Sermons

James: A Letter from Jesus’ Brother
Saving Faith – James 2:14-19

About fifteen years ago I remember one summer sitting at the beach in Santa Cruz with Jan, and Anna and Brad were playing in the water, and I was reading a book.  And I read something that Billy Graham said that deeply impacted me. 

Billy Graham was quoted as saying that he wondered if, in Gospel-preaching churches, Christ-centered, biblical churches, even half the members of those churches were born again; if even half of them were really saved.

And the reason I thought of that quote this week was because in the next section of James’ letter, it’s clear that he has a similar concern.  Let’s turn to James 2:14.  If you need a Bible, go ahead and raise your hand and we’ll bring one to you.  James 2:14 is on page 1012 in the Bibles we are passing out.

James was a leader of the church in Jerusalem.  And at around the year 42 AD a terrible persecution broke out in Jerusalem, and many followers of Jesus fled with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.  And James is writing this letter to these believers who had fled, who were homeless refugees. 

And so far he’s encouraged them to keep trusting Jesus during this time of trial, he’s urged them to fight off the temptations that come their way, he’s called them to care for the widows and orphans in their midst, and to not be partial towards the rich.

But starting in chapter 2, v.14, he raises an issue that deeply concerns him – a problem that has cropped up in this fellowship of refugees.  So let’s start with that question – what problem is James concerned about?  To answer that, look at v.14 –

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

In v.14 we can see the problem.  The problem is that there’s people who say that they have faith, but they have no works.  Let’s take those one at a time.

First of all, they say that they have faith.  These are not people who deny Jesus Christ.  It’s people who say they have faith in Jesus Christ.  They agree that Jesus is the Son of God.  They agree that he died on the Cross to save them from their sins.  So they say that they have faith.

But at the same time, they have no works.  So what does that mean?  James gives an illustration in vv.15-16 --

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?

So imagine that someone in your home group has been out of work for a while, they are doing all they can to get a job, they are being careful with their money, but they don’t have enough money to buy food.  Now Jesus would call us to give them food, give them money, help them out.  But if all we do is wish them well, then we are not obeying Jesus.  So when James talks about “works,” he’s talking about obeying Jesus.

So the problem James is addressing is people who say they have faith in Jesus, but they do not obey Jesus.  So – would this include any of us?  Now the issue isn’t whether we are obeying Jesus perfectly; James is clear throughout this letter than none of us obeys Jesus perfectly.  But are there areas in our lives where we know what Jesus calls us to do, but we are settling for not obeying Him?

For example, Jesus calls us to read, ponder, study His Word.  So, would any of us say that we have faith in Jesus, while at the same time we settle for not reading, pondering, studying His Word?  If so, then James would be deeply concerned for you.

Another example: Jesus calls us to be devoted to prayer.  So would any of us say that we have faith in Jesus, but we have settled for not being devoted to prayer?  If so, then James would be deeply concerned for you.

Or: Jesus calls us to love our neighbors.  So would any of us say that we have faith in Jesus, but we have settled for not reaching out in love to our neighbors?  If so, then James would be deeply concerned for you.

I could also mention how Jesus has called us to love and forgive each other, to fight against lustful thoughts, to love our wives or husbands, teach our kids about Jesus – the list goes on and on.  So if any of us would say we have faith in Jesus, but we’re settling for not obeying Jesus – then James would be deeply concerned for us.

But why?  Why is James so concerned?  I mean, after all, this person says he has faith in Jesus.  So he’s saved, right?  Look at what James says in v.14.  Read it again –

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

James asks: can that faith save him?  So what’s the answer – yes or no?  The Greek language has a way of asking a question which makes it clear that the answer is “no.”  That’s the form of question James is using here.  So it’s clear that James is saying: “Can that faith save him?  No!”

So that’s the issue.  If you think you have faith in Jesus, but you have areas of your life in which you knowingly are setline for not obeying Him, then your faith will not save you.  And that’s why James is so concerned.  See, James loves the people he’s writing to.  He cares deeply about them.  And I love you, and care about you.  So please take this warning to heart: if you say you have faith in Jesus, but you are knowingly not obeying Jesus, then your faith will not save you.  Which means – unless something changes, you are not saved. 

Now think about what that means.  Because you have rebelled against God, you are guilty before God.  You are guilty before God, and God has been perfectly just to condemn you to eternal wrath, unending punishment in hell.

But God loves to show mercy.  He loves to save people.  So in unbelievable love and compassion, God came to earth in the person of Jesus.  And in dying on the Cross, Jesus was punished for your sin.  And so – because of what Jesus did – the moment you turn and trust Jesus as your Savior, your Lord, your heart-satisfying Treasure – at that moment you are saved.  The punishment for all your sins was already paid – in Jesus.  You are completely forgiven.  And God pours His Spirit out upon you and for the first time you feel His love and are completely satisfied in His presence.  And through the rest of your life here on earth, and into eternity, God will be rejoicing over you to do you good.  That’s what it means to be saved.

But if you say you have faith in Jesus, but are knowingly not obeying Him, then James would – with tears – tell you: you are not saved.  You are not forgiven.  You are still under God’s wrath.  And you will face God’s wrath forever unless something changes.

But why?  Why am I not saved?  Don’t misunderstand what James is saying.  You could think it’s because you aren’t obeying enough to earn salvation.  You could think it’s that your obedience only has reached 75 obedience-points of obedience, but that to be saved you need to reach 100 obedience-points. 

