“A Living Faith”
James #10
March 1st
Pastor Ben Fleming
There is no one in this room who enjoys conflict. There is no one in this room who enjoys being in conflict with others – you do not enjoy being in conflict with your spouse – with your children – with your mom and dad and there is no one who enjoys being in conflict with someone in your church family. Conflict is not enjoyable. Most of us run from conflict – we avoid conflict – we put off dealing with conflict and we rationalize and justify allowing conflict to continue. Some think that time will get rid of conflict---- we say to oneself “just let it go and it will go away.” But as we concluded last weeks message James writes that “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” We are going to talk about conflict today. Turn in your bibles to the book of James chap. 4.
Last week we looked at two kinds of wisdom that James wrote to the church about – human wisdom and heavenly wisdom. He was urging and pleading with God’s people to pursue heavenly wisdom. Heavenly wisdom is peaceable – it is gentle – heavenly wisdom is reasonable and it is full of mercy. Heavenly wisdom produces peace. It might have conflict and it might start conflict and I know that at times I have done that but heavenly wisdom says those in God’s family who demonstrate and live out heavenly wisdom in their lives are peacemakers. They are the kind of believers who sow peace and work at peace – they do not run from conflict….even when they are the cause of it. Tthey are the people in between the conflict – they do not enjoy it ----- but they know peacemaking brings honor and glory to God. They do everything to bring peace with God’s people even it means they are the one to ask for forgiveness. Every believer in Jesus Christ must become a peacemaker. There is a connection between peacemaking – righteousness and biblical wisdom. Where you find peacemaking – you find righteousness… – where you find righteousness… - you find biblical wisdom and peace. Today James is going to deal with conflict. He is going to address conflict with God’s people. At the top of your outline I put the key verse for this section.
Key Verse: 4:4 “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes and enemy of God.”
Do you see how strong James is in his writing??? He is writing to believers. He is writing to the church. Do you know how insulted people would be today if a pastor spoke that way to them? James is not accusing them of sexual adultery – he is simply using a term that meant spiritual adultery. When you and I are friends of the world, we have a spiritual affair going against God. Please stand as we read God’s Word. James 4:1-17 --- ME -------- prayer
When you and I rely upon human wisdom it causes conflict. It causes conflict in our marriages – it causes conflict with our children and every child knows that it causes conflict with mom and dad….. Human wisdom also causes conflict with other believers in the church. When you have conflict with another believer ….…… it is always because someone or if not both parties are relying on human wisdom. Human wisdom is unbelief and unbelief is friendship with the world. You battle that and I battle that. Remember: James is not writing about what is but he is writing about what ought to be in the life of a believer. Look on your outline with me at what James says human wisdom produces.
1. Human wisdom produces conflict with others. (vs. 1a) “What causes fights and quarrels among you?” The first term that James used – fights or conflicts referred to an armed battle but he used it figuratively to mean an on going struggle between powers and the second term “quarrels” meant a fight but without weapons. Do you have any of those fights and quarrels that are ongoing and just seemed to keep coming back at you and rear their head at the wrong time???? Anyway you look at it James is writing to the Christian in the church when he addresses them using the phrase “among you”. ……. The “you” being the believers that he is writing to. James is writing to the church because there is obviously a condition in the churches where sides have been chosen in the church family and positions have been dug in and anyone seeking to be neutral is looked on with suspicion by both sides….. I do not believe that there has never been a church family where fights and quarrels among God’s people have not taken place….. but conflicts within the church is not in God’s will or design. We know that because of what Jesus said in
John 13:34 – 35 “This is a new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Later in the highly priestly prayer just before Jesus was going to the cross – He prayed for His followers in John 17:20 – 21 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who would believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.”
Jesus not only prayed for His followers but He was praying for those who would follow Him because of the testimony of His disciples. He then prayed that they might be one …………. Jesus wanted unity and harmony among His followers. He says that unity and harmony among believers is going to point others to Christ. Unity and harmony in the church family is the best evangelism toll the church has. Unresolved conflict among God’s people points non believers away from God……… Conflict does not demonstrate the love of Christ. We demonstrate human wisdom when we are the cause of conflict.
We demonstrate human wisdom when we run from being a peacemaker. If you become an active member of a church family I guarantee you --- you will eventually run into conflict with others. Some of the conflict will be simple and some of it will be severe --- when it happens to you --- you have a choice to run………. and we tend to see nothing wrong with running away but if you run away from conflict you will not experience and see what God wants to do in and through your life and you will continue to remain immature and easily follow and submit to human wisdom. Peace is difficult to pursue but when you do pursue peace you will harvest righteousness. I am not talking about the appearance of peace but we are talking about the reality of peace in and among God’s people.
QUESTION
Is there the slightest hint or smell of unresolved conflict in your life with another believer ?? If there is then you have been listening and following human wisdom. Conflict always provides you with an opportunity to glorify God. Every time you encounter conflict in your life, you will show what you really think of God by the way you deal with it --- you will either respond to conflict with biblical wisdom or human wisdom. Human wisdom produces conflict with others.
2. Human wisdom produces conflict within oneself. (vs.1b - 3) “Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” You can see conflict within someone everywhere --- our nation is full of it --- we have new personal disorders, we have counselors galor, we take pill after pill and when Ann Landers died – her secretaries took over her column and it is still popular in newspapers today and it is all about conflicts people have. James says that there are three causes of conflict in our lives.
A. Internal conflict is caused by uncontrolled desires. (vs. 4:1b) ”don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” The NIV translation used the word desires here but the best translation would be pleasures because James actually wrote the word hedonon from which we get the word hedonist and hedonism. Hedonism is the uncontrolled personal desire to fulfill every passion and whim that promises satisfaction……. The desire to fulfill these pleasures comes from selfishness which is opposed to God and the Word of God. Paul warned Timothy that he would find this in the church as well as the community…. 2 Timothy 3:2 - 4 “people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.”
As a non believer – you were a slave to those pleasures. If you have not come to Christ --- you have no choice but to follow those desires. Those desires that we just read are your way of life --- you need to be born again. Some of you know that has not happened to you. As a believer in Jesus --- when you follow earthly wisdom --- when you listen to human wisdom and ignore God – you go back to those pleasures and that causes internal conflict in you. The joy of God leaves you. The peace of God leaves you. John Piper wrote a book called Desiring God. You must get it an read it. The entire premise of his book is about a believer becoming a Christian Hedonist. A believer who is pursing Christian hedonism has no internal conflict because he or she is learning to have their desires controlled by God. What is Christian hedonism? Piper puts it best: (SLIDE) God is most glorified when I am most satisfied in Him. To be satisfied in God is to know Him – to know Him is to have all your pleasures met and under His control.
Wisdom from above brings controlled desires. Earthly wisdom and the pursuit of personal pleasure brings uncontrolled desires and much pain. STORY I still remember my friend David Jelinick who showed up on my doorstep on a Saturday morning with tears streaming down his face when he found out that his 26 year old wife and mother of his 3 small children insisted in going out dancing on Friday night so that she could begin to have the fun she missed as a young mother --- through his tears and pain David said that she went home with a man she met in the bar. David and his wife had been missionaries with Youth with A Mission. Internal conflict is caused by uncontrolled desires.
B. Internal conflict is caused by unfulfilled desires. (vs.4:2a) “You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.”
I like the NIV bible here that instead of saying lust says “you want something”. Joshua Harris in his book “Not even a hint: Guarding Your Heart against lust” says – “lust is wrongly directed desire” ---- to lust is to want what you don’t have and weren’t meant to have.” “ Lust goes beyond attraction, and appreciation of beauty, or even a healthy desire for sex ----- lust makes your desires more important than God. Lust wants to go outside of God’s guidelines to find satisfaction.” So Joshua Harris sees lust in the sexual realm but it is much bigger than that” ----- This is the very key and success of advertising to get you to want something and to get you to want something so bad that you believe that you are unfulfilled and therefore you will get it regardless and that wanting something causes an internal conflict within you.
That unfulfilled desire is so strong that it will cause you to do anything and say anything to get it. You believe so much that you have to have what you want that you will go into debt ----- you will run over people – you will begin to hate people and you will deceive people. It is the kind of thinking that says – “when I get that or when I am listened to ---- then I will be happy.” “ When I am accepted then I will be happy. When I am appreciated I will be happy. When I am treated rightly and fairly I will be happy. Every time you fall into the trap of believing that your desires are the most important thing on the earth ----- you will have internal conflict. Internal conflict is caused by unfulfilled desires.
C. Internal conflict is caused by selfish desire. (vs. 4:2b – 3) “”you do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask you, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James is addressing worldly unbelievers and believers in a local church family. Everybody wants God to answer their prayers. Everybody wants God to answer their prayers just like they prayed them and in their time. Look at verse 2 -3 …..… Do you see how many times James uses the word you in these two verses? Count them. 9. When you talk about selfish desire you can only use one word – YOU. It is all about you. Most of us do not think we are selfish people --- but we are. It is all about what you did not get and it is all about what said or how you were treated. Human wisdom tells you that…. and when you think it is all about you – James is saying that you will have internal conflict. Your motives in your prayer is about you --- you want what you want and you think you deserve what you want. Non believers and even believers do not even think that they need to ask God for their needs ---
“I remember very clearly challenging a woman to pray and ask God and she said – oh --- I would not think of bothering God with such minor details.”
Of course – she never ever thought of participating in prayer with others in the family of God and learning about prayer. I believe that many who claim the name of Jesus really do not believe in prayer. I have needs – I am sinking and I do not think God is going to pull me out – so I do not pray and I do not ask others to pray for me…. James says that many times we do not see answer to prayer because our prayer is focused on our personal pleasure. We want what we want and we believe we desire it --- we are entitled to pleasure. God wants me happy and I deserve to be happy. That is human wisdom and it will only cause continual conflict within you.
Application for Your Prayer Life!
* Do I really need what I have asked for?
* Am I asking for special treatment from God?
* Is my request in the best interest of God’s kingdom?
* What do I plan to do if God answers my request? ------------ human wisdom produces conflict within oneself and human wisdom produces conflict with others and
3. Human wisdom produces conflict with God. (vs. 4 - 6) “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely? But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” What kind of conflict?
* Hostility toward God (vs.4) “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes and enemy of God.”
All throughout the OT – you see God’s people being accused of adultery. A Jew would have known exactly what James was writing about. When God’s people are unfaithful to God in the OT – they are called an adulterer – that adultery gives them a hostility to God. They are more a friend of the world instead of being a friend to God. Do you feel friendship with God? The word friendship here – philia from where we get Philadelphia and the verb form is phileo or love. When you do not feel – close to God. When you do not taste of some kind of intimacy with God --- your love for God has perhaps been shifted to the world.
1 John 2:15 -17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does ---- comes not from the Father but from the world.” Human wisdom produces hostility towards God. Remember: James is writing about what ought to be in the life of the believer not what is. Human wisdom causes
* Apathy to Scripture (vs. 5) “Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely.” This is a difficult scripture to tear apart and understand but most of the sound bible scholars would agree that James is saying that unbelievers --- which are in a constant state of spiritual conflict with God --- when they hear the Word of God ----- they refuse to acknowledge God’s Word and obey His Word there is an ongoing conflict and eventually there is a hardening to the Word of God. For the believer who relies on the human wisdom there is an apathy that happens to them. They do not care about the Word of God --- they do not respond to it and there is no taste or hunger for the Word of God. You do not find that believer in a bible study and you do not find that believer available to hear the Word of God. Has that happened to you? Is that happening to you? Human wisdom causes apathy to scripture. It causes
* Sin of pride (vs. 6) “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” This verse is often quoted. It is written in the context of human wisdom. A person who demonstrates and only listens to human wisdom is full of pride. It can be a non believer or a believer. Pride is the opposite of humility so it is also the opposite of heavenly or godly wisdom.
