Faith Works!

 FAITH WORKS!

James 2:14-26

Introduction: Martin Luther, one of the fathers of the protestant reformation, perceived such a tension between Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith alone and James’ treatment of the necessity of works to demonstrate the reality of our faith, that for a time he called it “an epistle of straw” and argued that James should be excluded from the New Testament! Over time, however, orthodox Christianity has recognized that the so-called conflict between James and Paul is no conflict at all.  Calvin rightly said, “Faith alone justifies, but the faith that justifies is not alone.” 

     The key to understanding what Paul and James, two pastors and theologians of the early church, are saying is to recognize an important principle of interpretation: The letters of the New Testament are in fact letters, they were written at particular moments in the history of the early church to a specific audience to address problems that were being faced in those churches.  Paul, a converted Pharisee, was writing in many cases to confront a tendency towards legalism and the idea that certain external actions were necessary for someone to come to God. His answer was no, we are saved by grace through faith alone, we can do nothing to add to or complete our justification (by which Paul means our legal standing before God, we are declared righteous because of Jesus). That message was necessary to counteract a group that originated in the Jerusalem church that we refer to as “judaizers.” They were arguing that certain works of the Law such as circumcision were necessary in addition to authentic faith in order to be saved. Paul said “no”, we are declared righteous through faith alone. It seems as though the Jewish believers of the diaspora to whom James was writing may have swung the pendulum too far in the opposite direction, making it sound like all someone had to do was say they believed and they were surely redeemed. James is saying no, genuine saving faith will show itself by changing the conduct and life of the true believer.  We are not saved by faith plus works, but rather by grace through faith unto good works. Therefore “Paul and James are not toe-to-toe fighting with each other, but are standing back-to-back defending the Gospel against attackers coming from different directions” (Dr. John MacArthur).

     We have all encountered those who will affirm much of what we say about God when it is evident that they are not born again believers. In fact most people, if you ask them, “Do you believe in God?” will respond “Of course I do!” But not every kind of “faith” is genuine saving faith. Remember that James’ thesis so far seems to be that authentic faith, saving faith, is something that can be seen in a life that is changed: it shows itself by rejoicing in the Lord even in the midst of trials knowing that God is working for our good and for His glory. It is apparent in that rather than blaming God for the temptations we struggle with it looks to Him for strength to overcome. It eagerly hears the Word and is committed to receiving it and obeying what it says. It doesn’t “pre-judge” people based on mere externals, but values all equally and reflects the heart of God in desiring all to come to repentance and faith. This paragraph addresses the fundamental idea that undergirds all of these issues: Genuine faith involves the head, the heart and the hands. Simply put…

The Big Idea: True saving faith will show itself by good works.

I. First of all, we see that authentic faith will show itself by actions (2:14-17).

The passage begins in 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 wording here is crucial. James doesn’t introduce this subject by saying “What if someone believes and doesn’t have works…” Rather, he asks “What good is it if someone says he has faith…” This is their claim, but it is a mere empty profession, it is clearly not saving faith. Some of the English translations get at the idea, “Can that faith save him?” or “Can such a faith save him?” Most unsaved people that I have talked with have the opposite tendency to base any hope of heaven on good works. When we talk about salvation by grace through faith it is not uncommon for some confusion to arise: “You mean all I have to do is say I believe and I am saved?”  The answer to that question must be “NO!” That is not the gospel. It’s not that we have to simply “say” we believe. We have to actually believe, recognizing who Jesus is, and trusting in what he did for us in his death and resurrection. That kind of faith, through God’s amazing grace, will result in a transformed life. Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-10  “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Salvation by grace through faith alone is unto good works. Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone!

James next gets specific with a hypothetical illustration in v.15,16, “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?” The example here is telling. First he refers to a needy “brother or sister.” The use of both the masculine and feminine is unusual since “brethren” in Greek is inclusive of both. It may be that there were more women, especially widows, that were needy and perhaps still being overlooked, and James wanted to highlight that need. Notice the shallow response: “Go in peace, be warmed and filled.” See a need and say, “I wish you well.” Maybe even, “I’ll pray for you.” But then turn your back and go your way. That is not a response of faith.  James’ point, it seems, is that such a response is empty, its useless, it does not make a difference to the person in need and it does not demonstrate anything real in the shallow “well wisher”.  

The language in v.17 is direct: “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” That kind of faith, that never makes a difference in our life is “dead faith.” It is devoid of life. It is like the Pharisees who Jesus called “white-washed tombs full of dead men’s bones.” True saving faith will show itself by good works.

II. Saving faith is more than affirming right doctrine (2:18,19). 

  Faith that saves shows itself in our actions- “But someone will say, "You [some in the churches to whom James is writing] have faith and I [James] have works." [But I say] Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (v.18). To claim to believe is one thing, but James says that genuine saving faith involves the head and the heart, and will inevitably motivate our hands and our feet.

