Sunday School Lesson

1. James 2:14-26
With Works
November 4, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

2. http://quotesthoughtsrandom.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/first-things-first.jpg
What’s the number one thing?

3. https://forgodalmighty.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/cropped-sunset1.jpg
The Glory of God!

4. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6tzRiT-BrDs/TIGM_Ih3dAI/AAAAAAAAAX0/0AJWPvlAfqw/s640/Gods+Glory.jpg
1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God.

5. November MemoryVerse
Revelation 22:12-13 NIV
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with
me, and I will give to each person according to
what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning
and the End.”

7. James 2:14-26
With Works

8. James 2:14-26 NASB
Faith andWorks
14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he
has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save
him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing
and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says
to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,”
and yet you do not give them what is necessary
for their body, what use is that?

9. 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being
by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You
have faith and I have works; show me your faith
without the works, and I will show you my faith
by my works.” 19You believe that God is one.
You do well; the demons also believe, and
shudder.

10. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish
fellow, that faith without works is useless?
21Was not Abraham our father justified by
works when he offered up Isaac his son on the
altar? 22You see that faith was working with his
works, and as a result of the works, faith was
perfected;

11. 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And
Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him
as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of
God. 24You see that a man is justified by works and
not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not
Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she
received the messengers and sent them out by
another way? 26 For just as the body without the
spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
James 2:14-26 NASB

12. Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New
Testament -Volume 2.
Warren Wiersbe (born 5/16/1929)

13. Faith is a key Christian doctrine.
• The sinner is saved by faith
(Ephesians 2:8-9).
• The believer must walk by faith
(2 Corinthians 5:7).
• Without faith it is impossible to please God
(Hebrews 11:6).
• Whatever we do apart from faith is sin
(Romans 14:23).

14. Faith is not "believing in spite of evidence but
obeying in spite of consequence."
In Hebrews 11, you meet men and women who
acted on God’sWord, no matter what price they
had to pay.

16. Faith is not some kind of nebulous feeling that
we work up; faith is confidence that God's Word
is true, and conviction that acting on thatWord
will bring His blessing.

17. In this paragraph, James discussed the
relationship between faith and works.
• If we are wrong in this matter, we jeopardize
our eternal salvation.
• What kind of faith really saves a person?

18. Is it necessary to perform good works in order
to be saved?
How can a person tell whether or not he is
exercising true saving faith?

19. James answers these questions by explaining to
us that there are three kinds of faith, only one
of which is true saving faith.

20. James 2:14-17 Dead Faith
James 2:18-19 Demonic Faith
James 2:20-26 Dynamic Faith

21. James 2:14-17 Dead Faith
Even in the early church there were those who
claimed they had saving faith yet did not
possess salvation.
Wherever there is the true, you will find the
counterfeit.

22. Matthew 7:21 NASB
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who
does the will of My Father who is in heaven will
enter.”

23. People with dead faith substitute words for
deeds.

24. They know the correct vocabulary for prayer
and testimony and can even quote the right
verses from the Bible; but their walk does not
measure up to their talk.
They think that their words are as good as
works, and they are wrong.

25. James gave a simple illustration.
• A poor believer came into a fellowship, without
proper clothing and in need of food. The person
with dead faith noticed the visitor and saw his
needs, but he did not do anything to meet the
needs.
• All he did was say a few pious words! "Go, I wish
you well; keep warm and well fed" (James 2:16).
• But the visitor went away just as hungry and
naked as he came in!

26. Galatians 6:10 NASB
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do
good to all people, and especially to those who
are of the household of the faith.

27. Matthew 25:40 NASB
40The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I
say to you, to the extent that you did it to one
of these brothers of Mine, even the least of
them, you did it to Me.’

28. To help a person in need is an expression of
love, and faith works through love.
Galatians 5:6 NASB
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision means anything, but faith
working through love.

29. The Apostle John emphasized this aspect of
good works.
1 John 3:17-18 NASB
17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees
his brother in need and closes his heart against
him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 Little children, let us not love with word or
with tongue, but in deed and truth.

31. The priest and Levite in the Parable of the Good
Samaritan each had religious training, but
neither of them paused to assist the dying man
at the side of the road (Luke 10:25-37).

32. Each of them would defend his faith, yet
neither demonstrated that faith in loving works.
The question in James 2:14 should read, "Can
that kind of faith save him?"What kind?The
kind of faith that is never seen in practical
works.

33. The answer is no!
• Any declaration of faith that does not result
in a changed life and good works is a false
declaration.
• That kind of faith is dead faith.
James 2:17 NASB
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being
by itself.

34. True saving faith can never be by itself: it
always brings life, and life produces good
works.
The person with dead faith has only an
intellectual experience. In his mind, he knows
the doctrines of salvation, but he has never
submitted himself to God and trusted Christ for
salvation.

