Will They Know By Our Love?
Jodi Lenker brought us a great word this morning. She started with two sets of scripture that sometimes raise questions on the surface…
James 2:14-24
[14] What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? [15] If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, [16] and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? [17] Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. [18] But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [19] You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! [20] But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? [21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? [22] Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? [23] And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. [24] You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Galatians 3:1-5
[1] O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? [2] This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [3] Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? [4] Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? [5] Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Some unbelievers, or newer Christians, look at these two passages and often ask these three questions:
Paul and James - are they preaching the same thing?
Do they contradict each other?
Are we being compared to demons?
Answers:
No
No
No
James was preaching to Jewish Christians. Paul was preaching to Gentiles. They really were preaching the same thing, but they needed to use different messaging and approaches because of how vastly different their audiences are.
This morning, we sang, “They'll Know We are Christians by Our Love.” This song should challenge Christians to reflect, “Do they know us by our deeds and our love?”
James 1:19-21
[19] So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; [20] for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. [21] Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
This passage is for those who are of the 12 Tribes of Israel. They had become lazy and didn't think they had to do anything. They believed they were just set.That is not how it works.
James 1:22-25
[22] But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. [23] For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; [24] for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. [25] But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
If you really put your faith in God, your works should reflect your faith.
The government has grown and taken over what the Church is supposed to be doing.
James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
How do we react to the things of this world?
James 3:13-18
[13] Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. [14] But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. [15] This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. [16] For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. [17] But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. [18] Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
When you feel a prodding to help someone - even something as simple as helping someone with a door or putting someone's cart away at the grocery store, do it.
Obedience is really what James was getting at.
If you are always growing, you should always want to do more and more and more.
When he says your faith is dead, it means you have a fake faith.
Why did James talk about demons? Demons can't be saved. They challenged God, they fell. Jesus didn't come to save them. They will be thrown into the lake of fire. They know all of this. So, they don't do God's work. They try to thwart God's work.
If you say you have faith, and you're just sitting there, what good is it?
If you are out, blessing, and loving on people - that shows your faith.
If you wear a cross on your shirt or around your neck, you need to be able to stand behind it.
What sets us apart from the demons? Our good work. Our love. Our compassion.
We should not feel obligated to do good works. We should love doing it.
Don't just be a cheerful giver, but be a cheerful follower.
Hebrews 11 is the “By Faith” chapter… they all had faith and they all proved it by action.
If you have genuine faith, you will not be offended by this passage in Matthew…
Matthew 25:31-46
[31] “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. [32] All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. [33] And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. [34] Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: [35] for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; [36] I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ [37] “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? [38] When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? [39] Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ [40] And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ [41] “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: [42] for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; [43] I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ [44] “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ [45] Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ [46] And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
If you have genuine faith, these works come naturally.
Works and faith come together. You can't have one without the other.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to nudge you loudly when God is calling you to move and show others you are a Christian - by your love.
