from the Book of James
JAMES 2:14-17 " 14 WHAT DOTH IT PROFIT, MY BRETHREN, THOUGH A MAN SAY HE HATH FAITH, AND HAVE NOT WORKS? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM?
15 IF A BROTHER OR SISTER BE NAKED, AND DESTITUTE OF DAILY FOOD,
16 AND ONE OF YOU SAY UNTO THEM, DEPART IN PEACE, BE YE WARMED AND FILLED; NOTWITHSTANDING YE GIVE THEM NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NEEDFUL TO THE BODY; WHAT DOTH IT PROFIT?
17 EVEN SO "FAITH, IF IT HATH NOT WORKS, IS DEAD, BEING ALONE. "
This scripture is reminiscent of the one that Jesus asked when the rich young ruler went away sorrowfully because he would not give all that he had away and follow Jesus. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?
There is a kind of faith that profits you, and a kind that does not profit you. There is a shallow faith that has no works connected to it that is no better than that the demons have, and it has no power to save at all for there is no fruit produced from it. For faith to be "profitable" to us, it must produce fruit.
JAMES 2:19 THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD; THOU DOEST WELL: THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE.
MATTHEW 8:29 AND, BEHOLD, THEY CRIED OUT, SAYING, WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH THEE, JESUS, THOU SON OF GOD? ART THOU COME HITHER TO TORMENT US BEFORE THE TIME?
MARK 1:24 SAYING, LET US ALONE; WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH THEE, THOU JESUS OF NAZARETH? ART THOU COME TO DESTROY US? I KNOW THEE WHO THOU ART, THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.
MARK 5:7 AND CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, AND SAID, WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH THEE, JESUS, THOU SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD? I ADJURE THEE BY GOD, THAT THOU TORMENT ME NOT.
LUKE 4:34 SAYING, LET US ALONE; WHAT HAVE WE TO DO WITH THEE, THOU JESUS OF NAZARETH? ART THOU COME TO DESTROY US? I KNOW THEE WHO THOU ART; THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.
But their belief does them no good. There will be a group that will be as tares among the wheat in the church that will be involved in church activity and be there when it is going on and think mistakenly that they were a part of what God was doing, but God never knew them. They have a kind of faith… a kind of godliness (looking unto God), but there is still no Christian fruit.
MATTHEW 7:20-23 " 20 WHEREFORE BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM. 21 NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. 22 MANY WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY, LORD, LORD, HAVE WE NOT PROPHESIED IN THY NAME? AND IN THY NAME HAVE CAST OUT DEVILS? AND IN THY NAME DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS? 23 AND THEN WILL I PROFESS UNTO THEM, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY. "
2 TIMOTHY 3:5-7 " 5 HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS, BUT DENYING THE POWER THEREOF: FROM SUCH TURN AWAY. 6 FOR OF THIS SORT ARE THEY WHICH CREEP INTO HOUSES, AND LEAD CAPTIVE SILLY WOMEN LADEN WITH SINS, LED AWAY WITH DIVERS LUSTS, 7 EVER LEARNING, AND NEVER ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. "
If our faith in Jesus Christ becomes "real" and we are truly born again, then we shall have fruit and the works to go along with it. Just wishing well for others is not enough. Just wanting things to be better is not enough. Faith produces some action that is borne of God.
EPHESIANS 2:8-10 " 8 FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: 9 NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM. "
We are saved through faith by the grace of God through God's gift. But when we are truly "saved" or delivered from our sin and the death of that sin, then we are His "workmanship" created or born again in Jesus Christ unto good works.
The good works comes from us because Jesus is there by the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit is being produced. If you have no Christian fruit and good works, then you haven't been truly saved. Works comes after faith. But it does come. The new birth creates a new life and a new heart that wants to do what pleases God. We lose our love with sin and love Jesus instead.
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. THE POINT ABOUT FAITH IN JESUS IS THAT IT BRINGS NEW LIFE IN THE NEW BIRTH! IT IS THE ABUNDANT LIFE OF JESUS THAT HE PROMISED.
JOHN 10:10 THE THIEF COMETH NOT, BUT FOR TO STEAL, AND TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY: I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.
We were ordained by God to walk in righteousness (good works) that come from Him. Before we were saved, it was God's will that we be saved and walk this walk in faith. It produces works.