Let me give you a definition of pride = one who shows himself above other people. You do not have to be a non believer to demonstrate pride in your life. Pride has also been translated as arrogance and within the church you will find spiritual arrogance at times in some of God’s people. The word oppose that James used, is a military term. It was used by the Greeks to refer to someone who was fully armed and ready for battle. God is in full battle gear against the proud. Non – believer and believer. Pride comes from human wisdom. The opposite of human wisdom --- heavenly wisdom produces humility.
God pours His grace out on the humble. He pours His grace out upon a man or woman when they humble themselves and come to Christ and He continues to pour out His grace upon His children when they listen to and live out heavenly wisdom in their lives. God has always been God who responds to humility in man.
Isaiah 66: 2 “Has not My hand made all these things, and so they came into being?”, declares the Lord. This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My Word.” Who is the one that God esteems or pours out grace upon? ----- the one who is humble and trembles at His Word.
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the (humble), for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” Just as pride is the root of all sin ---- humility is the root of all righteousness. So ---- come to God today and ask Him to make you humble --- ask Him to show you and convict of all your pride.
My natural bent is to be proud. I know I am a proud man. I am more concerned for my self – concern than I am for the glory of God. I have to work at humility. I have to choose to come to God and confess to God and I have to choose to daily place and see myself as less than those around me. When you demonstrate and live out humility in your church family you open more grace from God upon your life than you can ever imagine.
Let us pray:
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Tour of California
I had the opportunity to see stage 2 of the Tour of California on Monday February 16th. It took 10 hours of driving to see 136 of the best bicycle riders in the world for 3 minuets. That is me holding the red umbrella.
James # 9
“A Living Faith”
James #9
February 22nd
Pastor Ben Fleming
When you think of wisdom - what comes to your mind? When you think of a wise person – who comes to your mind? Perhaps you think of yourself as being a wise person??? Most of us in the church have heard the comment “in the counsel of many is much wisdom” – that is actually from Proverbs 15:22 which says “Plans fail for the lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” You might think that if you get a large enough group around you and you get counsel from enough people you are going have wisdom. That can be true……... but not always. We tend to go to the people who tell us what we want to hear. Last weeks message was on the tongue – I did think about giving it again since some of your were absent and some of us need to hear it again -------- but today we are going to continue and study wisdom. If you are pursing a controlled tongue in your life then perhaps James is liking that to wisdom.
Turn to James chapter 3. When King David’s son Solomon was appointed King – the book of Kings tells us that God appeared to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask for anything that he wanted – Solomon asked God, “give your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil” and then God said, “because you have asked this I am giving you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will be no one like you before you, nor shall any one arise after you.” In one of the wisdom books Solomon wrote in Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost you all you have, get understanding.” The Roman philosopher Cicero wrote that wisdom is the best gift of all the gods and the mother of all good things. Both Solomon and Cicero considered wisdom to be the most valuable possession a person could have……. but it was the Hebrews – the Jewish people who really understood that (SLIDE) Real wisdom is not intellectual but behavioral. Fill in the blank at the top of your outline…. real wisdom is not words but behavior.
James is writing to believers - telling them about two kinds of wisdom. Wisdom that comes from below and wisdom that comes from heaven. If you have wisdom that comes from heaven – it will affect your behavior – wisdom from heaven causes righteous living in you. Please stand as we read James chap 3. Rhea Williams ---- PRAY
We tend to think that the more education a person has the wiser they are. The older a person is – the wiser they are. If you have grey hair you are wise. That is the wisdom of the world and that is not what James is writing about. God has given us the wisdom books in the bible – Job – Psalms – Proverbs – Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes – the wisdom books tell us how man sees the world through his sinful eyes and the wisdom books show us how the wisdom of man is futile and worthless without God.
Job wrote in chp 9:4 “the wisdom of God is profound and His power is vast” and then in 28:12 he rhetorically asks “where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” But in verse 28 he answers his question “the fear of the Lord” – that is wisdom.
So the wisdom from above is not how much you know or how old you are but the wisdom from above is how much one trusts – loves and obeys the Lord.
In the OT – the statement “fearing God” was the same thing as “trusting God” and it referred to someone who had saving faith. In Deut 10:12 Moses wrote “What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God and walk in all his ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…” Moses writes that wisdom from above is not necessarily what one says but how one lives. You can be a good talker and have good answers and comments but if you do not live in fear of God --- your words are not biblical wisdom. I have even thought and said to myself – “he or is she is wise person” --- but when I said that it was in reference to their words…… and not to how they lived. Wisdom from heaven means that you fear the Lord and because you fear him you walk in his ways – you love him and you serve Him – that is biblical wisdom. If Moses were alive and a member of our church family --- would he see biblical wisdom in you? I wonder if he would see it in me????
In the New Testament the apostle Paul tells us directly where the source of heavenly wisdom is found in 1 Corinthians 1:24 “but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” In Colossians 2: 3 Paul says, “ that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” James is writing to believers and challenging them to test themselves and see if they are biblically wise and can they recognize biblical wisdom in God’s people?. In verse 13 he gives us the test for real wisdom.
The Test of Real Wisdom
(Vs. 13) “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it but his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.” It seems as if James is using the terms wise and understanding to mean the same thing. But wisdom or sophos was used by the Greeks to mean theory or philosophy and the word understanding or epistemon is only used here by James to mean a specialized knowledge like a tradesman or a professional. How do you test yourself to see if you have real biblical wisdom?
3 questions to ask…………………
1. Do you show wisdom by your good behavior? Just like real saving faith – wisdom and understanding are demonstrated by how a person lives. Do you live a godly life?
2. Do you demonstrate wisdom and understanding by your good deeds? He who obeys Scripture is biblically wise. He who controls their speech is wise and understanding.
He who is impartial to others is wise and understanding. Biblical good works demonstrates wisdom and understanding.
3. Do you demonstrate an attitude of gentleness ? Be careful here – because people who are wise in their own eyes are generally arrogant about it…… Gentleness is a god honored trait – it comes as we yield to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Gentleness in a person is shown by those who are not bitter – they are not self seeking and especially by those who are not spiritually arrogant. The greek work prautes or gentleness was often used by the Greeks to refer to a wild horse that was broken and made useful to its owner.
Can you think of other believers who come to your mind as someone who is gentle – broken and useful? Would others think that about you??? Do you demonstrate an attitude of gentleness? James says that is biblical wisdom and understanding.
Wisdom from Below (earthly wisdom)
(Vs. 14 -15) “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven by it earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.” The motivation of false wisdom or wisdom from below always comes from the heart. What is in your heart and my heart is always that which motivates us. It is what guides us – it is what controls us – it is what causes us to remember and do what is really important to us. James writes that human wisdom has two basic motives: on your outline……………
1. Human wisdom is motivated by bitter envy. Or jealousy. Any time you see the word bitter used it means pointed – sharp or prickly……. Do you know someone like that??? Are you like that??? I know some people that who are like that. In verse 11 James used the same word in reference to bitter water coming out of a fountain. It is the kind of person who has no concern for the feelings or welfare of those who are its objects. It is the kind of person who thinks they are wise but they are motivated by their own personal ideas – their own desires and their standards are the measure of everything for them….. Whatever and whoever serves their end is considered good and friendly and whatever and whoever threatens their end is considered bad and the enemy.
Remember that James is writing to the church, so therefore he is saying that within a church family there are going to be those who demonstrate and manifest that kind of wisdom. 2nd motive of human wisdom
2. Human wisdom is motivated by self ambition. Self ambition carries with it the idea of strife – contentiousness and extreme selfishness….. It is the kind of person who has no room for others and they can be and come across to those around them as arrogant. They talk big – they have a lot of spiritual verbage but are not known by others as a humble person. Unfortunately, within the church they can do a great deal of damage in peoples lives because of their spiritual arrogance. There are the two motives of human wisdom…. now James lays out for us the characteristics of human wisdom. Look at verse 15. “Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthy, unspiritual, of the devil.” What does James mean by this? -
* Human wisdom is earthy. It is wisdom that is limited to this present material world of our time. It is restricted to the things that a man can accomplish and discover himself. It has no place for God or the things of God or the people of God . It is wisdom that is motivated by pride – self interest and self centeredness and autonomy.
* Human wisdom is unspiritual or natural. It is sensual and fleshly. It comes from man and not God. As Paul wrote in 1 Cor 2 – a natural man does not accept the things of God – they are foolishness to him. Human wisdom is unspiritual….. When a Christian relies on human wisdom they are acting like a non believer. 3rd characteristic of human wisdom………..
* Human wisdom is demonic. It is wisdom – its human and earthly but the root source of it comes from Satan. Satan always promised wisdom to those who he tempts. He wants God’s people to doubt God’s Word. Do not be deceived into thinking that Satan cannot tempt believers in a local church family into demonstrating demonic human wisdom……. In 2 Corinthians Paul was warning the Corinthian church about this – he warns Timothy about the same thing.
Now what does Human Wisdom Results In:
(Vs. 16) “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice.” When God’s people demonstrate and live out human wisdom in their lives – James says there are two results.
1. Disorder. The word James wrote down had the basic mean of instability, a state of confusion, disturbance, tumult and rebellion. James has already said that this is what must not characterize God’s chosen people. I want remind you that: James is not writing about what is but what ought to be. Remember that when you are thinking about your own life here…… In chapter 1:8 – He writes that this was characteristic of a double minded man – who was unstable in all his ways. Worldly wisdom causes confusion among God’s people. It is the opposite of God’s wisdom. 1 Cor 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” All throughout the New Testament you will see Paul and other writers plead with God’s people for unity and harmony. In Phillippians 4:2 “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.” Both of these women were spiritual women and had served well in the church but at least one of them if not both of them were demonstrating and relying on human wisdom because there was disorder and disharmony. King David knew disorder in his family and he wrote in Ps 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. It is like the precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard.”
Is there anyone in this room who does not appreciate unity and harmony in their family???? When biblical wisdom and understanding is being lived out --- you will find the absence of disorder in your family. When biblical wisdom is being lived out in a church family you will find order and harmony….. #2 Human wisdom results in….
2. Every evil practice. I think James closed this section by saying that human and demonic wisdom produces every kind of evil in a church family. You name it --- when God’s people are not living and reflecting what God commands them --- every evil practice will be found. If you do not believe that then tear the book of Corinthians out of the bible. Wisdom from man…… now look with me at …..
Wisdom from Heaven
(Vs.17) “but the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
Wisdom from above is pure. It is hagnos or from the root hagios or holy. Pure wisdom is holy wisdom. Look what James says characterizes pure wisdom from heaven.