35. Faith in Christ brings everlasting life (John 3:16),
and where there is life there must be growth
and fruit (Galatians 5).

36. The one with dead faith knows the right words,
but he does not back up his words with his
works.

37. Three times in this paragraph, James warns us
that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17,
20, 26).
Beware of a mere intellectual faith.

39. No man can come to Christ by faith and remain
the same any more than he can come into
contact with a 220-volt wire and remain the
same.
1 John 5:12 NASB
12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does
not have the Son of God does not have the life.

40. Dead faith is not saving faith.
Dead faith is counterfeit faith and lulls the
person into a false confidence of eternal life.

41. James 2:14-17 Dead Faith
James 2:18-19 Demonic Faith
James 2:20-26 Dynamic Faith

42. James 2:18-19 Demonic Faith
James wanted to shock his complacent readers,
so he used demons as his illustration.
• The church has rediscovered the reality and
activity of demons.

43. When our Lord was ministering on Earth, He
often cast out demons; and He gave that power
to His disciples.

44. Paul often confronted demonic forces in his
ministry; and in Ephesians 6:10-20, he
admonished the early Christians to claim God's
protection and defeat the spiritual forces of
wickedness.

45. It comes as a shock to people that demons have
faith!
What do they believe?
For one thing, they believe in the existence of
God; they are neither atheists nor agnostics and
they also believe in the deity of Christ.

46. James 2:19TLB
19 Are there still some among you who hold that
“only believing” is enough? Believing in one
God?Well, remember that the demons believe
this too—so strongly that they tremble in
terror!

47. Whenever demons met Christ when He was on
Earth, they bore witness to His Sonship (Mark
3:11-12).
They believe in the existence of a place of
punishment (Luke 8:31); and they also
recognize Jesus Christ as the Judge (Mark 5:1-
13).

48. They submit to the power of HisWord.
Deuteronomy 6:4 NASB
4 “Hear, O Israel!The LORD is our God, the LORD
is one!”
This was the daily affirmation of faith of the
godly Jew.

49. James 2:19 NASB
19You believe that God is one.You do well; the
demons also believe, and shudder.
The man with dead faith was touched only in
his intellect; but the demons are touched also in
their emotions.They believe and tremble.

50. But it is not a saving experience to believe and
tremble.
A person can be enlightened in his mind and
even stirred in his heart and be lost forever.

51. True saving faith involves something more,
something that can be seen and recognized: a
changed life!
James 2:18 NASB
18 But someone may well say, “You have faith
and I have works; show me your faith without
the works, and I will show you my faith by my
works.”

52. How could a person show his faith without
works?
Can a dead sinner perform good works?
Impossible!

53. When you trust Christ, you are "created in
Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them"
(Ephesians 2:10).
Faith that is barren is not saving faith.

54. The Greek word translated "dead" in James 2:20
carries the meaning of “barren or idle”, “like
money drawing no interest”.

55. James has introduced us to two kinds of faith
that can never save the sinner.
• Dead faith (the intellect alone).
• Demonic faith (the intellect and the
emotions).

56. James 2:14-17 Dead Faith
James 2:18-19 Demonic Faith
James 2:20-26 Dynamic Faith

57. James 2:20-26 Dynamic Faith
Dynamic faith is faith that is real, faith that has
power, faith that results in a changed life.
James described this true saving faith.

58. He closes this section by describing the only
kind of faith that can save the sinner—dynamic
faith!

59. To begin with, dynamic saving faith is based on
theWord of God.
We receive our spiritual rebirth through God's
Word.
James 1:18 MSG
18 He brought us to life using the true Word,
showing us off as the crown of all His creatures.

60. We receive theWord and this saves us.
James 1:21 NASB
21Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all
that remains of wickedness, in humility receive
the word implanted, which is able to save your
souls.

61. James used Abraham and Rahab as illustrations
of dynamic saving faith, since both of them
heard and received the message of God
through HisWord.

62. Romans 10:17 KJV
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing
by theWord of God.
So dynamic saving faith is based on theWord of
God.

63. Faith is only as good as its object.
The man in the jungle bows before an idol of
stone and trusts it to help him, but he receives
no help.

64. No matter how much faith a person may
generate, if it is not directed at the right
object, it will accomplish nothing.

65. "I believe" may be the testimony of many
sincere people, but the big questions are:
• What do you believe?
• InWhom do you believe?

66. We are not saved by faith in faith.
We are saved by faith in Christ as revealed in His
Word.
Dynamic faith is based on God'sWord, and it
involves the whole man.

