Week 3...”Faith...and Others”, James 2.1-26

Now if you remember, last week we considered the effect of your faith on you, and the command was short and to the point, as stated in 1.22...”But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, merely deceiving yourselves”. God is not mocked...if you profess to be a Christian, then make like a Christian. Seeing is not believing, believing is seeing...seeing Jesus and His works and hearing Jesus and His words, and making them your own. The fact is, we might fool each other, but you can't fool God!
Well this week, we're going to consider the effect of our faith on others, which we had just a hint of, last week.
Read Ja. 2.1-13...
The first thing that James needs us to know is that there is no room for prejudice, or for partiality in the faith family! After all, God did not show any partiality when He chose you to be saved...if He had, you could still be groping in the darkness of your sin! Let's consider what people of faith look like at first glance...in fact, we could start right in this room. For instance, a few years ago a bunch of us were sitting around talking and someone blurted out... ”I never thought I would ever be friends with ..........!” So what does James have to say about discrimination in the church?
- vs. 1...don't do it!
- vss. 2-4...it can be very tempting;
- vss. 5-7...why is it wrong?
- vss. 8-13...What is “the royal Law”? How can we apply the law to these attitudes among Christians? Well let's go back to the Law as it's recorded in Leviticus. As we know, God gave Israel the Law to instruct them in their management of every issue of life...from murder to land disputes to eating habits, and yes...even our interpersonal realtionships! So let's turn to Lev. 19 to get an idea of what God feels about how we relate to others...
Read vss. 9-18...
Now the N.T, as we know, is fully built upon the love principle which is so clearly stated in Lev. 19.18, and enforced and enhanced by Christ in the Gospels. But as usual Paul has some pretty direct advice on our relationships with others, particularly our relations with our brothers and sisters in the faith. Let's turn to Ro. 12. Now Paul spends most of the first 11 chapters describing man's need for salvation, but very early on, he refers to the not-so-small matter of judgement, in 2.1...”Therefore you have no excuse O man, if you judge another. For in doing-so, you only condemn yourself...”. How do we sometimes judge one another in the church? But back to Ro. 12...(read 1-5...). In 12.1, Paul begins his instruction by saying (considering what God has done) that it's only reasonable for us to willingly give ourselves over to God as an act of worship. And once we have done that, love, and respect become second nature (read 9-21...).
Now let's get down to brass tacks concerning the effect of our faith on others as described by James. We've seen that true faith gives no place to discrimination. In fact, true faith does just the opposite...it goes far out of the way in order to accomodate others. And that's where James starts to play hardball! Read Ja. 2.14-26
The question that James would ask you tonight is, do you really have the kind of faith that can save you (vs. 14)? That one question could change your whole concept of salvation, just that quickly! So let's crack the case that James is making here...
First, he says...”let those well-to-do folk that we've been talking about (vss. 1-4), fend for themselves...we need to consider others who most need our care.” (vs. 15)
Note vss. 15-17...let's consider what Jesus had to say about you, your faith, and others.
See Mark 12.38-44...what do we see there about Jesus' attitude toward the needy?
Also see Luke 5...toward a leper, a paralytic and sinners...
Luke 6.27-38...kingdom living...
Luke 10.29-37...neighbourly concern...
And John 13.3-14...humility...
So, why? Because...vss. 15-17; to see someone in need and brush them off profits no one...not them and not you;
So, what?...vss. 18-22; note faith without works, faith by your works, faith in God, the faith of demons, the faith of Abraham, mature faith;
So, how?...vss. 23-26; righteous, friend of God, justified.
And the confirmation...faith without works is dead...vss. 17,20,26.
Pray the Lord opens our eyes and then opens our hearts, to the will and the work of our compassionate God!