James
Living Faith in the Face of Death
James challenges every one of us
Don’t let busyness
Don’t let love for others
Don’t let fear
Put your faith to death
James says
I will show you my faith by what I do. James 2:18
Showing your faith is challenging
James was writing to a people who were being killed for their faith
James shortly after writing this was killed for his faith
True faith is more than private faith, it is public display of love and good deeds
Does your faith show by what you do?
Living Faith in the Face of Death
James is a man who speaks to the point.
He does not generally make
additional comments to his points.
The issues of faith without
works is dead is an exception.
He starts in James 2:14
to lay out his case…
If a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?
Can such faith save him?
Example…
You see your brother or sister in
need, you do something about it.
James 2:15-16
Faith by itself, if it is not
accompanied by action, is dead.
James 2:17
Example…
You believe that there is one God.
Good! Even the demons believe that
— and shudder.
James 2:19
Example…
Abraham considered righteous for what
he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
James 2:21
A person is justified by what
he does and not by faith alone.
James 2:24
Example…
Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for
what she did when she gave lodging to the spies.
James 2:25
As the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without deeds is dead.
James 2:26
Remember who James is writing to…
People scattered because of their faith.
The religious and political
environment had turned against them.
It was not popular to be a Christian.
James example of Rahab is challenging
to the Christians reading this at
their time but also at our time.
America was founded on Christian faith.
“In God We Trust”
It used to be, being a Christian
was looked at positively.
The moral values were respected.
Over the years there has been an eroding
and turning away from faith in America.
Our nation has always had a
division we call right and left wings.
The left has become stronger
in its stand against faith.
Removing God from long lasting
solid parts of America’s history.
Like removing God from our Pledge
of Allegiance and prayer in schools.
There is an ugly hate and distain
for those you profess their faith.
Rahab lived in Jericho where there
was a hate and distain for the faith.
Rahab risk her life to protect those of faith and
their actions to promote and spread their faith.
Rahab was all alone in her
stand and risked her life.
The persecuted, scattered Christians
James was writing to felt all alone.
As a person of faith in America,
we too, feel hated and threatened.
James words about
“Faith without works is dead”…
Takes us from doing good deeds
for our brothers and sisters.
To acting in faith when the world
or your nation is against you.
Why did James feel it so important to
spend so much time stressing this point?…
“Faith without works is dead”
Is your Faith alive?
What is your Faith doing?
Are you too busy to help someone else?
Are you in love with something or
someone that keeps you from acting
in faith with all your heart?
Is the hatred and intimidation, persecution
keeping you from professing your faith?
James challenges every one of us…
Don’t let busyness
Don’t let love for others
Don’t let fear
Put your faith to death.
James says…
I will show you my faith by what I do.
James 2:18
Showing your faith is challenging.
James was writing to a people who
were being killed for their faith.
James shortly after writing
this was killed for his faith.
True faith is more than private faith…
It is public display of love and good deeds.
Does your faith show by what you do?
Scripture Reading
James 2:25-26 NIV
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
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