What is Real Faith?

09/07/2009 by John Marsden.

What is Real Faith?Have you ever seen fake faith? What does it look like?How can you determine if faith is real or not? 

James 2:14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  

#1 Real Faith is not just something you SAYRead Matthew 7:21. Just claiming to be representing Jesus is not enough.Read 1 John 2:6. If a person claims to know Jesus what does he have to do?What are some ways Jesus walked?

What evidence of Jesus is there in our lives? How would others know we belong

to him? 

James 2:15-17Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  

#2 Real Faith is not just something you FEEL

It’s possible to talk about faith and even feel like you have faith. It’s a lot like a

bunch of children talking about spending the night in an abandoned house. As

long as they don’t actually go to the property they feel full of confidence. But put

them in there alone and all their courage disappears.Why is our faith dead if there are no actions to back it up?

How have we said to people “be warmed and filled” but we haven’t helped

them?

A preacher told a story about him and a group of guys studying this passage on

the coldest night of the year back in college. Someone in the group said, “Why

don’t we stop talking about it and do something.” It shocked them. They had

never thought about DOING anything. So they all went to their rooms and got all

the blankets they could. Then they went to nearby government housing and

handed them out to those who had no heat. He admitted that they felt like they

had great faith during their Bible study, but the action proved it. 

James 2:18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  

#3 Real Faith is not just something you THINK

The statement “You have faith; I have deeds” come from the concept of “You

live your life; I’ll live mine.” Our society has a problem with not letting people

live their own lives. As long as something isn’t illegal most people don’t have a

problem with it. James is saying the way you think about faith is critical. It’s not

a matter of opinion or a matter of discussion.How could a person show their faith without deeds?How can a person show their faith by their deeds? 

James 2:19

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.

 #4 Real Faith is not just something you BELIEVE

Belief can come in two forms:

1. Intellectually agreement. 2. Action agreement.

James is talking about the later.

Satan believes in Jesus intellectually. He knows Jesus is the Son of God and has

even confessed it. The demons have confessed it. However, they have not put

the trust of their existence into His hands. They believe in Him, but despise Him.How can Christians believe, but not have real faith? 

It all comes down to this… 

#5 Real Faith is something you DOExamples: Abraham & Rahab 

Contrast:       Abraham                 Rahab                   Male                       Female                   Jew                        Gentile                   Patriarch                 Prostitute  

James points out that everyone is included when it comes to faith. From those who were part of the original promise (the descendants of Abraham). To those who came into the promise through grace (the descendants of Rahab). 

James 2:20-26You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. ²⁴You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
²⁵In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James is Saying…  

It’s not faith OR works There is not option here. You do not get to choose which approach you want. 

It’s not faith AND works It’s not a combination for salvation of 1 part faith and 1 part works. 

It’s faith THAT works Because of our belief and trust in Christ our works come as a result of our faith. If there are no works there is no real faith.

How do actions make our faith complete?

It is often said: 

If you were arrested for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you? 

What evidence is there in your life that you belong to Jesus?

If we were to interview your friends about your walk with God what would they

say?

How are others impacted by a faith that works?

Have a great day full of faith and good works.

John

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