Faith and Faith and WorksWorks

James 2:14-26James 2:14-26

PaulPaulRomans 3:28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

JamesJamesJames 2:24You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

3 Views of 3 Views of James 2James 2•Roman CatholicRoman Catholic

–Works required to Works required to gaingain eternal life eternal life

•ArminianArminian–Works required to Works required to keepkeep eternal eternal lifelife

•Reformed/CalvinismReformed/Calvinism–Works required to Works required to proveprove eternal eternal lifelife

John PiperJohn PiperFrom From When I Don’t Desire When I Don’t Desire GodGod

““justification is by grace alone justification is by grace alone (not mixed with our merit), (not mixed with our merit), through faith alone (not mixed through faith alone (not mixed with our works), on the basis with our works), on the basis of Christ alone (not mingling of Christ alone (not mingling His righteousness with ours), His righteousness with ours), to the glory of God alone (not to the glory of God alone (not ours).”ours).”

John PiperJohn PiperFrom From Desiring GodDesiring God

““These are just some of These are just some of the conditions that the the conditions that the New Testament says we New Testament says we must meet in order to must meet in order to inherit final salvation. We inherit final salvation. We must must believebelieve on Jesus and on Jesus and receivereceive him and him and turnturn from from our sin and our sin and obeyobey him… him…

John PiperJohn Pipercon’t.con’t.

“…“…and and humblehumble ourselves ourselves like little children and like little children and lovelove him more than we love our him more than we love our family, our possessions or family, our possessions or our own life. This is what it our own life. This is what it means to be converted to means to be converted to Christ. This alone is the Christ. This alone is the way of everlasting life.”way of everlasting life.”

John PiperJohn PiperFrom From When I Don’t When I Don’t Desire GodDesire God

““... in the courtroom ... in the courtroom of God, my guilt for sin of God, my guilt for sin is removed by Christ’s is removed by Christ’s blood… and my title to blood… and my title to heaven is provided by heaven is provided by Christ’s obedience…”Christ’s obedience…”

John PiperJohn PiperBrothers, We Are Not Brothers, We Are Not ProfessionalsProfessionals

““The salvation of the elect The salvation of the elect depends on their not denying depends on their not denying Christ and on their Christ and on their enduring in enduring in faith and obediencefaith and obedience… For only … For only by feeding on the Word can by feeding on the Word can you grow, and you grow, and only by growing only by growing can you persevere and attain can you persevere and attain final salvationfinal salvation.”.”

3 Views of 3 Views of James 2James 2•Roman CatholicRoman Catholic

–Works required to Works required to gaingain eternal life eternal life

•ArminianArminian–Works required to Works required to keepkeep eternal eternal lifelife

•Reformed/CalvinismReformed/Calvinism–Works required to Works required to proveprove eternal eternal lifelife

A Better ViewA Better View•Context, context, Context, context, context!context!

•Audience?Audience?–1:2-31:2-3 “brethren” (15x); “brethren” (15x); “testing of your faith”“testing of your faith”

–2:12:1 “your faith in our glorious “your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ”Lord Jesus Christ”

–Conclusion: Conclusion: they are they are believersbelievers

A Better ViewA Better View•Context: Purpose? Context: Purpose?

–They are strugglingThey are struggling•with trials (ch1,5)with trials (ch1,5)•with temptations:with temptations:

– favoritism (ch2)favoritism (ch2)–evil speech & jealousy (ch3)evil speech & jealousy (ch3)–conflict, selfishness, gossip, pride conflict, selfishness, gossip, pride (ch4)(ch4)

–greed (ch5)greed (ch5)

A Better ViewA Better View•Context: Purpose? Context: Purpose?

–They are strugglingThey are struggling–They are doing very poorlyThey are doing very poorly

•4:1-4,7-10 – unfaithful to God4:1-4,7-10 – unfaithful to God•5:16 – some under discipline5:16 – some under discipline•5:19-20 – in danger of death5:19-20 – in danger of death

A Better ViewA Better View•““save” save”

–sozo – “to rescue, to deliver”sozo – “to rescue, to deliver”–But from what?But from what?

Ezekiel 18:26-27“When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life (lit: ‘soul’).”

