JEWELS FROM JAMES #7

"DEVELOPING A DYNAMIC FAITH!"

How many of us have heard of the great tightrope walker, BLONDIN? He was one of the greatest of all time, and there are many legends told of his feats. One of the most often told stories of Blondin is of his crossing over Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He reportedly repeated that feat several times. At some point he turned to his large audience, which included numerous reporters from various newspapers, and he asked them, "How many believe I can walk across these Falls on this tightrope pushing a wheelbarrow?" People cheered loudly - they were sure the great Blondin could do it. Then he asked, "How many believe I can push a wheelbarrow across the tightrope with a man sitting inside it?" Again, there was a thunderous response from the crowd. Blondin then pointed to one of the most enthusiastic men in the audience, and said, "Okay, you sir, get into the wheel- barrow." Needless to say, the man made a quick exit.

Blondin demonstrated that there is very often a great difference between the faith we SAY we have, and the faith we TRULY have. The measure of our faith is NOT our "TALK" - it is our "WALK"! It's what we DO that really SHOWS the true value of our faith! Faith and works are partners as we journey with Jesus!

I realize this is a lengthy passage of Scripture, but it is so essential to any thrust this blog may have. Here it is (James 2:14-26): "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister (in Christ) is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, "you have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham . . . justified by works when he offered up Isaac his only son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,' and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone . . . For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead" (James 2:14-26).

While this Scripture is familiar to many Christians, alot of us have grappled with what seems to be a contradiction of thought and doctrine between The Apostle Paul's writings and James. Paul goes to great pains to emphasize that we are saved by FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ ALONE, and that it is not of ourselves; it is not of works that we may do. (See Romans 11:6; 3:27-28; Ephesians 2:8-9). Paul was speaking about the fact that we cannot work our way into salvation, into relation- ship with God or into eternal life! SO VERY TRUE! On the other hand, the Apostle James is talking about works being the true manifestation of the relationhip with Jesus we have come to by Faith alone in His atoning death. So, I want to emphasize that THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CONTRADICTION OR TENSION BETWEEN THE TEACHINGS OF PAUL AND JAMES WHATSOEVER! I say, both apostles preached the same Gospel, and I believe both men would have been entirely pleased with what the other wrote, as both Paul's Letters to the Romans and to the Ephesians, and James' Epistle were inspired by the same HOLY SPIRIT! Both apostles are like two lawmen in one of those old TV Westerns. They stand back to back in the middle of the street at high noon - shooting in opposite directions at different targets (bad guys), but they are both in harmony of purpose and well within the bounds of truth and righteousness. Both have the same focus - SAVING FAITH IN CHRIST: A faith that is active and alive. A faith that works!

So, back to our discussion of James' teaching. In this passage in the Bible, James talks about three kinds of faith. Let's dive right in to discover the truth he taught! (If you have not already, I strongly urge you to read the other six blogs on James for continuity and to see the totality of the truth he presents.)

First, he describes DEAD FAITH - verses 14-17. James explores two rhetorical questions, followed by a third one. 1) "What good is it if a person claims to have faith but has no deeds?" 2) "Can that (kind of) faith alone save him?" and 3) "What good is that kind of faith?" (James 2:16). All three of these questions anticipate or expect a negative response or answer. James insisted that faith without accompanying works or deeds is no faith at all! Some Bible translations use the word "deeds" for the word "works" which is a legitimate translation of the Greek word. A faith without accompanying proofs of deeds is like a corpse, fit only for burying. The Greek word is "NEKRON" and it means "DEAD" (verses 17 and 26); as "dead" as a corpse is dead! Any declaration of personal faith that does not result in a changed life and good works/deeds is a false declaration - a dead faith! A "dead" faith only involves the intellect, rather than a changed life-style.

Second, James identifies a DEMONIC "FAITH" - verses 18-19. Anyone can merely say that they believe. Picture a debate between two people. One says "you have faith, I have works" and the other says "show me your faith without works and I'll show you my faith by what I do." James calls our attention to the fact that "demons believe". Demons have a type of theology, even better than some people do! Demons know that God exists, that God created all things, that mankind has sinned by choice and by practice, that God planned and executed salvation for sinful mankind, sent His Son Jesus, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life on this earth as a human, that He died to save mankind and rose up from the grave and ascended back to heaven, and that Jesus is coming back to earth when the Father in heaven sends Him back. James said, those "believing" demons "shudder". That word means "to bristle with terror". Those demons are in grave fear because they know who God is and what God does! This so-called belief that demons have involves both the intellect and emotions, but stops there!

Third, James taught DYNAMIC FAITH - verses 20-26. This is a genuine faith encompassing the Whole Person; it is pro-active faith that involves the intellect, the emotions and the will of followers of Jesus! The mind (intellect) understands Divine Truth. The inner spirit/"heart" is our emotional base and thus we desire Divine Truth and rejoice in it! Our will acts upon the Divine Truth we know and embrace! James insisted that true, Saving Faith then leads to Action! James gave two illustrations - Abraham and Rahab (verses 21-25). These were two very different people, of very different backgrounds and circumstances. Rahab was even a harlot. But both were justified by their Faith-Based WORKS!

It is time for our Personal Inventory regarding the SAVING FAITH (the sincere trust in and personal reliance on Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life) accompanied by good works that attest to our Saving Faith. We pray with the Psalmist: "Search me O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful/sinful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way" (Psalm 139:23-24). Be sure to DEVELOP THAT DYNAMIC FAITH!