  It is more than mere intellectual assent to doctrinal truths- “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe- and shudder!” (v.19).  James is alluding to the Shema, the great declaration of faith of Judaism in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one [or, “The Lord is our God, the Lord alone!].” Great, you are a monotheist and affirm that the one true God exists? Wonderful! [I think there is a little sarcasm here!] Even the demons believe that, and they tremble!  This is an intellectual assent to certain theological truths. The devil himself knows who God is, he understands the deity of Christ and his substitutionary atonement, and he has no question about his resurrection from the dead. We have all kinds of evidence in the Bible of demons having right doctrine…

They had right Christology. While the Jews were trying to figure out who Jesus was, we read in Mark 3:11 “And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." Likewise in Luke 4:41 “And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.” They affirmed the deity of Jesus! 

     They also had an understanding of eschatology, at least that a day of judgment was coming. We read in Matthew 8:29 “And behold, they cried out, ‘What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?’"

     All of that knowledge of truth is not “Saving faith.” In fact those truths cause Satan to tremble. Only genuine believers not only affirm the truth, but rest in the truth, put their hope in the truth.   And so true saving faith will show itself by good works.

III. Genuine faith will show itself by our works: Two examples of faith revealed through works (2:20-26). “Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” (v.20). 

First, Abraham (James 2:21-24; see Gen 22:1-12). ^“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.” Everyone loves Abraham! Both Paul and James (as well as the writer of Hebrews) used him as an example of authentic faith. Interestingly, Paul used him as an example of salvation by grace through faith alone, and James used him to prove that true faith, authentic trust in Christ “works.” There is no disagreement however. You see Abraham “believed God” in Genesis 15. He took Him at His word. But in Genesis 22 he was put to an awful test, and he acted on the basis of his faith. His faith was vindicated, and so in that sense he was “justified” by works.

  The next example is about as different as you could imagine, Rahab (James 2:25,26; see Joshua 2:9-12).   V.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?” It is interesting that James mentions not only Rahab, but her profession: “Rahab the prostitute.” This is typical of the Bible. Heroes of faith are presented as fallen humans with all of their problems and weaknesses. The point is that she trusted God, put her hope in Him, and was saved. She demonstrated her faith by protecting the spys. 

Side point: Do you feel you are too far from God for there to be any hope?  Does the enemy whisper in your ear that you have gone too far, that there is no hope for a sinner like you? The truth is, there is no other hope. David himself was an adulterer and a murderer and he repented and is now known as “a man after God’s own heart.” That is grace. God’s unmerited favor. The point James is making: Rahab believed the God who is, she believed that He would deliver those who trust in Him. And she acted on the basis of that faith.

That brings us to the last verse in James 2, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” Stated positively: “FAITH WORKS!” Living faith will be accompanied by a transformed life.

What is God saying to me in this passage?  Jesus warned “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” That seems to imply that some people may be deceiving themselves about whether or not they really belong to Him. Authentic faith, saving faith, works. It works because it believes who Jesus is, and trusts in Him as our only hope of salvation. Then He changes us from the inside out. True saving faith will show itself by good works. Remember Paul in Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God. Not as the result of works, that no man may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, unto good works which God before ordained that we should walk in them.”

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? I think there has to come moments in the life of every believer that we pause and examine our hearts and consider the “evidence” that God is working in us. It is not up to me to examine the fruit in your life, but each of us should at least once in a while “take inventory.” Have you believed in Him? Is your life different since you first believed? I don’t think the point is to start doing so we can have assurance. I think the point is to seek God, to confess our need to Him, to long for His presence and to desire his glory. To realize we are lost and helpless and can do nothing to save ourselves. To trust in Him whole heartedly and to affirm that He is Lord of my life. I have decided to follow Jesus. We are not called to be converts, we are called to be Christ followers, disciples.  If we cast all of our hope on Him, He will receive us, and He will initiate a process of transforming us. FAITH WORKS.  Trust Him, and see!              AMEN.

Discrimination in the church?

Rich Man, Poor Man?

James 2:1-13

Introduction:  It has been said that the most segregated hour in American society is the Sunday morning worship service.  Perhaps the most obvious kind of segregation is racial.  That seems odd when we consider the diversity that we’ll experience in Heaven as people from every race and nation gather around His throne in worship. Rev 5:9-10 says “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  ¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth." That beautiful harmony will be ours to experience with the Lord for eternity, yet so often we tend to prefer being with people that are just like us.  There are other areas as well where something we see in others causes us to discriminate against one in favor of another.  Most of the areas in which we tend to discriminate are merely external factors, like how we dress, our income, our cultural background, our profession or our education. Let’s face it, in Maine it sometimes makes a difference if you are from here, or “from away.” If it affects the way we treat people, even that can become a problem. How can this be? Prejudice may be part of our fallen human nature, but we will see in this passage that it is clearly still sin and so inconsistent with our new life in Christ.

