Title: “Unqualified Teachers” Part 2

Text: James 3:5b-12

FCF: We often struggle bridling our tongue.

Prop: Because the tongue is by nature destructive and hard to control, we must not flippantly desire to be teachers.

Scripture Intro: LSB

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 3.

Last week we began James’ next lack. A lack that God is using trials to purge from James’ audience. In that process, if their faith is genuine, it will persevere and will be matured.

This next lack is their lack of control over their tongue.

But in order to understand what James is saying… we have to remember all that he has said. Particularly what he has said recently.

If we don’t put James 2:14-26 behind this entire discussion. If we aren’t thinking with the backdrop of comparing a dead and lifeless profession with a faith proven by obedience and good works. Then we will quickly start to wonder if James has some sort of split personality disorder. Why?

Because, he plays hopscotch with several themes throughout this chapter.

Is the tongue a good thing or bad thing? Is one able to control it or not? What does our control or lack of control imply?

For instance – in this discussion of the tongue – last week the tongue was capable of guiding the church. It was the gateway to bridling the entire person. Certainly – a good thing, yes?

Yet today James will paint it as a very terrible thing.

And just when we think that we can say – yes our tongues are capable of both great good and great evil – James says – IT OUGHT NOT BE THIS WAY! It should be one way or the other.

That is why, as one commentator aptly observed, this passage is a riddle. A riddle that we must seek to solve.

I am in James 3, I’ll begin reading in verse 1 again. I am reading from the Legacy Standard Bible, but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1362 or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

[Slide 2] Add 5 to 9 and get 2. The answer is correct, so what am I? This is an example of a riddle. The nature of a riddle is to make a statement that seems to not make sense. In order to solve such a discrepancy, you must perceive the statement as more than the sum of its parts. In this case, the statement appears to be a simple math problem. We add 9 to 5 and get 14. Yet the answer is 2. But what if we weren’t adding raw integers, but were adding something else? Have you figured out the answer?

[Slide 3] Yes! A clock. A clock only uses up to the integer 12. Adding 5 to 9 would take us past 12 and reset us at 1 before taking us to 2. In a similar way, James will make statements in this context that seem to contradict what he has already said. Therefore, we must look for missing pieces of information, in order to solve the riddle.

I.) Because the tongue is by nature destructive, we must not flippantly desire to be teachers. (5b-6)

a. [Slide 4] 5b – Behold how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!

i. James interrupted a series of illustrations about the tongue to comment that the tongue, though being a small member, boasts of great things.

ii. We saw last week that this statement is either neutral or even a positive statement.

iii. Afterall, the illustrations he has made up to this point have been positive.

1. A small bit controls the whole horse guiding it in the way it should go.

2. A small rudder controls the whole ship guiding it in the way it should go.

iv. So, for the tongue to boast of great things – is not necessarily of evil things.

v. As we saw last week, pointed toward teachers, a teacher can use his tongue as an effective tool to guide the whole congregation or even to bridle his entire person.

vi. This week, James continues illustrating the capabilities of the little member called the tongue.

vii. However, this next illustration takes us in an obvious negative direction.

viii. How much fire is necessary to set a whole forest ablaze? How dangerous is a floating ember next to a dry cornfield ready for harvest? How small a spark is required to ignite a powder keg?

ix. This is the image James conjures to our mind.

x. Such a little flame can do an inordinate amount of damage – can it not?

xi. At first, the illustration is not clear. Why is James suddenly talking about forest fires?

b. [Slide 5] 6 – And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness;

i. That’s why.

ii. The tongue is a fire.

iii. The tongue is the small member that is able to cause disproportionate catastrophe.

iv. Remember that I said in the introduction that we needed to think about this passage with James 2:14-26 in mind – otherwise we will be very confused. Well, it all starts here.

v. Certainly, if we isolated this one phrase, we could argue that fire is both profitable and destructive. But in the context, James is clearly saying that fire is bad. Very bad actually. Its destructive force reaches heights far beyond its initial creation.

vi. Comparing the tongue directly to fire in this context – we must conclude that the tongue is a terrible thing. For proof of that, we need only keep reading.

vii. This fire that is our tongue, is the very world of unrighteousness.

viii. “the world” is actually a tricky expression. It can mean various things in various contexts.

ix. There is debate on whether it means the order of unrighteousness or the whole of unrighteousness.

x. But as one commentator astutely points out… it doesn’t actually matter because the basic meaning is the same.

xi. The tongue’s sin capacity extends to the full gamut of all that we might call unrighteousness.

xii. A similar expression is stated by Paul when he says that the love of money is the root of all evil.

xiii. There is no category of evil that cannot be reached by the love of money.

xiv. In the same way, there is no category of unrighteousness, no destination of wickedness, that our tongues cannot reach.

xv. If James sees our tongue or our speech as this great evil – how could he have suggested that it was capable of good at all?

xvi. I believe James gives us a clue to interpreting his riddle in the next three phrases.

xvii. Let’s look at what all three say, and then we will try to answer the riddle.

c. [Slide 6] The tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body,

i. At first glance, this seems to be a contrasting statement to the one in verse 2 in this chapter.

ii. In verse 2 James said that if anyone doesn’t sin with his speech then he is perfect and able to control his entire body. Here James says that sinning with our speech defiles our entire body.

iii. However, there are some key differences in these two expressions making them much more different than they are alike.

1. In verse 2 the verse is set as a conditional statement. If A is true then B is true. And also C. But here there is no condition that needs to be met for B to be true.

2. In verse 2, the responsibility of meeting the condition is placed squarely on the shoulders of the individual. If they do not stumble they are perfect and able to control their entire body. However, here, the tongue, the world of unrighteousness, is set or placed or made among our members.

iv. As we interpreted verse 2 last week, a person who does not stumble with their speech is a mature believer – one who is qualified to teach.

v. The counter point here is not that those who stumble with their speech are an immature believer and unqualified to teach. Instead, James seems to be saying that this is every human’s default position.

vi. Our fire of a tongue, that is the very world of unrighteousness, is placed among our members and it defiles us.

vii. [Slide 7] Go with me to Matthew chapter 15. It is quite small on the screen, so it would be best if you want to follow along to turn there yourself. That is page 1110 in the pew bible.

viii. When we studied the book of I John, one of the things that John said in the opening of that letter, was that all that the apostles taught was from Christ. Because Christ was the Word of God given to us.

ix. Therefore, it shouldn’t be difficult for us to find direct links to what Jesus taught in every single context in which the apostles write.

x. Here is what James is getting at.

xi. Let’s read verses 1-20 and I’ll make some comments

1. Notice the context. The Pharisees and Scribes are insinuating that the disciples of Jesus are ritualistically unclean because they have not washed their hands before eating bread. This idea is an addition to God’s law made from their own traditions.

2. Jesus points out that this tradition is not from God by completely ignoring their critique and asking why they choose to obey tradition which violates God’s law. He cites a particular tradition which allows for someone to give a great sum to the temple in order to avoid giving a greater sum to care for their own parents. Such a tradition was formed and applied by the teachers of the law, enabling people to disobey the command of God to honor father and mother.

3. Jesus then calls them hypocrites and cites Isaiah. Notice what Isaiah says. They honor God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. In vain they worship, teaching as doctrines the commands of men. So they are confessing the right things but living differently. And specifically, they attempt to worship God while simultaneously teaching things that are in conflict with God’s commands. They confess to believe in honoring father and mother but are condoning practices that allows people to get out of helping them.

4. Then Jesus calls the crowd over and says – what goes out of the mouth is what defiles the man. Defilement, true defilement, does not come from outside but from inside. How we speak defiles us. In their case, it was their teaching of things contrary to God’s commands.

5. The Pharisees took great offense to this statement. To which Jesus said – every fake Christian will be judged. Let them alone. They are unqualified false teachers leading ungodly fake Christians to share their doom.

6. Then Peter asks for Jesus to explain the parable. And I’m glad he did. Even though Jesus points out the slowness of his understanding.

7. Jesus’ point is made plain.

8. What passes our mouths, goes into our stomachs and the waste material is released from us and flushed away. But with our hearts, it works in reverse.

9. The heart is evil, and wicked, and desperate. It is unknowable. It is unpredictable. And out of that heart the mouth speaks.

10. Jesus’ point is that mankind is defiled already.

11. Our heart flushes wicked waste through our mouths.

12. Jesus points out elsewhere that those who believe on Him will not be condemned but those who do not believe on Him are condemned already. Meaning that mankind is defiled already and deserving of wrath. Not believing on Christ is not the catalyst for judgment. Not believing is simply a byproduct. A waste product from a heart already defiled. Simply being human is the catalyst for judgment, because we are all born sinners.

xii. [Slide 8] This is exactly what James seems to be saying here. Natural man’s tongue is the exhaust pipe of the pollution producing idol factory of our hearts.

xiii. And that sludge drips from our lips from before we can even form words. We lie, complain, insult, and express unholy anger – while we are infants in diapers.

xiv. And unqualified teachers, who cannot bridle their tongue, will teach traditions of men and promote their own agendas and opinions rather than teaching the commands of God.

xv. What devastation the natural man’s tongue can do!

d. [Slide 9] And sets on fire the course of our existence,

i. All of our existence, all of human history, every moment of every man’s life…

ii. Is set on fire by our potty mouths. As we spew out all that our hearts flush.

iii. We belch and vomit the deepest wickedness of our hearts, blowing the arrogance of our own traditions and it splatters all over ourselves and it even pollutes the church.

iv. How much black sludge does it take to ruin a pure white robe?

v. So, our tongue sets alight our entire existence, but what about after our natural lives?

e. [Slide 10] And is set on fire by hell.

i. Hell, or Gehenna here typically refers to a place of punishment.

ii. The very fire of our tongues is kindled in the flames of our own judgment.

iii. It is difficult to know whether James is saying that the source of the flame is from hell or the end of the flame is to hell. Perhaps – both is actually true.

iv. Doctrines of demons have prevailed in so called churches since the beginning of Christ’s true church. They have led many astray – but make no mistake – one day they will be burned in the very fire which ignited them in the first place.

f. Coming to the end of this verse, we cannot conclude that James is referring to believers with living and saving faith who are unable to control their tongues.

g. Instead, by context and by the closing argument in verses 10-12, which I know we haven’t even gotten to yet – we must understand James to be speaking of someone who may have a profession of faith – like the Pharisees – but who are using their words to teach traditions, opinions, and/or teachings that contradict God’s law. Like the teaching which said we are saved by faith alone and can live as we wish.

h. These teachers or would be teachers are unable to control their tongue. Thus, not only are they unqualified to teach, but also, their holiness is worthless.

i. Remember, pure and undefiled religion before God is the care of widows and orphans in their oppression and keeping yourself unstained from the world. If indeed our tongues, the very world of unrighteousness, are staining and defiling us… then our holiness is worthless. Our religion is fake.

j. [Slide 11] Passage Truth: James teaches that the natural state of man is to be born already defiled. Humans are born in sin. Human tongues are the window to see the true nature of the heart. Furthermore, the natural man’s tongue is capable of great devastation disproportionate to its physical size. Whether that is false teaching, anger, prejudice, quarrels, gossip, lying, backbiting – all these, and many more, leave devastation in their wake.

k. Passage Application: The command for them in this passage is a carryover from last week. Not many of them should become teachers. Why? Because the tongue is capable of great devastation. If they cannot control it, they could destroy themselves and the church.

l. [Slide 12] Broader Biblical Truth: Does the scripture as a whole teach this truth? Jesus says in Matthew 12:37 that a man will be acquitted or condemned by his words. Yet he also teaches that all men are condemned already and that men speak from the wickedness of the heart. Combining these teachings of Christ, we see this exact truth laid out for us. Our tongues prove who we truly are. They do so by wreaking great catastrophe, the very world of unrighteousness, staining ourselves and others. If our mouth speaks from the heart – and our hearts are naturally desperately wicked and unpredictable – then our words will be desperately wicked and unpredictable as well. What great damage natural man’s words can do. If a person is unqualified to teach since they cannot bridle their tongue, they could do great damage to themselves or even the church. Much like the Pharisees had done to the people of their time. As Jesus described them, they held the keys to the kingdom but neither went in themselves nor did they allow any others to go in. Such is the danger of an unqualified teacher who cannot bridle their tongue.

m. Broader Biblical Application: So CBC, we must be very cautious to desire the office or role of teaching Gods’ Word. Certainly, people are looking to teachers as models to follow. But even arrogance and pride can creep into the words spoken allowing for traditions or opinions to take center stage rather than the glorious gospel of Christ.

Transition:

[Slide 13 (blank)] But is the only danger of the tongue in its destructive power? Is there another layer to this onion?

II.) Because the tongue is by nature indomitable, we must not flippantly desire to be teachers. (7-12)

a. [Slide 14] 7 – For every kind of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.

i. James either speaks here in exaggerated language or is referring to a time long gone.

ii. Perhaps James is referring to Adam in the garden or even Noah who lived with and cared for two of every kind of animal for about a year.

iii. More likely his point is that mankind has set his mind to taming many different animals and has succeeded in doing so. The Greeks actually drew great pride from the human being, a creature capable of reason, being able to dominate all manner of beasts.

iv. But what about the tiny beast within our mouths?

b. [Slide 15] 8 – But no one can tame the tongue;

i. Once again, we feel the strain of the riddle.

ii. James has already said that if anyone is not able to bridle his tongue then his religion is worthless.

iii. James has said that if someone is able to not stumble in speech then he is a mature believer.

iv. So when James says that no one can tame the tongue, we are immediately perplexed.

v. But, much of the groundwork has been laid to help us interpret this rightly.

vi. Natural man, by the exertion of his own will, can tame many beasts – but the small member of his own body – his tongue – he cannot tame.

vii. It is, as we’ve said, an involuntary window into the status of the soul. And man can never truly hide who they are for very long. Eventually their speech will betray them.

viii. Notice how the Pharisees allowed for and taught that you could give a large sum to the temple in order to not give a larger sum to your parents. How does such a teaching arise as acceptable, if it is not set alight by the fire of greed and selfishness?

ix. But even as believers I think we can conclude the same thing. That were it up to us entirely, we would not be able to tame the tongue either.

x. Augustine comments on this passage and I find his insights astute.

xi. [Slide 16] He says, “He [James] said this not in order that we should tolerate this evil but in order that we should ask for divine grace to tame our tongue.”

xii. In other words, of all men who walk this earth, it is only those whom the Lord promises to give grace in time of need, who can actually tame the tongue. But even then, it is only because of the grace of God.

c. [Slide 17] It is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

i. Why can no natural man control his window into his soul, called his mouth?

ii. Why can a teacher without a bridled tongue not help from teaching things that contradict God’s commands?

iii. Because the tongue is restless. It is unstable. It is unceasing in motion and fickle.

iv. It wants to be open and vent the deepest depravities of our hearts.

v. And we use it to spew death. It infects and infests us and all who are around us.

vi. Words can turn the most loyal of allies into the vilest rebels. Words can demonize and marginalize those whom we should love and respect. Words can lead a revolution against those we have been told to submit to.

vii. The venom of that old snake is alive and well in the tongues of those who are his children.

d. [Slide 18] 9 – With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God.

i. Again, the riddle presents itself.

ii. We might be tempted still to cast this in a view that Christians are vacillating between praising God and cursing others.

iii. But we must first see what it means to curse others. Then we can make the conclusions that we need to.

iv. To curse others is to pronounce judgment upon a person. It is to issue a sentence of divine punishment. It is to say, “Go to hell.” It is to say “be accursed.”

v. Jesus mentions something like this in Matthew 5. He says you have heard it said that whoever murders shall be guilty before the court. But I say to you that everyone who says to his brother “Raca” shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin or “you fool” shall be guilty enough to be thrown into hell.

vi. We pointed out in our study of Matthew – which will have been 6 years ago this April (whoa!) – that to call someone a fool is to essentially call them godless, pagan, and deserving of hell.

vii. This is what it means to curse someone.

viii. Therefore, instead of reading this and seeing this as praising the Lord and saying a bad word, or praising the Lord and insulting someone, we should instead see this as praising the Lord and pronouncing eternal judgment on another person.

