Three Kinds Of Faith (James 2:14-26)

INTRODUCTION

1. Faith is certainly an essential element in the Christian life:
a. Without faith, it is impossible to please God - He 11:6
b. The Christian is saved by faith - Ep 2:8
c. The Christian is to walk (live) by faith - 2 Co 5:7
d. Whatever we do apart from faith is described as sin - Ro 14:23

2. It is important to realize, however, that there are different kinds
of faith, but only one that is truly "saving faith"

3. In James 2:14-26, we find James discussing the different kinds of
faith, with an emphasis upon that faith which works to the saving of
the soul

[Beginning with verses 14-17, we notice the first kind of faith. We
might call this kind of faith...]

I. DEAD FAITH (14-17)

How is faith without works like saying “be warm and filled” to a needy person? V. 14-17

1. Can a person say, “Be warm and filled” to a hungry person and really mean it?

2. What is the effect of good wishes and hopefulness on the hungry person?

a. What does the hungry person need?

b. If a hungry person’s only hope says, “be well and fed” and does nothing; what will happen to the needy one?

3. Should we trust in people’s words or do their actions explain everything?

4. Is it possible to care about a poor person and do nothing about it?

a. Can we substitute words for deeds in life?

b. Can we say we have faith and never show it?

c. What is the result for those who try talking without walking? V. 14

5. How is “good wishes” like saying we have faith and not demonstrating it with deeds?

A. THIS KIND OF FAITH...
1. Substitutes words for deeds (consider James' example)
a. Can people with this kind of faith:
1) Know the correct vocabulary for prayer and sound doctrine?
2) Quote the right verses from the Bible?
b. But their "walk" does not measure up to their "talk"!
2. Is only an INTELLECTUAL faith
a. In one's mind, he or she knows the doctrine of salvation
b. But they have never really submitted themselves to God and
fully trusted in Jesus for salvation
c. They know the right "words", but they do not back up their
words with their "works"!

B. CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?
1. What does James keep emphasizing? - Ja 2:17,20,26
2. When we make a declaration of faith and our lives do not change; What kind of faith is it

3. What is the danger of a dead faith? (It is counterfeit faith and lulls the person into a
false confidence of eternal life)

4. How can we tell if we have this kind of faith?

a. We do, if our WALK does not measure up to our TALK!

b. We do, if our WORKS do not measure up to our WORDS!

5. Is there anything we can we do to bring a dead faith to life?

[We need to beware of mere intellectual faith. As Warren Wiersbe said,

"No man can come to Christ by faith and remain the same, anymore than
he came into contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the same."
(compare this to 1 Jn 5:12)

The next kind of faith is found discussed in verses 18-19...]

Conclusion: A dead faith is…

II. DEMONIC FAITH (18,19)

A. WHAT IS THE FAITH OF DEMONS LIKE? (PERHAPS TO SHOCK ANY COMPLACENT READERS, JAMES REMINDS US THAT EVEN "DEMONS" HAVE A KIND OF FAITH!)
1. They believe in the one God (no atheists, agnostics, polytheists here!) but are they saved?
2. They even believe in the deity of Christ - cf. Mk 3:11-12 Demons are ready to confess Jesus as the Son of God.
3. Do demons believe in the existence of a place of condemnation? cf. Lk 8:31
4. Do demons believe Jesus will be their Judge! - Mt 8:28-29

B. WHAT KIND OF FAITH DO "DEMONS" HAVE?
1. Is their faith like the man with "dead faith" who was "touched only in his intellect."
2. How do demons demonstrate that they have faith? (note that they "believe and tremble")
3. Is this one step above a "dead faith"? (it involves both INTELLECT and EMOTIONS)

C. CAN THIS KIND OF FAITH SAVE?
1. Can a person can be enlightened in his mind and even stirred in his heart and still be lost forever?
2. What does saving faith look like?! (cf. Ja 2:18)
3. Being a Christian involves trusting Christ and living for Christ!
a. You first RECEIVE the life... Eph. 2:8-9
b. Then you REVEAL the life! Eph. 2:10

D. DO WE HAVE THIS KIND OF FAITH?
1. How can we tell if we have a demonic quality of faith? (BELIEVE the right things and FEEL the right things)

2. How are people deceived by an intellectual/emotional faith?

Conclusion: Our service to God must go beyond...
a. Intellectually adhering to the right doctrines
b. Emotional experiences while attending services

[Thus, James has introduced us to two kinds of faith that can NEVER
save: DEAD faith (involving the intellect alone), and DEMONIC faith
(involving the intellect and the emotions, but stopping there).