 Remember that James has been painting a picture for us, showing us what healthy, mature Christianity should look like. These are the kinds of things that should characterize authentic faith in Christ in the first chapter.

   1) First we saw that our response to the crises in life not only reveals maturity but is part of the process God will use in maturing us: James 1:2-3 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” We don’t rejoice because of trials, but we are not surprised by them, and we trust that God will work in every situation for our good and for His glory, so we can rejoice in the Lord always.

   2) Secondly, a mature believer doesn’t blame God or anyone else for the temptations to sin that he faces. On the contrary we know that we are responsible for how we handle temptations, as we read in James 1:14  “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire…” Rather than blaming God we are confident that He is good and that He always acts in a way that is consistent with His nature.  “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone” (James 1:13).  Rather, James 1:17 says  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning…” In our Wednesday night prayer meeting we’ve seen in the psalms the frequent use of the word tov, “good,” or “good things,” to reflect the blessings we receive in being in a covenantal relationship with Yahweh, the Lord God. He doesn’t change.

   3) We saw next in the first chapter that a mature believer receives the Word of God, hearing with faith, ready to take God at His Word and do what He asks: James says in 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”  Remember the words of Nate Saint: “Obedience is not a momentary option, it is a die cast decision made beforehand.”  As the song writer said, “Trust and Obey, there is no other way…” Believers believe, and they make choices that show they believe. 

     Here in James 2 we are given one more indication of healthy faith, one more truth that will reveal that our heart is being conformed to God’s…

The Big Idea: There is no room for prejudice in the church.  Believers should consistently reflect the grace and mercy of God to all.

I. Discrimination has no place in the Church of Jesus Christ (2:1-4). 

          The Principle: Do not show favoritism (v.1)! “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” The language here is grammatically an imperative. It is not a suggestion, it is a command, or better, a prohibition: this is something that you should not do. The statement in v.4 makes it clear that they have been guilty of prejudice, “…have you not made distinctions among yourselves…”  The truth is, we tend to do this all the time and for all kinds of external reasons. Financial status, ethnicity, cultural background, where they come from… We tend to categorize people and “pre-judge” them, and it will affect how we treat them.

A guy drives into the parking lot in his BMW and walks in wearing a tailored Armani suit, we will undoubtedly take notice. Not only that but he is carrying a Bible, and it’s even the right translation!  We will probably do our best to make him feel welcome, maybe even see if he has lunch plans. A homeless person comes in, dirty, unwashed clothes, more than a little musty, we’d most likely find a place for him. We might even give him a few dollars to get a sandwich at Bet’s, but would we invite him out to lunch, or into our home? That’s the kind of example that James uses here. Why do we favor one over the other? Are they not both created in God’s image, and in need of His grace?

         The Example: The tendency to favor the rich over the poor (2:2-4). ² For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,  ³ and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "You sit here in a good place," while you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit down at my feet,"  ⁴ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” Do you see the picture James is painting?  He describes the rich man as a “gold fingered man.” Rings were common enough in the ancient near east, but gold rings were not for the common folk, they were for the rich. The language here may imply multiple rings on his fingers. He walks into the assembly, and he receives a warm welcome and is given the best seat, a place of honor.  There is nothing wrong with that. There is no sin in receiving him, in making him feel welcome. It’s good to be welcoming to everyone!  But in James’ example, then a poor man comes in, a beggar, a homeless guy that we are a little repulsed by or a little afraid of, what do we do? We may make an effort to be accepting, hand him a bulletin, shake his hand. But we probably wouldn’t change our plans to make him feel accepted.

        Notice the circumstance that should guide our impartiality: “…do not hold to faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with partiality. [Then v.2 starts] For…” This is the reason this kind of behavior is inappropriate for Christ followers. James points to Jesus. This is language similar to what we saw in John 1, “We beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten Son, full of grace and truth...” Jesus is the Lord of glory: He is God, and it is because of His grace that we know Him, we have no room for boasting!  God is more interested in the heart than anything external. You recall that even the prophet Samuel had issues with that when he was sent to Jesse to anoint the next king of Israel from among his sons: We read in 1 Samuel 16:7, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” There is no room for prejudice in the church.  Believers should consistently reflect the grace and mercy of God to all.