ix. Have you heard preachers or teachers stand behind a pulpit and wish someone to burn in hell for their sin? Or perhaps they even express their desire that people suffer harm or death for simply not holding to their man made tradition like a version of the bible or a standard of modesty? Have you heard the satisfaction in their voices as they almost revel in the wrathful end of others made in the image of God? Does God even rejoice in the death of the wicked?

x. It is not possible my friends to truly worship God and also act as the judge of those created in His image.

xi. There is one exception to this which if we have time on Wednesday we can discuss that.

e. [Slide 19] 10 – From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. my brothers, these things ought not to be so.

i. If indeed the tongue cannot be tamed by any man – Christian or otherwise. If indeed, no man is able to control his tongue – then James cannot possibly say that this ought not be.

ii. He may desire it to not be this way! In which case he would have said, “I wish this were not so, my brothers!” But to say, “This ought not be so my brothers” reveals that he believes that those with living faith and those with pure and undefiled religion, should be able to bridle their tongue.

iii. Thus, with these words, he implores them to cleanse themselves of the pollution, the double mindedness. These concepts keep repeating themselves in James. To be double minded, to be stained, to be defiled. James calls them to purify themselves. Why? Because only pure and undefiled holiness is acceptable before God.

iv. And now he sets out to prove this by illustrations from nature.

f. [Slide 20] 11 – Does a fountain pour forth from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 12 – Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can saltwater produce fresh.

i. We are immediately struck by the same imagery that we have seen in Christ’s teaching.

ii. A good tree produces good fruit and a bad tree bad fruit.

iii. Christ cursed the fruitless fig tree for bearing no fruit.

iv. Christ pronounced woes on the Pharisees for being white washed sepulchers full of dead men’s bones.

v. My friends – a fresh water spring produces fresh water and fig trees produce figs.

vi. So also, a true believer with genuine saving faith will be able to bridle his tongue. Not perfectly – but progressively. A man in Christ will master what unbelievers cannot control. And a man or woman qualified to teach, must be a mature believer – meaning he or she bridles their tongue.

vii. But a fake believer, a false teacher, will eventually be known by the way they praise God with their lips and use the same lips to curse others.

g. [Slide 21] Passage Truth: James with the same base layer of teaching makes a separate point from his first. He reveals that it is man’s nature that determines what flows from their mouth. Indeed, he reaffirms this with his closing illustrations. But the point he adds to this, is not the destructiveness of the tongue, but the indomitability of the tongue. The tongue cannot be tamed. At least not by human will.

h. Passage Application: Therefore, many of them must not be teachers. For their tongues will slip from their hold and reap the whirlwind.

i. [Slide 22] Broader Biblical Truth: Do we see this in the rest of scripture? The psalmist asks the Yahweh by His covenant name to place a guard on his mouth and to protect the opening of his lips in Psalm 141:3. Negatively Proverbs 15:2 says that the fool spouts out folly. Proverbs 18:21 says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Our tongue is devastating and uncontrollable. Indeed, without the divine help of God almighty we would have no hope to bridle it and keep ourselves from spewing our folly. But for those in Christ, we ought to be different.

j. Broader Biblical Application: So CBC, we must not be hasty to desire the office or role of teaching the Word of God. For a teacher uses his tongue often. But to take such an untamable beast from its cage week in and week out, without relying on the grace of God to contain its bite… to remove it from its shackles, in our hubris thinking we have mastery over it – we will surely see it break loose from us. Only those who have learned to tie their tongue with the strands of God’s grace should consider the role of teaching His word.

Conclusion:

[Slide 23 (end)] So, CBC, what have we learned today and how do we live?

We have learned two very important details about the nature of our tongue. And these two concepts are laid upon 1 foundational principle of doctrine that we must believe.

The first concept about our tongue we actually saw last week.

Last week we saw that a tongue that is under control is a sign that a person is mature in their faith. They have a living and saving faith that has produced a maturity in them. Such people ought to be teachers. They have a valuable asset in their speech – able to guide the church in the truth of God’s Word.

But – From this week, we saw how the tongue while being capable of great good, is perhaps even more capable of terrible devastation. Which wouldn’t be so bad if it were not for it being so unpredictable.

The foundational doctrine that we must see through all this is from James – but really – it is from Christ. What comes out of our mouth will either acquit us before God’s judgment or it will condemn us. Why? Because the mouth is a window to the soul. That which a man speaks, so is he.

So what do we do with this text?

I believe it has a few implications for us.

First, given the nature of the responsibility of teaching the Word of God, it puts an immediate pause on any flippant aspirations toward becoming a teacher of God’s Word.

We spoke a little about this last week, but it is a message worthy of repeating. Friends, our church needs teachers of God’s Word. We need people who will be willing to take God’s Word and teach it to others. We need young men to prayerfully consider whether God may be raising them up to be future Elders of our church. We have 6 Elders right now. But who will be our Elders in 20 years? 30? 40? What about Biblical Counselors? Who will engage young women and men with the Word of God teaching them to live upright lifestyles?

Though the need is great for us to have teachers of the Word… greater still is the need for those teachers to be qualified. And one of the primary qualifications of a teacher of God’s Word is that they are able to bridle their tongues. Not only reigning in their doctrine, but even their anger, their prejudice, their quarrelling, their slander, and their curses.

This leads me to a second point of application.

My friends, we are children of God who have been called out of darkness. James makes it plain that we are new creatures in Christ. Our natures have been changed. We have the Spirit of God living in us. This doesn’t mean we will be perfect. But it does mean that we ought to bridle our tongues. It does mean that we ought to praise God with undefiled lips. We ought to use our words to sow peace and love among God’s people. We ought to confess clear doctrines which we have received from the beginning and not venture into fantasy or niche theological hobby horses.

If it is true that your mouth is the vent for your soul – then vent the love, mercy, trust, hope, peace, and grace that God has filled you with. Let your living faith shine through what you say. Don’t grumble or complain, don’t back bite and destroy, don’t criticize and undermine, don’t sow discord or cause strife, don’t drum your opinions or spout your hubris – but instead be a fountain of living water. So that people might come to your words and hear the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. That He has made you alive and changed you to be His child.

The whole world can fight and squabble. Indeed, see the news? The world of unrighteousness is quite adept at quarreling and spouting their deeply held opinions. How different we would be if we were to lovingly preach Christ crucified for sinners.

If our mouth flows with the waste of our hearts… let the waste be only the mercy and grace of God that is exceedingly abundantly more than we would ever ask or need. May our cup run over. May we use our words seasoned with grace and sweetened with honey, to build one another up and tear down strongholds of the evil one.

May we all aim to be qualified teachers of the Word of God.

Title: “Unqualified Teachers” Part 1

Text: James 3:1-5a

FCF: We often struggle with desiring to be teachers but lacking self-control.

Prop: Because teachers face a stricter judgment on their words, we must not flippantly become teachers of God’s word.

Scripture Intro: LSB

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 3.

Last week we finally finished up what is the core of James’ letter. Unfortunately we had to look at it in three parts, so we could see it deep enough without keeping us here for 3 hours. Today James will shift the discussion again, but the point he makes next is another that we will have to divide up. I hope that we will be able to see it all in only 2 parts, but no guarantees.

What is a teacher? And when you find that answer – who is qualified to teach? Is it the person with the most degrees? The highest IQ? The oldest? The youngest? Does it matter what the teacher is teaching?

This is where James will take us next.

I am reading in James 3. I’m reading from the LSB today but you can follow along in your pew bible starting on page 1361 or whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

There is much to get to today concluding with a look at what this passage did to me this week. We best not waste time.

I.) All believers fail the Lord but teachers will be judged more strictly, so we must not flippantly become teachers of God’s Word. (1-2a)

a. [Slide 2] 1 - Do not, many of you, become teachers, my brothers,

i. James’ telltale shift in theme occurs again here in verse 1 of chapter 3.

1. Going back to the beginning of the book we have seen him move us along in this way several times.

a. 1:2 – Consider it all joy my brothers

b. 1:16 – Do not be deceived my beloved brothers

c. 2:1 – My brothers do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

d. 2:5 – Listen my beloved brothers

e. 2:14 – What use is it my brothers

2. And again, here in verse 1 of chapter 3.

ii. Part of the reason that the progression of the book of James is so difficult to map, has to do with these shifts accomplishing so many things all at once.

1. Chapter 3 does begin a new lack that his audience may have, for which the Lord is giving them trials in order to purge from them. That new lack is self-control and specifically, the control of one’s tongue.

2. As I stated several weeks ago, all of James flows into and out of his discussion of faith and works. Just because we have left that particular lack, does not mean we have left behind its teaching. Which colors our discussion of the lack of control of the tongue. More on that in a bit.

3. But this is also connected to the other two foundational lacks James has already mentioned. The lack of wisdom, of a godly perspective, AND of a faith that works - are all contributory lacks to the rest of the letter, and nearer to us, to this particular lack.

4. In addition to this, the theme he brings to bear in chapter 3 has already been mentioned in seed form.

5. So, what passages in James have a direct connection to the teaching on how we should speak? It connects to chapter 1:2. It connects to chapter 1:5. It connects to 1:12 and 1:13; 1:19 and 1:24 and 25; Also, to 1:26 and 27. Surely it would connect to Chapter 2:1-4; 10; 12 and 13; and 14-26. How do you outline something like this? It is a spider web of connected thoughts that cannot be unwound from each other.

6. But to keep us from losing the forest for the trees, what is James saying here in verse 1?

iii. James gives a command to his brothers. And that command is… sobering.

iv. Do not become teachers.

v. Of course, the command is softened by the addition of the words “many of you.”

vi. In other words, this is not a prohibition of any of his audience becoming teachers. This is not a prohibition of any of his future readers becoming teachers.

vii. But it is a recognition that becoming a teacher is not something that all or even many are wise to pursue.

viii. But what does James mean by becoming a teacher? Mathematics, Science, poetry? Do not the scriptures say that we are to teach one another? Are only some to teach one another? Are not Fathers to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Are not older men supposed to teach younger men and older women younger women? Are we not to teach one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs?

ix. [Slide 3] James’ definition of a teacher must be interpreted to mean an authoritative expositor of the scriptures to the church. Each word in this definition is important.

x. With every word, we can surmise that James is not precluding scriptural discussion, discipleship, or parenting. Certainly, we all should, in some capacity, be teaching others the scriptures.

xi. Indeed, Timothy’s mother and grandmother were commended by Paul for teaching Timothy the scriptures from his youth.

xii. Very clearly James refers to those drawing out the true meaning of a passage of scriptures and applying it to a church body in an authoritative way.

xiii. Certainly, it would be an Elder, but really anyone who stands before the church to teach the scriptures and expect people to hear and heed the Word.

xiv. [Slide 4] James’ command then, is that not many of you should become these kinds of teachers.

xv. Two questions, both of them starting with why.

xvi. Why is James issuing this command?

1. Although we could see the language in this text translated as “Stop becoming teachers” the almost unanimous consensus of translations is as the LSB has translated this. Do not, many of you, become teachers, my brothers.

2. What does that mean?

3. It means that James sees a problem forming before it actually happens. And where he goes in the next two chapters helps to flesh out the need for his command.

4. Becoming a teacher, particularly a teacher as we have described, brings with it some measure of authority, power, and prestige. Such a position of honor would be sought after by many… for the wrong reasons.

xvii. The second why question though, is why must they listen to James’ command?

1. There are some serious problems in the churches to which James writes his letter.

2. Chapter 3 and 4 will note some of those problems. I don’t have time this morning to read ahead and point some out to you but even a quick perusal of these two chapters would show us a church, that if it had a bunch of teachers living this way, it would not end well.

3. James sees the writing on the wall and as a concerned pastor – he commands many of them to rethink their desire for a teaching role. Why?

b. [Slide 5] Knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment.

i. James’ command has become a warning.

ii. To those who are considering becoming a teacher… they should know… they will receive, or they will experience a harsher or as the LSB says, stricter judgment.

iii. Confirming our case for interpreting “teacher” in the way we did, James includes himself in this warning. He too will be judged more strictly.

iv. Who is judging these teachers? Of course, we must say the Lord Jesus. For it is His teachings that are being given. His life that is being taught to be observed and obeyed. He is the Great Shepherd and he will judge… strictly… those who care for His sheep.

v. But what should we say about this stricter judgment. Is it more severe? Is James saying that offenses of a teacher will be punished more harshly than those of a student? Or is James saying that the lives of a teacher are judged more rigorously than those of a student?

vi. It seems best, as we look throughout the New Testament to assume the latter. That the stricter judgment given to teachers is not harsher for failure but is instead more difficult to pass.

vii. Think twice, maybe three times, before becoming a teacher of the Word of God. For teachers will be judged to a stricter standard than the students.

viii. Although false teachers and their students are both condemned in scripture, it is only to the teachers that Paul says – let them be accursed.

ix. But where is the sharpness in this warning? Teachers are judged by a stricter standard… so what? What have we to fear? We have been declared righteous in Christ have we not?

x. Indeed, but are we not yet, still sinners?

c. [Slide 6] 2 – For we all stumble in many ways,

i. James said earlier that to violate the law in one point is to violate the whole law.

ii. To transgress God’s commands in one area is to transgress all God’s commands.

iii. In a similar idea, James reveals why many should not become teachers. Yes, they will be judged more harshly. But all men stumble in many ways.

iv. James uses the concept of stumbling to speak of sin or of transgressing the law of God. Perhaps we could say, transgressing unintentionally.

v. And James includes himself in this statement. He too is not immune to being led off course from following after the Lord’s commands.

vi. Putting these two concepts together

1. Everyone has difficulty staying on the path that God has laid out for us.

2. Teachers will be judged by a higher standard than the students.

3. James is, in essence, saying exactly what Paul said in I Timothy and Titus. People who are to authoritatively preach the word of God to the church, must be those who are above reproach and blameless.

4. Not perfect… but certainly holy and godly. Their character is such that for some to claim they had major and pervasive sin problems that are controlling their lives… would be unthinkable and must be investigated to be believed.

5. This is what it means to be blameless. And they must be blameless.

6. For, as James says, they will be judged by a harsher standard.

d. [Slide 7] Passage Truth: James’ point is that all of us trespass against the Lord’s law – but teachers are held to a more rigid standard than students.

e. Passage Application: Knowing this, there are many among them that would make terrible teachers. Incurring judgment on themselves.

f. [Slide 8] Broader Biblical Truth: Do we see this point made in the rest of scripture? There are two components of the statement but both of them are verified throughout the scriptures. Not only do all believers continue to unintentionally sin, but also, teachers of God’s word are held to a higher standard than others. Having gone through some of the Old Testament prophets, including Isaiah and Hosea, we have seen the indictment upon the priests for their continued mockery of God and misleading of God’s people. And certainly, we’ve seen in our dives into individuals like Abraham and Rahab, that even though they were declared to be righteous by God for their faith – they were not perfect. They still doubted, sinned, and acted unwisely. So, we see both these truths verified in the whole account of God’s Word.

g. Broader Biblical Application: So, what does this mean for us CBC? It is a call for us to consider the weight that is borne by those who teach the Word of God to the church. What a great burden it is to bear. To know that all of us still stumble and fail the Lord’s holy standard – yet to also know that teachers of God’s Word will be judged by a stricter standard… It seems obvious to caution any who would flippantly approach the desire to teach God’s Word. Aspiring to hold the office or title of teacher within the body of Christ is a glorious and noble task – but with it comes great responsibility as well. While not required to be perfect, those who are called to teach His Word, must be blameless. They must be mature believers. And so, CBC, pray for your teachers, that they would continue to hold up under the scrutiny of Christ. And do not be hasty in thinking you might be a good teacher of the Word. Knowledge of doctrine is only part of the equation, and it seems that it is a good deal less important than a godly life.

Transition:

[Slide 9(blank)] As if to answer the question, “In what areas will a teacher be judged more strictly than others?”, James carries on through to what becomes his primary concern for his audience.