FAITH THAT DOES NOT PRODUCE THE WORKS OF GOD IS NOT TRUE BIBLICAL FAITH AND HAS NO POWER TO SAVE.
The early church literally sold what they had, and cared for one another. Those who had not were loved and cared for and all gave and shared alike in love. This is the only time that such a community has actually worked and it worked not because of a political ideology, but because of the love and fear of God. There was a strong manifestation of God as the Word was being preached at that time and the love of God drew them together as a new family of God.
The presence of Jesus in our lives (if we have made Him Lord and we are walking in faith) will cause us to reach out when someone is hungry. If we can just look at them and just pronounce… "be filled" and walk off without doing anything to help them, then OUR FAITH IS DEAD.
IT DOES US NO GOOD AND WE ARE NOT PROFITABLE TO GOD, EACH OTHER, OR OURSELVES.
The love of God is real and moves us to action. For God so loved the world that He gave his best, and when we have that love in us it moves us to action and to give and reach out to help others.
MATTHEW 5:16 " LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. "
1 TIMOTHY 6:17-19 " 17 CHARGE THEM THAT ARE RICH IN THIS WORLD, THAT THEY BE NOT HIGHMINDED, NOR TRUST IN UNCERTAIN RICHES, BUT IN THE LIVING GOD, WHO GIVETH US RICHLY ALL THINGS TO ENJOY; 18 THAT THEY DO GOOD, THAT THEY BE RICH IN GOOD WORKS, READY TO DISTRIBUTE, WILLING TO COMMUNICATE; 19 LAYING UP IN STORE FOR THEMSELVES A GOOD FOUNDATION AGAINST THE TIME TO COME, THAT THEY MAY LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE. "
TITUS 1:16 " THEY PROFESS THAT THEY KNOW GOD; BUT IN WORKS THEY DENY HIM, BEING ABOMINABLE, AND DISOBEDIENT, AND UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK REPROBATE. "
We will be moved on by the love of God to reach out to those who are hurting and hungry and in need. This is what Jesus and the Apostles did, and this is what we will do if we are truly "in Christ".
JOHN 13:35 " BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER. "
1 JOHN 3:10-14 " 10 IN THIS THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE MANIFEST, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL: WHOSOEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NEITHER HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER.
11 FOR THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT YE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING, THAT WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 12 NOT AS CAIN, WHO WAS OF THAT WICKED ONE, AND SLEW HIS BROTHER. AND WHEREFORE SLEW HE HIM? BECAUSE HIS OWN WORKS WERE EVIL, AND HIS BROTHER'S RIGHTEOUS. 13 MARVEL NOT, MY BRETHREN, IF THE WORLD HATE YOU.
14 WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE, BECAUSE WE LOVE THE BRETHREN. HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER ABIDETH IN DEATH. "
We can talk about faith. We can talk about revival. We can talk about God. But if our talk is only that and our faith only goes as far as talking about it and does not move us to action, then we need a reality check. That is not biblical faith. What good has it done you to say be filled and be at peace and DO NOTHING to help?
This is a dynamic key in scripture. We need to understand this, for this is very practical for all of us.
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD! If our faith is alone and no works are produced from that faith, then there is no life of God in it and no fruit is coming forth. It is worthless!
In fact, it is perhaps a little more dangerous that just not having faith outright. Because people who are "religious" enough to think that they have faith, but there is no fruit of the Spirit being produced and are not truly born again think that they are okay when they are not. THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM, SO THEY WILL NOT SEEK AN ANSWER.
The person who knows that they are a sinner and are in need of God's grace is in a better position to believe upon Jesus as Lord and surrender their lives than the person who mistakenly thinks that they are "alright" when they are not.
2 PETER 1:10 " WHEREFORE THE RATHER, BRETHREN, GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: FOR IF YE DO THESE THINGS, YE SHALL NEVER FALL: "
The context of the 2 Peter scripture gives a practical backing to this teaching in James.
2 PETER 1:5-10 " 5 AND BESIDE THIS, GIVING ALL DILIGENCE, ADD TO YOUR FAITH VIRTUE; AND TO VIRTUE KNOWLEDGE; 6 AND TO KNOWLEDGE TEMPERANCE; AND TO TEMPERANCE PATIENCE; AND TO PATIENCE GODLINESS; 7 AND TO GODLINESS BROTHERLY KINDNESS; AND TO BROTHERLY KINDNESS CHARITY.
