TUESDAY 22 June 2021 “Faith/Reputation”

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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

What do you conclude about a person when what they claim to believe or value is contradicted by their behavior? For instance, a person claims they disdain alcoholic beverages because they have experienced the destructiveness of alcoholism, yet in their home they have a wine rack and a hard liquor cabinet, and they offer drinks to their guests? Or the man who claims to love his wife but flirts frequently and unashamedly with many women?

We’re walking with James, the 1/2 brother of Jesus these days, as we work through his little letter to the first century Jewish Christians across the Roman Empire. In his chapter 2, James deals with this issue of contradiction between belief or claims, and actions. James writes: “What good is it if a man claims to have faith [in God] but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?…faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14,17) So, as you and I look around our cities, do you see some people who claim to have faith in Jesus, maybe even wear a cross on a gold chain around their neck, or have a tattoo with some spiritual saying or Scripture verse… yet as you listen to them speak, their language is foul, perhaps even cursing using God’s name? Or perhaps their behavior is deceitful or lustful or some other type of evil, and yet you hear them talking about being very active in their church or praying several times a day or even fasting? What do you conclude when you see such contradiction between spiritual declaration and action?

That was a serious problem in the first century as the Gospel was spreading from city to city with the apostles and the first generation or two of Jesus followers. Many people were claiming to believe in Jesus, even asking to be baptized, but their behavior was unchanged causing great confusion. Most of Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth deals with this problem. In fact in each of his letters, Paul spends time calling his readers to look closely at how their behavior either affirms and evidences their faith in Jesus and their claimed salvation, or denies it. So, my friends, what about you and me? Think deeply for a moment…how does our vocabulary, our attitudes, our choices, our behavior either confirm or deny any claim that we might make to be religious or spiritual, or that we have trusted Jesus to be our Savior, or that the Holy Spirit lives within us and is guiding us, or that we are follower, or even a ‘bond servant’ of Jesus Christ?

James makes a powerful statement: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that – and shudder.” (James 2:19) What does it mean? Around the world today there are more than 2 Billion people who claim to believe in one God, even the one true God, but in many cases their behavior, their attitudes and words do not reflect the evidence that this belief in God has permeated their minds & hearts and has great influence in their life. James reminds us that Satan and ALL demons know there is one, true, Almighty, Holy God and they ‘shudder’ in fear and respect of HIM, and they know their ultimate destiny, the lake of burning sulfur, is unchangeable because of what Jesus accomplished in His atonement death & victorious resurrection! (Revelation 20)

Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10 both say “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” When a person claims to have a respect for God, even a relationship with God, then we have a justifiable expectation that their words, their attitudes, their choices, their actions… their reputation, with all who know that person, will be a God honoring reputation, do you agree?

James goes on to explain that Abraham was declared righteous by God because of his great faith that God would do what He promised in giving a miraculous son to Abraham and Sarah in their very old age, and therefore from them would come more descendants than visible stars in the sky. Remember that conversation between God & Abraham in Genesis 15:1-6? Paul explains this important spiritual doctrine of salvation by faith in Romans 4.

But James challenges those who claim to have believed in Jesus, that if their words, attitudes and actions do not reflect the transformation which Jesus promises, then they have every reason to question whether their salvation is legitimate, and whether the Holy Spirit really has accomplished the great “new creation in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17) spiritual work of God in their lives. James writes: “You see that Abrahams’ faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (James 2:22,24)

James here is speaking of Abraham’s full faith in God as evidenced by his obedience to God, by taking his miracle son Isaac up the mountain and preparing to sacrifice him in obedience to what he believed God had instructed him to do! Remember that’s in Genesis chapter 22. Paul explains in Romans 4 that Abraham “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised…” (Romans 4:18-22)

Hebrews 11:17 goes even further by saying: “By faith, Abraham, when God tested him, was ready to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promise was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead…” You see, Abraham proved to himself, to Isaac, to God and to all who have ever heard the story, that Abraham had full faith in God and thus he took his son up the mountain and was prepared to sacrifice him. His remarkable actions proved the strength of his faith in God.

Now friends, let’s not allow ourselves to be confused here or to conclude that James is contradicting what Paul wrote or what we see in Hebrews. Once again, remember the fundamental Biblical principle that when you are studying Scripture you must take all the Scripture related to the topic you are studying to form a complete picture and draw a clear conclusion. In this case we know that Scripture clearly teaches that Salvation is by full FAITH in Jesus and His completed atonement work of death & resurrection, which God will then accept as full payment for our sin debt. In response to that faith, God then does all the salvation work in that repentant sinner.

But James here is calling us to consider the EVIDENCE of that genuine faith having resulted in authentic salvation and life transformation accomplished by God in the life of a repentant sinner who fully trusts in Jesus.

That evidence is the change that Paul wrote about in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come. All this is from God…” A person who has legitimately fully trusted in Jesus for their salvation WILL BE dramatically changed by the work of God in their lives, and that change WILL BE clearly evidenced in how they speak, their attitudes, their choices, and their lifestyle. If their salvation is legitimate, the Holy Spirit of God will be working in their life to guide them, change them into a new person… a God honoring person. Their heart and mind will have a great desire to honor Jesus everyday in every way. They will be repulsed by their former sinful behavior.

So James concludes with this statement: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” (James 2:26) Everyone who heard this when James’ letter was read, understood it. We’ve all seen dead bodies. We know what motionless death looks like. James challenges us, that we should equally be able to detect when a person is spiritually dead, even though they may claim to have great faith in God or even a significant salvation experience! So my friends… look around. Do you see the evidence of authentic, Holy Spirit accomplished, life transformation in those who claim a relationship with Jesus? What does it look like and sound like? And sadly, do you also see evidence of ‘spiritual death’ in some who claim they are Christians? Now I urge you to take a moment or two and look into the mirror…what do you see in yourself?

Here’s a song that may help you consider these great truths, my friends:

Today’s Scripture is James 2:14-26.

Choose below to read or listen.

Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.

Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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