II. Be more like Jesus: If He is interested in the poor shouldn’t we be also (2:5-7)? Jesus said in Matthew 10:25, “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.” James appeals tenderly to his brothers in the flesh (who are also brothers in the faith), “Listen my beloved brethren…” 

        First of all, God has consistently chosen the poor (2:5-6a). We give preferential treatment to people of means, or people with the right education or in the right profession, even though we read in 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  ²⁷ But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸ God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, ²⁹ so that no human being might boast in the presence of God…"

     Here, in 2:5,6 James turns to the electing grace of God which is so frequently extended to the poor:  “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?  ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor man.” We need to see like Jesus sees!

          Secondly, who is it that historically has given the church more problems? It’s the rich and powerful that have consistently worked against the church (2:6b-7). James writes, “Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?  ⁷ Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?”  The reply understood to these questions is “yes.” Listen, it is obvious that not all poor people come to faith and not all rich people persecute the church. We see some people of means following God in the Bible. In the Old Testament Abraham was exceedingly wealthy yet he was called by God and led into a deepening faith. In the New Testament we see people like Joseph of Arimethea, obviously a man of means, providing costly spices and a tomb for the burial of Jesus. He had to have some money.  But Jesus did say it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom. Money is neither good nor bad, but the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Remember the rich man and Lazarus in the parable Jesus told? Over the ages, the vast majority of those who have believed are surely the poor. Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the needy multitudes. There is simply no room for prejudice in the church.  Believers should consistently reflect the grace and mercy of God to all.

III. Be compassionate to all: Partiality and Prejudice violate the principle of loving our neighbor, and so brands us as law-breakers (2:8-11). “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.  ⁹ But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it...”

          Loving our neighbors as ourselves means loving all of our neighbors, not only those that look like us or dress like us or frequent the same circles that we do.  If you have any doubt about that, recall the story Jesus told when asked “Who is my neighbor?”  He spoke of a “good Samaritan” who, unlike the priest or Levite, stopped to help the guy on the side of the road (See Luke 10:25ff.).  To get the full impact of that story we have to consider how the Jews of Jesus day felt about Samaritans: they were despised, shunned, considered “heretics” and half-breeds. It would be hard to find a good equivalent that Jesus might use if he was telling that story to us today. Maybe the Baptist pastor and the deacon feign they don’t see the man and pass quickly by, but a kind Jehovah’s Witness stops to help. Which was a neighbor to him?

          The point that James goes on to make here is that if you show partiality rather than love you are a “law breaker,” i.e. a sinner. He is not sugar coating it he is saying it plainly: you are a sinner, a transgressor, and guilty before God. Some human institutions have tough standards. For example, the honor code for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point says “A cadet does not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate anyone who does.” This honor code is so stringent that even one violation at any time during the four years of study, including even the day before graduation, requires automatic expulsion of the guilty party. That is tough! Zero tolerance, you are either guilty and disqualified or not. No gray, no fudging. The same is true of Gods law: offend in one point, and you are as guilty as if you had broken them all.

We could illustrate the same idea by considering a ship that is anchored at port with an anchor that has 613 links in the chain, representing the 613 commands in the mosaic law. If only one link breaks, the ship will be set adrift, so the 612 links that held count for nothing if just one is broken. If you keep the whole Law, yet offend in one point, you are guilty of all.  It’s like as if you had fallen over a high cliff and were clinging to a chain for dear life. How many of those links would need to break before you would plummet to your death? We tend to think of the commandments of God as strands in rope instead. We think, “What difference will one or two make?”  God’s standard is perfection, which means we all desperately need GRACE. If we need grace, we should extend grace to others.   There is no room for prejudice in the church.  Believers should consistently reflect the grace and mercy of God to all.

IV. Our words, actions, and attitudes should reflect the grace we have received (2:12,13). As one needing grace and mercy we should be gracious and merciful.

          “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.”  Theology is always intended to be practical, it should make a difference in how we live and the choices we make.  “So speak and so act…” that is, our words and our actions reflect not our prejudices, but rather the Gospel that transcends social, economic, or cultural boundaries. The ground is level at the cross!

          “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”  Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

What is God saying to me in this passage?  There is no room for prejudice in the church.  Believers should consistently reflect the grace and mercy of God to all. If we want God’s favor we can’t show favoritism: We choose to extend His grace to the world.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Our church motto is that we are a “Lighthouse of God’s grace and truth.” Do you agree with that? A lighthouse is not selective about the boats it will guide to safe harbor.  It shines the Light to all around it who desperately need to know the way. Our vision statement says that “We envision a community of Christ followers rooted in the Word, treasuring God as supremely valuable, and proclaiming the riches of His grace to the world.” That seems to imply a God-centered family of believers, saved by grace, pointing all around us to Him. All are equally lost. All are equally in need of His grace. That’s our mission, “To know God, and make Him known.”  There is no room for prejudice in that mission. We are called to consistently reflect His mercy and grace to the world.  Giving a tract, befriending a neighbor, inviting an acquaintance to your home, or to your small group or to a church service. We’ve asked in the past that you begin to develop a list of people you know or see that you would begin to pray for and show Christ to. Is there someone on your list that is “different,” maybe someone from “away” or someone that is of a different ethnic background?  May it be our prayer that we would see people as  God sees them. May our unfeigned love be so real, that they would be drawn to Him.                           AMEN.

