Faith and Works Day 1 James 2:14 June 26, 2012

Faith and Works Day 1 James 2:14  6.26.12

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

How do you define the word faith?-reliance, loyalty, or complete trust in God

Hebrews 11:1-sure of what you hope for and certainity of what you can’t see

How do you define the word works? –to exert effort for any given purpose;useless human efforts to gain acceptance from God

True faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If our lives remain unchanged, we don’t truly believe the truths we claim to believe.

Some people reading these verses might mistakingly think that James was saying that a person is saved by works rathers than by faith.  If that is the case, then what James said contradicted what Paul said in several places in the New Testament.

What do these verses say about your faith and how you are saved from your sin?

Acts 16:31³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.

Romans 3:28 ²⁸ For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Romans 5:1 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Ephesians 2:8-9 ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.

Based on these verses, were Paul and James contradicting each other? Explain.

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If not, then how you explain the differences in what each other wrote about faith and works in Scripture?

 Paul vs. James

*Anyone can believe in God, even demons and Satan believe in God in Acts.

What is salvation? salvation is an act by which we give our hearts and lives to Christ. Sometimes it is through prayer. You may have been led in what they call the sinner’s prayer and you genuinely and sincerely meant it. I believe there are plenty of people who have prayed a prayer and had no idea what they were saying and never meant it and never thought about it again. So just saying some kind of prayer isn’t going to do it. It has to be a change of heart. Salvation is instantaneous and the Christian walk is a journey. John 3;16

Paul and James were not contradicting each other. Paul was talking about how to be a Christian, and James was talking about how to act like one. Paul was talking about the beginning of the faith journey, when you believe in God and ask Him for forgiveness. Basically the ABCs of a Christian. Admit you are a sinner and repent. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Confess your faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord. He was talking about justification [just as if you never died] – being declared righteous b/c of Jesus’ sacrifice.

                  James was talking about a different point of the faith journey, when a person’s life is marked by change. When we are saved, we become a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17 = Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.) We throw away our old, sinful ways and turn to Jesus as our example. We let God take control of our lives and He changes our lives for the better. This process is called sanctification – becoming more like Jesus (Romans 8:29 = For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.).

What is your own translation of James 2:14? How can you apply the verse in your life?

The point James was trying to make was if you really believe in God and hope in Him and trust Him and love Him, it will show. When you’re going through a trial, is your first choice to come to God and talk to Him about how you feel or vent to a best friend or vent online in a blog? Who do we put first? The evidence of true faith is seen in good works. Also, the evidence of true love is seen in your actions. When we tell God we love Him, do we show it to Him by reading His word, praying to Him, worshipping Him? Worship is our response to God’s goodness. Even if you want to kiss up to your teachers at school, or let your parents know how grateful you are for them at home, you show it through your actions. Likewise, your faith in seen in your actions and it comes naturally, not forcefully so you’ll receive attention.

METAPHOR – Works are to faith what the body is to the spirit. The body displays the life of the spirit. Works display faith. The only way to show that you are alive is with your body. The only way to show you have faith is by works.

The way we live reveals what we believe and whether the faith we speak of is living or not. Good works are from a true faith and a heart God has changed. It’s good accountability for you as well. If you are unsure that your actions glorify God or not, they probably aren’t glorifying God. And because of this, maybe your works aren’t in accordance with your faith.

(Ezekiel 36:26-27 =  ²⁶And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.)

God removes our sin-hardened heart of stone and replaces them with a heart of flesh. He fills our bodies with the Holy Spirit, whose presence dwells in us and causes us to walk in obedience to the commandments and statues of God.

I challenge the girls to evaluate your heart with God—is it in the right place? Is your faith shown in your devotions, choices, and the ministries you’re in? Is the faith you speak of manifested in your life? A faith where can say all the right words, but do all the wrong actions cannot save you.

If you think their actions aren’t reflecting your faith in God, you should pray about it. Have accountability partners to keep in you check. Ask God for forgiveness of your rebellious ways, and for Him to work in you to let your light shine and have your faith be sincere.

(James 4:17 = If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.) If you know the faith you ought to show, and you don’t do it, it is a sin. Pretty convicting. :D

10 things will happen when you have a new Heart

1.     NEW MASTER –exchange satan for Jesus-upgrade

a.     1 John 4:4 ⁴ You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

-We can OVERCOME SIN bc we have NEW MASTER-the Holy Spirit is leading us….THIS SHOULD ENCOURAGE US!

2. NEW CREATION: 2 Corinthians 5:17 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,(A) the new creation(B) has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!

                  -the old has passed away the way we used to live, act, think, react, feel has gone

3. NEW IDENTITY Colossions 3:9-10 9 Do not lie to each other,(R) since you have taken off your old self(S) with its practices 10 and have put on the new self,(T) which is being renewed(U) in knowledge in the image of its Creator.(V

                  -new internal identity

4. NEW MIND 1 Peter 2:2 ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

                  -Babies want to eat all the time and need mile and as Christians we crave truth and WANT TO READ THE BIBLE

5.  NEW DESIRES : Galatians 5:16-17 ¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[a] you want.

                  -God gives you his desires when you walk in the Holy Spirit, and you will  be passionate about what God wants us to do

6. NEW EMOTIONS 1 John 4:7 Love one another…some of us are not naturally loving people, but GOD puts LOVE in our hearts because he loved us first..I really love God, I really love my husband, people in the church, and even your enemies

7. NEW RELATIONSHIPS AROUND JESUS 1 John 1:3 ³ We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

-you want to go to church, GBS, be around positive people with Jesus in the center of relationships

8. NEW POWER Romans 8:12-13  ¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

 God gives us the power-we DON”T OWE SIN anything…were dating the wrong guy..you crossed the line you are indebted  to him. Don’t keep making the same mistake Jesus died for our sins

9. New FREEDOM Romans 6:6 as a nonchristian we are enslaved to sin-can’t stop smoking, lying, drinking. But as Christians Jesus we are liberated and gave us a

10. NEW LIFE –Jesus justified, same spirit that empowered Jesus resurrection same spirit that is in us

Check YOURSELF:

What evidence in your life shows that Christ is residing in your heart?  Think about in 3 areas:

1.     Devotion(things that keep you in touch with God and nourished by God)

2.     Choices(doing what is right)

3.     Ministry (using your gifts to serve God and others)

Ask God to show you whether or not you have an outward eveidence of what He is doing inwardly in your heart.

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