Rev. David Holwick ZB Book of James #7
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
September 2, 2007
James 2:14-26
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I. Can you earn it?
In the 1980s the Smith-Barney brokerage firm made a series of
commercials in which distinguished actor John Houseman spoke
the famous line,
"We make money the old-fashioned way. We earn it!"
Sometime later, based on that commercial, a Christian cartoonist
showed some Pharisees arguing with Jesus about salvation.
Their punch line?
"We get our salvation the old-fashioned way. We earn it!"
#34729
A. A critical issue between Protestants and Catholics.
1) Protestants: our salvation is something that God has done
for us. We cannot earn it by works, only by believing.
2) Catholics: our salvation requires righteous deeds, though it
can be seen as a cooperative effort - Jesus and us.
3) Pitfalls on both sides:
a) Hard work - then smugness, or defeating doubts about adequacy.
b) Just believe - low commitment, lax morals.
B. The tension between James and Paul.
1) Both base their argument on the life of Abraham.
2) Both quote the same passage in Genesis. (Gen 15:6)
3) Paul concludes Abraham was saved by his faith.
4) James concludes he was saved by what he did.
a) Can the contradiction be solved?
b) Martin Luther didn't think so.
1> He thought the letter of James would be reduced
to ashes on the Judgment Day.
2> ("a right strawy epistle")
II. The beautiful integrity of the Bible.
A. Apparent contradictions make fruitful study.
1) Dig deeper.
2) Look at the context and figure out the reasoning.
B. James and Paul have different focuses.
1) Paul is addressing salvation - how I come to know God.
a) He attacks self-righteous legalism, those who
think they can earn their way to heaven.
b) Salvation is a free gift from God and we cannot earn it.
2) James is addressing the Christian life - how others can
see that I know God.
a) He addresses his audience as (saved) brothers.
b) James attacks superficial faith, with no effect on
the life of the person who claims to believe.
c) This is illustrated in an incident that happened to
evangelist Tony Compolo.
He was walking down a street in Philadelphia one day
when a man came up and robbed him.
Hoping to instill guilt in the robber, Tony told him,
"I am a Baptist minister."
The robber replied, "Really? I'm a Baptist too!"
C. For both Paul and James, faith that produces no good deeds is
incapable of saving a person. Gal 5:6
III. James is not defending "works" but faith.
A. The key is that it has to be real faith, not mere profession.
1) James gives the interesting example of demons.
a) He says demons believe in God.
b) This may sound weird, but it is true.
1> The gospels show that demons always recognized
Jesus as being from God.
2> Their belief was orthodox, but it didn't result
in repentance and obedience.
2) Real faith always produces works. Always.
a) Paul also believed that.
1> Galatians 5:6 says, "The only thing that counts is
faith expressing itself through love."
2> James would say "Amen!" to that.
b) Genuine faith cannot be invisible.
c) Neither can it stand alone.
1> This is meaning of 2:18 -- "you have faith, I have
deeds."
2> They cannot be divorced like that.
3> James says faith and works are like breathing and
a body.
B. What James hates is dead faith.
1) It is really not faith at all.
2) This is the kind of faith of those on the Judgment Day who
say, "Lord! Lord!" but have no fruit in their lives.
a) They are condemned.
b) Jesus never knew them.
IV. The patriarch and the prostitute.
A. Abraham. 2:21
1) Declared righteous for what he did.
a) Yet sacrifice of Isaac was around 30 years after Gen 15.
b) What he did then, fulfilled his faith in Gen 15.
c) Without good deeds, his faith would have been:
1> Incomplete (2:22), useless (2:20) and dead (2:17)
2) He was called God's friend. 2:23
B. Rahab. 2:25
1) Also considered righteous for what she did.
a) Unlike Abraham in every way: pagan, woman, prostitute.
2) On faith, she chose to identify with Israel.
a) She did not even have a direct word from God, like
Abraham did.
b) Instead of being dead, her faith moved her to risk
her life to protect the spies.
c) Her immorality is not commended, but her living faith is.
V. How does your faith stack up?
A. Faith is not just something you say you have.
1) May not even be what you THINK you have.
2) SHOW that you have it.
B. Do a fruit test.
1) Do you have a concern for people, especially the needy?
a) James mocks those who see need, and throw a religious
platitude at it, but do nothing to help.
b) This is why I am such a strong supporter of Gale Hull's
work in Haiti and Guatemala.
c) Others have helped in soup kitchens or mentored poor
kids.
d) What are YOU doing?
2) Do you have a desire for God?
a) Real commitment takes effort.
b) Daily devotions, active studying.
c) Plan to read the Bible cover to cover, and do it.
3) Do you have a desire to support God's work in the church?
a) Abraham believed in God enough to offer up his son.
b) What have you offered to God?
1> In time?
2> In effort?
3> In resources?
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SOURCE FOR ILLUSTRATION USED IN THIS SERMON:
#34729 "Doing It The Old-fashioned Way," by Rev. David Jeremiah, Turning
Point Daily Devotional on May 29, 2007; quoted in Preaching Now
Email newsletter, www.preaching.com, June 19, 2007.
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