Authentic Faith: Hearing and Obeying the Word

Are You Listening?

James 1:19-27

Introduction: I enjoy working in the garden (“working” may be too strong a word!), but by the looks of things I am not necessarily very good at it! Yes the zucchini are going crazy, but the tomatoes are not looking too healthy, and not even a single eggplant has been harvested to date! With all the rain we have had the weeds are doing quite well however! We can all envision what a healthy, growing garden might look like. But what does a healthy, growing Christian look like? One thing that James is doing in this letter is giving us a “word picture” of that precise truth.  He first asks how does one respond to trials (1:1-12)?  The authentic believer, a genuine Christ follower, is growing through the trials encountered in life. Then James asks how are we responding to temptations (1:12-18)? Do we pass the buck, or do we face temptations by remembering the Lord and looking to Him for strength?  In today’s passage James continues his description of authentic faith by asking “how do we respond to the Word?”  Today we’ll see the importance of listening to God and desiring to obey Him.  Listen: the God who is, the Creator and sustainer of the universe, has spoken. He inspired human writers to put pen to paper (or papyrus!) and to write down exactly what He knew that we needed for faith and practice. But “listening” is not merely allowing the sound waves to reach your eardrums and reverberate a little! Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me…” “Listening” is not merely hearing words, but hearing with faith, receiving the Word as God’s Word, and already asking God how He would have you respond. Remember the famous quote from Nate Saint who said his life didn’t change until he came to grips with the fact that obedience is not a momentary option. It is a die-cast decision made beforehand. That is normal, healthy, Christianity. As the hymn writer said: “Trust and obey, there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey…”

The Big Idea: Authentic faith is marked by a desire to hear and obey the Word of God.

I. If we genuinely believe we will have a heart to receive the Word (1:19-21).

          “Knowing this…” (James 1:19). In view of God’s gracious work in our lives as outlined in v.18, considering His sovereign hand guiding us through times of testing to mature our faith, how should we therefore live? James begins by stating three attitudes or characteristics that we should pursue that focus on the idea of receiving the Word with an attitude of submission. Remember this plays off v.18, “Knowing this [v.18] do this…” Be…

     1. “…swift to hear…” (v.19). Rather than reluctantly receiving the Word, we want to hear the truth, we long for the pure milk of the Word that we might grow from it.  Paul described the effectiveness of the Word in us, God’s purpose in giving us His revelation, when he said in 2 Timothy 3:16-17,  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” God gave us what we need in this book to know Him, and to walk with Him through the darkness of this world, not only existing, but living abundantly and effectively carrying out His mission. We should be “…swift to hear…” His life giving Word, and…

     2. “…slow to speak…”  Proverbs 29:20 says, “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Rather than arrogantly asserting “what we think” we should receive the word, eagerly, already willing to bend our ideas and our will to what it says. In Rom 9:20 Paul asked as he taught about the sovereignty of God, “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?” In the context of hearing and receiving the Word of God I think being “slow to speak” means actively listening, receiving what the Word says, without at the same time formulating in our mind “what we think” it really means (or what we think it should mean!). John MacArthur related the story of a young man who went to a famous Greek orator and asked him to teach him the art of public speaking. The prospective student rambled on and on, not letting the teacher get a word in edgewise. When they finally got to the point of discussing the fee the teacher said “I will have to charge you a double fee.”  When asked why the teacher replied “I will have to teach you two skills, first, how to hold your tongue, second, how to use it.”  

     3. “…slow to wrath…” Odds are someone hearing this is getting angry right now. Don’t shoot the messenger, let’s hear the Word of God!  In general the idea of having control over our emotions is biblical.  One characteristic of an elder is that he is not to be “pugnacious” ie. “a person who strikes out [in anger] at others.”  Anger itself is not necessarily bad, but in this context it seems to be in the context of our response to God and His word. We might not always like what we read in the Bible, sometimes from our limited human perspective things can even seem unfair, but we need to have a heart willing to receive the truth.  Here is why…

          “…for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God…” (James 1:20). In the following verses James gives a little more detail on these three ideas (quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger). He begins with being slow to wrath. “For…” This is the reason why we should take that course: if we are pursuing the righteousness of God, controlling our temper and our tongue is a good place to start.

