"THE EPISTLE OF JAMES"
Three Kinds Of Faith (2:14-26)
INTRODUCTION
- Faith is certainly an essential element in the Christian life:
- Without faith, it is impossible to please God - He 11:6
- The Christian is saved by faith - Ep 2:8
- The Christian is to walk (live) by faith - 2Co 5:7
- Whatever we do apart from faith is described as sin - Ro 14:23
- It is important to realize, however, that there are different kinds
of faith, but only one that is truly "saving faith"
- In James 2:14-26, we find James discussing the different kinds of
faith, with an emphasis upon that faith which works to the saving of
the soul
[Beginning with verses 14-17, we notice the first kind of faith. We
might call this kind of faith...]
- DEAD FAITH (14-17)
- THIS KIND OF FAITH...
- Substitutes words for deeds (consider James' example)
- People with this kind of faith:
- Know the correct vocabulary for prayer and sound doctrine
- Can even quote the right verses from the Bible
- But their "walk" does not measure up to their "talk"!
- Is only an INTELLECTUAL faith
- In one's mind, he or she knows the doctrine of salvation
- But they have never really submitted themselves to God and
trusted in Jesus for salvation
- They know the right "words", but they do not back up their
words with their "works"!
- CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?
- NO! Three times in this passage, James emphasizes that "faith
without works is dead" - Jm 2:17,20,26
- Any declaration of faith that does not result in a changed life
and good works is a false declaration: A DEAD FAITH!
- Dead faith is counterfeit faith and lulls the person into a
false confidence of eternal life
- DO WE HAVE THIS KIND OF FAITH?
- We do, if our WALK does not measure up to our TALK!
- We do, if our WORKS do not measure up to our WORDS!
[We need to beware of mere intellectual faith. As Warren Wiersbe said,
"No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same, anymore than
he came into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same."
(compare this to 1Jn 5:12)
The next kind of faith is found discussed in verses 18-19...]
- DEMONIC FAITH (18,19)
- PERHAPS TO SHOCK ANY COMPLACENT READERS, JAMES REMINDS US THAT
EVEN "DEMONS" HAVE A KIND OF FAITH!
- They believe in God (no atheists or agnostics here!)
- They even believe in the deity of Christ - cf. Mk 3:11-12
- They also believe in the existence of a place of condemnation
- cf. Lk 8:31
- And they believe Jesus will be the Judge! - Mt 8:28-29
- WHAT KIND OF FAITH DO "DEMONS" HAVE?
- We saw that the man with "dead faith" was "touched only in his
intellect"
- The demons are "touched also in their emotions" (note that they
"believe and tremble")
- This is one step above a "dead faith" - it involves both
INTELLECT and EMOTIONS
- CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?
- NO! A person can be enlightened in his mind and even stirred
in his heart and still be lost forever!
- True saving faith involves something more, something that can
be seen and recognized: a changed life! (cf. Jm 2:18)
- Being a Christian involves trusting Christ and living for
Christ!
- You first RECEIVE the life...
- Then you REVEAL the life!
- DO WE HAVE THIS KIND OF FAITH?
- We do, if we just BELIEVE the right things and FEEL the right
things
- We do, if our service to God does not go beyond...
- Intellectually adhering to the right doctrines
- Emotional experiences while attending services
[Thus, James has introduced us to two kinds of faith that can NEVER
save: DEAD faith (involving the intellect alone), and DEMONIC faith
(involving the intellect and the emotions, but stopping there).
He closes this section by describing in verses 20-26 the only kind of
faith that can save...]
- DYNAMIC FAITH (20-26)
- WHAT KIND OF FAITH IS THIS?
- We know from other passages that such faith is based upon the
Word of God - cf. Ro 10:17
- Dynamic faith involves the WHOLE MAN
- DEAD faith touches only the intellect
- DEMONIC faith involves both the mind and the emotions
- DYNAMIC faith involves the intellect, the emotions, AND the
WILL!
- The MIND understands the truth
- The HEART desires and rejoices in the truth
- The WILL acts upon the truth
- True, saving faith, then, LEADS TO ACTION
- It is not intellectual contemplation
- It is not emotionalism
- It is that which leads to obedience in doing good works
- TO ILLUSTRATE, JAMES REFERS TO TWO WELL-KNOW PERSONS IN THE
BIBLE: ABRAHAM & RAHAB
- You could not find two more different persons!
- Abraham was the father of the Jews; Rahab was a Gentile!
- Abraham was a godly man; Rahab had been a sinful woman, a
harlot!
- Abraham was the friend of God; Rahab had belonged to the
enemies of God!
- What did they have in common? Both exercised saving faith in
God!
- Abraham demonstrated his saving faith by his works - 20-24
- Rahab demonstrated her saving faith by her works - 25-26
- We learn from this passage that:
- Faith without works is a DEAD faith - 20,26
- That "faith only" (the only time this phrase is found in the
Scriptures) cannot justify one - 24
- That PERFECT faith necessitates works - 22
CONCLUSION
- It is important that each professing Christian examine his or her own
heart and life, and make sure that they possess true saving faith,
which is a dynamic faith
- Satan is the great deceiver; one of his devices is imitation
- If he can convince a person that counterfeit faith is true
faith...
- ...then he has that person in his power!
- Here are some questions we can ask ourselves as we examine our faith:
- Was there a time when I honestly realized I was a sinner and admitted
this to myself and to God?
- Was there a time when my heart stirred me to flee from the wrath to
come? Have I ever been seriously worked up over my sins?
- Do I truly understand the gospel, that Christ died for MY sins and
then rose again? Do I understand and confess that I cannot save
myself?
- Did I sincerely repent of my sins, making the decision to turn from
them? Do I now hate sin and fear God? Or do I secretly love sin
and want to enjoy it?
- Have I trusted Christ and Him alone for my salvation by responding
to the commands He has given? Have I confessed my faith in Christ
and then been baptized for the remission of my sins as He and His
apostles commanded?
- Has there been a change in my life? Do I maintain good works, or
are my good works occasional and weak? Do I seek to grow in the
things of the Lord? Can others tell that I have been with Jesus?
- Do I have a desire to share Christ with others? Or am I ashamed
of Him?
- Do I enjoy the fellowship of God's people? Is worship a delight to
me?
- Am I ready for the Lord's return? Or will I be ashamed when He
comes for me?
- To be sure, not every Christian has the same degree of faith; those
who have had more time to grow should be stronger in faith
- But for the most part, the spiritual inventory can assist a person
in determining his or her true standing before God
May our prayer be similar to that of the Psalmist's:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
try me and know my anxieties;
"And see if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting." -- Psalms 139:23-24
Note: Much of the material for this outline was adapted heavily
from
The Bible Exposition Commentary, Volume 2, by Warren W. Wiersbe,
pages 353-357.