This Week's Bulletin

James 12:14-26

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

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.

1) Real faith results in real action.

James clear states that it isn't enough to say the right things; we must do something to put our faith into motion.

When seeking to help those in need, focus on connect relationally in addition to providing for their material needs.

2 Helpful Resources:

• When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
• Our Calling - homeless ministry based in downtown Dallas

2) Even demons believe - but real faith surrenders.

Mark 1:24 is the first time Jesus is correctly identified as the Holy One of God - and it comes from a demon. Demons "believe" the right things about Jesus, but they don't surrender to Him.

Real faith is about surrendering to Christ as Lord.

3) Faith takes root in the heart and bears fruit in the life.

Faith in Christ is the root, and the root determines the fruit.

Verse 23 says that Abraham's faith was "made complete by what he did." Verse 24 says a person is considered righteous by what they do and not be faith alone. He's speaking here of sanctification, or the ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus. This is different from justification, which is a one-time even where we are "saved" from the consequences of our sins and born into the family of God.

James is speaking to believers and it talking about sanctification, not justification. He's reminding us that faith without works is dead. It's something other than real faith because real faith will show itself in the things we do.

Our faith in Christ shouldn't be something we just talk about; it should be something we live.

A Prayer to Trust in Jesus:

“God, thank you for loving me even though I’ve rebelled against You. I confess that I’m sinful. I’m so grateful that Jesus died on the cross to pay for all my sins. Right now I turn away from my sins and I turn to You. I’m putting my full trust in Jesus to rescue me from my sins. Thank you for forgiving me and washing me clean on the inside. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”