* Wisdom from heaven is peaceable. It does not start conflicts. It does not start gossip. It produces peace because of its humility. Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:9 “blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.” Every believer ought to be a peacemaker……………
* Wisdom from heaven is gentle. A gentle person is humble. They are fair, moderate, forebearing, they are patient, they submit to dishonor and abuse. They are not known as a complainer and whinner. Complainers are not people who demonstrate wisdom from heaven. 3rdly
* Wisdom from heaven is reasonable. That believer is someone who is willing to yield without disputing. They are teachable, compliant and not stubborn. 4thy
* Wisdom from heaven is full of mercy. This is the believer who not only forgives those who have wronged him……. but they reach out to the person who has wronged them and helps them in whatever way they need. Now I want to remind you again about the disclaimer from last week: James is not writing here about what is in the life of a believer but he is writing about what ought to be in the life of a believer 5th
* Wisdom from heaven is full of good fruit, its impartial and it is sincere. Good fruit is demonstrated in the life of a believer when he or she reflects the fruit of the spirit in their life. They are someone who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. A believer who treats everyone equally is impartial – they reflect biblical wisdom and those who are sincere and without hypocrisy characterize biblical wisdom. What do these characteristics result in when a believer lives them out??????????
Biblical Wisdom Results In:
(Vs. 18 ) “Peacemakers who sow in peace will raise a harvest of righteousness.” The NASB says, “and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James is saying that those who demonstrate and live out biblical wisdom in their lives are peacemakers. They sow peace among people. They sow peace among God’s people because their wisdom is from above.
There is a connection between biblical wisdom, righteousness and peace. Godly wisdom produces a cycle of righteousness and righteousness harvests peaceful harmonious relationships between God and his people. There is nothing more difficult than to pursue being a peacemaker. It is easy to cause disunity and disharmony it is difficult to be a sower of peace. It is difficult to work with God’s people to restore and cultivate peace among God’s people….. but there nothing more fulfilling and nothing that brings God more glory. Jesus prayed for His church that they might be one – Jesus prayed for unity among His children. He knew that they would have a tendency to listen and follow human wisdom instead of biblical wisdom.
What can you do to Pursue and Demonstrate Wisdom from Heaven?
1. Pursue the sanctification of your tongue. You cannot be a believer who becomes or grows to be one who speaks wisdom from above…. unless you are engaged in controlling your tongue. A loose uncontrolled tongue is not one who reflects God’s wisdom. You can identify that in your self and you can certainly identify it in others.
2. Grow in the spiritual discipline of bible intake. Wisdom from above communicates truth. You cannot communicate truth without referring to the Bible. You have to know and use God’s Word rightly to be one who is biblically wise. You can also identify that in others. Does someone give you their opinion or can they take you right to God’s Word?
3. Identify disorder, confusion and criticism. Learn about peacemaking and what it takes. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. Do you sow peace or are you a peacebreaker? Would you commit yourself to pursuing wisdom from above in your life? Real wisdom is not intellectual but be behavioral.
James #9
February 22nd
Pastor Ben Fleming
When you think of wisdom - what comes to your mind? When you think of a wise person – who comes to your mind? Perhaps you think of yourself as being a wise person??? Most of us in the church have heard the comment “in the counsel of many is much wisdom” – that is actually from Proverbs 15:22 which says “Plans fail for the lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” You might think that if you get a large enough group around you and you get counsel from enough people you are going have wisdom. That can be true……... but not always. We tend to go to the people who tell us what we want to hear. Last weeks message was on the tongue – I did think about giving it again since some of your were absent and some of us need to hear it again -------- but today we are going to continue and study wisdom. If you are pursing a controlled tongue in your life then perhaps James is liking that to wisdom.
Turn to James chapter 3. When King David’s son Solomon was appointed King – the book of Kings tells us that God appeared to Solomon in a dream and told him to ask for anything that he wanted – Solomon asked God, “give your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil” and then God said, “because you have asked this I am giving you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will be no one like you before you, nor shall any one arise after you.” In one of the wisdom books Solomon wrote in Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost you all you have, get understanding.” The Roman philosopher Cicero wrote that wisdom is the best gift of all the gods and the mother of all good things. Both Solomon and Cicero considered wisdom to be the most valuable possession a person could have……. but it was the Hebrews – the Jewish people who really understood that (SLIDE) Real wisdom is not intellectual but behavioral. Fill in the blank at the top of your outline…. real wisdom is not words but behavior.
James is writing to believers - telling them about two kinds of wisdom. Wisdom that comes from below and wisdom that comes from heaven. If you have wisdom that comes from heaven – it will affect your behavior – wisdom from heaven causes righteous living in you. Please stand as we read James chap 3. Rhea Williams ---- PRAY
We tend to think that the more education a person has the wiser they are. The older a person is – the wiser they are. If you have grey hair you are wise. That is the wisdom of the world and that is not what James is writing about. God has given us the wisdom books in the bible – Job – Psalms – Proverbs – Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes – the wisdom books tell us how man sees the world through his sinful eyes and the wisdom books show us how the wisdom of man is futile and worthless without God.
Job wrote in chp 9:4 “the wisdom of God is profound and His power is vast” and then in 28:12 he rhetorically asks “where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell?” But in verse 28 he answers his question “the fear of the Lord” – that is wisdom.
So the wisdom from above is not how much you know or how old you are but the wisdom from above is how much one trusts – loves and obeys the Lord.
In the OT – the statement “fearing God” was the same thing as “trusting God” and it referred to someone who had saving faith. In Deut 10:12 Moses wrote “What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God and walk in all his ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…” Moses writes that wisdom from above is not necessarily what one says but how one lives. You can be a good talker and have good answers and comments but if you do not live in fear of God --- your words are not biblical wisdom. I have even thought and said to myself – “he or is she is wise person” --- but when I said that it was in reference to their words…… and not to how they lived. Wisdom from heaven means that you fear the Lord and because you fear him you walk in his ways – you love him and you serve Him – that is biblical wisdom. If Moses were alive and a member of our church family --- would he see biblical wisdom in you? I wonder if he would see it in me????
In the New Testament the apostle Paul tells us directly where the source of heavenly wisdom is found in 1 Corinthians 1:24 “but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” In Colossians 2: 3 Paul says, “ that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” James is writing to believers and challenging them to test themselves and see if they are biblically wise and can they recognize biblical wisdom in God’s people?. In verse 13 he gives us the test for real wisdom.
The Test of Real Wisdom
(Vs. 13) “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it but his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.” It seems as if James is using the terms wise and understanding to mean the same thing. But wisdom or sophos was used by the Greeks to mean theory or philosophy and the word understanding or epistemon is only used here by James to mean a specialized knowledge like a tradesman or a professional. How do you test yourself to see if you have real biblical wisdom?
3 questions to ask…………………
1. Do you show wisdom by your good behavior? Just like real saving faith – wisdom and understanding are demonstrated by how a person lives. Do you live a godly life?
2. Do you demonstrate wisdom and understanding by your good deeds? He who obeys Scripture is biblically wise. He who controls their speech is wise and understanding.
He who is impartial to others is wise and understanding. Biblical good works demonstrates wisdom and understanding.
3. Do you demonstrate an attitude of gentleness ? Be careful here – because people who are wise in their own eyes are generally arrogant about it…… Gentleness is a god honored trait – it comes as we yield to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Gentleness in a person is shown by those who are not bitter – they are not self seeking and especially by those who are not spiritually arrogant. The greek work prautes or gentleness was often used by the Greeks to refer to a wild horse that was broken and made useful to its owner.
Can you think of other believers who come to your mind as someone who is gentle – broken and useful? Would others think that about you??? Do you demonstrate an attitude of gentleness? James says that is biblical wisdom and understanding.
Wisdom from Below (earthly wisdom)
(Vs. 14 -15) “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven by it earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.” The motivation of false wisdom or wisdom from below always comes from the heart. What is in your heart and my heart is always that which motivates us. It is what guides us – it is what controls us – it is what causes us to remember and do what is really important to us. James writes that human wisdom has two basic motives: on your outline……………
1. Human wisdom is motivated by bitter envy. Or jealousy. Any time you see the word bitter used it means pointed – sharp or prickly……. Do you know someone like that??? Are you like that??? I know some people that who are like that. In verse 11 James used the same word in reference to bitter water coming out of a fountain. It is the kind of person who has no concern for the feelings or welfare of those who are its objects. It is the kind of person who thinks they are wise but they are motivated by their own personal ideas – their own desires and their standards are the measure of everything for them….. Whatever and whoever serves their end is considered good and friendly and whatever and whoever threatens their end is considered bad and the enemy.
Remember that James is writing to the church, so therefore he is saying that within a church family there are going to be those who demonstrate and manifest that kind of wisdom. 2nd motive of human wisdom
2. Human wisdom is motivated by self ambition. Self ambition carries with it the idea of strife – contentiousness and extreme selfishness….. It is the kind of person who has no room for others and they can be and come across to those around them as arrogant. They talk big – they have a lot of spiritual verbage but are not known by others as a humble person. Unfortunately, within the church they can do a great deal of damage in peoples lives because of their spiritual arrogance. There are the two motives of human wisdom…. now James lays out for us the characteristics of human wisdom. Look at verse 15. “Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthy, unspiritual, of the devil.” What does James mean by this? -
* Human wisdom is earthy. It is wisdom that is limited to this present material world of our time. It is restricted to the things that a man can accomplish and discover himself. It has no place for God or the things of God or the people of God . It is wisdom that is motivated by pride – self interest and self centeredness and autonomy.
* Human wisdom is unspiritual or natural. It is sensual and fleshly. It comes from man and not God. As Paul wrote in 1 Cor 2 – a natural man does not accept the things of God – they are foolishness to him. Human wisdom is unspiritual….. When a Christian relies on human wisdom they are acting like a non believer. 3rd characteristic of human wisdom………..
* Human wisdom is demonic. It is wisdom – its human and earthly but the root source of it comes from Satan. Satan always promised wisdom to those who he tempts. He wants God’s people to doubt God’s Word. Do not be deceived into thinking that Satan cannot tempt believers in a local church family into demonstrating demonic human wisdom……. In 2 Corinthians Paul was warning the Corinthian church about this – he warns Timothy about the same thing.
Now what does Human Wisdom Results In:
(Vs. 16) “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice.” When God’s people demonstrate and live out human wisdom in their lives – James says there are two results.
1. Disorder. The word James wrote down had the basic mean of instability, a state of confusion, disturbance, tumult and rebellion. James has already said that this is what must not characterize God’s chosen people. I want remind you that: James is not writing about what is but what ought to be. Remember that when you are thinking about your own life here…… In chapter 1:8 – He writes that this was characteristic of a double minded man – who was unstable in all his ways. Worldly wisdom causes confusion among God’s people. It is the opposite of God’s wisdom. 1 Cor 14:33 “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” All throughout the New Testament you will see Paul and other writers plead with God’s people for unity and harmony. In Phillippians 4:2 “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.” Both of these women were spiritual women and had served well in the church but at least one of them if not both of them were demonstrating and relying on human wisdom because there was disorder and disharmony. King David knew disorder in his family and he wrote in Ps 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. It is like the precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard.”
Is there anyone in this room who does not appreciate unity and harmony in their family???? When biblical wisdom and understanding is being lived out --- you will find the absence of disorder in your family. When biblical wisdom is being lived out in a church family you will find order and harmony….. #2 Human wisdom results in….
2. Every evil practice. I think James closed this section by saying that human and demonic wisdom produces every kind of evil in a church family. You name it --- when God’s people are not living and reflecting what God commands them --- every evil practice will be found. If you do not believe that then tear the book of Corinthians out of the bible. Wisdom from man…… now look with me at …..