II.) All believers fail with their speech but teachers must control their tongues, so we must not flippantly become teachers of God’s Word. (2b-5a)

a. [Slide 10] If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man,

i. As a case study and subpoint from his statement about men stumbling in many ways, James looks to the tongue.

ii. James’ seems to overstate his case. Is a man truly perfect if he does not stumble in what he says? In some ways this is a build on statement of what he said before.

1. Those who keep the whole law but fail in one point are guilty of all the law.

2. Therefore, what follows logically, is that James is saying that sins of speech are found among every single human that has ever existed save the God-Man Jesus Christ.

3. I believe that theologically and experientially – we can all attest to that being true.

4. That if it were possible to be perfect in the whole law yet fail in one point – that one point would be in our speech.

5. Whether uttering lies, hatred, blasphemies, gossip, slander, boasts, or all manner of other abuses of speech – we have all done it.

iii. But our interpretation of this expression must first be governed internally by the book of James.

iv. This is not the first time James has mentioned the tongue. He states that we should be slow to speak in chapter 1. He also says that if anyone thinks he is devout yet cannot control his tongue, his devotion, his holiness is worthless.

v. This calls to mind Jesus’ teaching when He spoke about the relationship between the heart and what we say. He said that out of the heart the mouth speaks.

vi. Jesus’ point was that we sin with our speech because of corruption within. Likewise, we control our tongues because there is holiness within.

vii. James is saying that if a man does not unintentionally sin with his mouth – then he is perfect.

viii. This is the same word he uses from chapter 1 where he speaks of the design of God in trials to produce an enduring faith lacking in nothing… a faith that is perfect. A faith that is complete. A faith that is mature.

ix. There are two prevailing interpretations of James’ statement. At first, I was led to believe that James was using hyperbole. That he was saying that if you can control your tongue, you are in no need of salvation. An overstatement to emphasize the difficulty of controlling the tongue.

x. But looking at the rest of James, it seems that James is not overstating anything.

xi. He is simply saying, that a man that has the ability to control his tongue is a person who is mature in Christ. Their faith is lacking nothing in regard to their speech.

xii. In other words, James doesn’t put the control of the tongue outside the reach of true believers. Because if a person truly can’t bridle his tongue, then his holiness is worthless.

xiii. But he most certainly puts the control of the tongue as the standard of a mature believer. That a man that has reached the place that he is able to control his tongue, is a mature believer indeed. He is… someone who SHOULD be a teacher.

xiv. This is the interpretation that I want to press here. For James to say that none can truly ever control their speech, while coming out of a section in which he said that true faith works – would be to undermine himself.

xv. So, let’s continue with this interpretation and see where James goes with it.

b. [Slide 11] Able to bridle the entire body as well.

i. James juxtaposes the difficulty of controlling our speech next to the great potential that controlled speech offers.

ii. But here again we face an interesting dilemma of interpretation. What is the “body” that can be controlled, bridled, or guided, by the person who can control his speech?

iii. There are two prevailing interpretations.

1. That the body is his own body. It is his behaviors, his lusts, his passions, his baser instincts.

a. This is favored by several commentators who see verse 1 as a spring board to talk about matters within the church.

b. They do not see the rest of chapter 3 as particularly applying to teachers or would be teachers, but instead toward the body as a whole.

c. The strength of this view is that the word body naturally correlates to the tongue as a part of the whole.

d. The difficulty of this view is discovering the exact correlation between the control of your speech and the control of the rest of your body.

e. There is no direct correlation between one’s ability to control what he says and that enabling him to control the rest of his behavior. Certainly, someone can be a kind and gentle idolater or a soft-spoken fornicator.

f. The best correlation is one relating to difficulty.

g. Our speech is so difficult to control that if a man is able to control his speech – the rest of his passions, his lusts, his slothfulness, his baser instincts – are a sinch by comparison.

h. But as we move forward into the illustrations that James gives – we have to wonder if it is truly the degree of difficulty that he has in mind.

2. The second interpretation casts this in a different light. The body refers to the church.

a. This is favored by several commentators who see verse 1 as permeating the intent of the rest of the passage extending even through chapter 4.

b. That teachers and would be teachers are the emphasis and that James is trying his best to prove to them that many of them are not qualified to be teachers.

c. The strength of this view relies on the specific words that James uses.

d. Here in verse 2 he does not say “control of the tongue” but rather, control of speech. Thus the imagery of a body and its members, like fingers, toes, and tongues, has not actually been introduced.

e. There is also no possession indicated in the text. James does not say he is able to control HIS entire body. He simply says the body.

f. If James means that a teacher with pure speech is able to bridle and guide the church, we will also see a strong fit with the illustrations that are to come.

g. But there are some challenges to this view.

h. First, the word for body is used by James 4 other times besides this and in three of those 4 it is clearly talking about a corporeal body. Although the 4th is in this same context and is clearly referring to the church.

i. Second, although the church is sometimes spoken of in nautical imagery, the church is never compared to a horse. So, for James to expect his audience readily pick up on the comparison is asking a good deal from them.

3. Of late, I have attempted to eliminate such discussions from my sermons. Some of you were no doubt profoundly interested in understanding these two interpretations – but for most, you are probably thinking – ok Chris just tell me what it means.

4. Well, that is the reason I included it. I don’t know. I definitely lean more toward the second interpretation, probably about 75% sure – but I have flip flopped at least 3 times on that conclusion.

5. Therefore, as we go forward, we are forced to consider both as viable interpretations.

c. [Slide 12] 3 – Now if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well.

i. James launches into two illustrations that would have been quite common in wisdom literature and connect readily with the common man.

ii. The emphasis through these examples is the smallness of the item that controls the whole larger thing.

iii. A bit in a horse’s mouth is but a fraction of the weight and size of the animal itself. Indeed to think that such a large animal could be guided, directed, and manipulated by one small piece, is quite astounding.

iv. If we have concluded that James is only talking to believers about their ability for their tongue to control their behavior, the illustration makes sense… sort of.

1. It is far more difficult to control a horse without a bit than with one.

2. However, this doesn’t seem to be James’ point. He doesn’t directly compare a horse with or without a bit.

3. He simply states the illustration in a matter-of-fact kind of way. We put bits to cause them to obey and so we can guide them.

4. It is not the difficulty without the bit or even the difficulty of controlling the horses mouth that is in focus. Instead, it is how a small part controls the larger.

v. If we have concluded that James is talking to all would be teachers about how their ability to control their speech can help to guide the church… the illustration crystalizes perfectly.

1. A bit, being something small and insignificant, placed in the mouth, a seemingly unrelated part to guiding a horse, can guide the whole horse.

2. In the same way, through the foolishness of preaching, a teacher can steer and guide the entire church, when his speech is used rightly.

d. [Slide 13] 4 – Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot wills.

i. Certainly, ships take a good deal of wind in order to drive them forward.

ii. But to direct a ship – one only needs a much smaller rudder in order to guide the ship to where it needs to go.

iii. Indeed, the pilot of the ship can guide it to wherever he wants it to go by such a small part of the ship being used.

iv. Again, if we have concluded that our speech is so difficult to control that if we can control it we can control our behaviors as well, this illustration only kind of makes sense.

1. Although we can see obviously the difficulty of steering a ship in strong winds on the open water… James does not overtly compare doing this with or without a rudder.

2. Thus, the control of speech being difficult would be compared to what? Installing the rudder? Turning the rudder? None of these seem particularly difficult.

v. But if we think James speaks to would be teachers of how controlled speech can guide the ship, things make complete sense.

1. God drives the church with the wind of His Spirit.

2. But the pilot, governed by his will, guides the ship safely to its destination.

3. He does this by something as simple as a piece of wood attached to the bottom of the ship.

4. So the teacher with something as simple as controlled speech, guides the people of God.

vi. James interrupts himself because he has a point to draw out before he mentions another illustration and actually changes topics.

e. [Slide 14] 5a – So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things.

i. Does body here refer to the church? Well, the simple answer is no. Why? Because the phrase “of the body” is not in the original Greek. It has been supplied by several translations.

ii. We should probably read this as, “The tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.”

iii. What is meant by this last phrase and what is James’ point?

iv. To boast of great things does not necessarily imply sin nor does it imply lying.

v. In fact, in taking what James has been saying and what he will say – I believe what he means when he says this is, essentially, the tongue though small, can have a HUGE impact. It can do great or terrible things.

vi. But we must ask how does this correlate to what James is saying?

vii. A ship is such a large thing and a horse such a large animal yet they can be subdued and guided by such a small thing.

viii. But which interpretation is it? Is the large thing the church or our behavior.

ix. Maybe we can combine them? Let me try

Title: “Faith and Works” Part 3

Text: James 2:25-26

FCF: We often struggle demonstrating a saving faith.

Prop: Because Rahab fulfilled her faith by her works, we must have a faith that works.

Scripture Intro: ESV

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 2.

There are different philosophies on crafting sermons. Those philosophies have changed throughout the church age.

For example, the Puritans would take a verse or phrase and use it as a spring board to talk about a topic at length.

But you have the other extreme in today’s evangelical church where a pastor will read about 35 verses, talk for 15 minutes basically rehashing what was read, make a few points on living better lives or encouraging the congregation, and then dismiss with prayer.

Since I have been your pastor, I have adopted the thought-by-thought philosophy in crafting sermons. I try to capture a complete thought or paragraph that conveys either one truth or one application and relay that in a meaningful way to you. I endeavor to solve the riddle of what is said, what is meant, and how we should then live. Admittedly I don’t always hit my mark – but that is always my goal.

This message along with the previous two represent one thought of James. And I really regret not doing the whole text of verses 14-26 as one sermon. But to have done all of it in one sermon that only lasted an hour or less – is also equally regrettable.

All that to say that I will do my best to tie up in a neat bow this whole section by the end of this sermon – but if you did not hear last week or the week prior’s message from James – I’d encourage you to go back and listen. Go back and hear all that has been said. James’ argument is without flaw. He dismantles completely any notion of a faith that can confess Christ as Lord and live as if they were unchanged by God.

But today, we will attempt to finish up what James is saying.

I am in James 2, I’ll once again begin reading in verse 14 from the ESV but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1361 or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

Even though it is only a 1 point sermon – there is still much we need to get to today, including a rather hard hitting application at the end. So let’s get to it.

I.) Rahab’s faith was fulfilled by her works, so we must have a faith that works.

a. [Slide 2] 25 – And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

i. The story of Rahab the prostitute is perhaps one of the most well-known stories in scripture.

ii. The record is found in Joshua 2 -But the bible actually mentions a few more details about Rahab.

1. [Slide 3] Joshua 6 records that she escaped the destruction of Jericho and the promise the spies made to her was honored. That she became a proselyte, which means she and all her family, after surviving the fall of Jericho, joined the covenant community of Israel.

2. Hebrews 11 records that by faith she did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

3. But perhaps the most significant reference to Rahab the prostitute is that after she joined the assembly of Israel, she married a man named Salmon and birthed Boaz. Boaz, the great grand-father of David. Rahab, a former Canaanite prostitute, is mentioned specifically in the book of Matthew in the lineage of Jesus the Messiah.

iii. [Slide 4] So, what is her story? How was she, like Abraham, justified by her works? When we compare what scripture has revealed about both their stories – do any patterns emerge?

1. In Joshua 2, the story is not arranged for us chronologically – much to our western mind’s chagrin

Title: “Faith and Works” Part 2

Text: James 2:20-24

FCF: We often struggle demonstrating a saving faith.

Prop: Because Abraham fulfilled his faith by his works, we must have a faith that works.

Scripture Intro: ESV

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 2.

Let me tell you that this week was a doozy of a message to prepare for you. I really expected to be able to cover the rest of chapter 2 with this sermon, but unfortunately by the time I got done with my thoughts and confirmed and added to them by the commentary check, I had over 5000 words and I was really no where close to finished.

So rather than short changing you or forcing you to sit through an 80 minute message, I chose to divide this sermon in two. That’s ok because it will give me a chance to expand both this sermon and next week’s.

Since we are in the heart of the most important part of the book of James, it would behoove us to review a little before we get into the text this morning.

We looked at James’ third lack last week. His audience either lacked the proper perspective on, or even the possession of a faith that endures and is being perfected.

We recognize immediately the theme from the beginning of the book, that God uses trials to test our faith producing an enduring and perfected faith – which is of course God’s ultimate goal for His children. His desire is not simply to save them to heaven or from hell, but to conform them to the image of His son, refining them into vessels of pure gold set apart for holy service in His Kingdom which both is and is yet to come.

But James’ audience is enduring trials of poverty, primarily because they are Christians in a predominantly pagan environment. The wealthier Roman pagans are oppressing them and taking them to court. Then suddenly they hear a message from a young man claiming to be an apostle. What do they hear?

“We are saved by faith and our works no longer matter.” Well… that isn’t what the apostle said exactly. He actually said, “Justification is by faith apart from works.” But what they interpret it to mean is that if they hold fast to the right doctrines, they can completely blend in with their surrounding pagans in all their sinful practices because, after all, their works no longer matter. They are truly free from the law of God. YAY!?

But James has a couple questions for that kind of faith. First, what good is it and second, can it truly save them?

He then proves by use of logic, comparing that kind of faith, to the professed love of others without the outward works of care. Just as a professed love with no care is useless, so also professed faith with no obedience is also useless.

Then he anticipates an argument against him, that perhaps faith and works are independent items from one another. Perhaps someone can have faith without works and perhaps someone else can have works without faith.

But James immediately challenges such faith. He calls upon that individual to demonstrate worksless faith… knowing full well that faith cannot be demonstrated without action. Then James shows the ultimate example of how dangerous professed faith alone can be. He describes the theologically astute demons cowering in fear at the God they very much believe in… but they do not obey Him, nor do they serve Him, nor will they be rescued from His wrath.

James’ conclusion stands. Faith without works is dead. It was never alive.

Today, James will move on from logic, to theological and scriptural proofs for his position. He will call up one of the most well known and beloved examples of faith from the Old Testament, and he will prove without doubt that his faith was working with his works.

I am in James 2, I’ll begin reading in verse 14, just to keep the context together. I am reading again from the ESV but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1361 or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

Since this is a divided sermon, there is only one point in this sermon and one in the next. Thankfully the points are easily remembered. Abraham’s faith was fulfilled by his works… and next week… Rahab’s faith was fulfilled by her works. Unfortunately, the ease of this sermon ends there. There are some difficult theological concepts here that we must walk a tightrope to get right. I will do my best – but as a young man, recognize that I am still understanding all of this myself. Based on my commentary check, I have many assurances that I have landed where many wiser believers before me have also. That gives me confidence to present to you this very difficult section of scripture.

I.) Abraham’s faith was fulfilled by his works, so we must have a faith that works.

a. [Slide 2] 20 – Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

i. Perhaps the first question that comes to mind after reading such a verse is – who is the foolish person?

ii. It is the hypothetical person that James raised in verse 18.

iii. James predicts the argument of this person in that they will say that faith without works is a perfectly acceptable form of saving faith. Not only that, but even that it is equal or on par with a faith that has works. And even more egregiously, suggesting that works without faith could also be acceptable.

iv. But James pointed out the logical blunder that is posed when we go to demonstrate faith. If you have only faith – then you cannot demonstrate it without works. Works flow out of faith. They are inseparable.

v. Now James asks the same person who considers faith without works no less than faith with works, do you want to be shown?

vi. James asks, literally, do you want to know that faith without works is useless?

vii. The word to know has the idea of acquiring knowledge through observation or the senses. Keep this in the back of your mind for just a second, because there is some wordplay or thought play going on here.

viii. The ESV pushes the meaning just a step, as do other translations, when they change James’ question to that of observable evidence. Do you want to know by proof? Do you want me to leave no room for doubt for you? Do you want me to show to your senses the proof you need to be convinced?

ix. James also calls this person – a foolish person. The idea of a foolish person is one who is empty, devoid of advantage or benefit or… senseless.

x. So, James calls upon a senseless person to experience through his senses the proof of the matter – that faith without works has no value or use. It is as empty as he is.

b. [Slide 3] 21 – Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?

i. Where might James go to prove to any Jew who professed Christ that faith without works is useless?

ii. Where else but to the scriptures? Where else but to the patriarchs? And the patriarch of the patriarchs is none other than Abraham himself.

iii. Their whole identity as Jews began right there. Indeed, there was so much pride in the idea of being in the bloodline of Abraham that had existed for over 2000 years. Greater than the span of time that we look back to Christ, they were looking back to Abraham.

iv. This is why he calls him Abraham our “father.”

v. So, James raises evidence from the most respected Patriarch. A gentile whom God called out from the land of Ur to begin a new nation.

vi. He asks the question, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac on the altar?”

vii. We need to break down this question to see exactly what he is asking. To help us, the assumed answer is… YES! This is a question but it is certainly a statement.

