August 20, 2017
Evening Service

This morning in Romans 4, Paul was making the case that we are saved by our faith, not by our works.  In trying to explain the abstract idea of faith, he used Abraham as an example of what true faith would really look like.  When we examine his life, we can see many examples where Abraham’s faith became action as he simply chose to believe God at His word and act upon it.  Paul’s point to the whole chapter was that it is Abraham’s faith that justified him before God, not his works. He quoted these verses from Genesis:

 Genesis 15:5-6 And He brought him outside and said, Look now toward the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them. And He said to him, So shall your seed be.  (6)  And he believed in God. And He counted it to him for righteousness.

·         Abraham believed God to such a degree that it moved him to action.  His faith led to works not the other way around.  It was his believing God (faith), not his actions that followed, that God “counted to him for righteousness.”  Paul told the Ephesian church this:

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, (9)  not of works, lest anyone should boast.

·         A gift is given without any work being required.  As Paul said this morning if we could earn our salvation then God would owe us to be saved.  That is not true; it is by grace we are saved.

·         Tonight I would like to dig a little deeper into this idea of works and faith.

 

James 2:14-17 My brothers, what profit is it if a man says he has faith and does not have works? Can faith save him?  (15)  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (16)  and if one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what good is it?  (17)  Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself.

·         James here is describing someone that has only faith and no works to back it up.  Is that enough?  The answer is “No.”  That type of faith is really just an intellectual agreement with a set of teachings or truths; it is an incomplete faith.  True faith changes you and spurs you into action that proves you believe.  If Abraham would have just agreed with God and not moved away from his homeland, he would not have been justified.  He proved his faith by his works.

·         In our case, it would be making the decision to follow Christ and then choosing not to obey the command to enter into the waters of baptism that is so clearly taught in our NT.  James calls this faith without works “dead.” (verse 17)

 

James 2:18 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 from my works.

·         While perhaps at first glance this seems to contradict what we are saying, it really confirms it.  A faith that does not result in a change in action is not really true faith.  True faith will come with works that proves that it is real. 

·         Remember this morning I mentioned James McDonald’s version of the definition of faith?  “Believing God’s Word and acting upon it no matter how I feel because God promise good results.”  It is a combination of believing and acting.

·         James continues his explanation:

 

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God, you do well; even the demons believe and tremble.

·         It is not enough to simply believe, the demons do as well but they tremble at the thought.  The second step to salvation is the receiving or accepting of the gospel message for you.  It is that next step that separates us from the demons and will make a change in your life for the better.  We believe and act upon that belief asking God for forgiveness through repentance.  That true faith will then seek to be obedient to whatever pleases God from that point on.  It is a surrendering of our will, desires and heart to His will.

 

James 2:20-26  But will you know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?  (21)  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  (22)  Do you see how faith worked with his works, and from the works faith was made complete?  (23)  And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."  (24)  You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.  (25)  And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way?  (26)  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

·         James also uses Abraham as an example that faith and works must go hand in hand.  This is not a contradiction to Paul but the two thought complement each other.

·         Paul’s point was that Abraham was justified by his faith, which is true.  His faith however, was a true faith that moved him to actions of obedience.  His works made his faith complete. 

·         James also uses the example of Rahab which also proved his point.  She believed God was in control and acted upon that belief by faith to save the spies that were in her house.  She was risking her life on what she believed to be true. True faith is moved to action.

·         James summarizes his point in saying faith without works is dead.  The two must be present together to be real, but it is our faith that drives our works.

 

We began Romans talking of how God has given us all a free will to choose whether to follow Him or choose not to.  When we truly choose to follow Jesus, there will be a change.  Look at the lives of the apostles.  They were never the same.  Their faith led to their salvation which led to their obedience even unto death.  True faith will lead to a surrendering of your heart and will to His bidding.   It is without a doubt our faith that saves us, but our works will prove it.

 

Heavenly Father, please grant us the understanding, knowledge, and desire to be found pleasing in our faith and our works.