Wisdom from Heaven
(Vs.17) “but the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
Wisdom from above is pure. It is hagnos or from the root hagios or holy. Pure wisdom is holy wisdom. Look what James says characterizes pure wisdom from heaven.
* Wisdom from heaven is peaceable. It does not start conflicts. It does not start gossip. It produces peace because of its humility. Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:9 “blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.” Every believer ought to be a peacemaker……………
* Wisdom from heaven is gentle. A gentle person is humble. They are fair, moderate, forebearing, they are patient, they submit to dishonor and abuse. They are not known as a complainer and whinner. Complainers are not people who demonstrate wisdom from heaven. 3rdly
* Wisdom from heaven is reasonable. That believer is someone who is willing to yield without disputing. They are teachable, compliant and not stubborn. 4thy
* Wisdom from heaven is full of mercy. This is the believer who not only forgives those who have wronged him……. but they reach out to the person who has wronged them and helps them in whatever way they need. Now I want to remind you again about the disclaimer from last week: James is not writing here about what is in the life of a believer but he is writing about what ought to be in the life of a believer 5th
* Wisdom from heaven is full of good fruit, its impartial and it is sincere. Good fruit is demonstrated in the life of a believer when he or she reflects the fruit of the spirit in their life. They are someone who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. A believer who treats everyone equally is impartial – they reflect biblical wisdom and those who are sincere and without hypocrisy characterize biblical wisdom. What do these characteristics result in when a believer lives them out??????????
Biblical Wisdom Results In:
(Vs. 18 ) “Peacemakers who sow in peace will raise a harvest of righteousness.” The NASB says, “and the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” James is saying that those who demonstrate and live out biblical wisdom in their lives are peacemakers. They sow peace among people. They sow peace among God’s people because their wisdom is from above.
There is a connection between biblical wisdom, righteousness and peace. Godly wisdom produces a cycle of righteousness and righteousness harvests peaceful harmonious relationships between God and his people. There is nothing more difficult than to pursue being a peacemaker. It is easy to cause disunity and disharmony it is difficult to be a sower of peace. It is difficult to work with God’s people to restore and cultivate peace among God’s people….. but there nothing more fulfilling and nothing that brings God more glory. Jesus prayed for His church that they might be one – Jesus prayed for unity among His children. He knew that they would have a tendency to listen and follow human wisdom instead of biblical wisdom.
What can you do to Pursue and Demonstrate Wisdom from Heaven?
1. Pursue the sanctification of your tongue. You cannot be a believer who becomes or grows to be one who speaks wisdom from above…. unless you are engaged in controlling your tongue. A loose uncontrolled tongue is not one who reflects God’s wisdom. You can identify that in your self and you can certainly identify it in others.
2. Grow in the spiritual discipline of bible intake. Wisdom from above communicates truth. You cannot communicate truth without referring to the Bible. You have to know and use God’s Word rightly to be one who is biblically wise. You can also identify that in others. Does someone give you their opinion or can they take you right to God’s Word?
3. Identify disorder, confusion and criticism. Learn about peacemaking and what it takes. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. Do you sow peace or are you a peacebreaker? Would you commit yourself to pursuing wisdom from above in your life? Real wisdom is not intellectual but be behavioral.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
James # 8
“A Living Faith”
James #8
Pastor Ben Fleming
February 15th
We have been studying the book of James. A letter written to God’s people to encourage and equip them to have and experience a living faith. I put this photo up so that you can know right away what we are going to talk about………..The tongue has caused more damage in a church family than any other action. I have thought that I need to give this message again next week, maybe I ought to do it once a month? The tongue has caused more hurt in your marriage and in your relationships in your family than any other action. Words hurt – words injure – words bring pain and discouragement and words bring distance between people. Some of you readily cuss and use ungodly slang words. Some of you yell at your loved ones and some of you raise your voice in a harsh unkind way to those whom you say that you love so much. Some wives communicate disrespect to their husbands by their words and feel justified when they are doing it. Some of you have a loose tongue and say things to people that you have no business opening your mouth about ----- some of you are like me ---- you love to talk. Some of you talk so much that you have bit your tongue while you were eating something and you have scar tissue on your tongue and you know how painful it is when you have a sore on your tongue…… In the past 10 years I have had surgery on my tongue to remove scar tissue twice --- if you do not think your tongue is important and powerful and can be painful to yourself and to others…. just ask me. Some of you are quiet and soft spoken and some of your are loud. Your tongue is you in a unique way. The tongue is a sign of what is going on in your heart.
The bible says that the tongue is wicked – deceitful – perverse – filthy – corrupt – flattering – slanderous – gossiping – blasphemous, foolish – boasting – complaining – cursing – sensual and vile. Is it any wonder that God put the tongue in a cage behind teeth and walled in by a mouth. James is greatly concerned about the tongue in the life of a believer – he addresses it in every chapter of his letter. The tongue only produces what comes out of our hearts.
In Matthew 15 Jesus said “for out of the heart comes evil thoughts – murder – adultery – fornication – theft – false witness and slander.” Scientist have claimed that once a word is spoken – a sound wave is set in motion – it continues on a never ending journey and if we had enough sophisticated equipment – each wave could be captured and reproduced at any time. Every word that you have ever spoken could be reproduced…God does not need that equipment --- in Matthew 12:36 – Jesus said, “every careless word that people speak – they shall give an accounting for those words in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” So these written words that God has captured for us in this letter that James has written…. I believe they ought to move us – teach us – challenge us and convict us as we pursue a living real faith in Jesus Christ.
Your tongue – my tongue – brings words of healing or words of hurt. Your tongue brings words of judgment or words of grace. Your tongue brings words of harshness or words of kindness. Your tongue brings words of criticism or words of encouragement. If Google invented the machine Googlecapture to record all of your words and replay them --- what words would we hear that you have spoken this past week??? Please stand as we read James chapter3
The first sin committed after the fall of Adam and Eve was a sin of the tongue. When God questioned Adam about eating the forbidden fruit – he slandered God by suggesting with his words that God was responsible – (3:12) “the woman whom You (GOD) gave to be with me – she gave me from the tree and I ate”…… He blamed God with his tongue. With our tongue we blame others for our sin. My wife made me do what I did. My boss was unfair and treated me wrongly – My mom and dad are so unreasonable – My teacher did not explain the problem – it is not my fault…… – we are just like Adam. There is nobody in this room who has not been hurt by the words from someone else and there is nobody in this room who has not hurt and sinned against someone else with their words. I do not believe that in the Christian church today we are all that serious as believers about the sanctification of our tongues. It does matter what you say – how you say it and it matters the volume and tone in which you say it and it matters when you say it and it matters even what your facial expressions are. Listen to the words of King Solomon about the tongue.
Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”…………. Proverbs 16:24 “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Have you ever longed for pleasant words to be spoken to you ? When was the last time someone thought of your words like a honeycomb? Proverbs 12:25 “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” I bet there are husbands who long for such words from their wives? Proverbs 15:1 – 4 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life.” Do you want your tongue to be known as a tree of life??? Proverbs 25:11 “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” That is one that you and I ought to memorize. 25:15 “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone and the last one in chapter 21:23 “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”
In this section where we read about the tongue today – James gives us 5 reasons why we as believers must maintain – control and pursue the sanctification of our tongues if we are going to walk in and experience a genuine saving faith. Look on your outline:
Why Believers Must Have Sanctified Tongues --- (explain sanctified)
1. Your tongue has the potential to condemn others. (3:1-2) “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways…” James is addressing the church body here and he is specifically addressing those in it who are preaching and teaching. He is addressing the one who stands up front on Sunday to the one who teaches the first graders. Now a word of caution: it is wrong to say to yourself – “if a teacher in a church is going to be judged more strictly – then I am never going to get involved in teaching.” James is simply saying that those who teach need to be extremely cautious and careful how they speak. It takes time to be a Sunday School teacher. A preacher must put in hours and hours of preparation to speak for 45 min. Your words publicly and privately influence others in the family of God. Words can condemn another person. You can loose credibility because of your words… regardless of your intentions. The teaching of erroneous – misleading and confusing theology can lead people away from the truth of the gospel. 900 people followed the teaching of Rev Jim Jones – and they ended up committing suicide with him in November 1978. People followed the teachings of David Koresh and followed him to their death in Texas and the Hale Bop Comet people were later. I wonder how many people are being led away from God even today as a result of false and unsound teaching?
The apostle Paul and Peter wrote:
1 Timothy 1:3 “command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer and then in chp. 6 “if anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree with sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.” In 2 Peter 2:1 “false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be also false teachers among you.” The tongue of a teacher in God’s church can condemn God’s people. Therefore – anyone preaching and teaching must spend time preparing. They must think about – pray about and chose their words very carefully ahead of time. You cannot just say what you want to say……. We know that James is writing about believers in a church family when he uses the word brothers to refer to believers. We all stumble in many ways ---- You might not be a teacher in a church but words can always condemn someone else…….. Husbands and wives condemn each other with their words and parents condemn their children and teens condemn other teens. Believers in a church family condemn other believers. If you do not ask God to control your tongue you are in danger of condemning others with your words. You rob yourself and you rob others. Reason #2
2. Your tongue has the power to control others. (3:2b-5a) “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it boast of great things…”
Every one of us know this: Some of us have been controlled by the words of others and some of us have been guilty of controlling others by our words…James says that if you are never at fault with your words – then you are a perfect man or woman. The idea that James is speaking of here is that when we become more and more spiritually mature we will control our tongues. When your tongue comes under control – you are going to see other areas of your life come under control. If your tongue is coming under control – your anger – your lust – your gluttony – your envy – your laziness and on and on are coming under control. A tongue that is coming under the control of the Holy Spirit is going to affect the rest of that believers life. Jesus Christ demonstrated a controlled tongue.
1 Peter 2:21-23 “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats………” The tongue of Jesus was completely under control. The more you pursue Jesus – the more your tongue will come under control and the rest of your life will follow.
STORY: There was a woman in a church family who was a terrible gossip. One day she said to the pastor, “The Lord has convicted me of my sin of gossip. My tongue is getting me into trouble. He said, “what do you plan to do about it? She replied. I want to put my tongue on the altar”. Now she had said that many times before and never changed. He told her – “There is not an altar big enough.”
--- Well there is an altar big enough --- but this woman was unwilling to pay the price. She loved her gossip more than righteousness. She was unwilling to do what King David wrote in Psalm 39 “ I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle.” Are you willing to do that???? What are you willing to pay to see your tongue come under the control of the Holy Spirit?”
James gives two analogies to show the power of the tongue. (vs.3) When you put a bit into a horses mouth you can control the entire horse. The bit lies on the top of the horses tongue. The bit is used to make the horse obey. Are you allowing God to put a bit in your mouth or do you just simply enjoy controlling others with your words??? The second illustration (vs.4) he used was that of the rudder of a ship. The rudder is a very small part of a ship but it can easily steer the ship where the pilot of the ship wants it to go. Who is the pilot of your ship? Is the rudder in your mouth under the control of the pilot or is it under your control? Reason #3
3. Your tongue has the propensity to be corrupt. (3:5b – 6) “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the whole body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” James is writing here to God’s people about the destructive power of the tongue. It can be hateful – it can be false – heretical or even careless words (you hear those spoken even in a church family) – I am not going to give you examples but I will go so far as to say that slang words are careless words. Your words can corrupt others and spread to others --- especially gossip and slander….
