- Can Faith Save Him?

Background Scripture: James 2
Lesson Scripture: James 2:14-24

Introduction

Our lesson today deals with the difference between genuine religion and an imitation religion. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). True religion bears fruit; it is not a profession only. May this lesson serve to increase our knowledge and inspire us to more humble fruit bearing.

Key Verse

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also (James 2:26).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

The letter written by James was addressed to the twelve tribes that were scattered abroad or, in other words, to believers of Jewish background living in gentile countries. Evidently James was concerned that the works of true Christianity were being neglected under a pretense of having faith. Perhaps even disobedience was being justified by claiming faith as a cover. James gave some easy-to-understand instructions for everyday living.

It could appear that James and the apostle Paul contradicted each other because Paul emphasized that salvation is by grace and not by works while James wrote that without works, our faith is dead. In truth, they do not contradict each other at all. Paul’s emphasis was on the fact that we cannot gain salvation by improving our walk of life, by making ourselves good with our works, or by keeping the commandments. Rather, to be saved we must come to the Lord as sinners, seeking no credit for our good works. All our efforts to please God are hopeless if our knowledge of the Scriptures does not lead us to a conviction of sin and a desire to find the remedy God has provided in the Messiah. Paul understood this, and he emphasized that salvation is not by works. James, on the other hand, was not writing about obtaining salvation but about the good works that are the fruit of true faith.

In a study of numerous scriptures, Paul makes it very clear that a holy walk of life with good works is a requirement for true Christianity. Colossians 3:5-10, Galatians 5:16-24, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, Titus 2:11-12, and Ephesians 2:10 all bear on the subject.

Most religions, including Christianity, embrace good works as a basic part of their teaching. However being a “good” person will never be good enough to save the soul. If one’s sins are not forgiven through repentance and belief in Jesus, there is no salvation. On the other hand, when our sins are forgiven through faith in Jesus’s blood, this faith will move us to obey the commandments of Jesus Christ because we love Him. We will believe in God’s grace to keep us saved, barring willful disobedience.

Satan seeks to deceive us in any way he can. One way is to tell us that our obedience to God’s commandments counts for something in our salvation. Another way is to comfort us with the thought that our good works and obedience to God places us on a higher plane than our fellow Christians who may be struggling. In nominal Christianity, we see another error wherein many comfort themselves by claiming the grace of Jesus Christ while they are not obeying the teachings of the gospel.

Practical Truths for Today

It has been said that all action is based on faith. We have faith that our car will start, so we turn the ignition key. If we believe there is good water in a glass, we will drink to quench our thirst. As we tap the keys of a keyboard, we trust that letters will appear on the screen or paper. A farmer plants his crops believing there will be a harvest. In other words, there are many things that we believe will work according to our expectations, and we act accordingly. This illustrates faith, up to a point, but there is more to biblical, saving faith.

When we, by faith, recognize our sinfulness and hopelessness and look to Jesus as our only hope, we can be saved. The law cannot bring about holiness, even though one earnestly tries to obey it. When we repent and confess our sins, God forgives us. He gives us peace and joy and power over the flesh that we did not have before. This power of the Holy Ghost transcends intellectual knowledge—it is a power from God that empowers a Christian to do the will of God. A hymn says, “Faith is a living power from heaven.” 1

In Romans 7, Paul taught the believing Jews that the commandment of the law could not bring victory over sin. In the next chapter, he said, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Rom. 8:3-4).

Saving faith is preceded by “the fear of the Lord [which] is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). Menno Simons wrote, “Honest, unfeigned fear drives out sin, for it is impossible to become righteous without the fear of God.” 2 After conversion, we serve the Lord because we love Him, yet the fear of God continues to teach us that we are not above the law of God. Those who disobey God will suffer the consequences.

True faith bears fruit, and these works complement our faith, as James wrote about Abraham, “By works was faith made perfect” (2:22). Too many struggle with a supposed lack of faith. Could it be that they place too much emphasis on faith without a proper follow-up of action? Thus faith is not nurtured and proven by self-denial and cross bearing. Jesus said that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. To evade the cross may appear to be an easier way than to stand for the right; however, true faith brings obedience regardless of circumstances.

Many of us can look back in history and see where our parents, grandparents, or other forebears have taken difficult positions to uphold the truth. Paul reminded Timothy, “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also” (2 Tim. 1:5). In a sense, faithful parents have paved the way for us—we could mistakenly think we have inherited the faith. I may follow the commonly accepted way, trusting that if I do not make any trouble, I am all right. Are we now exempt from the cross? “Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God?” 3 It will not do to follow the course of least resistance. James says that true faith will move a person to righteous living.

If we backslide and lose power and light from God, we easily fall into a way of living by knowledge and behaving like we think a Christian should live. We may try to prove our faith to others by performing good works. This is motivated by pride rather than love for our Savior. This fosters an independent spirit, which negates the sense of need for a close relationship with God’s people and hinders unity. If I am overly confident in my personal convictions, I do not feel the need to be taught by God through His church.

Some Christians of other persuasions promote the teaching that all the different groups that confess Christ make up the church of God. They overlook their disunity and accept each other under the umbrella of the commonality of their confession that they believe in Jesus Christ. Yet they live in separate groups and feel it is unnecessary to resolve their differences and grievances. They distance themselves from each other in order to get along. God alone knows how much unwillingness to surrender one’s opinions contributes to this fallacy.

While we do not personally judge these individuals or groups, we know that it is God’s will that there be “no schism in the body” (1 Cor. 12:25) and that the body should be “fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16). When we draw close to our heavenly Father, we are also drawn close to His children.

Living the faith includes the life we live with our families. Some marriages struggle because of selfishness. These couples could be helped if they would resign themselves to God and seek His counsel. Paul said that the inner man of those whom God has raised up by the power of Jesus is renewed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16). This renewal causes us to seek the good of our spouses and gives us grace to not hold to our own way; rather, we pray together for God’s way.

As Christians, we are susceptible to living our lives depending on our intellect. We tend to prove ourselves by our good intentions and to feel justified in being able to say how Christian life is supposed to be. However, the works produced by the love and purity in our hearts are the indicators of our condition. Jesus said, “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20). A true Christian is humble, teachable, and approachable.

The faith of those we read about in Hebrews 11 was a living faith that moved them into action. Two examples: Abraham left his home country, not knowing where he was going, and Noah built the ark, a tremendous undertaking.

Questions

1. What motivates one to give a verbal confession or testimony that does not correspond with the fruit of his life?
2. When we say we have a lack of faith, is it a lack of faith, or is it, in some cases, a lack of surrender and dedication to God?
3. If we know we are not doing what we should, or we are doing what we know we should not do, how does Hebrews 10:26 apply?
4. 1 Petrus Herbertus, “Faith Is a Living Power from Heaven”
5. 2 Menno Simons, Complete Writings of Menno Simons, p. 337
6. 3 Isaac Watts, “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?”
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).