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Now, let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skiff Heitzig. We're in the book of James.
So turn to James chapter 2. We continue our series on adulting. That's the theme of the book of James: becoming mature as a believer. And today is a message that I'm calling when faith is fake. James chapter 2, we're going to begin in the 14th verse.
Back in 1955, Frank Sinatra. Old blue eyes. Saying His famous song, Love and Marriage. Love and marriage go together like uh Horse and carriage. This I tell you, brother.
You can't have one. without the other. And you know, some things do go together. Peanut butter and jelly. Salt and pepper.
Bacon and eggs, fish and chips. Campfires and s'mores. beans and rice. Movies and popcorn. Batman and Robin.
Mickey and Minnie. Though today Mickey might think he's Many. Hot chocolate and marshmallows. Macaroni and cheese. pen and paper.
Burger and fries. Green chili and anything else. Right? But above all, there's two things that always should go together, and that's faith. and works.
Faith and works. But in the words of the song, you can't have one. without the other. And that's because Though you are saved by faith alone, The faith that saves is never alone. You're saved by faith alone.
But the faith that saves is never alone.
Some of you will recall the kids' song growing up. If you grew up in church, if you're saved and you know it. Then your life will Surely show it. We've all met people who have claimed to be Christians. And they will make that claim based on the fact that they had been baptized.
or confirmed Or they read a catechism, or they walk forward at an altar call at some point, or they might say, Well, I wear a cross around my neck, I have a bumper sticker on my car, I even have Jesus tattooed on my arm. But do you have him imprinted in your life? Because if Life is no different.
Now than before Your claim to come to Christ. And if actions speak louder than words, Question mark: Are you a Christian? That is an introduction to these verses. These verses are the most. controversial versus In the book of James.
They're so controversial that Martin Luther himself did not like this book. Because of these verses.
Now, Martin Luther is not here to defend himself, so I don't want to speak too much for him or get down on him, but I will show you that I disagree with him when he called the book of James an epistle of straw. That's what he called it. Having nothing of the nature of the gospel about it, I could not disagree more. The reason Martin Luther thought that is because He was such a proponent. of justification By grace alone, through faith alone, Because of his background, That He thought James was.
contradicting what Paul spoke about that.
So the question is. Does James contradict Paul?
Well, let's read for ourselves, verse 14. What does it profit, my brethren, if somebody says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, And one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled. but do not give them the things which are needed for the body.
What does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Someone will say, you have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith. By my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well.
Even the demons believe. In trouble. But do you want to know, oh foolish man, that faith without works. is dead. We're going to take This section today, and the next section, which continues the thought.
Next time we're together.
So verses 14 through 20. is all about dead faith. Fake faith. Verse 21 to 26 is all about real faith. Dynamic faith, and we'll take that next time.
Now, just to refresh your memory, James is writing to his audience. About adulting, maturity. How do you know that you are growing and mature in your faith?
So he gives several. Tests. First test. Is How we handle trials. That's the first part of chapter one.
Okay. The second test is how we handle temptation. Third test. How we handle the word of God. Let everyone be swift to hear the word of God.
Fourth test. How we handle people. That was last week. And the fifth test is sort of a compendium, a summary of all of those. Do our lives produce fruit that validates Our salvation.
Faith and Works.
Now, just a preliminary note before we dive in and tackle this. This section, these verses, are not a contrast between. Faith And works. It's not faith. or works, faith versus works.
It's not a contrast like that at all. It is a contrast between real faith and fake faith. That's the contrast he is drawing. True faith is inseparably linked. To action.
False faith is not, it's fake.
Now just A word about faith, because some people think faith is a feeling. Yeah, man, I'm working up my faith. I'm feeling it. I'm okay. I've arrived now at a level of real faith.
No, it is not a A nebulous feeling that we work up, faith is simply acting on what we know to be true. Acting on what we know to be true. Um It's not believing in spite of evidence, but it's rather obeying in spite of concept. Consequence. That's what he is aiming at.
I will say that a lot of people get very nervous whenever we go through sections of the Bible like this. James chapter 2 is sort of top of the list. They kind of squirm a little bit and they think, oh, here goes. And I know my life isn't what it should be. This is not about being perfect.
This is about being real. Throughout being authentic. All of our lives, all of our faith is imperfect. But Some of you need a faith lift. Notice what I did there?
You say, no, I need a facelift. No, you need a faithlift.
Some of us need our faith tightened up a little bit, lifted up. And I hope that this will do that. I want to share with you from the text four characteristics. Of Fake faith. If you're doing any of these things, you're just faking it.
The four are pretty simple: words without works. Sight without sympathy, profession. without proof. and commotion without conversion. Those four are characteristics of fake faith.