On October 8, 1871, a latern in Mrs O’Leary’s barn was knocked over by a cow and it ignited the great Chicago fire. 17,500 buildings were destroyed – 300 people died and 125,000 were left homeless. James says that the tongue is like a fire that corrupts the entire person. If you allow your tongue to be uncontrolled by the Holy Spirit – your entire body will be corrupted by your tongue. On August 5th – 1965 --- my family was sitting upstairs in the kitchen of our split level home – my sister Chris went downstairs to get a coke out of the garage. When she opened the door – fire greeted her. Well – our garage was gutted but every room in our house was touched by the smoke of that fire. My bedroom was down stairs in the basement and when I put on my shirt the next day – I still remember the smell of the smoke on my shirt…………
James says the whole course of our life is set on fire by our tongues and it itself is set on fire by hell. This is the only place outside of the 4 gospels that we find this word that James used. Gehenna or hell. The valley of hinnom was just southwest of the city of Jerusalem – it was a valley that the trash – garbage and bodies of dead animals from the city were thrown – it was the original place where the Cannanites would sacrifice their children to the pagan god Molech.
Your tongue – my tongue has the propensity to be like Gehenna. It needs constant guarding and control.
4. Your tongue has the inability to be controlled. (3:7-8) “All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
Think about it ---- we always want to say something. Everybody wants to have the last word --- even the most quietest person opens their mouth with a word when they are upset. James says that the human tongue cannot be controlled – it cannot be tamed. You can tame any animal but the human tongue is an animal that cannot be tamed. A person can try all they want but in their own power a human cannot control their tongue.
Even in a believer who has the Holy Spirit – the tongue can be set loose and do damage. King David knew that and prayed in Psalm 141:3 “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips”. The apostle Paul even confessed, “I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh, for the willing is present in me, but the doing of good is not.” James says that the tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” I told you last week that I was going to address the tongue. You have heard all of these words from James and yet --- as soon as we say amen and you are dismissed your tongue is going to go back to work. You are going to watch what you say for a time and you are going watch even as you go home or to eat – but I guarantee you – you are going to find your tongue uncontrolled in some way today and this week. You and I need to constantly ask God to set a guard over our mouths.
5. Your tongue has the nature to compromise.
(3:9 -12) “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
Your tongue and my tongue -- its nature is to compromise. It is like a deliberate breech of trust or treachery. It can be like a wild animal – hypocritical and willing to deceive in order to achieve its own advantage. James says that with it we praise our Lord and Father - the Jewish believers identified with this statement ----- they knew this because they were used to at the end of a Jewish service there would be 18 benedictions and they would say “blessed be thou, o God.” Out of that same mouth that said those words could and would come cursing. Seems strange – but the apostle Peter cursed the Lord and Paul let his tongue loose and called the high priest a whitewash wall. Take your pen and underline what James response to that statement is – MY BROTHERS – THIS SHOULD NOT BE. Double minded speech cannot be. You cannot compromise your speech ---- holy speech is part of holy living.
When God transforms you He gives you the capacity to be transformed in your speech.
James then closes this point by three illustrations: Does a fountain send out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening? The answer is no. Can a fig tree produce olives and a vine produce figs – the answer is no and can salt water produce fresh water – no. A hateful heart cannot produce loving words and good works. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit.
Disclaimer: In the book of James and especially this section on the tongue and last weeks on faith and works – there is a tension in this letter between what is and what ought to be. In other words – this is how it will be if you are a true believer and at another point this is how you ought to be if you are a true believer. I have not given some application points in awhile – but this issue of the tongue is so vital to us --- I wrestle with my tongue and I know all of you do. What can you do to gain victory over unrighteous and careless words in your life?
Application:
* Look up verses in the bible about the tongue and your words. Write them out and put them around in your house. Do something tangible to attack old habits.
* Identify words that you speak that are careless – slang words that non believers use around you. Identify the slang words that you use to take the Lord’s name in vain. You and I are so brainwashed that we see nothing wrong with some of the words that we speak.
* Go to anyone that you have spoken words to that have been out of place. You have had no right or credibility to speak them – you have spoken carelessly to them even though you think your intentions were good – ask them to forgive you. Some of us have hurt other people and we do not even know it. When someone comes to you and confronts you --- do not defend yourself and justify and rationalize what you said. 4thly
* Give permission to another believer to get in your face about your tongue. Do not get offended when they point out to you your speech. How do you come across to others? Have you ever been so bold to ask some else if your tone of voice – your volume your facial expressions are offensive and put them on the defensive? That is a believer who is serious about glorifying God with their tongue.
#6
* We are going to have a week of fasting and prayer next month. Make that week a week dedicated to seeing God change your speech and bring your tongue under control. I guarantee you that if you set your mind to fast and pray at least one day you will see God do something in your life for your good.
James #8
Pastor Ben Fleming
February 15th
We have been studying the book of James. A letter written to God’s people to encourage and equip them to have and experience a living faith. I put this photo up so that you can know right away what we are going to talk about………..The tongue has caused more damage in a church family than any other action. I have thought that I need to give this message again next week, maybe I ought to do it once a month? The tongue has caused more hurt in your marriage and in your relationships in your family than any other action. Words hurt – words injure – words bring pain and discouragement and words bring distance between people. Some of you readily cuss and use ungodly slang words. Some of you yell at your loved ones and some of you raise your voice in a harsh unkind way to those whom you say that you love so much. Some wives communicate disrespect to their husbands by their words and feel justified when they are doing it. Some of you have a loose tongue and say things to people that you have no business opening your mouth about ----- some of you are like me ---- you love to talk. Some of you talk so much that you have bit your tongue while you were eating something and you have scar tissue on your tongue and you know how painful it is when you have a sore on your tongue…… In the past 10 years I have had surgery on my tongue to remove scar tissue twice --- if you do not think your tongue is important and powerful and can be painful to yourself and to others…. just ask me. Some of you are quiet and soft spoken and some of your are loud. Your tongue is you in a unique way. The tongue is a sign of what is going on in your heart.
The bible says that the tongue is wicked – deceitful – perverse – filthy – corrupt – flattering – slanderous – gossiping – blasphemous, foolish – boasting – complaining – cursing – sensual and vile. Is it any wonder that God put the tongue in a cage behind teeth and walled in by a mouth. James is greatly concerned about the tongue in the life of a believer – he addresses it in every chapter of his letter. The tongue only produces what comes out of our hearts.
In Matthew 15 Jesus said “for out of the heart comes evil thoughts – murder – adultery – fornication – theft – false witness and slander.” Scientist have claimed that once a word is spoken – a sound wave is set in motion – it continues on a never ending journey and if we had enough sophisticated equipment – each wave could be captured and reproduced at any time. Every word that you have ever spoken could be reproduced…God does not need that equipment --- in Matthew 12:36 – Jesus said, “every careless word that people speak – they shall give an accounting for those words in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.” So these written words that God has captured for us in this letter that James has written…. I believe they ought to move us – teach us – challenge us and convict us as we pursue a living real faith in Jesus Christ.
Your tongue – my tongue – brings words of healing or words of hurt. Your tongue brings words of judgment or words of grace. Your tongue brings words of harshness or words of kindness. Your tongue brings words of criticism or words of encouragement. If Google invented the machine Googlecapture to record all of your words and replay them --- what words would we hear that you have spoken this past week??? Please stand as we read James chapter3
The first sin committed after the fall of Adam and Eve was a sin of the tongue. When God questioned Adam about eating the forbidden fruit – he slandered God by suggesting with his words that God was responsible – (3:12) “the woman whom You (GOD) gave to be with me – she gave me from the tree and I ate”…… He blamed God with his tongue. With our tongue we blame others for our sin. My wife made me do what I did. My boss was unfair and treated me wrongly – My mom and dad are so unreasonable – My teacher did not explain the problem – it is not my fault…… – we are just like Adam. There is nobody in this room who has not been hurt by the words from someone else and there is nobody in this room who has not hurt and sinned against someone else with their words. I do not believe that in the Christian church today we are all that serious as believers about the sanctification of our tongues. It does matter what you say – how you say it and it matters the volume and tone in which you say it and it matters when you say it and it matters even what your facial expressions are. Listen to the words of King Solomon about the tongue.
Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”…………. Proverbs 16:24 “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Have you ever longed for pleasant words to be spoken to you ? When was the last time someone thought of your words like a honeycomb? Proverbs 12:25 “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” I bet there are husbands who long for such words from their wives? Proverbs 15:1 – 4 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life.” Do you want your tongue to be known as a tree of life??? Proverbs 25:11 “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” That is one that you and I ought to memorize. 25:15 “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone and the last one in chapter 21:23 “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.”
In this section where we read about the tongue today – James gives us 5 reasons why we as believers must maintain – control and pursue the sanctification of our tongues if we are going to walk in and experience a genuine saving faith. Look on your outline:
Why Believers Must Have Sanctified Tongues --- (explain sanctified)
1. Your tongue has the potential to condemn others. (3:1-2) “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways…” James is addressing the church body here and he is specifically addressing those in it who are preaching and teaching. He is addressing the one who stands up front on Sunday to the one who teaches the first graders. Now a word of caution: it is wrong to say to yourself – “if a teacher in a church is going to be judged more strictly – then I am never going to get involved in teaching.” James is simply saying that those who teach need to be extremely cautious and careful how they speak. It takes time to be a Sunday School teacher. A preacher must put in hours and hours of preparation to speak for 45 min. Your words publicly and privately influence others in the family of God. Words can condemn another person. You can loose credibility because of your words… regardless of your intentions. The teaching of erroneous – misleading and confusing theology can lead people away from the truth of the gospel. 900 people followed the teaching of Rev Jim Jones – and they ended up committing suicide with him in November 1978. People followed the teachings of David Koresh and followed him to their death in Texas and the Hale Bop Comet people were later. I wonder how many people are being led away from God even today as a result of false and unsound teaching?
The apostle Paul and Peter wrote:
1 Timothy 1:3 “command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer and then in chp. 6 “if anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree with sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.” In 2 Peter 2:1 “false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be also false teachers among you.” The tongue of a teacher in God’s church can condemn God’s people. Therefore – anyone preaching and teaching must spend time preparing. They must think about – pray about and chose their words very carefully ahead of time. You cannot just say what you want to say……. We know that James is writing about believers in a church family when he uses the word brothers to refer to believers. We all stumble in many ways ---- You might not be a teacher in a church but words can always condemn someone else…….. Husbands and wives condemn each other with their words and parents condemn their children and teens condemn other teens. Believers in a church family condemn other believers. If you do not ask God to control your tongue you are in danger of condemning others with your words. You rob yourself and you rob others. Reason #2
2. Your tongue has the power to control others. (3:2b-5a) “If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it boast of great things…”
Every one of us know this: Some of us have been controlled by the words of others and some of us have been guilty of controlling others by our words…James says that if you are never at fault with your words – then you are a perfect man or woman. The idea that James is speaking of here is that when we become more and more spiritually mature we will control our tongues. When your tongue comes under control – you are going to see other areas of your life come under control. If your tongue is coming under control – your anger – your lust – your gluttony – your envy – your laziness and on and on are coming under control. A tongue that is coming under the control of the Holy Spirit is going to affect the rest of that believers life. Jesus Christ demonstrated a controlled tongue.
1 Peter 2:21-23 “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats………” The tongue of Jesus was completely under control. The more you pursue Jesus – the more your tongue will come under control and the rest of your life will follow.