A Better ViewA Better View•v14 – Faith w/o works v14 – Faith w/o works can’t savecan’t save–From what? From what? 2:12-132:12-13–From loss at the judg. seat of From loss at the judg. seat of ChristChrist

2 Corinthians 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

A Better ViewA Better View•v15-17 – Faith w/o works v15-17 – Faith w/o works is useless to the body of is useless to the body of ChristChrist–v17 – “dead” = powerless, v17 – “dead” = powerless, lifeless, useless (v20)lifeless, useless (v20)

A Better ViewA Better View•v21-24 – Abraham illustrates v21-24 – Abraham illustrates the necessity of worksthe necessity of works

A Better ViewA Better View•v25 – Rahab illustrates v25 – Rahab illustrates the necessity of worksthe necessity of works

•v26 – Conclusionv26 – Conclusion– faith = the human bodyfaith = the human body–works = the human spiritworks = the human spirit–point: works give vitality to point: works give vitality to faithfaith

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020•Incredibly hard! Incredibly hard!

•No quotes in GreekNo quotes in Greek•Hypothetical Objector:Hypothetical Objector:

– My view: speaks to end of v19My view: speaks to end of v19– Must contradict James: “works Must contradict James: “works

are not that important”are not that important”– Makes a “foolish” argumentMakes a “foolish” argument

ConclusionConclusion•Paul: Paul: Faith alone…Faith alone…

– saves us from hellsaves us from hell– justifies us in the sight of God justifies us in the sight of God

• James: James: Faith must be followed Faith must be followed by works to…by works to…– save us from loss at the J.S. of Christsave us from loss at the J.S. of Christ– save us from a worthless lifesave us from a worthless life– justify us in the sight of mankindjustify us in the sight of mankind

ApplicationApplication•Comfort: Comfort: We can be We can be absolutely sure of our absolutely sure of our eternal lifeeternal life

1 John 5:13These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

ApplicationApplication•Comfort: Comfort: We can be We can be absolutely sure of our absolutely sure of our eternal lifeeternal life

•Warning: Warning: We better get We better get to work!to work!

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020But someone may well say, You But someone may well say, You

have faith and I have works; have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well; that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is that faith without works is useless?useless?

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020But someone may well sayBut someone may well say, You , You

have faith and I have works; have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well; that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and the demons also believe, and shudder. shudder. But are you willing to But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellowrecognize, you foolish fellow, , that faith without works is that faith without works is useless?useless?

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020But someone may well sayBut someone may well say, You , You

have faith and I have works; have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe faith by my works. You believe that God is one. You do well; that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and the demons also believe, and shudder. shudder. But are you willing to But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellowrecognize, you foolish fellow, , that faith without works is that faith without works is useless?useless?

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020•James’ point in v17 & 20: James’ point in v17 & 20:

– faith and works work together to faith and works work together to save you from a worthless lifesave you from a worthless life

–so you need bothso you need both

•Objector must say the Objector must say the opposite:opposite:– faith and works are unrelatedfaith and works are unrelated–so I’m fine with faith aloneso I’m fine with faith alone

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020•Objector in v18… Objector in v18…

CommandCommand““James, let’s say for the sake of James, let’s say for the sake of argument that you have faith argument that you have faith alone, while I have taken your alone, while I have taken your advice and followed my faith advice and followed my faith with works. Now, show me your with works. Now, show me your faith without your works and I’ll faith without your works and I’ll show you my faith by my works.”show you my faith by my works.”

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020•Objector in v19… ProofObjector in v19… Proof

““James, you have correct, James, you have correct, orthodox faith in God plus orthodox faith in God plus you do good works. Guess you do good works. Guess what? The demons have the what? The demons have the same orthodox faith you do, same orthodox faith you do, and yet rather than do good and yet rather than do good deeds, they tremble in fear deeds, they tremble in fear of God.”of God.”

James 2:18-James 2:18-2020•Objector’s Point:Objector’s Point:

–You have true faith + worksYou have true faith + works–Demons have true faith w/o Demons have true faith w/o worksworks

–Therefore…Therefore…•faith and works are unrelatedfaith and works are unrelated•so I’m fine with faith aloneso I’m fine with faith alone