We look at the first one in verse 14: words without works. What does it profit my brethren if someone? Says that he has faith but does not have works. Can faith save him? It's pretty obvious that James is writing to Believers, because he says, brethren, my brethren.
He's writing to believers. But He's also warning False believers who are among true believers. And yes, there were fake believers even back then, 2,000 years ago. And notice what he says. What is the profit, my brethren, if Someone.
So, this hypothetical someone seems to be one who claims. Faith is a very good thing. in the basic truths of the gospel. But the emphasis here is on saying It's just words, it's what a person speaks. Words spoken.
that are a substitute for actions Taken. And if you just are to substitute Action, doing what you know to be right with just words about it, he said, What is the prophet? Can faith save him? You're listening to Connect with Skip Heidzig. Before we return to today's message, what does real spiritual maturity actually look like and how can you achieve it?
In his new series, Adulting, A Study Through the Book of James, Pastor Skip gives straight talk from scripture on how to grow up in your faith through trials, temptations, and daily life. This eye-opening 21 message series is our thanks for your generous gift of $50 or more to help reach more people with God's Word through Connect with Skip. Request your CD package or digital download of adulting when you give at connectwithskip.com/slash offer or call 800-922-1888.
Now, let's get back to today's teaching from Pastor Skip. There's a book that you should read called Pilgrim's Progress. If you've not read the book, shame on you, every Christian should read that book at least once. Spurgeon read it twice a year. It is an allegory written by John Bunyan.
He was in the Bedford Jail in the 1600s. in prison for being a Christian. His faith was outspoken. They imprisoned him. And while in prison, he wrote a book, Pilgrim's Progress.
It's about. The main character named Christian Going from his city, the city of destruction, his hometown, to the celestial city. It's an allegory about getting saved and going through life and going to heaven.
Well, as he goes on his journey toward the celestial city, he meets all sorts of different people. And at the beginning of the book, one of the characters he meets is a guy by the name of Faithful. You'll love the names of these people: you have Christian, you have Faithful. And so he meets. Faithful, they're having a conversation and they spot another guy whose name is talkative.
So you have Christian talking to faithful, and hey, there's talkative.
So Faithful says to Christian, do you know him? Christian says yes. Better than he knows himself. His name is talkative. He dwells in our town.
All he has is in his tongue, and his religion is to make a noise therewith. We all know people whose whole religious experience is in their tongue. They say the right things, they know how to pray the right words, even give some kind of a testimony, perhaps even quote a verse of scripture or so, but. Their walk doesn't measure up to their Talk. Right?
You've heard that. We say that they talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.
Now, if you have a girlfriend or a wife and you say that you love her. Can you prove that you love her? Yeah, pretty easily actually. Are you showing her affection? giving her little gifts.
Showering her with compliments, taking her on dates. You do that and you do it. Because you want to do it, not because I have to do it. You want to do it because you indeed love her. Yeah.
But what if you have a partner that says they love you, but does none of those things at all? I hope I'm not describing your current marriage situation. But if somebody is not connecting, not giving gifts, not taking you on dates. You have A substantial basis with which to question. Their love for you.
It's all speech It's all talk.
So what does it profit, my brethren, if somebody says See, that's words without works. That he has faith but does not have works.
Now, look at this question. Can Faith. Save him.
Now that's a rhetorical question, and the way it's written in the original Greek language, it demands a no answer. Can faith save him? No, would be The answer. which is confusing to us. That's the thing.
And it's confusing to us because as Orthodox believers, New Testament believers, evangelical believers, we would say, if somebody says, Can faith save him? We would say, yeah. That is what saved somebody. We quote John 3:16, for God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life. Or we might think of the conversation Christ had with a group of people who asked him, What must we do to work the works of God?
His response, this is the work of God. that you believe in him whom he has sent.
So we're a little bit confused when James says, Can faith save him? And it demands a no answer because we might say, Well yeah. But A better translation of that question, and it's actually supplied by the New American Standard Bible and other modern translations. It's can that faith save him? If a person says something but doesn't do anything, can that faith save him?
Can that kind of faith save him? What kind of faith is that? The kind that only talks? The kind that only speaks. but is never seen in practical works.
You see, no one can come into contact with the real Jesus Christ and stay the same. Any more than a person can come in contact with 220 volts of electricity and stay the same. It's going to change that person.
So a faith Declaration that does not result in life transformation. is nothing more than false information. It's fake news. I'm a Christian. Fake news.
Just words. Just a creed, just a claim. Yeah. Beware of merely intellectual faith. It's all up here.
It's just a statement of faith and nothing more. If words are genuine, then works will follow.
