Bible Text: James 2:14-26 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship | Intro: Illus: “A man fell of a cliff, but managed to grab a tree limb on the way down. The following conversation ensued:
‘Is there anyone up there?’
‘I am here. I am the Lord. Do you believe me?’
‘Yes Lord, I believe. I really believe, but O can’t hand on much longer.’
‘That’s all right, if you really believe, you have nothing to worry about. I will save you. Just let go of the branch.’
A moment of pause, then: ‘Is anyone else up there?”
Bits & Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 3. www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/f/faith.htm

There was a problem in the early church that still exists in the church today. The problem, simply stated, is what is biblical saving faith? In to New Testament, the word translated faith is the same word as believe.

In our present day and age, we tend to equate faith with an intellectual belief. I am afraid this has infiltrated the  church and the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James addresses this issue with the Christ follower who were dispersed by persecution. He identifies three kinds of faith.

1. Fake Faith v. 14-17
1. Solely intellectual
2. No real evidence of a changed life
1. Look at the Pharisees e.g. self-righteous and no compassion for “sinners”
2. There is no resulting love affair with Jesus Christ and no changed life
2. Emotional Faith v. 18-19
1. Both intellectual and emotional
2. No real evidence of a changed life, just very superficial stuff
1. Illust: The faith of the demons
2. There is no resulting love affair with Jesus and no changed life
3. Real Faith Works v. 20-27
1. Impacts mind, heart, and will
1. The example of Abraham
2. “Faith, as Paul saw it, was a living, flaming thing leading to surrender and obedience to the commandments of Christ.” A. W. Tozer
2. There are works that issue from a changed life
1. The example of Rahab
2. “Faith is a deliberate confidence in the character of God who ways you may not understand at the time.” Oswald Chambers
3. “Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle; he that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God obeys God. He that is without faith is without works, and he that is without works is without faith.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Closing: So, this should remind to consider several important aspects of our lives as Christ followers:

1. Is the gospel and God’s Word impacting and changing our lives from the inside out?
2. Are we just satisfied with just hearing the Word of God and not being lovingly obedient to it?
3. Are we willing to let the Holy Spirit check our faith periodically?
4. Are we willing to follow the commandments of Jesus in loving obedience?
5. Loving obedience to Jesus may cost us something:
1. It may cause us to unpopular at times e.g. counter cultural
2. It may cause us to get out of our comfort zones in obedience to the Word
3. We are required to forgive rather than hold on to a heart of forgiveness
4. It may require honesty over dishonesty
5. It may require waiting on God rather that pragmatic immediate results