1. The first and most obvious phrase we need to define is, “justified by works”- but since our understanding of that will require knowing to what instance James is referring, we best table this for now and come back.

2. [Slide 4] The next phrase is, “When he offered Isaac his son on the altar.” Let’s review the events of Abraham’s life – very briefly – just to understand what is happening here.

a. Abraham was 75 years old when God called him to leave his home, his family, all that he knew to a land that God would give him and would bless the whole world through him.

b. God affirms his covenant with Abraham as he travels through the land of Canaan, and promises to give all the land he sees to his offspring.

c. Because of famine, he goes to Egypt and lies about his wife Sarai, calling her his sister which was kind of true. She was his half-sister… but he omitted the tiny detail that she was also his wife. Pharoah takes her into his harem and immediately the promise of an offspring is threatened. God afflicts Pharoah and reveals to him that she is Abraham’s wife.

d. Pharoah boots them out of the country but not before Abraham inherited great wealth in Egypt. God reveals that He did this not for Abraham’s sake but for Sarai’s who went into Pharoah’s harem for a time.

e. Abraham handles tense relations with his nephew Lot over money and even rescues Lot when he becomes a prisoner of war.

f. Abraham meets with Melchizedek, a priest of Yahweh, and is blessed by him.

g. Then, in Genesis 15, Abraham gets another meeting from God in a vision. He is reassured that his own son will be his heir and the inheritor of all that God has promised him. He points to the sky and tells him to number the stars if he can. That is the number of his offspring. To this, Abraham is said to have believed God and God counted his faith as righteousness.

h. But Abraham asks how he is to know that he will possess the land of Canaan. He asks for a sign or a promise from God. Then God forms an unconditional covenant with Abraham, which Abraham wasn’t even awake for

Title: “Faith and Works” Part 1

Text: James 2:14-19

FCF: We often struggle with submitting to a Godly definition of true saving faith.

Prop: Because faith without works is neither useful, saving, living, nor provable, we must prove our living faith through obedience.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 2.

James has spent the last 40 verses preparing his readers for the point that he will make in the next 13. This is it. This is the heart of the letter. Everything flows to and from here.

In what is perhaps one of the most famous passages in the New Testament, James presses his readers to answer some very difficult questions. Questions that he is sure they haven’t considered. Questions that if they answer honestly – it will change their life.

I am in James 2, I’ll start reading in verse 14 from the ESV which you can follow on page 1361 in the pew bible or in whatever bible version you prefer.

Transition:

There is so much to get to. Really verses 14 through 26 are a complete thought. But I am going to be pressed for time as it is to try to cover these first 6. So let us dig in and get all we can from James this morning.

I.) Faith without works is neither useful nor saving; it is dead, so we must prove our living faith through obedience. (14-17)

a. [Slide 2] 14 - What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

i. James will finish chapter 2 with what is perhaps the most important section in his book.

ii. I can’t overemphasize how important verses 14-26 are. Why is it so important? 5 really big reasons spring to my mind.

1. [Slide 3] First, James introduces a third lack for his audience.

a. You see back in the opening of the book he indicated that trials are used of God to test our faith, rendering it steadfast and perfecting it in us so that we don’t lack anything.

b. So, what are they lacking that God is using trials to perfect in them?

c. James goes into a 9 point investigation, showing them areas that the Lord is needing them to grow and is using trials to grow them.

d. The first three of these nine are quite basic. Almost fundamental lacks. If they were not lacking these 3, no doubt the rest of the six would begin to right on their own.

i. The first was wisdom – which is knowing what God says and doing it. Again – very basic. If your faith is going to endure and be perfected… it all starts with wisdom. If they lack wisdom– they need to ask in faith.

ii. The second was a godly perspective – again this is very basic. Although James breaks it down in a few ways the core of it all is having a high view of God’s goodness and sovereignty, a realistic view of mankind’s sin nature, and a heavenly view of status and wealth. It will be hard for them to grow in their trials with any or all of these perspectives out of whack.

iii. And now he will investigate the kind of faith that is necessary in order to endure and to be perfected so that we lack nothing. Again, this is so basic. What kind of faith do we need to have in order for it to endure and be perfected? Are there different kinds of faith? Why does faith need to endure anyway – isn’t faith just a decision or a choice to believe something is true? James will address all these questions and more in the next 13 verses.

2. The second reason this section is important is because this is the core of the letter. Indeed, this is at the heart of everything James is teaching them.

a. James is correcting some misrepresentation of faith and comparing it to genuine, living, and saving faith.

b. This is a theme that is spoken of in every single New Testament book. James stands against license with every other apostolic writer and declares that true faith looks a specific way compared to fake faith.

c. Everything in this book flows to and from this discussion.

3. Thirdly, James connects the context of loving others and showing no favor or prejudice with a faith that saves.

4. Fourth, James uses questions to instruct them on their skewed view of faith.

a. In this he mimics his half-brother and Lord, Jesus Christ’s style in teaching difficult things to those who oppose him.

b. This gives a wonderful example to Elders and any who would teach a controversial subject- to do so using questions and logic and reasoning to help their opponent see the truth of what is being taught.

5. Fifth, James uses two Old Testament examples to prove his point.

a. Both of them were once Gentiles, both of them are in the line of Christ, both of them express their faith in God and His word in the exact same way.

b. James uses this to prove that all faith that saves looks the same.

c. This may not hit hard with us but it would with a Jewish audience. And in doing this, James mimics Jesus’ style of teaching to the Jews.

iii. [Slide 4] And so, James asks some very poignant questions. Questions designed to get his audience to pause and consider something about their definition of faith.

iv. Are all faiths the same? Do all faiths save?

v. What about a faith that is not accompanied by good works?

vi. His first question takes aim at the implications for the church – if they have such a faith.

1. If they possess a faith that confesses all the right truths, believes all the right things, says all the right things but has no actual godly works that follow – what good is it for the church?

2. Can the church survive on a faith that believes all the right things but their lives are the same as the world around them?

3. How does the church benefit from those who confess all the right things but do not obey what God says?

4. And not just the church – but the world. Does the world benefit from a people who say they believe all God has said and yet still love their sin and refuse to love others?

vii. The second question targets the implications on an individual – if they have such a faith.

1. If they possess a faith that confesses all the right truths, believes all the right things, says all the right things but has no actual godly works that follow – can this kind of faith save them?

2. What about the passages in the Old Testament where God will give justice to every man according to their own deeds. Do those passages suddenly go away? Are they completely negated because we now have a faith that confesses everything rightly?

3. If such a faith can justify us – what about the Pharisees who believed every single word of the Old Testament – even the Prophets? There are even strong indications that some if not many of the Pharisees believed that Jesus was the Messiah.

4. Is this kind of faith strong enough to unite someone to Christ?

5. The New Testament reveals to us that it is by faith that we are justified, yes? But is the faith that justifies us one that merely confesses that God is right and continues to live as if nothing has changed?

6. What about those whom the apostle John says believed on Jesus but then abandoned him? Did they walk away justified?

7. Affirming Jesus is who He said, but never living like Him… is that what being united to Christ looks like?

viii. The implied answer to both of these questions is in the negative. A faith that confesses all the right doctrine, a faith that holds to God’s given truth – but does not change a person to be godly … Such a faith is worthless. Such a faith cannot save.

ix. James goes to prove his point- first with an illustration from the physical world.

b. [Slide 5] 15-16 – If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

i. James’ use of this illustration is quite brilliant, showing the telltale signs of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

ii. It works on multiple levels for us.

iii. First, and no doubt what most of us see, this is an illustration of someone not living out their faith.

1. It is natural for us to see that because of context.

a. James only a few verses ago said that pure and undefiled religion before God is caring for those who are truly desperate.

b. James just had this large section on not treating the poor with prejudice because they are poor.

2. So, we come to this illustration and we see a person claiming to be of Christ who encounters another brother or sister who is clearly in need.

3. The need is great – they need their daily food. They need enough to survive another day. They need clothing – enough to keep warm at night.

4. And what does this “Christian” say to this person? This person of “faith” says, “Leave me – go from me – but go in peace. We are not enemies. Warm yourself. Go find warmth! Be filled to the brim with food my friend. Don’t worry – I’m praying for you. I truly want you to be cared for and all your needs met and I believe God will do that for you.”

5. After they say all this… they do not give any food or clothing to the person in need.

6. Such is a vivid illustration of having a faith without works.

7. However, this is NOT James’ only, or even primary meaning of this illustration.

8. James is NOT simply giving us an example of faith without works. Because he asks the question…

9. What good is that?

iv. The second point James is making, and what I think is the primary point, is a direct comparison to faith without works.

1. James is comparing the confession of truth, the belief of right doctrine, the faith that affirms all the right things – that kind of faith is the same as saying all the right things to this person in need.

2. Who can find fault in the statement – “go in peace – be warmed be filled”? There is absolutely nothing about what was said that is in error.

3. When we see this statement we naturally want to pick apart what was said to try to point out some hidden agenda or underhanded meaning. But the only reason we do that is because we already understand the point of James’ teaching.

4. Having this kind of faith that lacks works is the same as someone not meeting the need of the poor person.

5. You see it is because we already know and believe that this person was wrong to not give food and clothing to the poor person, that we go back to what they said and try to re-interpret it as something shady.

6. But that is NOT what James is teaching.

7. EVERYTHING this person said to the poor person was right and good.

8. But he did not help them.

v. James’ questions stand. What good is it to the poor person, to the church, to the world, to this individual – that he said all the right things but did nothing?

vi. It is valueless. Useless. It is a garbage faith. It is a faith that cannot save. A faith that cannot justify.

vii. That is why James concludes…

c. [Slide 6] 17 – So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

i. I love James’ precision. He is concerned that he gets this exactly right. Again, this is evidence that what he writes is by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

ii. If he simply said that “faith by itself is dead” he would have led us down a difficult path.

iii. By adding “if it does not have works” he leaves no room for misunderstanding. It is through faith alone that we are saved from our sins.

iv. We see in the scriptures what the reformers saw – that it is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone that we are saved from our sins.

v. James is not suggesting that there is something that must be added to our faith to save us…

vi. Instead, James is expressing what kind of faith is necessary. What do we mean by “faith” when we say we are saved by faith alone?

vii. James hasn’t gotten yet to the discussion of what living and saving faith looks like. But here he explains that a faith that has no godly works flowing from it- a faith that confesses and professes all the right things with no works flowing out of that – that faith is dead faith. It was never truly living.

d. [Slide 7] Passage Truth: James teaches his audience through questions, proving that faith without works is neither useful nor saving. In fact, it is dead faith.

e. Passage Application: His audience must first reject a faith that is without works as an unprofitable and dead faith and must embrace and live out a faith that produces the spiritual fruit of righteousness.

f. [Slide 8] Broader Biblical Truth: But does the rest of the scriptures teach this truth? Does the whole bible truly teach that true and genuine trust in God and His Word includes obedience? Without trying to steal James’ thunder from next week, let me simply point out that the Old Testament resoundingly approves of such a teaching. God demands obedience to His law so much so that men were instantly killed for violating it in the smallest point. Both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms were judged for failing to worship Yahweh in the way He wanted to be worshipped. Do you think “trust that produces obedience” was important to God if He was willing to destroy His chosen nation if they did not have that kind of trust? I’d say it was of supreme importance. The nation of Israel had a dead faith. Not all of them – there was certainly a remnant. But the majority of the leadership, the royalty, the priests, - their faith was dead. And it did not save them and it was of no value to the nation as a whole.

g. Broader Biblical Application: So, CBC, what must we do? First, we must reject forever any idea that raw confession and mere profession of truth is somehow able to save us. Simply agreeing with and affirming that Jesus is the Son of God who died for sinners, was raised again the third day, and is seated with the Father – does not produce a living faith. It is not our intellectual decision to accept these things as truth that equals living faith. No, my friends, it is when that intellectual assent changes everything about us. It is when that truth transforms us into a new creature. It is when we have rejected sin and moved to obedience that we can truly say we have a saving and living faith. Second then, and quite natural to having a living faith, is to pursue, to seek, to strive to do all that our heavenly Father has commanded us. Why? Because we believe what He has said. Because we will be judged by the law of liberty. Because He has said that He has prepared good works for us to do from before the foundation of the earth. Indeed, as Peter says in the opening of his first letter, we were chosen, elected of God to obey Jesus Christ and to be purified of our sins through His blood. We were made… or rather… remade to obey Him. No one was saved to stay the exact way they always have been. That is why faith without works is dead faith.

Transition:

[Slide 9 (blank)] So, faith without works is of no value and cannot save. But what good is faith with works? Is it truly better than faith without works? That exact question is put to the test next.

II.) Faith is only proven to be real through good works, so we must prove our living faith through obedience. (18-19)

a. [Slide 10] 18 – But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”

i. As we get into the second point of this sermon, we come across a rather tricky interpretational problem.

ii. As you know, the original autographs and the subsequent copies of the scriptures not only did not include verse and chapter divisions, but they also did not have any punctuation.

iii. Most of the time by context it is very clear where a period should be, whether or not it is a question, and when someone is being quoted – how far that quotation goes.

iv. In this text however, the context does not make it clear how far the quotation extends.

v. The first word we have to contend with is the first word in the sentence. “But.”

vi. This is a clear adversative conjunction expressing a contrasting idea. Contrasting to what? Well, he just said that faith that is alone without works is dead faith.

vii. By beginning the sentence with “but” he imposes upon his readers the expectation that there is a counter point coming.

viii. Then he raises a hypothetical person who will say something.

ix. Putting these two together we should be expecting this hypothetical person to speak against what James just said.

x. What follows though …is not what we would expect from an opposing response.

xi. “You have faith and I have works.”

xii. This is quite perplexing. And perhaps you don’t see why yet but let me dive in here.

xiii. The secret to understanding this problem and its solution - is in the pronouns. Who is “you” and who is “I”?

xiv. I believe it will be helpful for you as we go forward for me to replace “you” and “I” in the text as we consider 2 possible interpretations.

xv. If this opponent is responding directly to James – immediately we are struck with confusion. James just described a faith without works being dead and the contrasting response is “(James) has faith and (this opponent) has works.

xvi. So, this person almost seems to be agreeing with James. If we take it this way, then the quotation could extent all the way to the end of verse 19 – because all this agrees with James too. But there are some inherent difficulties with this interpretation.

1. Why does James begin the sentence with the adversative conjunction “but” if he is bringing in an ally to his position?

2. Also – we have to wonder why James is raising someone who agrees with his position of the importance of works with faith?

3. Why would James set aside his Elder authority, his apostolic authority and put the authority of this statement in the hands of a hypothetical person?

4. This only serves to weaken his case.

5. Because of this – I think we need to make sense of this in some other way.

6. So… back to the pronouns.

xvii. What if the pronouns were different? What if it was, “(his audience) has faith and (this objector) has works.” As if it will be a private conversation that the objector will have with them later.

xviii. Or perhaps James is not quoting verbatim and is instead summarizing what his opponents will argue. Meaning that the verse would be “But someone will say [that] (his audience) has faith and (James) has works.”

xix. Regardless of which of these two options you see, the meaning becomes far clearer as does the extent of the quote or paraphrase.

xx. The quote or paraphrase has ended right here because what follows is James’ response.

xxi. And the meaning of the objector’s argument is this… They are defending a separation of faith and works. They are saying…

1. It is possible to confess, believe, and affirm all the right teachings without it producing godly behavior – and that person is saved!