67. Dead faith touches only the intellect.
Demonic faith involves both the mind and the
emotions.
Dynamic faith involves the mind, the emotions
and the will.
The whole person plays a part in true saving faith.

68. http://www.unlockingthegrowth.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/body-soul-spirit.jpg

70. The mind understands the truth; the heart
desires the truth; and the will acts upon the
truth.
The men and women of faith named in
Hebrews 11 were people of action: God spoke,
and they obeyed.

71. Again, "Faith is not believing in spite of
evidence; faith is obeying in spite of
consequence."
True saving faith leads to action.

72. Dynamic faith is not intellectual contemplation
or emotional consternation; it leads to
obedience on the part of the will.
This obedience is not an isolated event: it
continues throughout the whole life.
It leads to works!

73. Many different kinds of works are named in the
NewTestament.
"The works of the Law" (Galatians 2:16) relate
to the sinner's attempt to please God by
obeying the Law of Moses.

74. Galatians 2:16 NASB
16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not
justified by the works of the Law but through
faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in
Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith
in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since
by the works of the Law no flesh will be
justified.

75. Of course, it is impossible for a sinner to be
saved through the works of the Law.

76. "The works of the flesh" (Galatians 5:19-21) are
done by unsaved people who live for the things
of the lost nature.

77. Galatians 5:19-21 NASB
19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which
are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry,
sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of
anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things
like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have
forewarned you, that those who practice such
things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

78. There are also "wicked works" (Colossians 1:21)
and "dead works" (Hebrews 9:14).
Where there is dynamic faith—saving faith—
you will always find good works.

79. James then illustrated his doctrine in the lives of
two well-known Bible persons: Abraham and
Rahab.
You could not find two more different persons!
Abraham (Genesis 15) was a Jew; Rahab
(Genesis 22) was a Gentile.

80. Abraham was a godly man.
Rahab was a sinful woman, a harlot.
Abraham was the friend of God.
Rahab belonged to the enemies of God.
• What did they have in common?
• Both exercised saving faith in God.

81. At night, God showed His servant the stars and
gave him a promise, "So shall thy seed
[descendants] be!" How did Abraham respond?
"And he believed in the Lord, and He [the Lord]
counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis
15:5-6).

82. The word counted is a legal or financial term; it
means "to put to one's account."
As a sinner, Abraham's spiritual bankbook was
empty.
He was bankrupt!

83. But he trusted God, and God put righteous on
Abraham's account.
Abraham did not work for this righteousness;
he received it as a gift from God.
He was declared righteous by faith.
He was justified by faith (read Romans 4).

84. Justification is an important doctrine in the
Bible.
Justification is the act of God whereby He
declares the believing sinner righteous on the
basis of Christ's finished work on the cross.
It is not a process, it is an action.

85. It is not something the sinner does; it is
something God does for the sinner when he
trusts Christ.
It is a once-for-all-time event and it never
changes.

86. How can you tell if a person is justified by faith
if this transaction takes place between the
sinner and God privately?

87. Abraham's example answers that important
question: the justified person has a changed life
and obeys God's will.
His faith is demonstrated by his works.

88. James used another event in Abraham's life, an
event that took place many years after
Abraham's conversion.
This event is the offering up of Isaac on the altar
(Genesis 22).

89. Abraham was not saved by obeying God’s
difficult command, his obedience proved that
he already was saved.

90. James 2:22 NIV
22You see that his faith and his actions were
working together, and his faith was made
complete by what he did.
There is a perfect relationship between faith
and works.

91. Abraham was not saved by faith plus works, but
by a faith that works.
How was Abraham "justified by works" (James
2:21) when he had already been "justified by
faith"? (see Romans 4)

92. By faith, he was justified before God and his
righteousness declared; by works he was
justified before men and his righteousness
demonstrated.

93. It is true that no humans actually saw Abraham
put his son on the altar, but the inspired record
in Genesis 22 enables us to see the event and
witness Abraham's faith demonstrated by his
works.

94. D.L. Moody often said, "Every Bible should be
bound in shoe leather."
He did not say that because he had been a
successful shoe salesman;
he said it because he was a dedicated Christian.

95. Dynamic faith obeys God and proves itself in daily
life and works.
We have church members today who fit the
description given inTitus.
Titus 1:16 KJV
16They profess that they know God; but in works
they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient,
and unto every good work reprobate.

96. Paul writes;
Titus 3:8 KJV
8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will
that thou affirm constantly, that they which
have believed in God might be careful to
maintain good works.These things are good
and profitable unto men.

97. James’ second illustration is Rahab, and the
background for her is found in Joshua 2 and 6.
Israel was about to invade their Promised Land
and take the city of Jericho.

98. Joshua sent spies into the city to get the lay of
the land.
There they met Rahab, a harlot, who protected
them and affirmed that she believed in what
God had said and what God was going to do.