STORY: There was a woman in a church family who was a terrible gossip. One day she said to the pastor, “The Lord has convicted me of my sin of gossip. My tongue is getting me into trouble. He said, “what do you plan to do about it? She replied. I want to put my tongue on the altar”. Now she had said that many times before and never changed. He told her – “There is not an altar big enough.”
--- Well there is an altar big enough --- but this woman was unwilling to pay the price. She loved her gossip more than righteousness. She was unwilling to do what King David wrote in Psalm 39 “ I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle.” Are you willing to do that???? What are you willing to pay to see your tongue come under the control of the Holy Spirit?”
James gives two analogies to show the power of the tongue. (vs.3) When you put a bit into a horses mouth you can control the entire horse. The bit lies on the top of the horses tongue. The bit is used to make the horse obey. Are you allowing God to put a bit in your mouth or do you just simply enjoy controlling others with your words??? The second illustration (vs.4) he used was that of the rudder of a ship. The rudder is a very small part of a ship but it can easily steer the ship where the pilot of the ship wants it to go. Who is the pilot of your ship? Is the rudder in your mouth under the control of the pilot or is it under your control? Reason #3
3. Your tongue has the propensity to be corrupt. (3:5b – 6) “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the whole body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” James is writing here to God’s people about the destructive power of the tongue. It can be hateful – it can be false – heretical or even careless words (you hear those spoken even in a church family) – I am not going to give you examples but I will go so far as to say that slang words are careless words. Your words can corrupt others and spread to others --- especially gossip and slander….
On October 8, 1871, a latern in Mrs O’Leary’s barn was knocked over by a cow and it ignited the great Chicago fire. 17,500 buildings were destroyed – 300 people died and 125,000 were left homeless. James says that the tongue is like a fire that corrupts the entire person. If you allow your tongue to be uncontrolled by the Holy Spirit – your entire body will be corrupted by your tongue. On August 5th – 1965 --- my family was sitting upstairs in the kitchen of our split level home – my sister Chris went downstairs to get a coke out of the garage. When she opened the door – fire greeted her. Well – our garage was gutted but every room in our house was touched by the smoke of that fire. My bedroom was down stairs in the basement and when I put on my shirt the next day – I still remember the smell of the smoke on my shirt…………
James says the whole course of our life is set on fire by our tongues and it itself is set on fire by hell. This is the only place outside of the 4 gospels that we find this word that James used. Gehenna or hell. The valley of hinnom was just southwest of the city of Jerusalem – it was a valley that the trash – garbage and bodies of dead animals from the city were thrown – it was the original place where the Cannanites would sacrifice their children to the pagan god Molech.
Your tongue – my tongue has the propensity to be like Gehenna. It needs constant guarding and control.
4. Your tongue has the inability to be controlled. (3:7-8) “All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
Think about it ---- we always want to say something. Everybody wants to have the last word --- even the most quietest person opens their mouth with a word when they are upset. James says that the human tongue cannot be controlled – it cannot be tamed. You can tame any animal but the human tongue is an animal that cannot be tamed. A person can try all they want but in their own power a human cannot control their tongue.
Even in a believer who has the Holy Spirit – the tongue can be set loose and do damage. King David knew that and prayed in Psalm 141:3 “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips”. The apostle Paul even confessed, “I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh, for the willing is present in me, but the doing of good is not.” James says that the tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” I told you last week that I was going to address the tongue. You have heard all of these words from James and yet --- as soon as we say amen and you are dismissed your tongue is going to go back to work. You are going to watch what you say for a time and you are going watch even as you go home or to eat – but I guarantee you – you are going to find your tongue uncontrolled in some way today and this week. You and I need to constantly ask God to set a guard over our mouths.
5. Your tongue has the nature to compromise.
(3:9 -12) “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
Your tongue and my tongue -- its nature is to compromise. It is like a deliberate breech of trust or treachery. It can be like a wild animal – hypocritical and willing to deceive in order to achieve its own advantage. James says that with it we praise our Lord and Father - the Jewish believers identified with this statement ----- they knew this because they were used to at the end of a Jewish service there would be 18 benedictions and they would say “blessed be thou, o God.” Out of that same mouth that said those words could and would come cursing. Seems strange – but the apostle Peter cursed the Lord and Paul let his tongue loose and called the high priest a whitewash wall. Take your pen and underline what James response to that statement is – MY BROTHERS – THIS SHOULD NOT BE. Double minded speech cannot be. You cannot compromise your speech ---- holy speech is part of holy living.
When God transforms you He gives you the capacity to be transformed in your speech.
James then closes this point by three illustrations: Does a fountain send out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening? The answer is no. Can a fig tree produce olives and a vine produce figs – the answer is no and can salt water produce fresh water – no. A hateful heart cannot produce loving words and good works. A bad tree cannot produce good fruit.
Disclaimer: In the book of James and especially this section on the tongue and last weeks on faith and works – there is a tension in this letter between what is and what ought to be. In other words – this is how it will be if you are a true believer and at another point this is how you ought to be if you are a true believer. I have not given some application points in awhile – but this issue of the tongue is so vital to us --- I wrestle with my tongue and I know all of you do. What can you do to gain victory over unrighteous and careless words in your life?
Application:
* Look up verses in the bible about the tongue and your words. Write them out and put them around in your house. Do something tangible to attack old habits.
* Identify words that you speak that are careless – slang words that non believers use around you. Identify the slang words that you use to take the Lord’s name in vain. You and I are so brainwashed that we see nothing wrong with some of the words that we speak.
* Go to anyone that you have spoken words to that have been out of place. You have had no right or credibility to speak them – you have spoken carelessly to them even though you think your intentions were good – ask them to forgive you. Some of us have hurt other people and we do not even know it. When someone comes to you and confronts you --- do not defend yourself and justify and rationalize what you said. 4thly
* Give permission to another believer to get in your face about your tongue. Do not get offended when they point out to you your speech. How do you come across to others? Have you ever been so bold to ask some else if your tone of voice – your volume your facial expressions are offensive and put them on the defensive? That is a believer who is serious about glorifying God with their tongue.
#6
* We are going to have a week of fasting and prayer next month. Make that week a week dedicated to seeing God change your speech and bring your tongue under control. I guarantee you that if you set your mind to fast and pray at least one day you will see God do something in your life for your good.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Finally Alive
Finally Alive by John Piper is now available. I challenge you to
read this book where Piper deals with the issue of "What does
it mean to be born again."
Piper writes his book with the bold claim that there is a
profound mistake in our country. Piper writes on p.13
"I want to say loud and clear that when the Barna Group uses the term "born again" to describe American church-goers whose lives are indistinguishable from the world, who sin as much as the world, and sacrifice for others as little as the world, and embrace injustice as readily as the world, and covet things as greedily as the world, and enjoy God-ignoring entertainment as enthusiastically as the world - when the term born again is used to describe these professing Christians, the Barna Group is making a profound mistake. It is using the biblical term "Born Again" in a way that would make it unrecognizable by Jesus and the biblical writers." ----- I highly recommend reading Piper's book.
read this book where Piper deals with the issue of "What does
it mean to be born again."
Piper writes his book with the bold claim that there is a
profound mistake in our country. Piper writes on p.13
"I want to say loud and clear that when the Barna Group uses the term "born again" to describe American church-goers whose lives are indistinguishable from the world, who sin as much as the world, and sacrifice for others as little as the world, and embrace injustice as readily as the world, and covet things as greedily as the world, and enjoy God-ignoring entertainment as enthusiastically as the world - when the term born again is used to describe these professing Christians, the Barna Group is making a profound mistake. It is using the biblical term "Born Again" in a way that would make it unrecognizable by Jesus and the biblical writers." ----- I highly recommend reading Piper's book.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
James #7
“A Living Faith”
James #7
February 8, 2009
Pastor Ben Fleming
Turn in your bible to James chapter 2. Thank you Danny for preaching last week and covering the first part of 2nd chapter. This was my first time to see my daughter Mandy run a marathon. (PHOTOS) The second part of chapter two deals with the issue of a worthless faith verses a living faith. This is a section that many find confusing and some disagree with – some have even said that Paul teaches one thing about faith and James teaches another. A truth that James is teaching in his letter and one that we find consistent throughout the Word of God “is that what we do………. reveals who we are.” 2x You can say that you are one thing but when you never do or be that thing – you are only fooling yourself. (PHOTO) Does anyone remember Leonardo De Caprio in Catch Me If You Can? He claimed that he was an airline pilot – a teacher – a doctor and a lawyer but he was a fake in everything that he claimed to be. (BLANK)………. What we do reveals who we really are. A person who claims to be and professes Jesus Christ but who does not live a Christ-honoring – Christ obeying life is a fraud ----- Caution: We are not talking about being completely perfect and sinless. We are going to see in the section we study today… that twice James says that a person who has a worthless faith is actually spiritually dead. A person who has a dead faith cannot produce works that are truly righteous and biblical good works.
He or she gives evidence that they have a dead faith. I will address what are good works in reference to what the bible teaches --- not what man teaches and thinks. Please stand and follow along as we read James chapter 2. --- John Terry LET US PRAY
Introduction
Good works never never produces real genuine biblical faith. Satan rejoices when someone thinks that what they do is going to produce faith or some kind of favor from God in their life. That thinking conflicts with Ephesians 2:8 - 10. (look at that with me on the top of your outline)…… “For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith --- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift from God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Underline NOT BY WORKS……Salvation for a person comes by faith and not by works --- seems to conflict with James. Man thinks to himself that he can do something to win God’s favor and man thinks that every good person gets saved and goes to heaven. That is the general thinking of our nation. In Romans Paul wrote in chap 1:17 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.” Martin Luther was a Catholic priest in about the year 1515 when he read that – he had been trying to please God – he had been pursing all of the religious practices and working as hard as he could to keep the letter of the religious laws – and he was in such spiritual – mental and emotional turmoil and when he read that verse – God spoke to him and his eyes and heart were opened – he went from having a religious dead faith to a genuine saving faith. That was the beginning and the birth of the reformation in Europe. Man is not saved by works – good deeds or any religious rules or ceremonies – Luther discovered in God’s Word that man is saved by faith alone. He wrote his 95 thesis to the Roman Catholic Church to rebuke their teachings and nailed it to the door of the Wittenburg Cathedral and because of the invention of the Guttenburg Press some few years before – it was published and spread all throughout Europe and the Reformation began. Ok – that was a side bar --- back to the text……….
James is writing to Jewish believers to counter the belief that merely knowing and accepting the truth about Jesus Christ is NOT the same thing as having saving faith. Again, Merely knowing and accepting the truth about Jesus Christ is NOT the same thing as having saving faith. Do not be confused by that because later in verse 19 – he says “You believe that there is one God – that’s good but the demons even believe that.” ….. Unfortunately today, it seems that in some Christian and spiritual circles today.. that merely not denying God….. is the same thing as trusting Him.
James is going to challenge that belief in his writing --- genuine saving faith produces works. Saving faith produces obedience in the life of the believer to God’s Word. Think about it…. If man could gain salvation because of what he did or how good he was – then there would cease to be any grace from God and part of man’s salvation could be credited to man but James is writing that genuine saving faith produces genuine spiritual good works.