2. It is possible to live a godly life without confessing, believing, or affirming all the right teachings – and that person is saved!

3. So, whether you have a faith in Christ without works or works for God without faith in Christ – you still get the prize at the end.

xxii. This is exactly what James anticipates will be the reaction to his insistence that faith must be accompanied by works. And I can’t believe how much it sounds like something we’d hear in our culture today.

xxiii. You do you! You can have it your way! You can have faith without works. Heck – you can have works without faith. It doesn’t matter! We are all different right! To each their own. And who is James to judge anyway! He doesn’t know my experience. He hasn’t walked in my shoes. How can he judge my works-less faith! Who is he to question my faith journey. Its all about the journey anyway right? We will all get to the top of the mountain, even if we take different paths.

xxiv. You got faith and I got works… we aren’t that different! Let’s not divide over this.

xxv. James… disagrees.

b. [Slide 11] Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

i. James throws down the gauntlet.

ii. Probably the most aggressive thing James has said yet, but it is blunted some because it is said to a hypothetical person… but it still comes down like a hammer.

iii. What is he saying?

iv. Let’s compare our faiths.

v. You demonstrate your faith that has no works and I will demonstrate my faith with my works.

vi. You no doubt see the logical inconsistency.

vii. How can you demonstrate something without producing some sort of action?

viii. James is saying that a person with faith but no works is unable to demonstrate their faith at all. One must simply take their word for it that they do in fact believe unto life. Whereas James can prove his faith with His works.

ix. And what he says next will illustrate how dangerous and obscure a worksless faith can be.

c. [Slide 12] 19 – You believe that God is one. You do well.

i. Here we have James pointing to a real-life example where they might show their faith without works.

ii. They confess the truth of sound doctrine. And don’t be deceived this is no simple concept of doctrine.

iii. To confess that God is one is a HUGE doctrine. God in three persons but one in essence was the first great battle the early church faced. And the heretical errors fell on either side

1. Either they came to the conclusion that there were three gods not one

2. Or they denied the true deity of either the Son or the Spirit.

iv. Saying God is one also speaks to the unity of God. That He is not 3 agents operating with separate wills and separate agendas but one in essence co-operating in triunity

v. Finally, saying God is one is saying that He is unique and the only one of His kind. There is no other beside Him. All other gods, whether fictional, or powered by demonic forces, by comparison are not gods at all.

vi. To believe God is one is no small feat of theological precision.

vii. Indeed, there are many today who do not get this doctrine right.

viii. There is actually a preacher that is fairly popular who described God the triune as a pretzel with 3 holes. 3 holes tied together with one pretzel. In an effort to describe God as one in essence and three in persons he actually stepped into the heresy of Partialism which sees each person of the Godhead is a component of the one God. In other words – each person is not fully God in and of Himself.

ix. If you are swimming in this discussion thinking – wow I am lost… it only serves to prove my point.

x. Believing that God is ONE is not some petty doctrine to confess.

xi. This is pretty big.

xii. That is why James says – YOU DO WELL!

xiii. But here is why faith without works is useless. Here is why faith without works does not save anyone… are you ready?

d. [Slide 13] Even the demons believe – and shudder!

i. The forces of darkness know A LOT about God the Triune.

ii. Whereas godly men teeter on the line between orthodoxy and unorthodoxy – demons are always orthodox in their theology. They know their doctrine.

iii. And they not only know it, they believe it! They affirm the truth of it!

iv. And one more thing… they shudder.

v. The forces of darkness are absolutely terrified by God the Triune.

vi. Remember reading their squeals when Jesus walked among them – “Are you here to judge us before our time!?”

vii. They know they exist on gifted time.

viii. They know they are absolutely subject to a Sovereign God. That though they have been given freedom to oppose Him for now – there is nothing they can do that God does not allow them to do – and when God the Triune says enough is enough – they will be absolutely powerless to stop Him.

ix. The demons too have faith without works. Actually, the demons have a faith with emotions yet without works. A faith with feeling yet without works. A faith with fear but without works.

x. Therefore it is my estimation that James presents a faith that is superior to faith without works in the faith of demons.

xi. At least these confessors and professors cower at the Sovereignty of the Triune God. They won’t obey. They can’t go back. There is no redemption for them. Yet their faith is greater than the supposed, dead faith of those who profess without works.

e. [Slide 14] Passage Truth: James teaches that a faith that is without works is unable to be validated. And as a case study of that, he presents a faith without works present in demons who clearly oppose God. In fact, demons who oppose God express a superior faith to the faith they have that is without works since demons shudder at the God they believe in, yet do not obey.

f. Passage Application: So, his audience must first reject believing that faith without works is profitable or saving and instead confess a faith that produces good works.

a. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Truth: But is this true in the rest of scripture? Does the bible actually teach us that works validate our faith? Of course, when we get to the New Testament we see books like I John that addresses that very thing. If you had to boil down I John’s message it would be – how do you know you are God’s child? You know because you live godly lives. And if we go to the Old Testament for this when the New Covenant is prophesied in Ezekiel and Jeremiah – in both contexts the Lord speaks about a Covenant that produces law abiding people. He tells of the core problem (our hearts of stone) being changed and how no longer do people need to teach others to obey – they will simply obey. The Old Testament looks forward to a time where God will make a people who obey Him. If our faith obeys Him we can rest in assurance that we have become partakers of this New Covenant. But if not – if we do not have this kind of faith… how do we know we have a faith that is better than demons? We can’t know – and that is the problem.

g. Broader Biblical Application: So CBC, since we have seen that living faith is only proven or validated by the godly works it MUST produce – we ought then to strive to produce these godly fruits with all our effort, relying on God’s Spirit to aid us. When our faith produces obedience we have confidence that we are partakers of the new covenant. We have confidence that our hearts are no longer stones but have been remade. We have hope that when we are judged by the law of liberty we will be presented before the throne spotless and in Christ. The good works which God has prepared for us to do, the obedience which we have been chosen to display serves to grant assurance of our faith. So that in the hardest of times – through the deepest of tests – through the darkest temptations – we may KNOW that we are His children and trust that we have not been abandoned, but rather that He will bring us through it all – refined like gold.

Conclusion:

[Slide 16 (blank)] My friends, if you are struggling with this teaching – let me try to help you. Your mind may be full of “what ifs” and scenarios that may serve to detract from the principles that James teaches. What if a person doesn’t produce works for a day, a month, a year – but they had produced godly works for a time. How long can we go without producing godly works from our faith to know it is dead faith.

Can I simply suggest to you that these are the wrong questions. The purpose of James writing what he does is not so we can find out how long we can stop producing godly works before our faith is declared to be dead. Instead, his purpose is to spur God’s true children, who truly have a saving faith, to prove that faith by producing godly works from it.

And although at the Reformation there was disagreement between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestants as to where the emphasis on good works is placed – the church before the Reformation was united in the importance of true faith producing godly works.

Let me read to you from our church fathers – all of whom lived before 600 AD.

[Slide 17] Origen said, “If someone dies in his sins he has not truly believed in Christ, even if he has made a profession of faith in him, and if faith is mentioned but it lacks works, such faith is dead, as we have read in the epistle which circulates as the work of James.”

[Slide 18] Augustine says “I do not understand why the Lord said, “If you want to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments,” and then mentioned the commandments relating to good behavior, if one is able to enter into eternal life without observing them.”

[Slide 19] Chrysostom said, “Even if somebody believes rightly in the Father and the Son, as well as in the Holy Spirit, if he does not lead the right kind of life, his faith will not benefit him at all as far as his salvation is concerned. For although Jesus says, “This is eternal life to know you, the only true God,” we must not think that merely uttering the words is enough to save us. For our life and behavior must be pure as well.”

[Slide 20] Augustine also said, “Those who believe and act according to the true faith do live and are not dead, but those who do not believe, or else who believe like the demons, trembling but living evilly, proclaiming the Son of God but not having love, must rather be accounted dead.”

[Slide 21] Hilary of Arles “Those who believe but who do not fear God are even worse than the devils. And those who believe and tremble but who do not practice what they preach are just like the devils.”

[Slide 22] Salvian the Presbyter “Good works are witnesses to the Christian faith, because otherwise a Christian cannot prove that he has that faith. If he cannot prove it, it must be considered completely non-existent.

[Slide 23] Oecumenius “Take note of what spiritual understanding really is. It is not enough to believe in a purely intellectual sense. There has to be some practical application for this belief. What James is saying here does not contradict the apostle Paul, who understood that both belief and action were a part of what he called “faith.””

[Slide 24(blank)] My friends, this is what the universal church of Christ has ALWAYS believed.

Salvation is by faith alone – but the kind of faith required, the kind of faith that truly trusts Christ as Savior, is a faith that also submits to Him as Lord. It is a faith that will (is guaranteed) to produce a change in the person who has it. Simple confession is not enough to prove that faith is real. It must be confession and obedience.

If I can be so bold as to slightly amend the text of a hymn…

We must trust and obey – for truly there is no other way to be in Jesus and therefore be happy… but to trust and obey.

Title: The Law of Freedom

Text: James 2:8-13

FCF: We often struggle finding motivation to live out the law.

Prop: Because the law is the perfect standard of God’s acceptance, we must live as those judged under the Christ-Fulfilled law.

Scripture Intro: LSB

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 2.

When I introduced the book of James to you, I readily admitted that the structure of the book is very difficult to understand. At times it is very challenging to connect what James says to what he has been saying. This is why no matter who you consult for an outline of the book – you will no doubt get a very unique outline. Since no one really knows how to divide this letter up – it makes my guess all the more valid.

At least in my opinion of the structure of this book, James is coming to the end of a major section. A section that started in verse 9 of chapter 1.

James began his letter by encouraging his audience to count as pure joy all the trials they are facing currently. The reason for this is because God is using all of it to perfect their faith to be an enduring faith that will eventually leave them lacking nothing.

God is polishing us and perfecting us – getting us ready for His Kingdom. And the primary way He does this… is through our trials and temptations.

Still, James’ audience may wonder what exactly God has to perfect in them? What isn’t ready for that Kingdom? It is my opinion that James goes into a 9-point list of items that God is working to perfect in them. 9 reasons they are experiencing trials at this very moment.

He began with wisdom. They do know God’s desires for them therefore they are not living as God would have them live. This is very basic and thus James’ instruction is very basic – ask God for wisdom.

The second thing they lack is a Godly perspective on various matters. Whether it is earthly wealth and status, God’s character in their trials and temptations, God’s unchanging sovereignty over their lives, or even most recently their view of self and consequently their view of others.

It is the view of others influenced by an improper view of self that we have been keying in on for the last couple weeks. Today James will conclude this section, although these themes will resurface. But James will also use this closing section to introduce the next area of lack.

I am in James chapter 2 and I’ll begin reading in verse 1. I am reading from the Legacy Standard Bible but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1361, or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

Alas, not a short sermon like last week. Primarily because there are teachings and doctrines ahead that require explanation if we are to understand where James is going. So, buckle up and let’s begin.

I.) All men must keep the whole law without failing in one point, so we must live as those judged under the Christ-fulfilled law. (8-12)

a. [Slide 2] 8 – If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”

i. It is at this point that James seems to change subjects.

ii. He brings, seemingly out of nowhere, the idea of keeping or obeying the royal law and then quotes a passage from the Old Testament.

1. This is a direct quote from several places. First occurring in Leviticus 19:18.

2. But the reason James calls this the “royal law” and perhaps the reason that we remember it quoted much more recently than Leviticus is because Jesus was asked by the scribes which is the greatest commandment in the law.

3. This is recorded for us in Matthew 22; Mark 12; and Luke 10.

4. Jesus replied that to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength was the greatest command.

5. Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy 6:5.

6. He continues and says that the second is like it which is to love your neighbor as yourself.

7. He quotes Leviticus 19:18.

8. Then He says, “on these two commands hang all the law and the prophets.”

9. Essentially Christ summarizes the entire law of God in the commands to love God with all we are and to love others to the same degree that we already love ourselves.

iii. Unfortunately, understanding the backdrop for this “royal law” does not explain to us why James is citing it here.

iv. What we can reasonably conclude is that James is anticipating a possible rebuttal to his statements about showing favoritism or prejudice. But what excuse or reason does he think they will raise by citing this royal law?

v. Most likely, James anticipates that his audience will respond to their correction of showing favor to the rich by excusing their actions as loving their neighbors as they love themselves.

vi. Perhaps they will feel that James has misjudged them. Perhaps they will say that their preferential treatment of the rich is simply an expression of Christ’s teaching in esteeming others more highly than themselves. It is simply an expression of sacrificial love.

vii. To this argument, James does not respond initially how we might think he would.

b. [Slide 3] You are doing well.

i. Here we see the difference between showing favoritism vs. showing prejudice.

ii. Showing prejudice is always wrong. It is always sin. You are lowering others below yourself. This can never be defended as something Christlike.

iii. However, showing favor toward others is not always a sin.

iv. Telling someone to come in and sit in the best seat in your house. Inviting someone to enjoy one of your best meals or to be treated as if they are royalty is actually in keeping with the royal law to love others as you love yourself.

v. We save the best for ourselves naturally. We want the best cut of steak, the best fork, the best plate, the best shirt. So, to offer your best to others – is certainly a good thing. You are doing well.

vi. So, what makes showing favor to someone sinful? When does it cross the line?

c. [Slide 4] 9 – But if you show partiality, you are committing sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.

i. To show favor to some and not others based on irrelevant external characteristics is when favor becomes sinful.

ii. To mix loving some with not loving others in the same way – is to pollute the well. It is to poison the water.

iii. As James says, you are convicted or proven guilty by the law as one who has broken it. One who has deviated from the law’s path.

iv. The same law you say you are keeping, is what proves you are not keeping it fully.

v. Why? Why is this the case? Why can’t you keep the royal law to some but not others?

d. [Slide 5] 10 – For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

i. James broadens here to give us a major doctrinal axiom.

ii. It is impossible to keep the law, to the fullest extent, in every single point, except one…

iii. For to violate the law in one point – is to fail it all.

iv. Then James gives us an example.

e. [Slide 6] 11 – For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.”

i. James gives two laws within the law to love your neighbor as yourself.

ii. The first is to not be sexually immoral or unfaithful. This command, according to our Lord Jesus, includes not only the act of infidelity within marriage, but also any act of sexual activity with any person who is not your spouse. Which includes lusting after ANY person that isn’t your spouse.

iii. The second is to not take the life of a person who has not forfeited their life by their own actions. This command does not prohibit the taking of human life in war, nor does it prohibit judges from taking punitive action against someone who has violated the law of God. We know this because God Himself commanded His people to take life in both of these situations. The command is not to not kill – it is to not murder. However, Jesus expands this command to include hatred and even physically harming others.

iv. So admittedly, these two laws are broader than they appear to be on the surface.

v. I’d wager that all of us have violated both of these laws at some point in our lives. Perhaps not in their specific command but certainly in their true Christ expanded meaning.

vi. But James’ point isn’t quite done. He has set up these two commands as expressions of the greater command to love your neighbor as yourself.

vii. Now back to his point…

f. [Slide 7] Now if you do not commit adultery, but murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

i. How silly would it be to stand before the judge who is handing down your sentence for murdering someone, and in your defense, you say – “yes, but your honor – I never slept with a woman that wasn’t my wife!”

ii. Pretty silly right?

iii. The penalty in the Mosaic law for violating either of these commands was death. So, no matter whether you violated one of them, the other, or both – the outcome is the same.

iv. From this teaching, we see the doctrine of God’s holiness and man’s sin come into crystal clear focus.

v. Why cannot God simply overlook our sin? Why cannot God simply wipe away what we’ve done?

vi. Why can God not simply wink at the sin of men?

vii. The law of God is not several laws… it is one. God demands perfect and perpetual obedience to His law. As Jesus said, you must be holy as God is holy.

viii. God is not dealing with a bunch of humans who are only slightly flawed, only sort of sick, only moderately estranged from Him. No. God is dealing with all mankind being wicked and lawless.

ix. I was having a discussion about this with a fellow Pastor just this week. And a thought occurred to me as we were discussing this doctrine.

x. There are many who claim that the scriptures only teach that man is ill, impaired, and spiritually inhibited by sin. And their critique of the position that mankind is spiritually dead and children of wrath is that they see people do good things who are not believers. They observe that their unbelieving neighbor came over and shoveled their driveway, or doesn’t get drunk, or gives to charity and they think – mankind surely cannot be wicked. To call them lawless is a bit of an exaggeration isn’t it? They follow some laws, right?

xi. But James says, to obey one law but to fail in another is to fail the whole law.

xii. This doctrine of the depth of man’s sin, is not teaching that man can do no good. Instead, it says first, that the best man can offer to God is imperfect and infrequent obedience of God’s moral law- which is… incidentally… never done for God’s glory.

xiii. Doing something good to primarily benefit a person, place, or thing that is not God is called idolatry.

xiv. So, the best natural man can offer to God is good deeds not done for Him. The best natural man can offer is idolatry.

xv. That is the ceiling of the room natural man is in. But what is the floor? Here’s the harsh reality.

xvi. There is no floor. The depths to which natural man can sink in their sin has no limit. Neither in magnitude of abuse nor in duration of violation. Every despicable thing we can think of has been done to the fullest and longest degree from men to men.

xvii. This is what God shows us. This is what James tells us. If you fail the law in one point – you are wicked and lawless.

xviii. We are not sick; we are not spiritually inhibited or asleep. We are as the scriptures teach us – dead in sin. Children of wrath. Like our father the devil.

xix. God could not wink at such sin. In order to save us – He needed to crush His Son in our place. In order to save us, we needed someone else to represent us perfectly before God.

xx. That is the gospel. Jesus takes our place.

g. [Slide 8] 12 – So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.

i. James issues a command. I do say command and not commands. Because these two imperatives are linked by the “and” and the repeated word “so.” From this we can conclude that there is no part of either that can be separated from the other.

ii. So then, James’ one command in light of all he has said, is to speak and act in a specific way.

iii. What is that way?

iv. As those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.

v. What does it mean that we will be judged by the law of freedom?

vi. First, what is the law of freedom?

