November 20, 2013 ()

 

Text: James 2:18–26But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;23and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24You see that a man is justified by works, and NOT BY FAITH ALONE.(w/o works) 25And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.


 

FAITH ENDURES TRIALS

 

James 1:12 (NKJ)Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

 

James 1:12 (NASB)Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.


 

ENDURANCE PROVES FAITH

 

James 1:12 (NCV)When people are tempted and still continue strong, they should be happy. AFTER THEY HAVE PROVED THEIR FAITH, God will reward them with life forever. God promised this to all those who love him.


 

FAITH = DOERS OF THE WORD

 

James 1:22But BE DOERS OF THE WORD, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.


 

FAITH = PURE RELIGION

 

James 1:26-27If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.


 

FAITH IS HELD WITHOUT RESPECT OF PERSONS

 

James 2:1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.


 

FAITH FULFILLS THE ROYAL LAW

 

James 2:8If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you DO well;

 

SO SPEAK AND SO DO = FAITH

 

James 2:12SO SPEAK and SO DO as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.


 

FAITH IS NOT WITHOUT WORKS

 

James 2:14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone SAYS he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

 

James 2:14 (NCV)My brothers and sisters, if people SAY they have faith, BUT DO NOTHING, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?


 

James 2:14 (ESV, NAS) Can THAT faith save him?

 

James 2:14 (NET) Can THIS KIND of faith save him?

 

James 2:14 (NIV) Can SUCH FAITH save him?

 

James 2:14 (NLT) Can THAT KIND of faith save anyone?


 

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD

 

James 2:15–16 (NCV)A brother or sister in Christ might need clothes or food. 16If you say to that person, “God be with you! I hope you stay warm and get plenty to eat,” but you do not give what that person needs, your words are worth nothing.17In the same way, faith by itself—that does nothing—is dead.


 

WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH

 

Matthew 7:20–21Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21“Not everyone who SAYS to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who DOES the will of My Father in heaven.


 

THE PURPOSE OF HEBREWS 11

 

Hebrews 10:39 (1901 ASV)But WE ARE not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but OF THEM THAT HAVE FAITH UNTO THE SAVING OF THE SOUL.


 

THEIR TESTIMONY WAS FAITH OBEYS

 

Hebrews 11:33 WHO THROUGH FAITH subdued kingdoms, WORKED RIGHTEOUSNESS, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,


 

OUR WORKS NOT OUR WORDS FOLLOW US

 

Revelation 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and THEIR WORKS FOLLOW THEM.”

 

YOU CANNOT SEPARATE FAITH FROM WORKS

 

James 2:18 (NKJV)But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

 

James 2:18 (NCV)Someone might say, “You have faith, but I have deeds.” Show me your faith without doing anything, and I will show you my faith by what I do.


 

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS = DEMONIC FAITH

James 2:19You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

James 2:19 (NCV)You believe there is one God. Good! But the demons believe that, too, and they tremble with fear.

 

DEMONS BELIEVE IN GOD BUT CONTINUE TO DO EVIL

 

Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”


 

CHRISTIANS CAN DO THE SAME

 

Titus 1:16 THEY PROFESS that they know God; BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.


 

THE FOOLISH BELIEVE OTHERWISE!

James 2:20 (NKJV)But do you want to know, O FOOLISH MAN, that faith without works is DEAD?

James 2:20 (NCV)You foolish person! Must you be shown that faith that does nothing is WORTH NOTHING?

James 2:20 (1901 ASV)But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is BARREN?

James 2:20 (EMPH)But art thou willing to learn? O empty man! That faith? apart from works is IDLE?


 

ABRAHAM PROVED HIS FAITH BY HIS WORKS

 

James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified BY WORKS when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

 

James 2:21 (NCV)Abraham, our ancestor, was made right with God BY WHAT HE DID when he offered his son Isaac on the altar.


 

Hebrews 11:17 BY FAITH ABRAHAM, when he was tested, OFFERED UP ISAAC, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,


 

HIS FAITH WAS WORKING

 

James 2:22 Do you see that FAITH WAS WORKING together with his works [i.e. they were not separated], and BY WORKS faith was made perfect?

James 2:22 (NCV)So you see that Abraham’s faith and the things he did worked together. His faith was made perfect BY WHAT HE DID.

 

IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

James 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.


 

NO ONE IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH ONLY

 

James 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

James 2:24 (NCV)So you see that PEOPLE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD BY WHAT THEY DO, not by faith only.

 

RAHAB PROVED HER FAITH BY HER WORKS

 

James 2:25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

 

HER FAITH SAVED HER FROM PERISHING

 

Hebrews 11:31 BY FAITH THE HARLOT RAHAB DID NOT PERISH with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.


 

James 2:25 (NCV)Another example is Rahab, a prostitute, who was made right with God BY SOMETHING SHE DID. She welcomed the spies into her home and helped them escape by a different road.


 

DEAD BODY ANALOGY

 

James 2:26 (NKJV)For as the body WITHOUT THE SPIRIT is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

James 2:26 (NLT)Just as the body is dead WITHOUT BREATH, so also faith is dead without good works.

James 2:26 (Moffatt NT) For as the body WITHOUT THE BREATH OF LIFE is dead, so faith is dead without deeds.

A body animated by breath = life

 

SO ALSO A faith proven by works = salvation!

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