As we started yesterday to explore true faith we began with the object of our faith. Biblical faith must be anchored in Jesus. Today we will look at a faith we can see. It is a working faith that brings results. It has life and it brings life to others. We are to have a living faith.
In Ephesians 2:8-9 we learn that our salvation is not because of good deeds we do. It is by God’s grace and our faith alone in Christ alone. We are not saved by our good works. If we were saved by good works, what is the standard? Is it the guy next door who feeds the homeless and stands outside the abortion clinic to save babies? Is it the person who never misses a church service? What about the person who goes out every week door to door to tell others about Jesus? No, our standard is Jesus, and since He is perfect none of us can measure up. That is why God made it possible to be saved by His grace, through our faith. Our salvation is all about what Jesus did. We accept that free gift that Jesus made possible. We receive His righteousness to cover our sins when we repent.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Since this salvation is a free gift from God, and I cannot work for it, does that mean I can continue to sin and not worry about it? Paul addresses this in several places in Romans. In Romans 6:15 he is dealing with those who are reasoning out the difference between keeping the law and free grace. “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Some might say there is no reason to worry about being holy if I’m already forgiven. Yet in I Peter 1:16, God says “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” This is the same thing that God told His people in Leviticus 20:7. If you take the entire canon of scripture, it all fits. We cannot earn our salvation, but we are to be so grateful for it that we honor God by living a holy life.
If we have a living faith it will exhibit itself in our daily lives. When something is alive it moves, it changes, and it reproduces itself. James teaches us that faith without works is dead! He begins by asking a rhetorical question in verse 14. Can faith save him? The answer here in this passage is no. Not the kind of faith James is talking about. The faith he is referring to is dead faith. We know from other scriptures that our faith does save us, but he goes on to teach us that it will be a living faith, it is a faith that will take us to heaven. if we have living faith we will be obedient to the Master. We will be busy trying to reach others for Him. We will be seeking to meet the needs of others so that we can lead them to Jesus. We know the thief on the cross was saved and Jesus told him, in Luke 23:43 “Today you will be with me in paradise.” He did not have the opportunity to go to the workplace and witness to his friends, but he still used the opportunity he had. In Luke 23:39-40 he witnesses to the other thief on the cross! “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?” The man did not repent, but with only a few breaths left the forgiven thief spoke up for Jesus.
James 2:14-20 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man says he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believes that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
A living faith is a working faith. Let me make it perfectly clear we do not work for our salvation. We do not work so that we will be rewarded, we work from our salvation, not for it! When God saves us from an eternal damnation in hell we are so grateful that we can’t help but do all we can to show our love to Him and others. We understand that we are left here to tell others. We also understand what James is saying about gaining the ear of someone who is hungry or hurting. We must meet their needs to gain their ear. We meet their needs because God gives us compassion for them. It is through our caring for others that they will see Jesus in us. We are living out what God has done in us. Our faith is real, it is not just words. It is living and growing. As we study and pray, we have a desire to love more and do more to show others that Jesus loves them too. Examine yourself. How alive is your faith?