8 FOR IF THESE THINGS BE IN YOU, AND ABOUND, THEY MAKE YOU THAT YE SHALL NEITHER BE BARREN NOR UNFRUITFUL IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
9 BUT HE THAT LACKETH THESE THINGS IS BLIND, AND CANNOT SEE AFAR OFF, AND HATH FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS PURGED FROM HIS OLD SINS.
10 WHEREFORE THE RATHER, BRETHREN, GIVE DILIGENCE TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE: FOR IF YE DO THESE THINGS, YE SHALL NEVER FALL: "
You could also look at JOHN 15 and the illustration of Jesus being the True Vine and we being the branches. The branches connected to the Vine will produce fruit for the life giving force that comes from Jesus through the Holy Spirit flows into us and produces life.
But those branches not truly connected are gathered together and "burned" in the fire. It is a very vivid warning and exhortation to be connected to Jesus Christ.
JOHN 15:1-8 " 1 I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE HUSBANDMAN. 2 EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT BEARETH NOT FRUIT HE TAKETH AWAY: AND EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARETH FRUIT, HE PURGETH IT, THAT IT MAY BRING FORTH MORE FRUIT. 3 NOW YE ARE CLEAN THROUGH THE WORD WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN UNTO YOU. 4 ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, EXCEPT IT ABIDE IN THE VINE; NO MORE CAN YE, EXCEPT YE ABIDE IN ME. 5 I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES: HE THAT ABIDETH IN ME, AND I IN HIM, THE SAME BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT: FOR WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING. 6 IF A MAN ABIDE NOT IN ME, HE IS CAST FORTH AS A BRANCH, AND IS WITHERED; AND MEN GATHER THEM, AND CAST THEM INTO THE FIRE, AND THEY ARE BURNED. 7 IF YE ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YE SHALL ASK WHAT YE WILL, AND IT SHALL BE DONE UNTO YOU. 8 HEREIN IS MY FATHER GLORIFIED, THAT YE BEAR MUCH FRUIT; SO SHALL YE BE MY DISCIPLES. "
The "life" comes from Jesus Christ. Faith that connects us to Jesus brings God's life and power into our own lives. But when you see no works associated with someone's "faith", then it is not of God and not surrendering to Jesus and is "dead".
There are a lot of religious people in the Christian movement that has never truly been born again, and there is no fruit of the Spirit in their lives. Their faith is vain. Their faith is dead.
JAMES 2:18-19 " 18 YEA, A MAN MAY SAY, THOU HAST FAITH, AND I HAVE WORKS: SHEW ME THY FAITH WITHOUT THY WORKS, AND I WILL SHEW THEE MY FAITH BY MY WORKS.
19 THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD; THOU DOEST WELL: THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE"
This is a challenge to get real with your faith. If there is no works to go along with your faith, then there is no evidence of Christ's new life. If there is no evidence, then it hasn't occurred. If there is no works coming forth, then nothing has happened to you spiritually.
This is not a philosophical exercise. If true faith is connecting us up to Jesus, then we will have a very real transformation and change that brings the works of God in our lives. You will be able to "show" that there has been a true change. The works will be the witness.
The works do not save us. The works do not make us righteous. The reality of Jesus moving in our lives gives us those works. The works follow true faith.
JAMES 2:18 (AMP) " BUT SOMEONE WILL SAY [TO YOU THEN], YOU [SAY YOU] HAVE FAITH, AND I HAVE [GOOD] WORKS. NOW YOU SHOW ME YOUR [ALLEGED] FAITH APART FROM ANY [GOOD] WORKS [IF YOU CAN], AND I BY [GOOD] WORKS [OF OBEDIENCE] WILL SHOW YOU MY FAITH. "
You have works and I have faith as if the two things can be separated. If they are truly the works of God, then they came by faith. If your faith is real and connected into Jesus Christ, then the works of God will come. YOU CAN NEVER SEPARATE THESE FAITH FROM THE WORKS THAT FOLLOW IF IT IS REAL.
You can say what you want and claim to have any kind of esoteric faith, but when we have true faith in God then the Word of God starts coming alive in us and we Jesus in our lives. When there are needs, then the love and anointing to move us to do something will rise up and activate us.
He gives that bold statement; I will show you my faith by my works. It will be evident.
