As we come to James 2:14-26, I acknowledge that we sometimes have a contention built up in our minds between the teaching of James here and the teaching of Paul in Romans 3 and other places in the NT concerning the place of works, or good deeds, in our lives.
We may contend, but you will not find James in any way contradicting or contending with Paul. James does contend but certainly not with Paul.
James has a bone to pick with those who believe that you can just say you have faith and that means you have saving faith. Read the words. James is flabbergasted at the foolishness of these people thinking that they can separate faith and works.
In the previous section he introduced the Royal Law–“loving your neighbor as yourself.” James is not speaking of works that we do to gain or keep our salvation. James is speaking of the love and obedience that we will have if we possess genuine faith. And he gives examples.
If a person has faith, as opposed to just saying he has faith, then love and obedience and loyalty to God and his cause will happen.
James tells these people who think that they can separate faith and works that their faith is on par with the faith of demons.
- (James 2:19 ESV) You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
And now it gets really interesting because of the phrase that James uses–“You believe that God is one.” This is the first part of the Jewish Shema.
- (Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ESV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Do you see what James is bringing to our attention? These people say that they believe in the same God that we believe in. But that is not what is happening here. They do believe some things about God, even that the Lord is one. But there they stop.
But God doesn’t stop there. He continues, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” And loving God means obeying God.
Jesus repeats the Shema in Mark.
- (Mark 12:28–31 ESV) 28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Merely “believing in God” is the gateway to the wide road and the way to destruction. And many do take that easier way. But we are speaking here of life and death.
God will not say, “Good try. I appreciate the effort.”
No, Jesus will say, “Depart from me. I never knew you workers of lawlessness.”
Now is the time to let James show us if our faith is sound, saving faith, or if our idea of faith is only rooted in the rebellion and stubbornness of our mind.
Message Title: Faith that Saves!
Message Text: James 2:14-26