Let’s define that…… (SLIDE) Biblical good works that comes as a result of saving faith is first and foremost repentance and obedient submission. Fill those in on your outline – Good works is repentance and obedient submission. We will look at what good works are some more. James is going to contrast a worthless faith and then a saving faith. ---- Look with me
Characteristics of a Worthless Faith
1. A worthless faith reflects an empty confession. (vs. 14 ) “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” The phrase “if a man claims” governs the entire section here. Many people claim to have faith --- most of us claim to have faith. James is not saying that the person has saving faith ------- he is saying that they claim to. They may believe the basic truths of the gospel. They believe in the existence of God. They believe in the bible – they believe in Christ and that He died on the cross and rose again. But James is saying ---- all of that is for nothing unless he or she demonstrates and shows biblical good works. Does that not astound you???? That was me for 18 years. What are those good works James is referring? Treating people right? Volunteering at Fish? Bringing food to the food pantry? Is not good works just being a good person and doing things to help other people?
Somebody who is always helping other people is a good person because they do good works. Is that not what James is talking about???? Paul says in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So – God prepared the good works and the reason God created us and chose us is to do those good works. What are they? On your outline are some examples that we have already looked at in James of those biblical good works.
(SLIDES) Endurance (1:3) Perseverance (1:12) Purity of life (1:21) Obedience to Scripture (1:22-23) Compassion for the needy (1:27) Impartiality (2:1 -13) and we are going to continue to study what James teaches are good works…. tongue control is biblical good works – humility – truthfulness and patience…… So the picture of what good works are is different than what you and I think of in our society. You can volunteer for the Little League and serve meals at FISH --- but if you have no purity of life and you do not aim to be obedient to the scriptures --- you are not demonstrating the biblical good works that James is speaking of. A believer is to show themselves to be an example of biblical good works. Genuine faith in Christ produces good works. Where there is true salvation in the life of a person God will create in the life of that person a longing to run from and turn from sin and obey what God sets down in His Word. Turn to Luke 19. I want to read the story of a man who came to saving faith. He was a religious man. He believed in God and the scriptures but he did not have saving faith. Follow along with me as I read from verse 1.
Luke 19:1 - 10 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” ------------------ Zac obeyed Jesus --- there was a change in the man --- there was the beginning of a personal relationship with the living God and it was demonstrated through obedience and repentance and his repentance demanded restitution. Notice that we do not find that someone had to tell him what to do. Zac demonstrated a full and fruitful confession. His salvation cost him. If any man is in Christ he is a new creature – the old things are passing away ---- the new things are coming. In Acts 26:20 Paul says “repent and turn to God – and prove your repentance by your deeds.”
Paul and James agree with each other 100%. Real faith in Jesus Christ produces real good works. Now let me give you another example of this:……………. Acts 19:18 “ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of them, the total came to 50k dracmas. Salvation produced action. Salvation produced obedience and those with a new saving faith turned from their false gods. 1 Thess 1:9 says the new believers turned from idols to the living and true God.
It is not right to think that a new believer understands and knows everything they should believe and how they should live ---- we cannot say and think a guy or gal comes to Christ and makes a 180 degree turn --- they stop all sin and ungodliness and live a perfect life ---- FALSE ---- WRONG ---- But you can say that a person who does has saving faith has an immediate understanding and sensitivity…….. to a degree to the things of God and it grows and grows and grows.
2. A Worthless faith reflects a false compassion. (vs.15 -17) “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it. In the same way, faith by itself, if it not accompanied by action, is dead.”
So --- you can say that you have faith but if you have no compassion for others --- you have a worthless faith. To James --- words of compassion without corresponding acts of compassion is a false faith . We say --- “put your money where your mouth is” ---- but even today ---- I think what James is saying is “put your time where your mouth is.” You can claim to be a compassionate believer - but if you cannot make the time for people in need you really do not have genuine compassion. James is specifically talking here about someone in a church family. “Suppose a brother or sister (Christian) is without clothes and daily food – if one of you says to him – go I wish you well – keep warm and well fed – but does nothing about his physical needs – what good is it? How is this possible today? People come to church and do not let other people know what their needs are ---we are private and proud --- we just do not get close to people. To let someone else know my needs is humbling and embarrassing and yet 1 John 3:17 says “whoever has the world’s goods and see his brother in need and closes his heart against him – how does the love of God abide in him.”
How do we have a genuine compassion that is demonstrated by corresponding acts of compassion?? It must have been easy during the time that James was writing. People were poor ---- people were in need and they definitely did not look to the government to bail them out ---- James says that real faith has compassion demonstrated by acts of compassion. Real compassion is one demonstration of genuine salvation.
Story: The story is told of a European queen who left her coachman outside during the winter waiting on her while she attended the theater. The play she saw was so heart wrenching that she sobbed through the entire performance. When she returned to her carriage she discovered that her coachman had frozen to death and she did not shed one tear……. This is what was happening during the time that James was writing. Do we not find this as well during our time when the TV show 2020 can take you anywhere in the world and see suffering everywhere but we overlook it right in front of our faces. A REAL FAITH REFLECTS A GENUINE COMPASSION.
3. A Worthless faith reflects a shallow conviction. (vs. 18-20) “But someone will say, “You have faith, I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good. Even the demons believe that and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” A third characteristic of a dead faith is a shallow conviction. James is saying that when we recognize certain facts about God and His Word and we do not submit to either of them we simply are demonstrating that we have little conviction. It is like the person who hears God’s Word and hears others teach about God’s Word but when it comes to obeying and doing what is pleasing to God --- he or she thinks that God is love and God will overlook what I do – it is that attitude that thinks God will overlook my disobedience.
Encouragement: Every true Christian has times of unfaithfulness, sin and dryness. It is during those times that you are in danger of loosing an assurance of your salvation. BUT – security of ones salvation is eternal and permanent – but your assurance can fluctuate ---- you are an emotional person. When that does happen to you and it will --- look at your obedience and ask yourself where you need to be obedient to God in your life. Obedience is a choice and many times it is painful. Back to the text… vs. 19…..
There seems to be a touch of sarcasm in James writing here. “You believe there is one God - good – even the demons believe that.” Notice that James is writing about what the demons believe about God and he is comparing the demons to what some of them were believing. Just because a person believes what is right and true about God does not guarantee that person has saving faith. James is saying that demons are right in what they believe about God and the Bible. They know God is one and they know the Scriptures are the Word of God – but there is no conviction – there is no obedience to the Word of God – they have a worthless belief. James is again writing here that real saving faith produces real conviction and that conviction is demonstrated by biblical good works in the life of that person. Keep going back to your outline and review what biblical good works are. I know I have had to…. We are God’s workmanship – created by God to do good works and walk in them. A real faith is a deep conviction to walk in those good works.
Ok – James has hammered what a worthless faith is – in the next 6 verses he writes about what real saving faith is by reminding these Jewish believers of two people from the past that every one of them would have known about.
Examples of a Saving Faith
* Abraham (PHOTO). vs. (21 – 24) “was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (blank)
Martin Luther read this and completely dismissed James writing and called it an “epistle of straw”. He was so against the Catholic Churches teaching that salvation came through works that he could not see that James was not talking about the means of salvation but the outcome of salvation. Abraham believed God and that believing God was demonstrated as he took his son to the top of the mountain and took a knife and firewood and went so far as to lay his son on the altar --- his action came from his belief. Do not miss that James says that as a result of his action he was called a friend of God. When you endure – you are a friend of God – when you persevere under trial you are a friend of God – when you pursue purity in your life you are a friend of God – when you are obedient to the Word of God – you are a friend of God – when you are impartial – you are a friend of God – when you demonstrate compassion you are a friend of God – when you control your tongue – you are a friend of God. This is why Jesus said in John 15:14 “You are My friends, if you do what I command you.”
* Rahab (PHOTO) vs. (25-26) “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” It is amazing that James chooses to close this section with this example of a person who believed God and demonstrated that belief through genuine good works. Rahab was a Gentile and a prostitute. Abraham was a Jews and a moral man. Abraham was a noble Chaldean and Rahab was a degraded Canaanite. He was a leader and she was a common citizen. Rahab was an innkeeper in Jericho and Joshua sent two spies into the city to spy on it before the Jews were going to attack. Her inn was on the city wall and it did not require the men to go far into the city – she hid the men when the King of Jericho heard about them and sent officials to arrest them. The book of Joshua records what she said to these men. Joshua chapter 2:9 -12 “I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you…. vs 11 when we hear of it our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in haven and on the earth below. --- she hid the men and then let them down the wall and they told her to tie a scarlet cord in her window when the Jews came to attack the city and she would be spared.
God did not honor her lying and her gross sin of prostitution stunk to God but when she had the opportunity to demonstrate her faith in the Lord --- she placed her life on the line – if the King had discovered what she did – her entire family would have been executed for treason. Rhab’s faith was demonstrated through actions – saving – believing faith resulted in real genuine good works. Both Abraham and Rahab did not possess or own a bible. They had no Christian radio – Rahab had no background or teaching of the Jewish God the Lord and yet ---- they both demonstrated true genuine saving faith because they demonstrated good works.
God chooses good people to believe in Him and produce genuine biblical good works and God chooses wicked people to believe in Him and produce genuine biblical good works.
Challenge: So – I challenge you to day to take the words of James to heart. The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Cor 13:5 “Test yourself to see if you are in the faith – examine yourself.” If you do not like what you see – if you have never come to Jesus – would you come today? If you have seen real biblical good works in your life in the past but right now you feel dry and distant from God and you even doubt your salvation ---- examine your obedience. Where in your are you disobedient to God? Obedience to God is not always easy ---- most of the time it is painful and requires you to humble yourself and sacrifice.
Let us pray: ET prays
James #7
February 8, 2009
Pastor Ben Fleming
Turn in your bible to James chapter 2. Thank you Danny for preaching last week and covering the first part of 2nd chapter. This was my first time to see my daughter Mandy run a marathon. (PHOTOS) The second part of chapter two deals with the issue of a worthless faith verses a living faith. This is a section that many find confusing and some disagree with – some have even said that Paul teaches one thing about faith and James teaches another. A truth that James is teaching in his letter and one that we find consistent throughout the Word of God “is that what we do………. reveals who we are.” 2x You can say that you are one thing but when you never do or be that thing – you are only fooling yourself. (PHOTO) Does anyone remember Leonardo De Caprio in Catch Me If You Can? He claimed that he was an airline pilot – a teacher – a doctor and a lawyer but he was a fake in everything that he claimed to be. (BLANK)………. What we do reveals who we really are. A person who claims to be and professes Jesus Christ but who does not live a Christ-honoring – Christ obeying life is a fraud ----- Caution: We are not talking about being completely perfect and sinless. We are going to see in the section we study today… that twice James says that a person who has a worthless faith is actually spiritually dead. A person who has a dead faith cannot produce works that are truly righteous and biblical good works.
