14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 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. 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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe–and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 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. 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? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. —James 2:14-26

The danger that the modern church faces is that it is easily satisfied with a

I. The emptiness of claimed faith 2:14-20

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 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. 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. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe–and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? —James 2:14-20

• A. Empty confession 2:14
• B. Empty compassion 2:15-17
  
  1. It takes no action
  2. Its deadness is revealed by its fruitless character
• C. Empty conviction 2:18-20
  
  1. The challenge to prove faith apart from works 2:18
  2. The illustration of the demonic belief 2:19-20
     

When faith is just a

II. Demonstration of true faith 2:21-26

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. 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? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. —James 2:21-26

• A. Demonstrated by Abraham 2:21-24
  
  1. Abraham’s faith, which was accounted for righteousness, prompted him to offer Isaac 2:21
  2. The offering of Isaac brought to full development of Abraham’s faith 2:22-23
  3. Abraham’s genuine faith activated his works 2:24
• B. Demonstrated by Rahab 2:25
  
  1. Rahab was declared righteous by her works
  2. Rahab’s faith activated her righteous works
• C. Illustrated by our bodies 2:26
  
  1. The body without physical breath is dead
  2. Faith without works is equally dead
     

Our world may be able to

Small Group Questions

1. What did God teach you through this passage and sermon? Share the work of God in your heart with the group.

2. What questions did this passage and sermon raise in your mind? This would be a great opportunity as a group to use the Ask a Pastor feature and that way we can address it either directly or in the messages in the future.

3. What some common examples used to show that the church is full of hypocrites?

4. What does it mean to be a disciple being transformed by the Gospel in our day and age?

5. How can you, your small group, our church be more intentional about showing the transformation of our lives to a lost and dying world?