          Verse 21 gives us the productive path toward conformity to Christ:

     1. “…therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness…” The things of the world and our fallen human nature.  We know the truth about ourselves: we are all sinners, by birth and by choice. The word “lay aside” in this exact same form, appears in three other passages in the New Testament:

Eph 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”

 Heb 12:1-2  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…”

1 Pet 2:1-2  “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.  ² Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation…”

The language pictures the taking off of a garment or the setting aside of some kind of burden. Falsehood, deceit, sin, these things hold us back from allowing God’s Spirit to fill us and direct us.  This is the idea behind repentance.  What we need to do is…

     2. “…and receive with meekness the implanted word…” Friends, is that your heart’s desire when you come to church? Is that what you look for in your Sunday School class, or in your small group Bible Study? When you pick up the Bible for a quiet time in the Word (and I hope you do every day) are you humbly receiving it as the Word of GOD?  When you hear the Sunday morning message, are you here to be entertained, or to hear what God says in His word? The pulpit I preached from in New Jersey had an engraving on the back, facing the preacher: “Sir, we would see Jesus…” That’s a convicting thought for the preacher, its with fear and trembling that I come before you to proclaim the Word of God. But the point James is making is that we need to be teachable, we need to be an active and willing hearer. Notice the attitude with which we are to receive the Word: “…with meekness…” Humility. What a strange idea. Not thinking badly of ourselves, but seeing ourselves truthfully, honestly.  And then receiving the Word of God which brings life, which matures our faith.  Authentic faith is marked by a desire to hear and obey the Word of God.

II. If we genuinely believe we will desire to obey the Word (1:22-25).  In these verses James is spelling out in more detail what he means by “quick to listen.”

          “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Both the words “hearers” and “doers” are rare in the NT, outside of James they are both found in only one other verse: Romans 2:13,  “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.” The noun form seems to imply that this is what characterizes their lives. I remember Stu Taylor saying that most Christians are educated far beyond their level of obedience.  Is it your heart’s desire to humbly receive the Word of God, and then to do it?  If we don’t have that attitude, James says we are…

          “…like the man who looks in the mirror…” As I get older I do my best to avoid prolonged looks in the mirror.  I have a cousin who changes her facebook picture regularly, and its fine, she can’t take a bad picture!  As for me, I got one photo from about five years ago that a friend photo shopped to the point that it doesn’t look too bad, and I am sticking with it! The Word is like a mirror, it exposes our flaws, our blemishes, smudges that need to be wiped away. Will we look honestly in the mirror of the Word, and then respond to it?  We put those two questions on the bottom of the sermon outline each week not just to take up space. 1) What is God saying to me in this passage?  2) What would God have me to do in response to this passage? It’s a step in the process of the preaching and hearing of the Word that is between you and God. He is speaking. He wants to use the Word to mature us. Are you listening? Am I? I hope so!  Authentic faith is marked by a desire to hear and obey the Word of God.

III. If we genuinely believe we will examine our conduct in Light of the Word (1:26-28). “If anyone thinks he is religious...” (v.26).   

           As in English, “religion” can be “pure and undefiled” or it can be empty ritualism that amounts to idolatry (Paul used the term in Colossians 2:18 to describe the worship of angels).  A lot of people would describe themselves as “very religious” yet they are clearly not submitting themselves to the Word of God, their “religion” is their own idea about what God is like.  They are just deceiving themselves! Genuine faith, authentic Christianity, will engage us in a process of transforming our heart, and so also transforming our speech, since “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

          This is what genuine religion, authentic faith looks like: it changes our heart, and in the process transforms our actions. One visible evidence is caring for the needy, such as “widows and orphans.” James will say quite a bit about the poor (and the rich!) in this letter. One thing we’ll learn is that God is no respecter of persons, He is interested in every human being. Why is it that the rich have such resistance to following Jesus in the Gospels? It is not that material things are bad in themselves – it is that we so easily fall in love with them. Genuine faith gives us perspective – we will view money as a means of helping those in need and ultimately of pointing them to Jesus. Our new vision statement reflects the basis of that idea: “We envision a community of Christ-followers rooted in the Word, treasuring God as supremely valuable and proclaiming the riches of His grace to the world.” That is a vision that takes faith, authentic faith, in Jesus.

What is God saying to me in this passage? Authentic faith is marked by a desire to hear and obey the Word of God.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? One definition of “faith” is “taking God at His Word.” Why should we do that? If we are certain that God is good, and if we are confident that His word is true, we should be eager to hear from Him and obey Him. Is that your attitude when you pick up the Bible to read it? Is that your heart when you come into a Bible study or Sunday School class or when you enter the morning worship service?  Warren Wiersbe said “Attitude determines outcome.” I am increasingly convinced that is true when it comes to the blessing we receive when we gather together. Do we come expecting to meet with Jesus? He is here. Are the words we are singing biblical and true? Then sing from your heart to Him! And are we listening to the Word spoken, expecting to hear from Him, longing to humbly submit ourselves to Him?  He is the Vinedresser, the Master Gardener, working in us to mature us and to bring forth fruit, fruit that will last. That is what authentic faith should look like.   AMEN.