He closes this section by describing in verses 20-26 the only kind of faith that can save...]

Conclusion - Demonic faith is described as…

III. DYNAMIC FAITH (20-26)

A. WHAT KIND OF FAITH IS THIS?
1. To what kind of faith was Paul calling the Gentiles? Rom. 1:5; 16:26
2. How would dynamic faith respond to Romans 2:6-8? (Dynamic faith involves the WHOLE MAN

doing the WHOLE WILL of God.)
a. DEAD faith touches only the intellect
b. DEMONIC faith involves both the mind and the emotions
c. DYNAMIC faith involves the intellect, the emotions, AND one more thing. What is it? (the WILL!)
1) The MIND understands the truth
2) The HEART desires and rejoices in the truth
3) The WILL acts upon the truth
3. True, saving faith, then, LEADS TO ACTION
a. It is not intellectual contemplation
b. It is not emotionalism
c. It is that which leads to obedience in doing good works

d. Can a person have dynamic, saving faith and not show it?

B. TO ILLUSTRATE, JAMES REFERS TO TWO WELL-KNOW PERSONS IN THE
BIBLE: ABRAHAM & RAHAB
1. How can we contrast Abraham and Rahab?
a. Abraham was the father of the Jews; Rahab was a Gentile!
b. Abraham was a godly man; Rahab had been a sinful woman, a harlot!
c. Abraham was the friend of God; Rahab had belonged to the enemies of God!
2. What did they have in common? (Both exercised saving faith in God!)
a. Abraham demonstrated his saving faith by his works - 20-24
b. Rahab demonstrated her saving faith by her works - 25-26
3. We learn from this passage that:
a. Faith without works (this is not breathing) is a DEAD faith - 20,26
b. That "faith only" (the only time this phrase is found in the Scriptures) cannot justify one - 24
c. That PERFECT faith necessitates works - 22

CONCLUSION

1. When we examine our faith, what do we look for? )It is important that each professing Christian examine his or her own heart and life, and make sure that they possess true saving faith, which is a dynamic faith.)

2. How can Satan use imitation faith to deceive us? What is the result?
a. If he can convince a person that counterfeit faith is true faith...
b. ...then he has that person in his power!

3. Here are some questions we can ask ourselves as we examine our faith:

Was there a time when I honestly realized I was a sinner and admitted this to myself and to God?

Was there a time when my heart stirred me to flee from the wrath to come? Have I ever been seriously worked up over my sins?

Do I truly understand the gospel, that Christ died for MY sins and then rose again? Do I understand and confess that I cannot save myself?

Did I sincerely repent of my sins, making the decision to turn from them? Do I now hate sin and fear God? Or do I secretly love sin and want to enjoy it?

Have I trusted Christ and Him alone for my salvation by responding to the commands He has given? Have I confessed my faith in Christ and then been baptized for the remission of my sins as He and His
apostles commanded?

Has there been a change in my life? Do I maintain good works, or are my good works occasional and weak? Do I seek to grow in the things of the Lord? Can others tell that I have been with Jesus?

Do I have a desire to share Christ with others? Or am I ashamed of Him?

Do I enjoy the fellowship of God's people? Is worship a delight tome?

Am I ready for the Lord's return? Or will I be ashamed when He comes for me?

4. Should all Christians have the same degree of faith? Who should generally be the ones with stronger faith?

5. But for the most part, the spiritual inventory can assist a person in determining his or her true standing before God

May our prayer be similar to that of the Psalmist's:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;
try me and know my anxieties;
"And see if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting."

-- Psalms 139:23-24