GIST: False faith offers empty hope, but true faith works.
SCRIPTURE: James 2:14-26
In our current environment, our faith is being tested in a way we probably never even imagined. As our daily lives carry Hollywood-like suspense and our normal routines are sidelined by an incredibly infectious illness, how is our faith fairing? I’ve spoken to and heard from a lot of scared and hopeless people over the past few weeks. What we need right now isn’t going to come from the government doing or not doing what we think it should. What this world needs is the peace that comes only from knowing the overcomer!
This morning we’re coming to one of the most recognizable passages in James, James 2:14-26, where the argument that faith without works is dead is really hammered home. And I want to express it like that very intentionally because this concept didn’t come out of the blue. This is one of the major points James has been expounding throughout this entire letter so far: there is real faith and there is false faith and only the real stuff makes any kind of difference. Now, he just lays that out in very clear terms. Let’s just read verse 14 in opening this morning. Then, we’ll walk through the rest of the chapter.
“14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”
This passage is so powerful and so relevant to us today. In a time when faith is needed and even being sought in more profound ways than we’ve seen in recent history, do we have the real stuff? Here’s the gist: False faith offers empty hope, but true faith works.
I. FALSE FAITH OFFERS EMPTY HOPE
This passage starts with a very somber and serious admonition, and I don’t want us to miss it. Look again at verse 14. “14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” That’s a rhetorical question. The implied answer is no. No, faith that does nothing in your actual life cannot and will not save you. Therefore, clinging to this false faith is actually→
Self-Condemning. See, real faith is the transformative gift of Jesus that comes when you surrender your whole life to Him! I want to clarify that because we live in a country where many people claim to be Christians, followers of Jesus, but that claim has made zero difference in their lives. They’re “Christians” because they were raised to think that was the appropriate response to the spirituality question, but they’re not living for Jesus. It’s heartbreaking because so many people in our community have deceived themselves. They think they’re “good with God” even though they are living every moment for themselves. This kind of faith, which is not faith at all, makes no difference in your life now or for eternity. It brings no hope. It produces no joy. It results in no salvation. Are you claiming Jesus’ name right now in the midst of this crisis but experiencing no assurance? Have you ever come to know Him for real? Have you ever come to the point where Christianity was more than just words on your lips? Have you seen the depth of your need, the depravity of your sin, and cried out for Jesus to rescue you and then take over? Because if you’ve been steering your own ship in the calm, you’re still the one trying to steer it in this storm, only now you’re realizing how little control you actually had.
I know this is still the very first point, but I don’t know how long I’ll have you, so I want to make sure you hear this. You need Jesus to be your real Savior. If you believe in Him and give Him control of your life, you will be saved, and He will rescue you from your sin and begin changing everything about who you are inside!
See, false faith is self-condemning. It’s also→
Selfish. This first example he gives has always stuck with me and hit me in the teeth. “15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Ouch. False faith makes no difference in the lives around you. If you see a need and can meet that need, but just tell that person…”well, I hope you get better”, what good does that do? None. And James really hits this hard, because in this example, he says the person in need is a brother or sister, a member of their community, and they are still being neglected. Guys, do we do this? Do we see needs and then just tell people, “I’ll pray for you”? That has been so convicting to me over the years. I hope it hits hard for you too, because we need spurred, and this is a very spurring passage.
See, false faith fails to function. We were saved on purpose and with a purpose. We’re supposed to be showing Jesus to the world. Ephesians 2:8-9 is one of the most famous passages on the nature of salvation. It says “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” It’s a reminder that our salvation has everything to do with His provision and His working in our hearts and not us doing anything to earn it. Sometimes though, we forget that this passage doesn’t end in verse 9. Verse 10 goes on to tell us, “10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Our faith was never meant to exist in isolation. It was meant to shine the love of Jesus to the world! I could keep going, but that’s actually what he develops for the rest of this chapter as he makes the case that→
II. TRUE FAITH WORKS
That was meant as a little play on words there ☺️. (Because… it actually does work...and it actually causes you to do...works ☺️). In this next section, James→
Anticipates Objections. Look at verse 18, “18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” He starts by making this claim. If you think faith and works can be separated you need to understand that works are the evidence of your faith. Just doing stuff isn’t enough, and just having an intellectual understanding isn’t enough. There needs to be life-changing belief that results from a personal relationship with Jesus.
Look at how he counters just assenting to the truth of Jesus in verse 19. James is getting heated here. Why? Because this is incredibly serious, and he doesn’t want his readers to miss it. “19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” What!? But it’s true. Demons have great theology. They believe because they know the truth, but they don’t act on it. In fact, though they believe, they choose to reject Jesus’ call on their lives anyway. Does that touch home for any of us? Do we know the truth of Jesus but choose to do our own thing? Well, we’re on equal footing with the demons! Which we don’t want, right?
So, then, James lays out some→
Examples Of This Working. He actually starts by telling us that’s what’s coming...in some pretty strong words. “20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” In two verses, he has just warned his readers not to be demonic fools. I’d say he’s getting his point across!
The first example he provides is the gold standard for this original audience, Abraham the father of the faith. Look at the case he makes. “21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Here’s the deal. Abraham was justified, declared righteous, because of his faith. His works were then evidence of that life transformation. He was willing to give up everything for God, even when it didn’t make any sense to him, even when it could have cost him his beloved son. That’s faith. That’s real. It’s been put this way, and I’ve always found this phrase helpful. We are justified by faith alone but not a faith that is alone. These actions didn’t save him, but they legitimized his faith. They showed his faith to be true. True faith will change you in a way that results in you giving your life wholeheartedly over to serving Jesus and loving those around you like He would.
After throwing out the heavyweight example, James ends with a very different person. “25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?” Rahab wasn’t an Israelite. She wasn’t even a morally upright pagan. She was a lost prostitute, but grace took over. Because that’s how faith works, right? It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done. Jesus comes into your life and changes everything! These are two completely different individuals who experienced exactly the same condition — faith working in their lives.
So here are our→
TAKEAWAYS
The last verse in chapter two hammers home this point. “26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” Not sick. Not weak. Not fading. Dead. So let’s chew on this.
1. Dead faith cannot save you. If you’re clinging to empty claims today, if you have an empty faith, come to Jesus for real! He loves you. He died for you. He rose to give you life, and a life that is meant to be vibrantly lived for Him. Lay down your burdens and your control and receive His transformative gift of faith.
2. If you lack compassion and a desire to serve Jesus, examine the pulse of your faith. This extends far beyond just typical Christians ministries. I don’t want you to hear this and say, “Well, that’s easy for you. You’re a pastor. Am I supposed to get into the ministry for my faith to be real?” Absolutely not! In fact, that’s kind of where James goes right after this point. Living out your faith should be what happens in all walks of life. Every position and condition (even living in times of social distancing) is a ministry. In fact, I pray that my faith is just as evident as a public school teacher as it is as a local pastor.
Times are uncertain. Real faith provides the rock on which we can stand. Are you standing on Him today?
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