What the Bible Says About Faith That Saves | Part 2

Because of salvation, let's go on a show so salvation.

Welcome to Love Worth Finding. Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers said there are only two kinds of religion in the world, grace and works. One spelled do, the other spelled done. As Christians, you know we are saved by grace alone through faith, not by works of any kind. But our works are the evidence of our faith. In part one of today's message, we learned that a dead faith is profitless, fruitless, and lifeless.

A Christian is someone who has the life of God producing works. If you have your Bible, turn now to James chapter 2. We'll begin in verse 14 as Adrian Rogers continues part two of what the Bible says about faith that saves. Look, if you will, in James chapter 2 verse 14. This is where many people go astray because they do not understand what Brother James is saying. James is talking about salvation and works. And James says, What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he have faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? Some translations give it this way, can that faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and what have you say unto them? Oh, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, notwithstanding, you give them not those things which are needful for the body.

What doth it profit? Even so, faith if it hath not works is, D-E-A-D, dead being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believeth that there is one God?

Thou doest well. The devils also believe and tremble. The word here literally means they shudder. It's a word that means to make their hair stand up on the back of their necks.

It actually comes from a word which means to stand up they just shudder, tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? I am going to show you tonight from this passage of Scripture what James is saying. James is saying, don't just go around here saying that you believe in God, that you believe in salvation by grace through faith. If there has not been a radical, dramatic change in your life, if your religion hasn't changed your life, you better change your religion.

You do not have the New Testament kind. But my dear friend, you do what you do not in order to be saved, but because indeed you have been saved. Now James is talking here about a dead faith, and I want us to do an autopsy on this dead faith, okay? Let's just take it apart and look at this dead faith and see why it is a dead faith. First of all I want you to notice beginning in verse 14 that a dead faith is profitless and it brings a profitless profession.

Notice here, what doth it profit my brethren? Though a man say that he hath faith and hath not works, can faith save him? Now remember it says literally, can that faith save him? That kind of faith. Can that kind of faith save him? Now James here is just talking about the man who has a glib religious vocabulary, but he has never had a divine encounter with Almighty God and what James says about this dead religion is that it is profitless. It is profitless. Pious platitudes don't get you to heaven.

The second thing he says about it, not only is it profitless, it is fruitless. It is a barren belief. Notice if you will in verse 18 and 19 he says, And even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Verse 15 is what I really wanted, If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled.

Notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body. What doth it profit? It doesn't do any good. Even so verse 17 faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone.

You see because it is profitless, it is fruitless, it is barren. Now verse 18, Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

Thou believeth there is one God. Thou doest well, the devils also believe and tremble. Now some people, dear friend, don't have any more faith than the devil himself.

I'm going to tell you something else. The devil is more orthodox than some preachers. He really is. He has more religion than some preachers. I mean he believes more than some preachers. The devil has a certain intellectual belief concerning the gospel. Now just keep your finger there in James and look with me if you will in Matthew chapter 8 here for a moment. Let's see what the faith of the devil really is.

Let's just see what the devil's belief is because your belief and the devil's belief may be very much alike. Look here if you will in Matthew 8 and let's begin in verse 28. It speaks of Jesus and when He was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two possessed with devils, that is demons, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce that no man might pass by that way. And behold they cried out, now these demons in this man listen what it says, behold they cried out saying, what have we to do with thee? Jesus, thou Son of God.

That's orthodox. My dear friend that's exactly who Jesus Christ is, thou Son of God. Now you just turn to the book of Mark here and look with me in Mark chapter 1 here for a moment. I'm just talking to you right now about the belief of the devil.

The devil believes Jesus. Mark chapter 1, look with me in verse 23 if you will. And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit and he cried out saying, let us alone, what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth?

Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art? The Holy One of God.

That's exactly who He is. He is the Holy One of God. Not only Matthew, Mark, but just turn to Luke now and see what Luke says that the devil says about our Lord. Luke chapter 4 and verse 41. Jesus now is casting out demons and the Bible says in demons that His devils also came out of many crying out and saying, thou art the Christ, the Son of God. That's pretty orthodox, isn't it?

That's exactly what James is saying over here. The devils believe and shudder. But now, dear friend, let me tell you about the faith that saves. Real faith doesn't cause people to shudder. It does just the opposite, it brings peace.

Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5 verse 1. Suppose when I give the invitation tonight, let's suppose the devil is sitting out there in human flesh. Let's hope he's not.

