#5: “Dead Faith”
SCRIPTURE: James 2:14-26
1What 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? 21Was 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. 25And 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.
INTRO:
James moves from the royal law of loving your neighbor as yourself to saying, “What
good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” You see, if
you love your neighbor as yourself, you will do good works on his behalf. This is the outcome of
loving your neighbor.
So, first of all,