Trials and Temptations

Understanding Temptation

James 1:12-18

Introduction: Last week we began the Epistle of James and were reminded that we will experience troubles in our life, but we can know that God is working even through the hard times, to make us stronger. He is working for our good and for His glory even when we are struggling through a crisis in our life. This week Rick Warren wrote in a devotional, “Your pain often reveals God’s purpose for you. God never wastes a hurt! If you’ve gone through a hurt, he wants you to help other people going through that same hurt. He wants you to share it. God can use the problems in your life to give you a ministry to others.” Warren then quoted from a paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 1:4, 6…

 “God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things.” (2 Corinthians 1:4, 6 NLT)

It is actually comforting to realize that our suffering isn’t wasted, it is something that God is using to change us, and in some cases to equip us to help others who might pass through trials.

In Biblical Greek, as in English, the very same word can have (and usually does have!) more than one meaning. For example, the word “implicit”, according to Webster’s, can mean something that is implied but not clearly stated, or, it can mean something that is very clear and obvious.  Which is it? Well, it depends on what the author meant to say, and usually there are clues in the context to help us grasp that meaning.  Last week we spoke about the “trials” that we pass through in life, and I hope were assured that God knows us, He knows what we can take, and in fact He will work through the trials to help us to grow stronger as we pass through the hard times.  The very same Greek word can mean “try, test” or “tempt.” James seems to use it with both meanings in James 1.  I believe that the key to understanding what he is saying is that God is working for our good, but that we have an enemy who knows well our weaknesses, who would desire to turn that trial into a temptation to sin. The very same trial can be either a test which matures us or a temptation that would lure us down the pathway to sin. The problem is not with God, it is in our own heart and mind.  An excellent illustration of this is the biblical story of Job. From God’s perspective, the trials that Job faced were tests that would prove Job’s faith, and ultimately strengthen his testimony and his walk with the Lord. From Satan’s perspective they were temptations, bait in the trap, trying to entice Job to doubt God’s goodness and to ultimately curse Him.

Last week we looked at this word from God’s perspective, with His intention in mind, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).  The same truth is being related in this paragraph to warn against blaming God for using our trials to entice us to sin.

The Big Idea: God is good and will use times of trial to mature us, yet we must be careful not to twist those trials into temptations to sin.

I. What God is doing in times of trial and testing: Let’s back up and take another look at v.12. Here we see that He will use the hard times we pass through in life to mature us and strengthen us (12).  Last week we touched on this verse and were reminded that God’s promise of victory gives us perspective, it allows us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials.  God is working for our good and for His glory.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation…”  The reason we can “count it all joy” is tied to the perspective that comes when we believe the truth of this verse: God is working in us to strengthen us, mature us, and to use us for His glory. To “endure” or “persevere” has the idea of “bearing up under a trial.” We don’t necessarily feel blessed when we’re in the thick of it! But the next phrase gives us the perspective that will allow us to “count it all joy”…

“……”for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life…” It is pretty clear that the “crown” here, the wreath given to the victor in an athletic competition, the prize, is life, eternal life, not only in terms of duration, but the abundant life of blessing that we are already starting to experience in a preliminary sense through faith in Christ.  The next phrase makes that clear…

“…which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” To whom has the crown of life been promised? To all who love Him. This is not a select few among believers. Believing in God, knowing Him, and loving Him are parallel and inseparable ideas. “To know Him is to love Him” in truth. God gives us the opportunity to demonstrate that love, as he did with Job, when we pass through times of trial. He knows us, He knows what we can bear, and the suffering of this present world is not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. Yes, God is good and will use times of trial to mature us, yet we must be careful not to twist those trials into temptations to sin.

II. What God is never doing when we pass through trials: tempting us to sin (1:13-15). Trials can be tests to be passed, or we can let them become temptations to sin. When it becomes the latter, we are the problem, not God!

Though the same word is used, the context makes it clear that now James is warning about temptation to sin: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” I’ve talked with people who have been exactly at this point: “Its not my fault, God made me this way!” Like the little child who is caught up on a chair eating forbidden cookies, “They smelled so good I just climbed up here to see them and my tooth got caught!” 

There is a process, a deadly spiral that we so easily can be drawn into: “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (1:14). The picture here is of bait in a trap, or of a baited hook dangled in front of a fish…  Stan and Max put bait fish in their lobster traps not just to feed the lobsters (and the occasional seal!).  They want to lure them in, trap them, and then haul them off to “warmer waters.”  The lobsters become enticed, drawn in, allured, and then they are hooked. Notice the bait, drawn away by what? By our “own desires.” We get our eyes off of God and the eternal blessing we have in Him, and we satisfy our flesh.  Or at least do something that we think will dull the pain. It’s a deadly path.

