Message Notes
1) What
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? —James 2:14
“When you have been run over by the grace train of the gospel of Jesus Christ, it changes everything about you, especially the way you live your life.” —Pastor Joby Martin, Run Over by the Grace Train
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? —James 2:14
JAMES IS NOT SAYING YOU NEED WORKS ADDED TO YOUR FAITH TO SAVE YOU.
HE IS SAYING THERE IS A KIND OF FAITH THAT LOOKS LIKE FAITH THAT IS NOT FAITH.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or without clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit you?’
40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will also say to those on the left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels! 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’
44 “Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or without clothes, or sick, or in prison, and not help you?’45 “Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” —Matthew 25:31-46
If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? —James 2:15-16
Jesus answered, “The most important is Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.” —Mark 12:29-31
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16
In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. —James 2:17
THERE IS A KIND OF FAITH THAT LOOKS LIKE FAITH THAT IS NOT FAITH.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. —Matthew 7:21-23
2) But
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. —James 2:18
You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder. —James 2:19
Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?
—James 2:20
3) Want Me to
Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 23 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. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. —James 2:21-24
In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? —James 2:25
4) Final Word: Faith Without Works is
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. —James 2:26
“It is not that the leaves could have made the tree live, but the absence of the leaves is proof that it is dead.” —Charles Spurgeon
Study Guide for Further Reflection
DISCUSS
What does it mean to have faith that is not accompanied by works, according to James 2:14?
Context
James asks, ‘What good is it if someone claims to have faith but does not have works?’ This raises the question of what genuine faith looks like.
Application
Think of a time when you claimed to have faith in something. How did that faith influence your actions or choices?
DISCUSS
James mentions the importance of looking after those in need. What are some practical actions we can take to show our faith through service?
Context
Pastor Dean discusses how faith leads to action and gives the example of helping those who are hungry or in need.
Application
Reflect on your daily life—what is one specific way you could serve someone this week?
DISCUSS
How does Dean’s interpretation of faith and works challenge the common belief that faith alone is enough for salvation?
Context
Pastor Dean states that there is a kind of faith that looks like faith but is not faith, emphasizing the need for works as evidence of genuine faith.
Application
Do you believe your actions reflect your faith? How can you make sure that your faith is active and not just something you talk about?