And he's not. But let's just say suppose he were. And the devil were to come down this aisle and meet one of our ministers. And he were to say, I want to place my membership in Bellevue Church.

And that minister would say, well now Mr. Devil before you join Bellevue Church we want to talk to you a little bit. We want to see if you are theologically correct. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?

Yes I do. Do you believe He was born of a virgin? Absolutely. Do you believe He died on the cross a vicarious death? Oh yes, I believe that.

Do you believe that He was raised from the dead? Oh yes. Well, Mr. Devil if we receive you into our church will you work? Oh yes, I'll be glad to join the choir. As a matter of fact if you'll ordain me I'll serve as a deacon. And as a matter of fact if you'll let me I'll be glad to preach. The devil himself is transformed as a minister of righteousness.

Well, this man sounds like he is a great candidate for church membership. Just one more question Mr. Devil before we put our stamp of approval upon you. Will you submit to Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

No! I will not. And He has not.

And He never will. My dear friend I want to tell you that in this congregation tonight and some of you who are listening to me on radio you think that you're going to heaven because you are orthodox, because you believe the facts of the faith and you know the plan of salvation. I want to tell you you're not saved by the plan of salvation, you're saved by the man of salvation and his name is Jesus.

And you can believe all that stuff. The devils believe and tremble. What's wrong with a dead faith?

My dear friend it is profitless, it is fruitless. You may have an intellectual understanding of the Gospel but you're going to miss heaven by 18 inches because it has never gotten from here down to here where you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Now listen, we're talking about a show so salvation. Now this faith is dead not only because it is a profitless profession and a barren belief, but not only is it profitless and fruitless it is lifeless. Look if you will in verse 20. Now here's James continuing to talk. James- But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

It is profitless, it is fruitless, and it is lifeless. Faith without works is dead. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imparted unto him, or imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called a friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way. For as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Now what is James saying?

Look at it. He's saying the reason that that kind of faith doesn't save is because it's not true faith, it's dead faith. A man with that kind of faith is still dead and trespasses and sin. You see a Christian is somebody who has the life of God.

Now listen to me again. We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. It is not faith plus works, but faith that works.

Now James is not saying that works save. What James is saying is that real faith produces works. Real faith produces works. Even our English word believe comes from an old English by live. What a man really believes he lives by.

The rest is just talk, just talk. James is just saying don't come around here telling me you believe in Jesus Christ if it doesn't change your life, the way that you live. Now friend, what's the Bible saying?

There's no real contradiction. You're saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. And Paul is talking about a no-so salvation. James is talking about a show-so salvation. Now James gives two examples and one illustration. I want you to look at them.

And after that we'll be finished. James talks about what he wants to show and I'm so glad he gave these two examples and one illustration. The one example is Abraham. The other example is Rahab.

And then the last is a body without works. Alright, now look at it. First of all he says, here's the illustration concerning Abraham. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only.

Now wait a minute. How did Abraham show his faith? We'll look in verse 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Now this is very important right now or else you're going to have a contradiction between James and Paul. James says that Abraham was justified when he offered Isaac.

Do you see it? Look at it, verse 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Well when did Abraham really believe God and when was it accounted to him for righteousness? When he offered Isaac? No.

No. Go back if you will to Genesis chapter 15 with me for just a moment and look with me in verse 6. God appears to Abraham in Genesis 15. God speaks to Abraham and God gives Abraham a promise. And look if you will in verse 6, and he believed in the Lord and he, that is the Lord, counted it to him, that is to Abraham for righteousness.

Alright 30 years later, plus he offered Isaac up. And James says that's when he was justified. But Genesis says he was justified back over here 30 plus years before when he just believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. You see my dear friend, all James is showing is this that when he offered up Isaac three decades later he was showing what happened way back yonder.

That's all he's saying. You see James is talking about being justified before men. None of us could see the faith in Abraham's heart back here when Abraham believed God in Genesis 15. But brother I'll guarantee you I can see the faith in Abraham when he offered up Isaac, can't you? See James is saying, show me your faith, show me your faith, show me your faith. Don't tell me that you believe in God and it doesn't affect your life.

That's what he's saying. You see Abraham was saved when he first trusted the Lord. But his faith was demonstrated when he offered up Isaac. He's not saved by faith plus works, but he was saved by faith that works. And then the next illustration is Rahab, verse 25. Rahab was a harlot and she became a saint from the shady lady of Jericho to a woman in the lineage of our Savior. Her life was changed.