1. The law of freedom is exactly the same as the law of Moses. In every minute detail.

2. The entire moral law of God and even the civil and ritualistic law of God. It is the whole expectation of God to be holy as He is holy.

3. And before you think that this kind of law doesn’t sound very free – there is one important addition this law has beyond the law of Moses. It has been fulfilled by Christ.

4. Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when he said he did not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it?

5. It means he kept it perfectly for us. What does that mean?

6. Does it mean we don’t have to keep it anymore? – Well, some of it. The Ritualistic laws are no longer to be kept. We see that in the book of Hebrews. Why? They pointed to the coming Messiah and His keeping of purity for His people – which is now fulfilled. The civil law was not exported to non-Jewish governments so we can reasonably assume that that law will be in place when Christ sets up His earthly Kingdom.

7. But the moral law of God has obviously not been set aside! James is teaching just that.

8. So, for us, with regard to the moral law, what does it mean that Christ fulfilled it, if it does not mean we don’t have to keep it?

9. It means that Christ has paid the price for every single past, present, and future violation of that law. We do not die when we fail… He died. There is now no condemnation in Christ.

10. It is much like the difference between walking a balance beam that is sitting on the ground vs. walking a balance beam that is 1500 feet in the air. If you make a mistake on the first, you need only get back on and try again. If you make a mistake on the second – you are dead.

11. Those who speak and act as though they will be judged by the gospel of Christ will be shown great mercy. Not only in this life, in the forgiveness of God and ability to repent and be restored – but also in the next since Christ has taken their place.

12. Does this motivate us to sin more since Christ has fulfilled the law? No. Why?

13. Because we will be judged by the law of freedom. We will be judged by the gospel!

14. Those who are truly in Christ see Christ’s fulfilling of the law not as a license to sin more – but instead as liberty to obey more.

15. We have been declared to be righteous in Him – meaning we have, in Christ, perfectly kept the whole law without violating even one point.

16. But if we are in Christ, we are not just saved from the penalty of sin…but its power and eventually ITS VERY PRESENECE!

17. So, if we are being judged by the gospel – we are being judged based on Christ’s work in us and through us.

18. We will be judged by the standard of Christ. Are we in Him? Are we being made to be like Him by the Spirit who dwells in us?

vii. Therefore, we all must live in accordance with this law with no fear of eternal punishment for failure, but with great zeal to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

h. [Slide 9] Passage Truth: James’ main point of teaching, the doctrinal truth he points to in all of this, is that God requires perfect and perpetual obedience to His entire law. They cannot fail it in any point without failing it all.

i. Passage Application: Therefore, they must speak and act as those under the whole law, expanded and fulfilled in Christ.

j. [Slide 10] Broader Biblical Truth: But does the bible teach this also? Does God really require all of His law to be kept perpetually? And if we don’t – are we guilty of all of it? This point is difficult to see in the Old Testament. The closest the Old Testament comes to saying it is in Deuteronomy 27:26, it says that anyone who refuses to keep the words of the law is cursed. So – Is James making up his own teaching? This is a wonderful lesson in God’s providence and the importance of systematic theology. God was silent for 400 years between Malachi and Matthew. But that doesn’t mean God was inactive. Rabbis and scholars were VERY active during this time. What were they doing? They were studying the words of God that they did have. In so doing, they were thinking wholistically and thematically about what God had revealed in the whole of the Old Testament. What we find in these Rabbinical writings is the understanding that God gave a law, God is holy, God punishes every violation of His law, or demands payment for every violation. The only natural conclusion to all of that – is to conclude that you must obey the whole law or you have violated it all. That is why in 4 Maccabees 5, it overtly teaches that to transgress the law in small or great matters is equally serious. That is why Paul later uses the text of Deuteronomy 27 in Galatians 3 to Imply that if you are relying on your ability to keep God’s law to please Him – you must always keep everything. Perfectly. And that is why Jesus when correcting the Pharisees comments on how they kept the offerings of mint, dill, and cumin but neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. And Jesus says – you should have kept all these without neglecting the others. God did not overtly say in the Old Testament that it was all or nothing. But He clearly meant it. And through providence, even Jewish Rabbis were not able to ignore what the scriptures said without saying. James canonizes it clearly in what is the first New Covenant book of scripture.

k. Broader Biblical Application: So what must we do CBC? To know that to fail the law in one point is to fail it all? My friends we must speak and act – we must live as those who will be judged by the whole law that has been fulfilled in our Savior Jesus Christ. This means that we rejoice in our Savior bearing our punishment for transgressing the law and judicially rendering us perfect in every point – but we also live in the reality of now being free to keep the law without death hanging over us. We have been freed in Christ to obey the Lord Joyfully – even if it is not perfectly and perpetually. We are sinners who have been declared righteous and who God has set apart for good works to walk in them. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Transition:

[Slide 11(blank)] So, we must keep the whole law and not fail in one point. This, as we know is impossible. Yet we are called to strive toward that mark, that perfection – and as those whom the Lord has redeemed, the law is a law of freedom in Christ since He has fulfilled it. So, we are now free to live it. But what else motivates us to live the law?

II.) How we live proves by what standard we will be judged, so we must live as those judged under the Christ-fulfilled law. (13)

a. [Slide 12] 13 – For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy.

i. The hopscotch James plays here serves to prepare his readers for the rest of chapter 2 and, indeed, the entire point of his letter.

ii. This may not be abundantly clear now, but as we progress through to the next section it will become easier to see that this is exactly where James is going.

iii. James is comparing two judgments based on one law. The difference between the judgments is that one is according to an unfulfilled law that demands perfect obedience from a person who has expressed some measure of personal belief. The other is a fulfilled law in which every violation has been paid for, which is received by a faith God gives that produces not only a desire to obey the law, but success in obeying it.

iv. That is why James says that if someone is merciless they will be judged mercilessly by the law. James flips Jesus’ statement. Jesus said, Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. James says cursed are the merciless for they will be judged mercilessly.

v. Why?

vi. Because such a person has faith with no evidence of it. They have a faith that is dead.

vii. They may think and say that they believe – even displaying some law adherence here or there. But if they are truly merciless, they cannot be in Christ. Therefore, they will not be judged by the law of freedom. For they are not under that law. That law is only found when we are placed into Christ, our new representative.

viii. Instead, they are still under God’s unfulfilled law, the one under Adam’s representation, which requires perfect and perpetual obedience.

ix. But lest James conclude this thought with a negative – he says…

b. [Slide 13] Mercy triumphs over judgment.

i. To the one who is merciful– their judgment will be swallowed up by mercy.

ii. The great and merciful God will give mercy to those who prove they are now under the law of freedom - by living it.

iii. This new law, which is the same old law but fulfilled by Christ, now not only frees them of the penalty of transgressing the law, but also makes it possible- truly possible to keep the law.

iv. And so God’s true people show mercy and are given mercy. Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.

c. [Slide 14] Passage Truth: James’ second point of teaching, in addition to the fact that they must keep the whole law without exception, is that keeping the law proves by which standard they will be judged.

d. Passage Application: Therefore, they must live out the Christ-fulfilled law, not to avoid penalty - for that has been paid. But because they now desire to live a life of obedience to God because they love Him. Those who love Him keep His commands. And those who love Him become heirs of His Kingdom.

e. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Truth: Does the rest of the bible teach this? Does the bible teach that our works prove whether or not we have been justified? Again, this is a theme that is not overtly taught in the Old Testament – yet it is abundantly necessary when we look at the teaching of the Old Testament as a whole. God makes it clear that He desires obedience to the whole law in perpetuity – so much so that every single sin – small or great – must be atoned for. It must be substituted by (in many cases) the life of another creature. Yet the Old Testament also commands them to keep the whole law or they will be cursed. How can God’s law demand perfect and perpetual keeping of it yet afford provision for its failure? It all points to a future Messiah. A representative that will keep the whole law and die in the places of those who did not.

f. [Slide 16] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law – but thanks be to God! He gives victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Victory to keep the law imperfectly since the power of sin is broken in a fulfilled law and the sting of death is gone as He became sin who knew no sin.

g. [Slide 17] Broader Biblical Application: So CBC, what does this mean for us? James is certainly in transition. We know he is still talking about favoritism and prejudice but you can’t help but feel that something bigger is looming. We’ll get there next week. So despite the discussion ramping up to bigger things – we must keep our heads where James wants us for now. And what does he want us to see? We must speak and act as those who will be judged by the Christ-fulfilled law. We must be merciful, just, and love one another.

Conclusion:

[Slide 18] There are some sermons that are heavy on doctrine and teaching and there are others that are heavy on application. The sermons heavy on application tend to hit hard and force us to feel the weight of the Spirit’s conviction on our choices. The ones heavy on doctrine, if we are stay awake and listen, cause us to rise up and rejoice in thanksgiving for all that God is and all He has done through Christ.

Today’s sermon is heavy on doctrine. There is a clear application and it should not be ignored – for it is a warning. But for those who are truly believing the doctrine of this text – the application is not some toe crunching, heart blistering work. Instead, it is what we might naturally anticipate to flow from what James teaches.

[Slide 19] James shows us that all men will be judged by every point of the law. Not one person will escape the judgment of God. All who have violated the law, even in one point, will be guilty of the whole law and punished accordingly. But James also teaches that any who obey the law, who speak and act in accordance with the law of freedom, who love their neighbor as themselves, who love God with their heart, mind, soul, and strength – all who do this – their judgment will be swallowed up in mercy.

The only logical question that flows from this is… how? If the first point is true, then there are none who have the hope of the second. Ah… but there is One. A new representative. Just as Adam violated the 1 law he was given and plunged us all into sin, so Jesus did not violate any tiny law of the 1 law of God. His reward for obedience is shared with those who are in Him – those who are His bride – those who have been made His brothers and sisters by adoption. And our punishment for all past, present and future failures of the law of God… Well… He drank that cup of wrath for us on the cross.

We who are in Christ – we who are under His representation – we must speak and act as though we will be judged by the same law He has fulfilled. We must live out that law- not out of fear that we will experience the sting of death – but out of love and thanksgiving for our King. We obey because He has opened our eyes to see that He is good and His mercies are new every day.

[Slide 20 (end)] Next to this great teaching… next to this great doctrine… how petty does showing favor or prejudice to people seem?

If God has sent His Son to represent filthy, dirty, lawless sinners, if God can call a people who were not a people to be His people – if we who were a far way off were grafted into Abraham – if we who were godless and without promise without covenant from the Only True God – could be brought in and given those promises… can we not in turn see every believer as equally blessed and equally made valuable as restored image bearers? Does wealth, ethnicity, personality, masculinity, femininity, or any other external characteristic matter… if this is the truth of all God’s people?

Judge not, lest you be judged by the standard you have judged others. To those who show no mercy, no mercy will be shown. To those who show no love, no love will be given.

Live as those who know they deserve hell but were given grace that God didn’t have to give anyone.

CBC, if that was on our minds at all times – we deserve hell but God has given us grace – we wouldn’t dream of prejudice or favoritism. We’d live in the constant state of thanksgiving – knowing – that we were once lost but now we are found. Blind but now we see. Dead – yet now we live… and so shall we be…forevermore.

Title: The Rich and The Poor

Text: James 2:5-7

FCF: We often struggle favoring or dishonoring people within the body based on irrelevant factors.

Prop: Because earthly wealth and status do not indicate God’s favor or disfavor, we must hear this truth and not show prejudice.

Scripture Intro: CSB

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 2.

Chapter 2 begins a 13 verse application of all that James has been discussing since verse 9 of chapter 1. He knows that his audience is lacking a godly worldview on wealth and status and what receiving the word of God actually means when applied to how they treat one another in the body of Christ and how they perceive themselves.

Last week, James commanded his audience to hold their faith in Christ without showing partiality or prejudice. His reasons for them to obey this command were that it sowed unnecessary division among the body of Christ and made them into judges with evil motives.

Today, James will start to unpack some of those motives. And it is all in how the wealthy and the poor are viewed in this world. What James makes clear – is that the way the wealthy and the poor are viewed by this world, is not the way that we ought to view them in the church.

I am in James 2, I’ll begin reading in verse 1 again, just to remind ourselves of the context. I am reading from the CSB this week, but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1361 or whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

I am finally starting to keep my promise of short sermons in the book of James. Today will be quite short and could have probably been listed as a part 2 sermon from last week. Nevertheless, there are unique thoughts here that we need to see and unique applications we need to get to. So, let’s dive in and get all that we can from these 3 little verses.

I.) God exalts the poor of this world, so we must hear this truth and not show prejudice. (5-6a)

a. [Slide 2] 5 – Listen, my dear brothers and sisters:

i. This is the only command in this passage.

ii. It is the command to listen. It is the command to hear with intention. To learn. To accept. To receive. And to obey. It is not just to take in the information that is being given, but to live differently because of it. To hear and heed – we might say.

iii. As such it is both dependent on what we saw last week and on what James will tell them this week.

iv. Last week, James forbid judgments of favor or prejudice based on external characteristics in the body of Christ. Meaning that for those who claim Christ, things like wealth, status, nationality, ethnicity, whether you are one gender or another – and any other God given external characteristic that has no moral connotation – are not a class that can be distinguished or disenfranchised. There is no loftier group within the church given more freedoms, perks or liberties because they are wealthy, men, black, white, or popular. Nor is there a lower group kept from activities, roles, plans or privileges because they are poor, women, black, white, nerdy or weird.

v. I am going to go on a tangent. It is not one that is in this text. I am admitting that... UP FRONT. You can feel free to tune me out because I am admitting that James isn’t saying what I am about to say. But I feel I must make something abundantly clear here, since this passage is frequently abused by our culture to say something God didn’t say.

1. Just to be clear, sexual orientation and gender identity are NOT classes that would be included in this discussion of not showing favoritism or prejudice. Why?

a. Because God reveals that He has made mankind in two genders only and that He weaves us together and assigns our gender from conception.

b. And God reveals that He has made mankind for 1 sexual orientation and purpose and that is 1 biological male married to 1 biological female for the duration of their natural life.

