James 2:14-23 — Justified Dynamic Faith & works

Faith without works is dead

• 2:14: if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? – James begins to now introduce the issue of faith-works. The word ‘faith’ appears here in this passage some 11 times, while the word ‘works or working’ appears 13 times. While we must have faith the true outworking of that will be in our works. {Dead Faith – James 2:14-18}
• Christ considered human soul to be a tree of faith > A tree will only bear the fruit that it has been created to bear. Apple trees will not product lemons, and an unhealthy tree will not produce any fruit of quality, if at all => a healthy tree of faith will bear fruit of good works => quality + appearance of fruit either confirm or deny reality of faith (See Matt 7:15 – 20; John 15:1 – 8; and Romans 7:4.) {Dead Faith – James 2:14-18}
• James connected two ideas of faith + works together = One cannot be without the other.
• faith to exist without the support of works = no
• Jesus said works would be required for those that have a living faith => faith without works= dead faith
• => If person professes that he is a new person in Christ => he must live a new life dictated by doing works for Christ. {Dead Faith – James 2:14-18}
• ‘swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath’ (1:19) = a do-er of the Word by looking after poor of the world + bridling tongue (1:21 – 27), not showing favouritism (2:8) = all tied up in aspect of the law of faith-works.
• To have true faith, one must show true works.
• two examples of faith combining with works = teaching on dynamic faith
• Abraham = father of all who believe >had to have faith before he could be justified by his works => justified twice. 1 by his faith, 2 by works
• Abram’s faith = counted to him as righteousness. (Paul in Romans 4) his faith needed to be established before his works could be accounted for.
• in order to follow God’s command of offering his son to the Lord = required great faith because of details of the first promise that Abraham had received concerning his numerous descendents.
• Abraham’s confidence in God so strong = prepared Isaac by tying him to the altar + raising knife to kill him = reality of Abraham’s faith => faith combined with his actions, + therefore his faith in God was made perfect => Abraham’s faith complete + whole.
• Abraham’s faith partnered with his works, + by his works his faith was made complete.
• Scripture (=not Abraham’s justification) fulfilled = completed > made whole, accomplished, achieved, + consummated.
• Abraham believed God, + = accounted to him for righteousness => Abraham only had to believe God at that particular time > After he had declared a faith in God, + his ‘faith tree’ been planted, the fruit of works > to blossom
• Abraham’s true faith resulted in obedience to things that Father had required of him => combination of faith + works = resulted in his justification
• => Works alone will not justify a man (Rom 3:28, Gal 3:11; 5:14)
• => Faith alone will not justify a man
• Faith ~~~ mere act of mind to believe > Genuine living faith = act of combining beliefs with actions

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By faith Abraham was justified before God and his righteousness declared

By works, Abraham was justified before man, and his righteousness demonstrated

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• Prophet Samuel says seek God’s kingdom first before materials
• Psalm 58
• Romans 4:22-25
• But We Have Forgotten God
• Deliverence
• God-Focused Faith.