You say, well I'm not that bad. I'll tell you what, salvation will make a bad man good and a good man better. And friend you'll be changed. If any man is in Christ he's a new creature. Now here is the illustration. Look if you will and this makes it completely clear and you'll see it right now. Just go back to James chapter 2 with me for just a moment and look in the last verse in verse 26 here.

And this just kind of wraps it all up. For as the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Now listen very carefully. What good is a body of truth without the life of the Spirit? You say I believe this, I believe this, I believe this. You take all of your beliefs and you put them together and you've got a body of truth. But if there's no life in that body of truth, it can't move. The body without the Spirit is dead. Now the body in this illustration is your belief. But if that's all you have and you don't have the Spirit of God in you, then you have no life. What good is a corpse without a Spirit?

What good is belief without life? Now if I had a corpse out here, I mean a cadaver. I mean a dead person right here. What would make that person get up and do good works? Wouldn't he have to have life first? He'd have to have life. Now I could fling his arms around and stand him up and make him walk.

What good is that? I'm just manipulating a dead corpse. That's redundant I know, but a corpse, a dead person, I'm just manipulating him.

What is necessary for that person to do good works? What? Life, right? Life. Before he can work, he's got to have life. Now listen to me and never forget it. If he received life and began to walk around up here because he received life, would his walking around give him life?

No. He walks around because he has received life. The works don't make him alive. He can't do the works until he gets alive.

Once he has life, then he has works. And you'd ask him, why are you alive? He'd say, I'm alive because I'm walking. I'd say, no mister, you're walking because you're alive.

That's it. The body without the spirit is dead. Now what does all that mean? Well one thing it means you can just trust Jesus like a little child. Now you'll be as saved tonight as you'll ever be just by saying the eternal yes to Jesus. And somebody can call it easy believism.

They can call it anything they want. But my dear friend, there's only one way to be saved and that is trusting Jesus and Jesus alone. For by grace are you saved through faith and that and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

But I'll tell you one thing mister. Don't you come around here telling me you're saved if the life of God is not in you. And you walk the walk and you talk the talk because you have received the gift which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Thank God for it. And folks I just tell you that's such a wonderful salvation. I bless God for it. So I hope you have a no-so and a show-so salvation. I wonder how many tonight could say, Brother Rogers, I'm saved. Would you pray like this if you're not certain that you're saved, dear God.

And just like that lady in that hospital I want you to pray but I want you to mean it. Dear God I know that You love me. Jesus You died to save me. You promised to save me if I would trust You. I do trust You. Right now this moment I trust You. I trust You Lord like a little child.

Come into my heart. Forgive my sin. Save me Jesus.

Would you ask Him? Save me Jesus. Save me. I trust You.

I do. Thank You for saving me Jesus. Pray that way. Thank You for saving me Jesus. I receive it by faith and that settles it. You're now my Lord, my Savior, my God, my friend forever. And Lord Jesus because You died for me I will live for You. And because You hung naked on a cross for me I'll not be ashamed of You. In Your holy name I pray.

Amen. Well if you prayed to receive Jesus Christ just now we want to celebrate with you and invite you to our Discover Jesus page at the website. You'll find answers there you may need about your newfound faith. There's a response section you can share your testimony or tell us how this message has affected your life. Go to lwf.org slash radio and click on the tab that says Discover Jesus. Welcome to God's forever family.

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You can also order online at lwf.org slash radio or write us at Love Worth Finding Box 38600 Memphis Tennessee 38183. Does your life reflect what you believe? Do your decisions reflect the hope of Jesus Christ in you? Adrian Rogers said you're not saved by the plan of salvation you're saved by the man of salvation and his name is Jesus. Think about the name of Jesus and praise God for him today and join us next time for more timeless truth right here on Love Worth Finding. Here at Love Worth Finding Ministries our mission is to share the profound truth of the gospel so simply anyone can understand. That's why we're excited to tell you about our newest book His Story rooted in the timeless teachings of Adrian Rogers which is rooted in the truth of God's word. This book will help you learn practical ways to increase your head and heart knowledge of Jesus. The goal of the book is to help you see Jesus in all of history and better understand the message of redemption in the Bible from start to finish. To purchase your copy go to our online store at lwf.org slash radio or you can write us at Love Worth Finding Box 38600 Memphis Tennessee 38183 and thank you for your continued support of Love Worth Finding.