2. This teaching is found not only in the “archaic and outdated” Old Testament – but in the New Testament as well. Despite what all the Progressive “Scholars” of New Testament Greek say – the words for homosexuality do not mean rape victim. They mean homosexual.

3. This of course doesn’t turn those who would identify as a gender that is not their divinely assigned gender or those of a sexual orientation outside of God’s moral will into some class that we are free to treat poorly or unkindly. Because that isn’t James’ point.

4. James’ attention is on the church itself. Believing ones. Visitors who are unbelievers and still slaves to their sin ought to be treated with the respect and dignity of someone who was made in the image of God but whose image is now broken by their sin. Which includes even the sin of gender denial and sexual immorality. Christ died for these sins too.

5. But when a professing believer claims these identities and classes – we have left the context of James and the body is free to make judgments concerning them with a heart of love and toward the goal of restoration and purity of the gospel witness.

6. It is not a violation of this command to not show favor or prejudice, when God’s people come together to rebuke the sin of an unrepentant member of their body. And it is not an act of prejudice to put them out of that body when they remain unrepentant.

7. Ok – Tangent officially over.

vi. James commands them to listen. They have heard this message about not showing favor or prejudice, but there is more to say. More that they need to hear.

vii. But before He tells them… he once again calls them his dear or beloved brothers and sisters.

viii. James is correcting. James is commanding. But James loves these folks.

ix. Because He loves them, he wants them to hear and heed his questions.

b. [Slide 3] Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that He has promised to those who love Him?

i. Regarding their prejudice toward the poor – they didn’t learn it from God.

ii. Now we might interpret this as James saying that only the poor can be rich in faith. That God only chooses those who are poor.

iii. Not only is this untrue experientially but even biblically there are many examples of those who have wealth which is stated either obviously or easily surmised… and they are still believers.

iv. However, even a cursory understanding of the scriptures show that God’s heart is near to those who are poor and desperate. We’ve already seen this with the command in chapter 1 to care for widows and orphans. We’ve seen this as we’ve discussed how God uses weak vessels to maximize His glory.

v. The fact of the matter is that the universal body of Christ is made up of, and always has been made up of, primarily…poor people.

vi. That doesn’t mean we ought to take a vow of poverty so that God will choose us. That doesn’t mean that we ought to not help the poor believer to escape their poverty. That doesn’t mean that we cannot be wealthy and still be a believer.

vii. All it means, and all James intends to show us, is that God’s heart, his compassion, favors those who the world sees as least.

viii. To understand what James is saying I believe it would help us to see “the poor” and “the rich” as categories or classes of people rather than individuals.

ix. In other words, James is saying, “Of those whom God chose, were not some (or even many) of them poor in this world?”

x. The implied answer would be… well yes of course. So, a follow up question.

xi. Did God tell his chosen poor to sit at His footstool or to stand far off from Him or did He make them rich in faith just like every other believer?

xii. Well… he made them rich in the faith just like every other believer. Follow up question…

xiii. Were only the wealthy believers made heirs to the Kingdom or was the Kingdom given to all who love Him? Even the poor?

xiv. All who love Him.

xv. I feel like James is confronting his children. Forcing them to see their wrong by admitting things he knows they know.

xvi. And here comes the correction. You ready to hear the crunch of their toes?

c. [Slide 4] 6a – Yet you have dishonored the poor.

i. Ouch.

ii. God the righteous judge, in His sovereign plan, has saw fit to draw all kinds of men to Himself for salvation. He has not excluded any kind of man based on their ethnicity, gender, status, or wealth.

iii. Indeed, God has favored the poor.

iv. Yet James’ audience considers themselves better judges than Yahweh, the Most High God.

v. To heirs of the Kingdom of God, to lovers of God, to those rich in faith – they are saying, you are not worthy of the better seat in the worship of our God – simply because their clothes are dirty?

vi. They have dishonored the poor. They have spat upon fellow heirs to the Kingdom.

vii. They have dishonored God’s beloved.

viii. What an egregious sin.

d. [Slide 5] Passage Truth: James teaches something extremely important here. And it is about the God we serve. God has chosen the poor of this world to populate His Kingdom. But not as peasants. No… as royalty. God loves the poor and has enabled them to love Him. But his audience has dishonored the poor. What does that mean for them? What must they do?

e. Passage Application: Get back on the right side. Stop living counter to the character of God. Listen to how God loves the poor and heed that truth. Stop dishonoring the poor.

f. [Slide 6] Broader Biblical Truth: Does the bible teach this- I think it is quite obvious. From start to finish God’s track record is choosing the weakest to accomplish great things. God doesn’t ALWAYS choose the weakest. There are wealthy, strong, powerful people that God chose to be in His family. But God’s heart is near to the downtrodden. He is compassionate to those who are broken and needy. And that isn’t just a spiritual neediness but even a physical neediness. That doesn’t mean that all the poor will be saved. It doesn’t mean that no rich person will be saved. But it does mean that the population of the Kingdom’s royal court is made up of many who were considered NOTHING in this world.

g. Broader Biblical Application: So, CBC, we must be so careful to be sure that the poor are not put in a position of inferiority at our church. We must listen to how our God sees the poor of this world. We must recognize that our God is a defender of the weak. That means we should at least show no prejudice toward them and probably that we ought to be caring for and ministering to the weakest among us. We don’t need to pendulum swing and give them a place of honor over and above others. But we certainly cannot treat them as inferior.

Transition:

[Slide 7(blank)] Since the application remains the same as we press on, we’ll go into greater detail when we reach the end of the sermon. But before we do that, there is one other point of teaching that James wants his audience to… HEAR and to HEED.

II.) Wealthy and powerful people are often the oppressor of God’s people, so we must hear this truth and not show prejudice. (6b-7)

a. [Slide 8] 6b – Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court?

i. As James turns to the second truth they must listen to, we must be reminded that we are seeing poor and rich as categories of people. Not the sum total of the category but representatives of them.

ii. This is important because the rich that James is talking about now are very obviously NOT believers. They are not Christians.

iii. Because of this, many interpreters go back to verse 2-3 and determine that the persons visiting their assembly with fine robes and a gold ring are also not believers. And that the rich in chapter 1 who ought to boast in their humiliation are boasting in their judgment of wrath from God.

iv. But along with several other interpreters I disagree. Where James indicates clear unbelief associated with the rich he intends just the category of rich people. But he does not mean that all rich are unbelievers.

v. What he is asking is, “Aren’t those who oppress you and drag you into court wealthy?”

vi. What is happening here is the same challenge that Job’s friends had when assessing his plight.

vii. If you are wealthy and have much on the earth, God is obviously pleased with you.

viii. If you are poor and have little on the earth or experience great tribulation, God is obviously displeased with you.

ix. But God has chosen some and I think we could even say, many of the poor for His Kingdom.

x. Simultaneously we could say that many rich, do not love the Lord nor are they full of faith. As Jesus said, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

xi. But that is not because he is rich, so much as it is that in riches there is greater temptation for idolatry, self-sufficiency, and various vices.

xii. In fact, to James’ audience, the rich are the ones who are actively fighting against God’s people.

xiii. They should know this better than any.

xiv. The wealthy and powerful are the ones who are trying to squash them and are taking them to court over their strange religious practices.

xv. Indeed, taking them to court, they could use their wealth and status to squash them even more. The court systems in the Roman empire were notoriously corrupt and it was often who you knew that mattered rather than the truth.

b. [Slide 9] 7 – Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?

i. All God’s people, all who were chosen, who were called, were called by God’s name.

ii. Being that James writes this to Jews, this phrase is not obscure or unfamiliar to them.

iii. God calls them or places them under His name. He invokes His own name to take them as His own possession.

iv. But it is the wealthy and powerful who are actively blaspheming that very name.

v. They are mocking the odd practices of the church and scoffing at the Jesus they serve who died at the hands of the Romans, with nothing to his name.

vi. And even though the rich are doing this to them – James’ audience is giving preferred treatment to the wealthy Christian as if wealth is some kind of sign that God is more pleased with them than their poor brothers.

vii. But if that were true – does that mean the actions of the wealthy outside the faith are pleasing to the Lord also?

viii. James then conclusively proves that both the poor and the wealthy have been granted rich faith, they have been made heirs to the kingdom of God, and they have been given love from God so that they can love Him.

ix. Whether poor or rich, A Christian must be chosen of God, given rich faith, made an heir of the kingdom, and love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength.

x. All those whom God has claimed as His own… are the same.

c. [Slide 10] Passage Truth: James’ second point of teaching to his audience has to do with the nature of man. Men who are wealthy in the eyes of this world are typically the greatest offenders, oppressors, crooks, and blasphemers. In short, their wealth does not indicate that God is pleased with them. And they are not worthy of being favored over others simply because they are wealthy. God’s economy doesn’t work that way.

d. Passage Application: So, his audience must take heed and listen to the harsh reality that wealth often divides loyalty to God rather than unites it. And that favoring wealthy believers over poor believers is favoring those who had to be given just as much by God as the poor.

e. [Slide 11] Broader Biblical Truth: But do the scriptures attest to this truth as well? I think it is fairly obvious that from Genesis to Revelation those who are the greatest persecutors and sinners are often the wealthy and powerful. As we’ve seen, this does not mean that a godly person cannot be wealthy. Certainly Job, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Philemon, Gaius, and several more prove that God can bless with wealth those who serve Him. And it certainly doesn’t mean that a poor man can’t be a vile wicked man desiring the death of believers. But when people have much in this world they can do much more. And the ungodly wealthy can do much against God’s people. And they have done much against God’s people. And they ARE doing much against God’s people.

f. Broader Biblical Application: So for us to idealize or favor those with wealth who gather with us – is a bit like playing with fire. They have been given a lot of wealth by the Lord but that wealth can just as easily be a danger as it can be an aid. We ought to strive for unity in Christ. To stop favoring, dividing, or grouping one another by outside appearances or external characteristics like our wealth and status- and start emphasizing that we are ALL wretched beggars whom God has given bread. After we see that - everything else is just trappings.

Conclusion:

[Slide 12] So, what have we learned today and how then shall we live?

James wants us to hear and heed two teachings. He wants us to understand something about man and something about God. Having an understanding on these two items will help us to be careful not to divide ourselves or make evil judgments about one another.

First, God has chosen from the foundation of the world to include many who were poor, weak, powerless, and least in this world to be rich in faith, to be made into heirs of His Kingdom and to love Him forever.

Second, wealthy, powerful, great, mighty, intelligent, and popular men and women down through the ages have held hands with the forces of darkness as it is aligned against the church of Christ. In almost every persecution, in almost every oppression of the people of God – the rich and powerful lead the way.

Although we cannot conclude from these two truths that to be poor is to be one of God’s chosen, nor can we say that to be wealthy is to be far from God… but what we certainly can say is that wealth, status, power, popularity, intelligence, personality profile, prestige, job title, ethnicity, gender, or any other external indicator has absolutely no bearing on the place of a person in God’s Kingdom.

Remember back when the disciples were actually arguing over which one of them was going to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? We have this recorded for us in all four gospels. And because Luke’s record is unique from the others, it is possible that they argued over this… twice. And once was at the Lord’s Supper. Wow. Well – hold on there. Let’s not be too judgmental just yet – lest we have a prophet pointing his finger in our face saying – you are the man!

Jesus tells them how to be great in the kingdom. Which is kinda counter to what James is teaching us – or at least it appears to be. James’ message seems to indicate that we are all the same in the body. Which is true. But Jesus’ words don’t contradict James – or perhaps more properly we can say that Jesus’ words don’t contradict what James learned from Jesus.

Jesus taught his disciples that those who were servants, those who were humble, those who esteemed others more highly than themselves, those who loved other believers as Christ loved them – they would be called great in the kingdom of God. And the message that external indicators like wealth and power are meaningless among God’s people is essentially confirmed here too. For the economy of God’s Kingdom – the currency of true and genuine wealth in His glorious eternal Kingdom- is in Christlikeness. The more like Christ you are – the wealthier you will be in the Kingdom of God.

Do you see how foolish it is to favor here on earth, the wealthy among us, the brilliant, the successful, the extroverted, the young, the energetic, the talented? Do you see how foolish it is to dishonor the poor, the uneducated, the introvert, the old, the weak?

Jesus taught a parable of the talents. A man with 1 talent buried it in the earth for fear of losing it and others who were given more invested the talent and produced a return. The master was displeased with the one who had not done anything with his one talent.

Taking what Jesus says about those who are the greatest in the kingdom and what James says about favoritism and prejudice we see the parable of the talents as the great bridge between them. How many talents each person started with was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered to the master was that the talent was used to gain an increase.

So, whether we are rich or poor, strong or weak, educated or uneducated, extroverted or introverted, male or female, white, black, red, yellow or purple – these things are irrelevant. What matters is that we use what God HAS given us to serve one another and proclaim His Kingdom until He comes.

My friends let us not honor or dishonor those among us for things that are irrelevant. Instead, let us as one body grow up into a full and complete stature of Christ. So that we may be held together in Him and grow in His love. This is the goal of the church.

Title: Faith + Prejudice = No Faith

Text: James 2:1-4

FCF: We often struggle judging people by their external characteristics.

Prop: Because judging and dividing ourselves by external standards is incompatible with the gospel, we must not show personal favoritism.

Scripture Intro: NASB 95

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 2.

Although chapter divisions help us to find the scriptures we are looking at much faster and although they typically do a good job at separating thoughts and ideas… they are not part of the original text of scripture. They were added in the 1200s. That being said, just because it is James 2, does not mean that James has left behind what he’s been talking about.

James is still pointing out areas that their faith is deficient and thus areas that God is using trials to perfect them.

One particular point of faith deficiency in these Jewish Christians, scattered throughout the Roman empire, is their socio-economic persecution. Most of those James writes to will be relatively poor. They left their possessions in Israel as they fled persecution from their countrymen who opposed this new Jewish heresy called - Christianity. So they arrive in these places, dominated by pagan worship, and are treated like outsiders because of their ethnicity and religion.

How should they respond to such treatment? Well – it seems that they have not responded well. Their perspective on themselves, on wealth and status, and on the church itself – is not great. And James is going to correct it.

I am in James 2. I’ll be reading from the New American Standard Bible – the 1995 edition. You can follow me in the pew bible on page 1361 or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

There are some very important and culturally relevant teachings in this passage that we must see and hear. Come with me as we dissect these things.

I.) Making divisions in the body of Christ is incompatible with the gospel, so we must not show personal favoritism. (1-4a)

a. [Slide 2] 1 – My brethren,

i. This phrase when attached to a command is how James begins a new thought or moves the thought forward from where he has been.

ii. He did this in verse 2 of chapter 1 and verse 16 of chapter 1. And now again here in verse 1 of chapter 2.

iii. Up to this point he has been talking about the improper view of self and how that is a deficiency in our faith that God through trials can help to prune.

iv. Now, still with an improper view of self, he will start combining much of what he has covered in this whole discussion of lacking an improper perspective on this world.

v. Verses 1-13 of chapter 2 serve then as a wonderful application and summary of all that he has been talking about since verse 9 in chapter 1.

vi. So what command does he issue this time?

b. [Slide 3] Do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism.

i. Some translations say “do not to show favoritism.” Although this doesn’t change the meaning of the text in big ways – it does change the meaning slightly.

ii. The command here from James is to not grasp, have, or hold onto a faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ and also grasp, have or hold favoritism or prejudice.

iii. Certainly, this still means not to show favoritism – but the way James has structured the sentence seems to emphasize the incompatibility of prejudice and a faith in Christ.

iv. We are drawn to similar compatibility issues that Christ pointed out like – “you cannot serve God and money.” And calling Him Lord while living lawlessly. Or believing on him but also doubting or denying Him.

v. James points out that a faith in Christ that includes favoritism, is a contradictory faith.

vi. But what kind of favoritism is James pointing to? Interestingly enough, it is an issue he has already addressed in chapter 1.

c. [Slide 4] 2 – For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes 3 – and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”

i. I don’t want to spend a lot of time unpacking this but it is core to the interpretation and application of this text, so we must do a little unpacking.

ii. First, is this an actual situation or is this a hypothetical?

iii. Well, keeping with James’ pattern at the end of chapter 1 this seems to be a hypothetical situation. As we continue past our text this morning we’ll see that the exact situation may be hypothetical but the truth behind it is, unfortunately, not hypothetical.

iv. The second item we need to discuss is the word for “assembly.’ The word for assembly used here is the word “synagogue.” Because of this, many interpreters struggle in two specific ways.

