FAITH WORKS
CHRISTIANITY OASIS HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH THIS FAITH WORKS STUDY. WHAT IS FAITH WORKS ... THERE IS A DEBATE WHICH GOES WAY BACK TO THE TIME OF THE APOSTLES ABOUT FAITH VERSUS WORKS AND IS IT FAITH OR WORKS THAT GETS US TO HEAVEN. LET US SEEK AND FIND THE TRUTH OF FAITH AND WORKS, SHALL WE?

CHAPTER 2

          It’s a fine day to share some more Daily Bread together! Welcome back to the study of the letter from James. In this chapter you’ll begin to see a marked difference between Paul and James. Paul’s focus is all about Grace, whereas James seems to concentrate on law. That doesn’t mean that James is a Pharisee, or a bad guy in any way. In TRUTH it reveals the fact that James taught the Jewish people which were under the Laws of Moses. Paul on the other hand taught the Gentiles and  the laws of Moses did not apply to them as discussed in Acts Chapter 15.

          Let’s start today’s study off with a little Daily Bread Crumb. Let’s talk about law for a moment. Back in ancient times, the law was a bit different than in our modern world. The law was the commandments that God gave to Moses. Then after Joshua’s death, there were judges who led the people in following the commandments of God. Then after that, the people wanted a king, so there were kings, who then added to the law as they wished. Over thousands of years, the laws were so expansive that nobody could know all of them and more important that nobody could bear them so God had to sacrifice His Son and made a NEW COVENANT which is the NEW TESTAMENT.

          Let’s continue now with James’ letter. My brethren, don’t claim to have the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality toward people. If someone comes to your congregation with a gold ring, and wearing nice clothes, then someone else comes in filthy clothes, and you treat the person wearing the nice clothing better, aren’t you being partial in your heart and being judges of evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren, Hasn’t God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love him?

          But you have belittled the poor. Don’t rich men trouble you, and bring you before the courts? Don’t they blaspheme that worthy name that you’re called (Christians)? If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, you do good, but if you have prejudice (preconceived judgment or opinion), you commit sin, and the law sees you as transgressors. Whoever obeys the whole law, and yet offends (stumbles) in one point, he is guilty of all. For He (God) that said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, but you kill, you have become a breaker of the law.

          This is an interesting thing to ponder. If anyone stumbles in one point of the law, he is guilty of all. That would make each and every one of us guilty of all. Does that mean that all criminals should be judged guilty or judged innocent by their jury of peers? Neither. Even in God’s law, there were restitutions required for crimes that were committed. But to judge a person’s heart, and not to forgive them, or to presume that a person shouldn’t be forgiven because of the nature of their crime is not anyone’s judgment to make but God’s. We have a responsibility to uphold the law, not to judge.

          So say, and do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. Whoever has shown no mercy will be judged without mercy, and mercy is a joy against judgment.

          Here’s a great place to stop for a little Daily Bread Stick. What is works? Works is the performing of moral or righteous acts. That sounds a lot like fruits, doesn’t it? That’s because fruits are the results of works. James has an example of works for us to think about.

          If a brother or sister needs clothing and daily food, and you say to them, Go in peace, and be warmed and filled, but you don’t give them the things they need, what good is it? So you see, faith without works, is dead, by itself. Yes, a man may say, You have faith and I have works, show me your faith without (apart from) your works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works.

          You believe that there is one God, and that is good. The devils also believe, and tremble. But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? See how faith operated with his works, and by works faith was made perfect (complete)? And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified (put right), and not by faith alone. In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? Just as the body without the spirit is dead, faith without works is dead also.

           Now if you have read the Epistles of Paul you see a dispute between Paul and James. One Preaches Faith and the other Works. This type of division is what divided the Church. Let us settle this matter in our own minds and hearts today shall we? What it boils down to is God's Grace establishes our Faith which establishes our works. We do not do that which we feel God wants us to do outta fear of law but rather cuz He LOVES us and we LOVE Him. I will give ya an example ...  If you married a person and lived in fear every day that your spouse would leave you if you breathed wrong the marriage would not last. BUT ... If it was based on LOVE and that is why you CHOSE to do the right things. That makes all the difference. Faith ... Not Fear establishes works. But hear TRUTH ... It will never be your works, but rather God's Grace that gets us to Heaven.  

          Come back again soon and we’ll dig a little deeper into James’ letter and find out what other lessons we can learn and share together, right here at Daily Bread.