God works through Faith and works - join us as we talk about the relationship between the two.
BBCC Bible Study Notes
GOD'S WORK – FAITH and WORK
Introduction: The need for God to work in our world and in our lives.
"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?" (James 2:14, NIV)
III. Examples of Faith Connected to Action
Conclusion: God works by giving people faith and gifts, and their real faith causes real action, allowing the Body of Christ to impact the world as the hands and feet of Jesus.
BBCC Verse of the Week: Romans 12:9–10 (NIV) 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Study Notes
There is a parallel in the Gospel of John that may shed light on James. In that Gospel the word group pisteuo/pistis (“believe/belief”) has this character. In John 2:11, after the miracle at Cana, the disciples “put their faith in” Jesus. This belief, we assume, is a saving faith. This assumption appears to be confirmed in 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” But in 6:66 many of the disciples who had believed in him “turned back” because of a hard saying and “no longer followed him.” So the “belief” of some of the disciples was not salvific. In John 11 is recounted the story of the raising of Lazarus. Jesus waits to travel to Bethany until Lazarus has died, and he provides this explanation to his disciples: “For your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe” (11:14). Jesus apparently holds that the faith the disciples possess is growing toward, but is not yet, saving faith. In 12:42–43 we learn that “many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith … for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” In other words, John, like James, can use the word “faith” to plot locations along a continuum. For John there are those who recognize that in Jesus God is at work but refuse to believe. There are those who believe at first, but turn away. There are those who believe but whose desire for worldly praise overpowers their belief. There are those who are growing toward saving faith. Finally, there is saving faith that is manifested in obeying the commands of Jesus (John 15:9–10). For James at least two kinds of “faith” are not true “faith,” for they cannot save: the “faith” of the demons and the “faith” of the antinomian party that says there is a “faith” without deeds (James 2:18–19). James holds to only one kind of “faith” that deserves the name, that is true, that has the power to save, and that manifests itself in deeds. This “active faith” flows from a life lived in concert with Jesus, just as in John Jesus asks us to “remain in [his] love” (John 15:9). – David Nystrom
Religion is pointless unless it corresponds to the mind and will of God. Once more, it is hardly extravagant to think of James recalling the teaching of Jesus, that commandments proceeding merely from man ‘make void the word of God’ and issue in vain worship (Mt. 15:6–9). James, however, would have our religion to be pure and undefiled in the Father’s sight. When he taught us about the tongue, he bade us look inward to examine our hearts. Now he bids us look upward to see if we really belong to the Father and, in particular, to see if his life is at work in us and ifour life belongs to him. Does his life pulse in our veins? How are we to know? The ever-practical James proposes a practical test. The Word of God reveals the outworking of the divine Fatherhood: ‘Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation’ (Ps. 68:5). For this reason, James does not here speak in general but in specific terms about the caring ministry, for he wants us to test ourselves. He speaks not about our general kindliness, such as anyone might show, but about whether our actual display of concern for others bears the characteristics of our Father’s concern. – J. A. Motyer
Westminster Confession of Faith: Chapter XI, Section II - Of Justification
Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification (Romans 3:28; Galatians 2:16): yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by love (Galatians 5:6; James 2:17, 22, 26).
Westminster Confession of Faith: Chapter XVI, Section II - Of Good Works
These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith (James 2:18, 22): and by them believers manifest their thankfulness (Psalm 116:12-13; 1 Peter 2:9), strengthen their assurance (1 John 2:3, 5; 2 Peter 1:5-10), edify their brethren (2 Corinthians 9:2; Matthew 5:16), adorn the profession of the Gospel (Titus 2:5, 9-12; 1 Timothy 6:1), stop the mouths of the adversaries (1 Peter 2:15), and glorify God (1 Peter 2:12; Philippians 1:11; John 15:8), whose workmanship they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto (Ephesians 2:10), that, having their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end, eternal life (Romans 6:22).
Pastor Samuel Sutter // sam@BBCCOnline.org