99. When the men departed, they promised to save
her and her family when the city was taken; and
this they did.
It is an exciting story and in it is one of the
Bible's great examples of saving faith.

100. Hebrews 11:31 NKJV
31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with
those who did not believe, when she had
received the spies with peace.

101. Rahab heard theWord and knew that her city
was condemned.
This truth affected her and her fellow citizens
so that their hearts melted within them.

102. Joshua 2:11 NKJV
11 And as soon as we heard these things, our
hearts melted; neither did there remain any
more courage in anyone because of you, for the
LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and
on earth beneath.

103. Rahab responded with her mind and her
emotions; but she also responded with her will.
She did something about it.

104. She risked her own life to protect the Jewish
spies, and she further risked her life by sharing
the good news of deliverance with the
members of her family.

105. The Greek word "harlot" in James 2:25
definitely means an immoral person.
This is also the meaning in Hebrews 11:31.
Matthew 1:5 indicates she married into Israel
and became an ancestress of our Lord.
What grace!

106. Rahab is one of the first soul winners in the
Bible, and you cannot help but compare her
with the Samaritan woman in John 4.
Rahab could have had dead faith, a mere
intellectual experience.

107. Or she could have had demonic faith, her mind
enlightened and her emotions stirred.
But she exercised dynamic faith.
Her mind knew the truth, her heart was stirred
by the truth, and her will acted on the truth.

108. She proved her faith by her works.
When you realize the small amount of
information Rahab had, you can see how truly
marvelous her faith really was.
Today we have the full revelation of God
through HisWord and His Son.

109. Her faith is an indictment against the unbelief
of sinners today.
James 2 emphasizes that the mature Christian
practices the truth.
He does not merely hold to ancient doctrines;
he practices those doctrines in his everyday life.

110. His faith is not the dead faith of the
intellectuals, or the demonic faith of the fallen
spirits.
It is the dynamic faith of men like Abraham and
women like Rahab, faith that changes a life and
goes to work for God.

111. It is important that each professing Christian
examine his own heart and life and make sure
that he possesses true saving faith, dynamic
faith.

112. 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not
your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in
you, except ye be reprobates?
Satan is the great deceiver; one of his devices
is imitation.

113. If he can convince a person that counterfeit
faith is true faith, he hast hat person in his
power.

118. Here are some questions we can ask ourselves
as we examine our hearts:
Was there a time when I honestly realized I was
a sinner and admitted this to myself and to
God?
Was there a time when my heart stirred me to
flee from the wrath to come?

119. Have I ever seriously been exercised over my
sins?
Do I truly understand the Gospel, that Christ
died for my sins and arose again?
Do I understand and confess that I cannot save
myself?

120. Did I sincerely repent of my sins and turn from
them, or do I secretly love sin and want to enjoy
it?
Have I trusted Christ and Christ alone for my
salvation?

121. Do I enjoy a living relationship with Him
through theWord and in the Spirit?
Has there been a change in my life?
Do I maintain good works, or are my works
occasional and weak?

122. Do I seek to grow in the things of the Lord?
Can others tell that I have been with Jesus?
Do I have a desire to share Christ with others, or
am I ashamed of Him?

123. Do I enjoy the fellowship of God's people?
Is worship a delight to me?
Am I ready for the Lord's return, or will I be
ashamed when He comes for me?

124. To be sure, not every Christian has the same
personal experience; and there are degrees of
sanctification.
For the most part, the preceding spiritual
inventory can assist a person in determining his
true standing before God.

125. Psalm 139:23-24 KJV
23 Search me, O Lord, and know my heart: try
me, and know my thoughts:
24 and see if there be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.

126. End
Bible Exposition Commentary (BE Series) - New
Testament -The Bible Exposition Commentary
– NewTestament,Volume 2.

127. http://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=JN.YeZK4m9R0ZovA7PRca4vag&pid=15.1
Sunday

128. James 3:1-12
With Control
November 11, 2018
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

129. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16 NASB
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not
perish, but have eternal life.”
John 14:6 NASB
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the
life. No one comes to the Father but through me.”

130. Romans 3:23 NASB
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NASB
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death,
died in this life to pay the penalty for our sins.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second
death explained in Revelation 21:8.

131. Revelation 21:8 NASB
8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable
and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and
idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that
burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.”
Romans 6:23b NASB
23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.

132. Romans 5:8 NASB
8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Revelation 21:7 NASB
7 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will
be his God and he will be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be overcomers.

133. Romans 10:9-10 NASB
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes,
resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he
confesses, resulting in salvation.
Romans 10:13 NASB
13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE
SAVED.”

134. Have questions or would like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at
601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/