James 1:15 says, “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” The language here is of conception and birth. It’s a process, temptation becomes desire, desire gives birth to sin, sin grows until, if left unchecked, it ultimately brings death. That is exactly the process that unfolded in Genesis 3:1-7…

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made…  ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”

The rest is history!  The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The enemy knows our weaknesses, and he will dangle the bait in front of us, enticing us, luring us to satisfy our desires rather than trusting our Father. Did God really say no to this? But it is so good! Don’t you have the right to be happy? We’ve all heard the tempter’s voice, maybe we have even used those very words in trying to justify ourselves.

            How Adam and Eve responded when God confronted them is exactly the paradigm that James is warning against here: essentially they blamed God! We read in Gen 3:11-13. First, God asked him,  “…Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"  ¹² The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."  ¹³ Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." It is not my fault, the woman you gave me, the serpent you made… etc. Bottom line: It is really your fault God!  No, it’s not. The sad truth is, we try to do the same thing. It’s not my fault, YOU made me this way! Or, if you are good, why would you let this problem come to my life?

          Notice what James says in verse 13, “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” The language here is clear. The reason we cannot ever make the claim that God is at fault, “for (for this reason) God is untemptable…” and “He himself tempts no one…” God never changes. He is holy. Sin is incompatible with His nature and contrary to what He desires from His children. The Bible says “Be holy for I am Holy.”  God is good, all the time, and He will use times of trial to mature us, yet we must be careful not to allow those trials to be twisted into temptations to sin.

III. What God is doing at all times: working in every situation for our ultimate good (1:16-18).  James begins by saying, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.” Don’t be confused about who is responsible if trials we go through become temptations to sin. Above all, don’t even think about blaming God. Why? He explains in vv.17-18. 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”  The VBS kids learned that truth this week from the perspective of the Son: “Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  So, first of all, enticement to sin would be contrary to the very nature of God. God is good, and He is holy. He is “Light” not “darkness.” And he acts toward us in accordance with His nature. Always. He never changes. He is holy. Trying to entice someone to sin, to lure them into a trap would be totally inconsistent with His nature. 

I remember when I was entering the dissertation stage of my doctoral program and I had to take my comprehensive exams at Westminster Seminary. That was stressful, they could ask anything we had ever read or heard about in the area of biblical interpretation.  One of the professors said to me before I went in to be grilled by the faculty, “We are on your side, we want you to do well.” That should have been obvious, but it was a revelation to me, I hadn’t thought of it that way!  God is good, and He loves us, and if in his sovereignty he allows a trial in our life, it is not because He wants to lure us into sin! After all, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (Eph 2:10)!

Verse 18 goes on to describe God’s good workmanship in us, and His plan for us: “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”

     1. Notice God is the initiator in giving us new life: “Of His own will He brought you forth…” We have a few babies back in our nursery on most Sundays. Here is a revelation for you: Not one of them was born because of an act of their own will! Their conception and birth was planned by someone else! That’s the language James is using here: of His own will [not ours!] He brought us forth. By His grace we have been saved.  God is the initiator and giver of spiritual life.

     2. We see the means that He used: “…by the Word of truth…”  The Word is truth. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Whether it was someone sharing the gospel with you, an evangelist preaching on television, a gospel tract you picked up, a Sunday School teacher leading you to the Lord,  whatever the agent, the means God used to awaken faith in your heart was the Word of God.  And He did it for a reason…

      3. “…that [with this goal in mind] we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures…” God in His grace has promised a New Creation, a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  This is what we were created for, and this is what we have been re-created for. Already now, “if anyone is in Christ: A new creation” (2 Cor 5:17).  If that is what we are to God, the first fruit of a new creation, a return to Eden, an “already-not yet” citizen of the Kingdom, how could we imagine that He would tempt us to sin? We are His children, He wants us to do well.

What is God saying to me in this passage? God is good (and works for our good!) and will use times of trial to mature us, yet we must be careful not to twist those trials into temptations to sin.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage? Paul said I Corinthians 10:13 that we are all tempted, yet “…No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Have you been blaming someone else, even God, for leading you into some sin? We are all tempted, Jesus was tempted, but that doesn’t mean we need to take the next step. The enemy is an expert on human weakness, and he no doubt has watched you long enough to know your weakness. But God is faithful. He knows what we can bear. He’ll provide the way of escape that will enable you to endure it, and to come out stronger. If we’ll trust Him we can have victory in Jesus.  God wants you to do well, after all He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all. Will He not also with Him feely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).    AMEN.