed to the objector of verse 18.

In verse 14 faith without works has been described as no good, in verse 17 it’s dead, and here it is described as useless or un-effective- yet the objector fails or refuses to see it.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:21-23‬‬
Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

James emphasizes three aspects of living Faith in the life of Abraham from this story.

First, that Abrahams faith was not confined to a re-ordering of his thoughts, or merely a verbal profession. Throughout his life Abrahams faith literally guided his life and was shown in its fullest extent in his wiliness to sacrifice his own son.

Secondly, James sees that Abrahams faith found its fulfillment through his actions.

And finally the genuine nature of Abrahams active faith was shown to be accepted by God.

In conclusion today, let’s look again at the question James ask’s us in Verse 20.

Imagine for a moment an emotional James pleading: “Are you insane? How do you not understand this? Do you really want to know that your faith without works is worthless?”

“Do you want to know?”

This question can be quite un-comfortable to face in our walk of faith. I think James’ passionate pleading today is for our own good. Is our faith alive and thriving, or in need of resurrection and new life?

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

http://bible.com/events/48793898

James and Abraham: Faith that Works
“Faith that’s alive is faith that ACTS.”

James, the brother of Jesus, is living in the reality of faith that requires action.
-In the first century AD, being a follower of Jesus meant more than just believing in something, but rather belief in action.
-As believers are scattered throughout the region, he wants them to remember the foundation of this faith that they proclaim: a foundation of faith in action.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:14-23‬‬
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

-Faith without action isn’t weak, or sick or misguided. Faith without action is dead.
-Faith that is alive is faith that is active and responding.
-James doesn’t offer any possibility of a faith that doesn’t bear fruit.
-If you have faith, but don’t act upon it, you are, essentially, on par with a demon.

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭22:1-14‬‬
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Put yourself in Abraham’s place and then ask: Why would God do this?
1. This was not just about Abraham.
-There is something much bigger happening here, as this story foreshadows God the Father sacrificing His son, Jesus.
2. There will always be instances where our finite brains cannot comprehend.
-This is perhaps the ultimate example of not understanding, but having to trust that God’s ways are higher.
3. God was asking Abraham: Will you give it all for me?
-He is asking us the same thing today.

Faith that’s alive is faith that ACTS.

Other verses for further study/reflection:
Matthew 25:31-46
1 Peter 4:10
Ephesians 2:8-9

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

James and Playing Favorites
Believers in Christ must not show favoritism

James 2:1-13
2 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in, 3 if you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8 If you really keep the royal law in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Favoritism or Partiality here literally means to judge by outward appearance or to treat someone favorably because of appearance.

First it is in direct contradiction with God’s character

Second it puts these Christians in the position of acting like the ungodly world as they are disobedient the King’s “royal law”.

‭‭Romans‬ ‭2:11‬‬
For God does not show favoritism.

We live in obedience to the Royal Law that gives freedom because we love the King who makes us free.

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:1-2‬‬
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:7‬‬
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

James and Playing Favorites
Believers in Christ must not show favoritism

‭‭James‬ ‭2:1-4‬‬
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Favoritism or Partiality here literally means to judge by outward appearance or to treat someone favorably because of appearance.

All are equal in God’s eyes so they should be in yours.

Romans 2:11 “God does not show favoritism”

“Have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

James says that when we play favorites based off outward appearances, we have made a moral mistake.

James’ point then is that when we show favoritism, we are exhibiting a wavering heart. we have a wavering within our hearts between what we can get from someone or how they can benefit us, and what God sees in them.

It’s very easy to miss the subtle ways we might be doing this in our every day lives.
– How about at the grocery store when you are looking for a check outline? We look at the cashiers appearance to determine who we think might be the fastest.
– What about picking out a seat at the lunch table? Will we go sit with the new kid, or will we seek out the more popular table to try and edge in there?

James suggests in those every day small ways of showing partiality, we are in danger of actually becoming judges with evil intentions.

We are in danger of trading God’s value of that person, for what they mean to us or what they can do for us.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:5-7‬‬
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

– James suggests Christians are not to despise the poor or the oppressed, because that is contrary to the very nature of God himself.

– He reminds us that those who are in Christ, no matter how poor in material possessions, now have the richness of the kingdom of God now, and the promise of a glorious future with God in Heaven.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:8-11‬‬
If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

James so far has shown us that favoritism is wrong because it is opposed to God’s character and to his actions within the world. In these verses, we see that favoritism violates the Law of Love.

‭‭James‬ ‭2:12-13‬‬
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

James begins verse 12 with a double imperative that we should live a certain way in response to our relationship with Christ. This brings us back to the key theme of verse 22, that we are to be doers of the word.

As we have so lavishly received Mercy, we are to live extending that mercy to others.
Mercy triumphs over Judgement.

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY

http://bible.com/events/48786410

James and God’s Religion

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22

‭‭James‬ ‭1:22-27‬‬
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

We live in a world filled with self-deception. What is the source of this self-deception according to James?
It’s not a lack of information
It’s not a lack of knowledge
It’s a lack of ACTION

-We are NOT saved by works, but by faith.
-We act because we love, we don’t act to somehow earn something from God.
-But make no mistake, James says as we continue to obey there is blessing! We experience God’s best!

Religion that God our Father accepts is a function of action:
-His Word has an impact on your words
-We respond by loving the desperate
-We respond by walking in holiness

‭‭John‬ ‭14:15, 23‬‬
“If you love me, keep my commands. Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

James is speaking to believers…do not deceive yourselves any longer:
-Listening to the Word isn’t enough
-Reading the Word isn’t enough
-Talking about the Word isn’t enough
-God’s religion, unlike some of man’s, is about living a faith that does – a faith that honors God and impacts others.

So how is your action?

James in 8 Minutes
This overview video on the book of James breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this book, James combines the wisdom of his brother Jesus with the book of Proverbs in his own challenging call to live a life wholly devoted to God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn-hLHWwRYY