So that's the first characteristic: words without works. James gives us a second characteristic. And that is Site Without sympathy. Sight without sympathy. Verse 15: If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, Depart in peace.
Be warmed and filled. Like, God bless you, brother. But you do not give them the things which are needed for the body. What is a profit?
Now, can I first just say that the Christian church historically Has done that, has alleviated the needs of the poor and the needy. They've been good at it, they're responsible for most. All social reform in history. Christians are the ones that invented hospitals. and built asylums.
and abolished the slave trade and cared for abused children. and started compassion ministries. Their sight produced sympathy.
Now, James in verse 15 and 16 is giving us another hypothetical situation. A brother or sister comes into the assembly. or comes around a group of believers. In this condition, James says naked. It doesn't really mean stark naked, and nobody's showing up in their birthday suit to church.
The idea is Insufficiently clad. Inadequately clothed. They're in tatters. And he says, destitute of daily food. That's not necessarily starving as much as inadequate nourishment.
for normal healthy living.
Now again The context here is the assembly of believers. Verse 14, I just draw your attention to it again. He writes to my brethren. And verse 15: if a brother or a sister, you see the context? He's speaking about believers.
Among them. And this is important because though we should and do Show the General community that we Believe in Jesus and love them and care for them and work for them and do acts of service and kindness. Principally, we should show that. First and foremost, two other believers. That's what the Bible teaches.
Galatians chapter 6, verse 10, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
So we have a special responsibility. to care for each other. Jesus said, Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, my brethren. You have done it to me.
So Let's just... Use a hypothetical. After church, you go to lunch at Dion's. Anybody here like Dion's? Listen, people move away from Albuquerque and they miss Dion's.
Like, that's like top of their list. I don't know why. But anyway, you go to Dion's. And Um you order Pepperoni pizza with Yeah. Green chili on it.
Right? Maybe pepperoni pizza with some Italian sausage. And green chili on it. By the way, if you remember nothing else of my message, at least.
Now you know how to order your pizza.
So you go there and you get your pizza, you pick it up, it's hot, it smells good, it's under your arm, you're carrying it out. You see somebody there, kind of slumped into the corner, and you go, I think I recognize that person. You walk up to the person, kind of tattered, looks very gaunt, and you say, Don't you go to Calvary? They go, yeah, I'm there every week. I thought I recognized you.
God bless you. You look hungry. I am. Let me pray for you. And by the way, the green chili pizza is awesome, and then you walk out.
Well, that would be extraordinarily cruel, would it not? Because you did nothing to help that person in his condition, be callous.
So, Faith, our faith. should lead to fruitfulness. Our belief should be worked out in behavior. Our sight Should Show sympathy. 1 John chapter 3 is a parallel verse to what we are reading here.
This is 1 John 3 verses 17 and 18. But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word. Or in tongue, But indeed And in truth. Last week we touched on the Good Samaritan.
We use that as an example in the message. Let me go back to that. The parable of the Good Samaritan. Has a priest and a Levite in it, right? who walked by the guy who's laying in the street.
The priest and the Levite We're both religious. The priest and the Levite both would have vigorously defended their faith in God. I'm a God follower, a God believer. Both of them saw a man dying in the road. Neither of them cared to move a finger.
It was all Site. Without sympathy.
So, two characteristics, and all these are very related to each other, just a little slight nuance change. Words without works, sight without sympathy. Third, Profession. Without proof. Verse seventeen.
Thus also Or therefore also. Faith By itself. If it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works.
I will show you my faith. Buy my works.
Now here James introduces an imaginary debate. Two people. First guy is a genuine believer. Second guy is a fake believer. thinking that his intellectual faith is all he needs.
First guy challenges the second guy to prove his faith. Hey, you have a pretty awesome profession. Can you prove it? Proof. Prove what you say.
By something you do. Or to put it another way, make the invisible. Visible. Make the invisible faith. Make it visible.
Works. Faith is invisible. You can't see faith. But you can see the effect of faith, the result of faith.
Okay. Sort of like calories. Right? Ever seen a calorie? What does the calorie look like?
Now you've seen the effect of calories. Right? We see them on ourselves. pretty much every day, so we see what calories can do.
So Make that which is invisible, faith, your statement of faith, make it visible, works. Thanks for listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before you go, don't forget to request this month's featured resource, Adulting, a study through the book of James, Pastor Skip's 21 Message Series that gives you straight talk from Scripture about how to grow in spiritual maturity and live out your faith in the real world. Adulting is our thanks for your generous gift of $50 or more to help share God's Word with more people. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com/slash offer.
And while you're there, sign up for Skip's weekly devotional emails and get a free download of a chapter of Skip's The Biography of God. Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Make a connection! Make a connection, let the food. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