He or she gives evidence that they have a dead faith. I will address what are good works in reference to what the bible teaches --- not what man teaches and thinks. Please stand and follow along as we read James chapter 2. --- John Terry LET US PRAY
Introduction
Good works never never produces real genuine biblical faith. Satan rejoices when someone thinks that what they do is going to produce faith or some kind of favor from God in their life. That thinking conflicts with Ephesians 2:8 - 10. (look at that with me on the top of your outline)…… “For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith --- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift from God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Underline NOT BY WORKS……Salvation for a person comes by faith and not by works --- seems to conflict with James. Man thinks to himself that he can do something to win God’s favor and man thinks that every good person gets saved and goes to heaven. That is the general thinking of our nation. In Romans Paul wrote in chap 1:17 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.” Martin Luther was a Catholic priest in about the year 1515 when he read that – he had been trying to please God – he had been pursing all of the religious practices and working as hard as he could to keep the letter of the religious laws – and he was in such spiritual – mental and emotional turmoil and when he read that verse – God spoke to him and his eyes and heart were opened – he went from having a religious dead faith to a genuine saving faith. That was the beginning and the birth of the reformation in Europe. Man is not saved by works – good deeds or any religious rules or ceremonies – Luther discovered in God’s Word that man is saved by faith alone. He wrote his 95 thesis to the Roman Catholic Church to rebuke their teachings and nailed it to the door of the Wittenburg Cathedral and because of the invention of the Guttenburg Press some few years before – it was published and spread all throughout Europe and the Reformation began. Ok – that was a side bar --- back to the text……….
James is writing to Jewish believers to counter the belief that merely knowing and accepting the truth about Jesus Christ is NOT the same thing as having saving faith. Again, Merely knowing and accepting the truth about Jesus Christ is NOT the same thing as having saving faith. Do not be confused by that because later in verse 19 – he says “You believe that there is one God – that’s good but the demons even believe that.” ….. Unfortunately today, it seems that in some Christian and spiritual circles today.. that merely not denying God….. is the same thing as trusting Him.
James is going to challenge that belief in his writing --- genuine saving faith produces works. Saving faith produces obedience in the life of the believer to God’s Word. Think about it…. If man could gain salvation because of what he did or how good he was – then there would cease to be any grace from God and part of man’s salvation could be credited to man but James is writing that genuine saving faith produces genuine spiritual good works.
Let’s define that…… (SLIDE) Biblical good works that comes as a result of saving faith is first and foremost repentance and obedient submission. Fill those in on your outline – Good works is repentance and obedient submission. We will look at what good works are some more. James is going to contrast a worthless faith and then a saving faith. ---- Look with me
Characteristics of a Worthless Faith
1. A worthless faith reflects an empty confession. (vs. 14 ) “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” The phrase “if a man claims” governs the entire section here. Many people claim to have faith --- most of us claim to have faith. James is not saying that the person has saving faith ------- he is saying that they claim to. They may believe the basic truths of the gospel. They believe in the existence of God. They believe in the bible – they believe in Christ and that He died on the cross and rose again. But James is saying ---- all of that is for nothing unless he or she demonstrates and shows biblical good works. Does that not astound you???? That was me for 18 years. What are those good works James is referring? Treating people right? Volunteering at Fish? Bringing food to the food pantry? Is not good works just being a good person and doing things to help other people?
Somebody who is always helping other people is a good person because they do good works. Is that not what James is talking about???? Paul says in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So – God prepared the good works and the reason God created us and chose us is to do those good works. What are they? On your outline are some examples that we have already looked at in James of those biblical good works.
(SLIDES) Endurance (1:3) Perseverance (1:12) Purity of life (1:21) Obedience to Scripture (1:22-23) Compassion for the needy (1:27) Impartiality (2:1 -13) and we are going to continue to study what James teaches are good works…. tongue control is biblical good works – humility – truthfulness and patience…… So the picture of what good works are is different than what you and I think of in our society. You can volunteer for the Little League and serve meals at FISH --- but if you have no purity of life and you do not aim to be obedient to the scriptures --- you are not demonstrating the biblical good works that James is speaking of. A believer is to show themselves to be an example of biblical good works. Genuine faith in Christ produces good works. Where there is true salvation in the life of a person God will create in the life of that person a longing to run from and turn from sin and obey what God sets down in His Word. Turn to Luke 19. I want to read the story of a man who came to saving faith. He was a religious man. He believed in God and the scriptures but he did not have saving faith. Follow along with me as I read from verse 1.
Luke 19:1 - 10 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” ------------------ Zac obeyed Jesus --- there was a change in the man --- there was the beginning of a personal relationship with the living God and it was demonstrated through obedience and repentance and his repentance demanded restitution. Notice that we do not find that someone had to tell him what to do. Zac demonstrated a full and fruitful confession. His salvation cost him. If any man is in Christ he is a new creature – the old things are passing away ---- the new things are coming. In Acts 26:20 Paul says “repent and turn to God – and prove your repentance by your deeds.”
Paul and James agree with each other 100%. Real faith in Jesus Christ produces real good works. Now let me give you another example of this:……………. Acts 19:18 “ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of them, the total came to 50k dracmas. Salvation produced action. Salvation produced obedience and those with a new saving faith turned from their false gods. 1 Thess 1:9 says the new believers turned from idols to the living and true God.
It is not right to think that a new believer understands and knows everything they should believe and how they should live ---- we cannot say and think a guy or gal comes to Christ and makes a 180 degree turn --- they stop all sin and ungodliness and live a perfect life ---- FALSE ---- WRONG ---- But you can say that a person who does has saving faith has an immediate understanding and sensitivity…….. to a degree to the things of God and it grows and grows and grows.
2. A Worthless faith reflects a false compassion. (vs.15 -17) “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it. In the same way, faith by itself, if it not accompanied by action, is dead.”
So --- you can say that you have faith but if you have no compassion for others --- you have a worthless faith. To James --- words of compassion without corresponding acts of compassion is a false faith . We say --- “put your money where your mouth is” ---- but even today ---- I think what James is saying is “put your time where your mouth is.” You can claim to be a compassionate believer - but if you cannot make the time for people in need you really do not have genuine compassion. James is specifically talking here about someone in a church family. “Suppose a brother or sister (Christian) is without clothes and daily food – if one of you says to him – go I wish you well – keep warm and well fed – but does nothing about his physical needs – what good is it? How is this possible today? People come to church and do not let other people know what their needs are ---we are private and proud --- we just do not get close to people. To let someone else know my needs is humbling and embarrassing and yet 1 John 3:17 says “whoever has the world’s goods and see his brother in need and closes his heart against him – how does the love of God abide in him.”
How do we have a genuine compassion that is demonstrated by corresponding acts of compassion?? It must have been easy during the time that James was writing. People were poor ---- people were in need and they definitely did not look to the government to bail them out ---- James says that real faith has compassion demonstrated by acts of compassion. Real compassion is one demonstration of genuine salvation.
Story: The story is told of a European queen who left her coachman outside during the winter waiting on her while she attended the theater. The play she saw was so heart wrenching that she sobbed through the entire performance. When she returned to her carriage she discovered that her coachman had frozen to death and she did not shed one tear……. This is what was happening during the time that James was writing. Do we not find this as well during our time when the TV show 2020 can take you anywhere in the world and see suffering everywhere but we overlook it right in front of our faces. A REAL FAITH REFLECTS A GENUINE COMPASSION.
3. A Worthless faith reflects a shallow conviction. (vs. 18-20) “But someone will say, “You have faith, I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good. Even the demons believe that and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” A third characteristic of a dead faith is a shallow conviction. James is saying that when we recognize certain facts about God and His Word and we do not submit to either of them we simply are demonstrating that we have little conviction. It is like the person who hears God’s Word and hears others teach about God’s Word but when it comes to obeying and doing what is pleasing to God --- he or she thinks that God is love and God will overlook what I do – it is that attitude that thinks God will overlook my disobedience.
Encouragement: Every true Christian has times of unfaithfulness, sin and dryness. It is during those times that you are in danger of loosing an assurance of your salvation. BUT – security of ones salvation is eternal and permanent – but your assurance can fluctuate ---- you are an emotional person. When that does happen to you and it will --- look at your obedience and ask yourself where you need to be obedient to God in your life. Obedience is a choice and many times it is painful. Back to the text… vs. 19…..
There seems to be a touch of sarcasm in James writing here. “You believe there is one God - good – even the demons believe that.” Notice that James is writing about what the demons believe about God and he is comparing the demons to what some of them were believing. Just because a person believes what is right and true about God does not guarantee that person has saving faith. James is saying that demons are right in what they believe about God and the Bible. They know God is one and they know the Scriptures are the Word of God – but there is no conviction – there is no obedience to the Word of God – they have a worthless belief. James is again writing here that real saving faith produces real conviction and that conviction is demonstrated by biblical good works in the life of that person. Keep going back to your outline and review what biblical good works are. I know I have had to…. We are God’s workmanship – created by God to do good works and walk in them. A real faith is a deep conviction to walk in those good works.
Ok – James has hammered what a worthless faith is – in the next 6 verses he writes about what real saving faith is by reminding these Jewish believers of two people from the past that every one of them would have known about.
Examples of a Saving Faith
* Abraham (PHOTO). vs. (21 – 24) “was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (blank)
Martin Luther read this and completely dismissed James writing and called it an “epistle of straw”. He was so against the Catholic Churches teaching that salvation came through works that he could not see that James was not talking about the means of salvation but the outcome of salvation. Abraham believed God and that believing God was demonstrated as he took his son to the top of the mountain and took a knife and firewood and went so far as to lay his son on the altar --- his action came from his belief. Do not miss that James says that as a result of his action he was called a friend of God. When you endure – you are a friend of God – when you persevere under trial you are a friend of God – when you pursue purity in your life you are a friend of God – when you are obedient to the Word of God – you are a friend of God – when you are impartial – you are a friend of God – when you demonstrate compassion you are a friend of God – when you control your tongue – you are a friend of God. This is why Jesus said in John 15:14 “You are My friends, if you do what I command you.”
* Rahab (PHOTO) vs. (25-26) “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” It is amazing that James chooses to close this section with this example of a person who believed God and demonstrated that belief through genuine good works. Rahab was a Gentile and a prostitute. Abraham was a Jews and a moral man. Abraham was a noble Chaldean and Rahab was a degraded Canaanite. He was a leader and she was a common citizen. Rahab was an innkeeper in Jericho and Joshua sent two spies into the city to spy on it before the Jews were going to attack. Her inn was on the city wall and it did not require the men to go far into the city – she hid the men when the King of Jericho heard about them and sent officials to arrest them. The book of Joshua records what she said to these men. Joshua chapter 2:9 -12 “I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you…. vs 11 when we hear of it our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in haven and on the earth below. --- she hid the men and then let them down the wall and they told her to tie a scarlet cord in her window when the Jews came to attack the city and she would be spared.
God did not honor her lying and her gross sin of prostitution stunk to God but when she had the opportunity to demonstrate her faith in the Lord --- she placed her life on the line – if the King had discovered what she did – her entire family would have been executed for treason. Rhab’s faith was demonstrated through actions – saving – believing faith resulted in real genuine good works. Both Abraham and Rahab did not possess or own a bible. They had no Christian radio – Rahab had no background or teaching of the Jewish God the Lord and yet ---- they both demonstrated true genuine saving faith because they demonstrated good works.
God chooses good people to believe in Him and produce genuine biblical good works and God chooses wicked people to believe in Him and produce genuine biblical good works.
Challenge: So – I challenge you to day to take the words of James to heart. The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Cor 13:5 “Test yourself to see if you are in the faith – examine yourself.” If you do not like what you see – if you have never come to Jesus – would you come today? If you have seen real biblical good works in your life in the past but right now you feel dry and distant from God and you even doubt your salvation ---- examine your obedience. Where in your are you disobedient to God? Obedience to God is not always easy ---- most of the time it is painful and requires you to humble yourself and sacrifice.
Let us pray: ET prays
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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