James 2:14-26

Previously, we concluded that the only way a person can be declared righteous by the Lord is on the basis of faith. Some individuals might think that if this is true, works have no important place in the Christian experience. To avoid that impression, we want to discuss the balanced life of a Christian.

To understand the viewpoint from which the Apostle James is writing, we need to know that when he speaks of works, he is speaking from the viewpoint of a person after he has received God’s gift of salvation unto eternal life. He steadfastly affirms that a person is saved by faith, but that a person saved by faith should show a balance of faith and works to be productive for the Lord.

Every Christian needs to balance faith and works. We will explore how this is expressed.

• There is a counterfeit of faith and works
  • The Christian experience does not consist of faith alone (James 2:17)
    • We cannot say that faith is the total of Christian experience
    • There are factors of life that produce meaning in the Christian experience
  • The failings of this counterfeit faith
    • It fails in our obligations to our brother
    • It fails to show compassion
    • It fails to fulfill the example of Christ
      • Consider the parable of the Good Samaritan
• Understand that some would contrast faith and works (James 2:18-20)
  • Some would say faith is superior
  • Some would say that works are superior
  • The Bible teaches the importance of integration of both faith and works
    • Faith alone is invalid
    • Works alone are useless
• There is a combination of faith and works (James 4:21)
  • Faith’s importance
    • For salvation
    • For trust in God’s desire to work in the human experience
    • For trust in God’s ability to work in the human experience
  • Work’s importance
    • Gives evidence of faith
    • Gives action to faith
    • Gives fruits of faith

Therefore, every Christian should strike a balance between faith and works. There is but one way that we can truly be balanced as Christians. We must have faith that propels us into works of righteousness.