READ JAMES 2:14-26

1. DOES JAMES TEACH THAT WE NEED GOOD WORKS IN ORDER TO BE SAVED?

written to believers

jam 1:2 consider it pure joy ... my brothers

--- LB: jewish christians

jam 2:1 my brothers ... do not hold your faith ...

--- LB: how can you claim to belong to Christ if you ...

THE THEME: TESTING YOUR FAITH ... IS IT REAL FAITH?"

jam 1:22,25 key verses: real believers are not merely hearers ... they are doers

jam 1:1-18 true faith will endure trials

jam 1:19-25 true faith moves one to action

jam 1:26-27 true faith moves one to compassion

jam 2:1-13 true faith is incompatible with partiality

jam 2:14-26 true faith shows itself in works

jam 3:1-12 true faith will tame the tongue

jam 3:13-18 true faith results in wisdom from above

jam 4:1 to true faith leads one away from sin

jam 5:6 --- 4:1 quarrels and conflicts ... 4:2-4 covetousness ... 4:5-10 pride ... 4:11-12slander, critical spirit ... 4:13-17 presumption ... 5:1-6 irresponsibility

jam 5:7-20 true faith moves one to patience and prayer

CONTEXT IS EVERYTHING ... we all know how easily truth is distorted by taking it out of context

... therefore, take jam 2:14-26 in the whole context of what James is saying

2. IS THERE A CONTRADICTION BETWEEN PAUL AND JAMES?

rom 4:1-5 Abraham was justified by faith, not by works

jam 2:21-24 Abraham was justified by works

the key to the " contradiction " lies in the illustration ... Abraham

gen 15:6 Abraham believes God's promises and is declared righteous ... on the basis solely of that belief

--- this is Paul's reference in rom 4:3

--- it is also James' reference in jam 2:23

time context:

gen 16:13 Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born

--- Ishmael was the product of Sarah and Abraham's unbelief in vv2-4

--- put this on a time line ... gen 16:13 (86 yrs.) ... gen 15:6 (85-86 yrs.)

gen 21:5 the promise is fulfilled ... 14 to 15 years later

--- time line: gen 21:5 ( 100 yrs. )

gen 22 the offering of Isaac

--- this is what James refers to in jam 2:21

--- Isaac is a young lad from the account ... time line, 8 to 10 yrs. later ... gen 22 (108 to 110 yrs.)

POINTS TO PONDER

God declared Abraham righteous some 24-25 years before the " justification " by works referred to by James !!!

--- He obviously meant something very different from " justification " before God as used in rom 3:24

--- bringing in the context of the whole epistle, his meaning becomes clear: "justification before men" ... that is, proof of faith

Abraham's faith when he was declared righteous ... how strong was it? ... how was that faith manifested?

gen 16:2-4 Abraham's faith falters under test ... he agrees to Sarah's offer of her maid to be his concubine and to bear him a son

--- archaeologists continue to find actual evidence of the historicity of this custom among people of that time

the result:

--- the start of the continuing conflict in the Middle East

--- see: gen 16:11-16 ... gen 17:20

gen 17:17-18 faith again falters ... doubts God's promise ... laughs in unbelief ... asks to have the covenant fulfilled in Ishmael

gen 20:2 the character of Abraham's faith at this time ... lies to

Abimelech about Sarah

--- note that he was guilty of this very same

thing earlier ... see gen 12:10-20

what does the consistent counsel of scripture teach on this issue?

eph 1:13-14 listened ... believed ... sealed

--- good works play no part

jn 5:24 hears ... believes ... has eternal life ... will not be judged ... has passed from death to life

--- again good works play no part

tit 3:5 saved by his mercy

--- not because of any righteous deeds we have done

aorist tense: point action ... done once ... once done, finished ... completed

lk 19:10 " save " ... that which was lost

rom 8:24 in hope we " have been saved "

col 1:12-14 " has qualified us ... delivered us ... transferred us "

1 tim 1:15 " came " ... to save sinners

1 tim 2:4 desires all men " to be saved "