But that’s not what James says.  Look again at v.14 –

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

The problem is not that you aren’t obeying enough to be saved.  The problem is that if your faith lets you settle for disobeying Jesus, then it’s not saving faith.  That faith can’t save you.  The problem is with your faith.

So why can’t that faith save me?  James gives us three reasons in vv.17-19.  First, because if you think you have faith in Jesus, but you have decided not to obey Him, then your faith is dead.  Look at v.17 --

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

So if you have faith, but no works, then your faith is dead.  And dead faith can’t save you.

The second reason is because if you think you have faith in Jesus, but have decided not to obey Him, then your faith is imaginary.  That’s what I think James is saying in v.18.  I say that’s that I think James is saying – because v.18 is a very hard verse to understand.

So here’s my best shot.  James has said that if someone has no works, then he doesn’t have saving faith.  But in v.18 James anticipates someone objecting: “No.  Saving faith and works are two entirely separate, unconnected things.  You can have faith all by itself, and I can have works all by myself.”  That’s the objection in v.18 --

But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works."

So this person says: saving faith and works are two separate, unrelated, unconnected things.  But James disagrees.  Read the rest of v.18 --

Show me your faith apart from your works [you can’t!], and I will show you my faith by my works [because saving faith always results in works].

So what James is saying is that if there’s no works, then faith is imaginary. 

Then in v.19 James says that if you think you have faith in Jesus, but have settled for not obeying Him, then your faith is no different than the demons’ faith.  Look at v.19 –

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!

This is a shocking verse.  James says that even demons believe.  There’s a kind of faith even the demons have. 

What kind of faith do demons have?  It’s just intellectual agreement.  They believe that God is one.  They believe in God’s existence.  But they are not trusting their lives to God.  But since demons are not saved – this kind of believing, this kind of faith, is not saving. 

So James wants us to understand that if we say we have faith in Jesus, but don’t have works, then that faith can’t save us, because that faith is dead, it’s imaginary, it’s no different than the demons’ faith.

So what should we do?  Let’s take the example James gives in vv.15-16.  Maybe someone in your home group has lost his job, and has been working hard at finding work, but is running out of money.  And you know that Jesus calls you to help him, but you knowingly are settling for not obeying Jesus.  It’s not a matter of irresponsibility; you would not be enabling him; but you just don’t want to give anything to him.  What would James tell you to do?

First, understand how serious this is.  Knowingly settling for disobedience to Jesus is terribly serious.  Why?  Because, like James said in v.14, if you think you have faith in Jesus, but you are knowingly settling for disobedience, then that faith won’t save you.  Unless something changes, you won’t be saved.  You won’t be forgiven.  You will face God’s judgment forever.  So start off by understanding how serious this is.

Second, don’t think that works will save you.  Don’t think the problem is that you only have 75 of the 100 points of obedience needed to earn God’s forgiveness.  No.  You can’t do anything to earn God’s forgiveness.  You can’t obey enough to earn God’s forgiveness.  So don’t think works will save you.

Third, understand that you can only be saved by faith in Christ.  Notice again what James says in v.14.  If you say you have faith but have no works, that faith can’t save you.  The only thing that can save you is faith in Jesus Christ – truly trusting Jesus Christ.  Not by agreeing with doctrines, but by trusting all of yourself to all that Jesus promises to be to you.  Trusting all of yourself – your identity, your security, your longings, your future, your finances, your relationships – trusting all of yourself to all that Jesus promises to be to you.

But the fact that you have knowingly settled for disobedience shows that you are not trusting all of yourself to all that Jesus promises to be to you.  So –

Fourth, pray and ask Jesus to give you genuine, saving faith.  Faith is a supernatural gift from God, purchased for you through Jesus’ death on the Cross.  And he will give it to you when you call upon Him and ask Him.  So pray and ask Him. 

Now in Romans 10:17 Paul says that faith comes from hearing God’s Word.  So -- 

Fifth, find relevant promises in God’s Word.  Every command in God’s Word is motivated by a promise somewhere in the immediate context of the passage.  So when we don’t obey Jesus’ commands, it’s because we are not trusting His promises.  So if you are disobeying by not helping your needy brother, you might turn to Luke 6:38 –

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

Here Jesus promises that when you give away your money, God will lavishly take care of all your needs.  That’s been twisted today by some who make it a way to get more money; that’s not Jesus’ point.  Jesus’ point is that when you give money away – He will pour out upon you the heart-satisfaction of His presence, and take care of every other need you have.

But if you’re not giving to your brother – you are not trusting that promise.  So this is where you want to focus your attention.  This is where your faith is deficient.

Then sixth, meditate on that promise until you are fully trusting Jesus.  Think deeply about that promise.  Pray again and ask Jesus to give you genuine faith.  Trust that promise.  Think of Jesus’ power as displayed in Creation; His love as proved on the Cross – and then think of the One who has that power and love promising that as you give to others – He will pour out upon you the joy of His presence – and everything else you need.

Now think about this.  If you really believe that giving to others will bring an outpouring of Jesus’ presence – and everything else you need – what will you do?  You’ll give to others.  You will have works.  And that will show that your faith is genuine, your faith is alive, your faith is saving.

Questions?

If you are settling for disobedience to Jesus, understand how serious your condition is.  And understand that if you will turn to Jesus with all your heart, cry out to Him for help, set your heart on who He is and what He promises, and trust Him – He will change your heart – give you a living faith which produces works -- and you will be saved.