Just believing in one God is not enough. The demons (as cited above) knew who Jesus was and even honored Him in fear. But their destiny is Hell. It does us no good when our faith is not strong enough to produce the works of God in our lives. It is simply dead religion when we do that.
Muslims believe in one God, and yet they think that Jesus was just a prophet instead of the Way, the Truth and the Life. And the reality is that this is God's only begotten Son who is the way that God has given that we can approach God. There is no other way to the Father.
JOHN 14:6 " JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME. "
There are still others who claim Jesus, but they only have some head knowledge and have never truly submitted to Him as Lord. They use the name of Jesus and go through their rituals, but they have never truly been born again.
JOHN 3:3-8 " 3 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 4 NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM, HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? CAN HE ENTER THE SECOND TIME INTO HIS MOTHER'S WOMB, AND BE BORN? 5 JESUS ANSWERED, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 6 THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH; AND THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. 7 MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN. 8 THE WIND BLOWETH WHERE IT LISTETH, AND THOU HEAREST THE SOUND THEREOF, BUT CANST NOT TELL WHENCE IT COMETH, AND WHITHER IT GOETH: SO IS EVERY ONE THAT IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT. "
ROMANS 10:12-17 " 12 FOR THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE GREEK: FOR THE SAME LORD OVER ALL IS RICH UNTO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM. 13 FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED. 14 HOW THEN SHALL THEY CALL ON HIM IN WHOM THEY HAVE NOT BELIEVED? AND HOW SHALL THEY BELIEVE IN HIM OF WHOM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD? AND HOW SHALL THEY HEAR WITHOUT A PREACHER? 15 AND HOW SHALL THEY PREACH, EXCEPT THEY BE SENT? AS IT IS WRITTEN, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, AND BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS! 16 BUT THEY HAVE NOT ALL OBEYED THE GOSPEL. FOR ESAIAS SAITH, LORD, WHO HATH BELIEVED OUR REPORT? 17 SO THEN FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. "
Others take what they want and throw away what they do not like from the Word of God de-emphasizing the truth of the scriptures for politically correct expediency (as the Emergent Church Movement) and talk about another Jesus that is not the Jesus of the Bible and preach another gospel.
GALATIANS 1:6-9 " 6 I MARVEL THAT YE ARE SO SOON REMOVED FROM HIM THAT CALLED YOU INTO THE GRACE OF CHRIST UNTO ANOTHER GOSPEL: 7 WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER; BUT THERE BE SOME THAT TROUBLE YOU, AND WOULD PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. 8 BUT THOUGH WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU THAN THAT WHICH WE HAVE PREACHED UNTO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. 9 AS WE SAID BEFORE, SO SAY I NOW AGAIN, IF ANY MAN PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL UNTO YOU THAN THAT YE HAVE RECEIVED, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. "
Religion without a walking faith in Jesus is dead and will produce spiritual deadness.
True Christians who have an active faith are not all that religious as far as rituals and traditions go. It is those who are not true worshipers who do not walk in the Spirit and Truth together that either fall into the legalism/traditionalism or the liberalist/universalist traps. Those folks fall into men's philosophies and have a form of godliness that denies the power thereof.
The Apostle Paul told us to turn away from that kind of dead religion. It has no life in it.
2 TIMOTHY 3:5 " HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS, BUT DENYING THE POWER THEREOF: FROM SUCH TURN AWAY. "
It has to go beyond a surface faith. True faith will have you obey also. It is those who have enough faith to obey the Word of God that sees the Word and the promise of God come alive in them.
JOHN 4:23-24 " 23 BUT THE HOUR COMETH, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPPERS SHALL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: FOR THE FATHER SEEKETH SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM. 24 GOD IS A SPIRIT: AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. "
2 THESSALONIANS 1:7-9 " 7 AND TO YOU WHO ARE TROUBLED REST WITH US, WHEN THE LORD JESUS SHALL BE REVEALED FROM HEAVEN WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS, 8 IN FLAMING FIRE TAKING VENGEANCE ON THEM THAT KNOW NOT GOD, AND THAT OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: 9 WHO SHALL BE PUNISHED WITH EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND FROM THE GLORY OF HIS POWER; "
MATTHEW 7:21 " NOT EVERY ONE THAT SAITH UNTO ME, LORD, LORD, SHALL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. "
Teaching to be ministered at the Dressen Church of God
April 8, 2009
by Rev. James Dale Coldiron
Voice of the Watchman Ministries
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