EVERYDAY FAITH – WEEK 2
James 2
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.James 1:22
Two types of faith:
- Dead Faith
- Living Faith
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,James 2:14-15
16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?James 2:16
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.James 2:17
The fruit reveals the root.
17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.James 2:17
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”James 2:18
19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.[f]Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? James 2:19 -20
20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? James 2:20-21
22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”[g] He was even called the friend of God James 2:22-23
24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.James 2:24
25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.James 2:25-26
The gospel does not require obedience, but it does produce obedience.
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.Matthew 7:24-25
26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”Mathew 7:26-27
Everybody is building their lives on something.
NEXT STEPS
- Decide to grow in your faith
- Build your life on Jesus
- Exercise your faith