Separate the Believer from The Deceiver

It's Going to Take More Than Faith

FAITH AND WORKS

James 2:14 (AMP) What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.]

A. Define Faith-Hebrews 11:1

B. I'm going to act like it's so, when it's not so

C. Faith should produce good works

D. True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts.

E. If our life remains unchanged we don't truly believe the truth we claim to believe.

F. Prove It

Matthew 5:16 (AMP) Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Ephesians 2:10 (AMP) For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

1 Timothy 6:18 (AMP) Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share [with others].

2 Timothy 3:17 (AMP) so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1ST EXAMPLE

James 2:15-17 (AMP) If a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for each day, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves," but he does not give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do? So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].

A. We use to get paid by cash, then check, direct deposit

Proverbs 19:17 (MSG) Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.

2ND EXAMPLE - WHAT SEPARATES A BELIEVER FROM A THE DECEIVER

James 2:18-20 (AMP) But someone may say, "You [claim to] have faith and I have [good] works; show me your [alleged] faith without the works [if you can], and I will show you my faith by my works [that is, by what I do]." You believe that God is one; you do well [to believe that]. The demons also believe [that], and shudder and bristle [in awe-filled terror—they have seen His wrath]! But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [spiritually shallow] person, that faith without [good] works is useless?

Titus 1:16 (AMP) They profess to know God [to recognize and be acquainted with Him], but by their actions they deny and disown Him. They are detestable and disobedient and worthless for good work of any kind.

Matthew 7:16-18 (NLT) You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.

A. Two examples of justification by faith and works And not my works only Abraham and Rahab

3RD EXAMPLE - SACRIFICE

James 2:21 (AMP) Was our father Abraham not [shown to be] justified by works [of obedience which expressed his faith] when he offered Isaac his son on the altar [as a sacrifice to God]?

A. Gen. 12:1-4, Gen. 15:6, Romans 4:1-6 B. Faith will be reflected in what you are willing to sacrifice

Luke 19:8-10 (AMP) Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, "See, Lord, I am [now] giving half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I will give back four times as much." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this household, because he, too, is a [spiritual] son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

Genesis 22:12 (AMP) The Lord said, "Do not reach out [with the knife in] your hand against the boy, and do nothing to [harm] him; for now I know that you fear God [with reverence and profound respect], since you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son [of promise]."

Hebrews 11:4 (AMP) By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which it was testified of him that he was righteous (upright, in right standing with God), and God testified by accepting his gifts. And though he died, yet through [this act of] faith he still speaks.

James 2:22-24 (AMP) You see that [his] faith was working together with his works, and as a result of the works, his faith was completed [reaching its maturity when he expressed his faith through obedience]. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and this [faith] was credited to him [by God] as righteousness and as conformity to His will," and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man (believer) is justified by works and not by faith alone [that is, by acts of obedience a born-again believer reveals his faith].

4TH EXAMPLE - RISK YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE

James 2:25-26 (AMP) In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works too, when she received the [Hebrew] spies as guests and protected them, and sent them away [to escape] by a different route?

A. Rahab was also justified by her works and her faith when she hid the spies with peace

James 2:26 (AMP) For just as the [human] body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works [of obedience] is also dead.

WISDOM KEYS:

WISDOM KEY #1 | False faith offers no service to others

In the first illustration James revealed that false, non-saving faith does not act on behalf of others. It says all the right things but does not help others.

WISDOM KEY #2 | False faith offers no obedience to God

In the second illustration James showed us that demons believe but they do not have saving faith. So also for us that our belief is not enough. Faith must lead to action in obedience to God.

WISDOM KEY #3 | True faith offers costly obedience

The third illustration showed us the faith of Abraham. We learn from Abraham that true faith offers obedience of great sacrifice. Saving faith will make great sacrifices to serve and obey the Lord.

WISDOM KEY #4 | True faith offers costly service to others

In the final illustration James used Rahab to show that saving faith acts godly toward others. Saving faith acts in the best interests of others, even at a detrimental cost to one's self.

Discussion Questions

1. James 2:14 asks, "Can that [kind of] faith save him?" How do you distinguish between genuine, saving faith and false faith that only claims to believe?
2. The passage states, "If our life remains unchanged we don't truly believe the truth we claim to believe." What evidence of transformation exists in your life since coming to faith?
3. James uses the example of someone who sees a brother or sister in need but only offers words, not help. When have you been guilty of offering empty words instead of tangible assistance?
4. The demons believe in God and even "shudder" at His power, yet they don't have saving faith. What makes your faith different from the demons' belief?
5. Matthew 7:16 says "You can identify them by their fruit." If someone examined your life, what "fruit" would they see that demonstrates your faith?
6. Abraham's faith was demonstrated when he was willing to sacrifice Isaac. What is God asking you to sacrifice that would prove your faith is genuine?
7. Zacchaeus immediately gave half his possessions to the poor and made restitution to those he cheated. What immediate, costly action has your faith produced in your life?
8. Rahab risked her life to hide the Hebrew spies. What risks are you willing to take to demonstrate your faith and serve others?
9. The passage emphasizes that "faith without works is dead." Can you think of an area where your faith is "alive" (producing works) and an area where it might be "dead" (lacking action)?
10. Which of the four wisdom keys resonates most with you right now: service to others, obedience to God, costly obedience, or costly service? Why?

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