1. Is James speaking to Jewish Christians who are gathering at a Jewish worship center with other Jews who are not Christians. In that case, the rich would be characterized as those who are unbelievers and the poor would be believers.

2. Perhaps this is not talking about a building at all but more a gathering? If so, what kind of gathering? Is it for Christian worship or could be it a meeting similar to a church disciplinary meeting? I realize that second option may seem out of left field to you, but there are significant parallels to what James describes here and a 1st century Jewish court of law.

v. Although it would certainly be true that most of James’ audience were probably poor – and although there is great similarity between the language of James and Jewish courts of law, it seems best to interpret this as a normal Christian gathering for worship. Meaning that all those who enter into this meeting are believers.

vi. Several early church fathers use the word “synagogue” to describe a normal Christian gathering for worship. Meaning that this usage did not fade after Christianity and Judaism officially diverged.

vii. James’ illustration as a whole, points once again to his audience’s lack of godly perspective on earthly wealth and status.

viii. However, the last time he spoke of this, it was very personal.

ix. What I mean by that is James’ words were addressed directly to the poor man and the rich man. In chapter 1 verses 9=11. What did he say?

1. They should not view their earthly wealth and status as some indication of God’s perspective of them.

2. Rather they should glory in their wealth in heaven and in coming to know and see their spiritual poverty on earth.

x. But here James addresses others’ perspective of the rich man and the poor man.

xi. Clearly James is connecting this to what he said was an expression of blameless holiness, in the care of those who could not care for themselves. The truly helpless.

xii. So, what might impede someone’s care of the poor and helpless?

xiii. James offers two impediments.

xiv. The first, being a prejudice of favor given to the wealthy and the second being a prejudice of disfavor toward the poor.

xv. Notice that both are condemned. It is neither right to show favor to a class of people based on their earthly wealth or status nor is it right to show disfavor to a class of people based on their earthly wealth or status.

xvi. It is impossible to show favoritism or prejudice in the assembly and still hold a faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

xvii. Why do you suppose that is? What is the harm?

xviii. James tells us the first of two repercussions for holding such contradictory positions.

d. [Slide 5] 4 – have you not made distinctions among yourselves

i. James words this as a question but it is surely rhetorical.

ii. He intends exactly what he asks.

iii. They have indeed made distinctions among themselves.

iv. Why is this so egregious?

v. The bible as whole goes to great lengths to lump all of natural man into one group.

vi. And when someone is placed into Christ, when they are adopted into God’s family – they disappear again into a communal identity.

vii. Just as all men in Adam inherit the status of sinners who are unable and unwilling to seek and obey God – so all men in Christ inherit the identical status with one another.

viii. Paul points out that there is neither Jew, nor Greek, nor slave, nor free, nor male, nor female. For we are all one in Christ. (Gal 3:28)

ix. Based on James’ teaching here – we could add to that list – rich or poor.

x. When we are united to Christ by faith – all external status indicators that are so important in this world are neutralized in Him.

xi. So, to show favor or prejudice based on these external markers that no longer matter in Christ – is to drive a wedge of disunity and division in the body of Christ. A wedge that does not actually exist according to the Founder of the church – which is Christ.

xii. Therefore, to make distinctions in this way – to favor the poor or the rich, to be prejudice against one ethnicity or favor another, to shame or glorify one gender over the other one – is to deny something fundamental to the gospel.

xiii. Just as Noah and his family were saved because they were in the Ark – we are saved because we are in Christ.

xiv. Imagine the foolishness if you will if Noah considered himself more important in the ark because he had more sheep on earth than Shem. Imagine Japheth considering himself more important than Ham because he had a wife that was of a certain ethnicity and Ham did not. All while they tottered on the waves of the apocalyptic flood.

xv. So too for us it makes no sense to assign favor or prejudice to someone within the body of Christ.

xvi. We are all wretched sinners to whom God has freely given grace.

xvii. It is important to balance this on the other side though. Because in our culture and in some brands of Christianity this concept is applied too far the other way.

xviii. These distinctions don’t become meaningless. Gentiles in Acts 15 were told very specifically that they could not perform certain practices within the church – for the sake of their Jewish brothers. Women are not permitted to teach or exercise authority over men within the church. A slave was still told to submit to and obey his master regardless of whether they were both believers or not.

xix. AND ALSO, internal faith distinctions still matter. As with the distinction of qualification for the offices and responsibilities of Elder and Deacon.

xx. But there ought not be any external characteristic of ours that causes the assembly to treat someone better or worse than another. This holds true across the board.

1. Even though women cannot teach and exercise authority over a man, it doesn’t mean they are separated from the worship of God or put in an inferior category as though they are somehow less than men and not able to handle or understand the finer details of doctrine.

2. Just because the Gentiles had to submit to ceasing from certain pagan practices associated with worship, did not mean that they were not permitted to sing songs of praise with everyone else or hold the office of Elder or Deacon, or be forced to serve in a lesser function.

3. Though Elders are to be submitted to and followed – even Elders are not above the Scriptures, therefore they are not free to teach something that the scriptures do not teach. If they sin, they are not to be shown partiality, either by being overly hard on them or by being easy on them. And in their selection, no consideration should be given to the color of their skin, their ethnicity or their wealth, the quality of their English, or any other external factor that the bible does not specify.

xxi. Showing favor or prejudice over external characteristics to the point of dividing the body is a despicable attitude that cannot coincide with a faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t have both.

e. [Slide 6] Passage Truth: So, the doctrinal truth that James conveys to his audience is that showing favor or prejudice against another member of the body of Christ causes division.

f. Passage Application: So, they must hold their faith in the glorious Jesus Christ without prejudice and favoritism.

g. [Slide 7] Broader Biblical Truth: But does the bible as a whole teach this concept? Is it really divisive to show favor toward a group of people because of something external or to show prejudice against a group of people because of something external? Isaac had a favorite son in Esau. Jacob had a favorite parent in Rebecca. He had a favorite wife in Rachel. He had a favorite son in Joseph and later in Benjamin. How did that go for him? Certainly God used Jacob’s family history of favoritism to providentially restore Israel – but can we say it was good for him to show favor? In Romans 1-3 Paul makes the case that all men, Jew or Gentile, are equally lost and unable and unwilling to seek after God or obey Him. And right in the middle of that Paul says that with God there is no partiality. If we are to be restored image bearers, united with Christ, indwelled with the Spirit of God, a Kingdom of Priests – ought we not be like God and show no partiality? Ought we to see the body of Christ as a unified body and not as rich and poor, old and young, strong and weak, men and women, black and white? There is so much attacking the church and trying to divide us. Why invite more division by showing favor or prejudice against external things that don’t matter?

h. Broader Biblical Application: And that brings us CBC to our application. We must hold fast to a pure and unadulterated faith. We are trusting, hoping, following, clinging to, disappearing into, and relying fully on Christ and Christ alone. He is our hope. We are His body. You cannot add a deep-seated favoritism or prejudice to your faith in Christ and expect everything to be fine. Faith in Christ plus favor or prejudice does not equal faith in Christ.

Transition:

[Slide 8 (blank)] We’ll talk more specifics in a moment, but there is a greater repercussion that we must get to. And it is in the second phrase at the end of verse 4.

II.) Being judges over one another with evil motives is incompatible with the gospel, so we must not show personal favoritism. (4b)

a. [Slide 9] 4b – and become judges with evil motives?

i. Although it would certainly make my seminary professors cringe – this point will be a good deal shorter than the last one.

ii. But in the way that James has structured his opening statements in chapter 2, the only real separate point he is making is in this short addition to his critique on showing favor or prejudice.

iii. Not only does showing favor or prejudice work to divide by making distinctions in ways that there ought not be distinctions… but it also turns those who make distinctions into something they should not be.

iv. First it turns them into judges.

v. This is wordplay here in the Greek that we wouldn’t see in the English. The word for distinctions has the same root word that the word “judges” has.

vi. Because of this word, commentators think that this is some kind of Jewish court – but more likely James means this pejoratively. As an insult. We can see that especially because of the word play.

vii. You are making distinctions and have become evil distinguishers. You are judgmental and evil judges. These are poor attempts to capture the “Aha moment” in the Greek. But you get the idea.

viii. The scripture does tell us to judge one another. For all the people who quote the bible “judge not” I have rarely found one that quotes it rightly.

ix. You see we are to judge others – but only after examining our own life and only to genuinely help them get the speck out of theirs.

x. Why does the text tell us to judge not then? Because we are going to be judged the same way we judge others. If someone is trying to get sin out of your life and they are not encumbered by that sin also – wouldn’t you want that kind of judge?

xi. But the kind of judgment we are speaking of here is making a determination.

xii. They have determined to show favor to one and prejudice to another and begun to carry that out based solely on external characteristics. Like wealth or poverty. Like ethnicity. Like gender.

xiii. They have a self-motivated reason for showing favor to the rich and prejudice to the poor.

xiv. This makes their judgment evil.

b. [Slide 10] Passage Truth: So, James’ point of teaching here is subtly different than his first point. He shows us that not only are they showing distinctions and causing division in the church with their prejudice – but they are also being evil motivated judges trying to get something from those whom they show favor, and not be obligated to those to whom they show prejudice.

c. Passage Application: Once again their response must be a hearty dismissal of any favoritism or prejudice but the why of this passage is even more important than the what. Why must they not show favor or prejudice? Because such attitudes are not compatible with a faith in Christ.

d. [Slide 11] Broader Biblical Truth: But does the bible truly teach this? Is a person who shows ethnic, socio economic, gender, or any other prejudice based on external characteristics – are their motives truly evil? Are they making judgments about people with evil motives? Who does God choose? Does He not choose the weakest? Abram a man from Ur with nothing to his name. Jacob the second born. Joseph the outcast. Moses the murderer. Samuel the altar boy. David the youngest son of Jesse. Mary a nobody from Galilee. The disciples 12 young men who were fishermen, zealots, tax collectors and no one special. Why? So his power can be made known in their weakness. So He would be given glory not them. What about when people chose who they thought was best. Like Saul the first King of Israel. Chosen because he was tall and handsome. Chosen because he would make a great warrior king. Chosen so Israel would be like every other nation. How well did that go? What about when Lot chose the best land to settle in. Chosen to give his flocks and herds abundant water and food. Chosen because it would benefit him. How well did that go? Does God judge by the outward appearance or does He judge by the heart? Jesus in John 7 tells the crowd to not make judgments based on external appearance. And In Leviticus 19, God told the judges of Israel to not be a respecter of persons according to wealth or status but instead to judge justly. Truly judgments that elevate some or lower others because of external appearance are evil and not in accordance with a faith in Christ.

e. Broader Biblical Application: So, my friends we must be very careful not to make distinctions or make evil judgments of those who are among us. We are the body of Christ – together. And we are a diverse group. We come from many backgrounds with many ethnic histories. We are two genders – because that is all there is.

Title: Pure and Undefiled

Text: James 1:26-27

FCF: We often struggle with the place of works in our salvation.

Prop: True religion that is blameless before God lives out the law of liberty, so we must live out the law of liberty.

Scripture Intro:

[Slide 1] Turn in your bible to James chapter 1.

After a long holiday season with several special messages, special Sundays, Special services – it is nice to get back to a normal worship service. And part of that is settling back into our normal book study.

Every book in the bible seems extraordinarily relevant to us though we are several years from them being written. James seems to be especially relevant though. Many are in times of trial right now. They do need encouragement and they do need care. But counseling them to count it as joy must be part of that counsel. It may not be all of it. In fact, it probably shouldn’t be all of it. But if you never edify a believer to count their trial as joy in the midst of it – you are failing them in a big way. Set the word of God loose and see what He will do with it!

To a certain degree of design we left James at exactly the time we should have. That may seem odd to say since we stopped before concluding chapter 1. However, what is said in the remaining two verses will serve both to remind us of what we spoke of last, and to push us on toward what James will say in the rest of the letter.

Let me briefly summarize all that we’ve seen in chapter 1 thus far.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, only converted after his brother was raised from the dead, now leads the church in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, through persecution many Jewish believers have fled to various parts of the Roman empire, where they are looked at with suspicion and even oppressed because they live so much differently than the pagans around them.

Then they hear a message that gives them some sense of false peace. Justification is by faith alone without any works. Therefore, we can live however we want as long as we believe. The error of this teaching is borne from those who twisted Paul’s teaching.

So, James has his hands full when he writes to these scattered Jews. But what does he say? Where would he even begin to correct AND encourage them?

Consider it as pure joy when you encounter trials of all kinds. Because God is using those to perfect your faith. He is making you into someone who lacks nothing.

What follows is a list of things they may (and being close to them James probably knew they did) lack.

Do you lack wisdom? Wisdom to know God and be what God desires? Then ask God for it.

Do you lack God’s perspective? Perspective on what? Well…

Do you view wealth and status in this world as something important? Well, this is not how God sees the world.

Do you view God’s character in suspicion as though he is the one tempting you? Remember that God is good and never tempts anyone. When you are drawn away, you are drawn away by your own lusts.

In the midst of a trial do you see God as a good giver that is unfortunately not always able to help you? Stop! For God is only a giver of good gifts to His people which chief among them is His sovereign plan to give free grace to you and birth you out of death and darkness into light and life.

And most recently – James addresses a particularly malicious lack of Godly perspective. And it is the perspective we often have… of ourselves. We often consider ourselves more highly than we should. To this James says – be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger. Listening means not only to listen to others, but to God also by hearing and doing the gospel.

And that brings us to today. I am in James 1. I’ll begin reading in verse 22 just to pick up some context. I am reading from the NET which you can follow in the pew bible starting on page 1360 or in whatever version you prefer.

Transition:

There is much to see here today. Let’s dive in!

I.) True religion that is blameless before God lives out the law of liberty, so we must control our speech.

a. [Slide 2] 26 – If someone thinks he is religious

i. James parallels his previous discussion about the person who was a hearer only and not also a doer of the Word.

ii. In fact, this is more than a parallel, this is an application.

iii. Before he spoke in illustrative and in theoretical senses. He discussed how such a person is like a someone who sees his disheveled appearance in a mirror and walks away forgetting what he sees. But a person who keeps looking into the gospel will never forget and will be blessed in his obedience.

iv. Well now James seeks to sharpen the stick as it were.

v. You see they might have had a chance to wiggle free of James’ point from the previous section.

vi. His audience may have escaped conviction by simply saying – well I know I am a sinner and God is working on me. I am not a hearer only!

vii. But now James pounces. He has us right where he wants us, right where the Spirit of God has led him to attack a true deficiency in our faith.

viii. And he begins by posing a hypothetical.

ix. If someone – anyone - thinks he is religious.

x. This doesn’t mean what many mean when they say that person is “religious” or they have “religion.”

xi. Typically this is spoken by a non believing non religiously affiliated person to refer to pretty much everyone who is affiliated with a religion in almost any way.

xii. What James means by “religious” is a person who is pious. A person who is devout. A person who is holy.

xiii. Now it is important to note that James does not say if a person is religious… he says if a person thinks, is convinced, considers, or believes himself to be pious, devout or holy.

xiv. He is not speaking of reality but of perception.

xv. If this person perceives themselves in this way…

b. [Slide 3] Yet does not bridle his tongue

i. This person who perceives himself to be and has even convinced himself that he is holy is also one who does not control his tongue.

ii. Even in English the idiom is clear – his tongue is like a horse with no bit in its mouth and no reins to guide it. It is used to say all manner of ungodly things.

iii. This is not the first and it will not be the last time that James calls attention to the wild nature of our tongue and our need to control it. Indeed, throughout the letter, the control of our tongue remains a sure proof of our genuine faith.

iv. And so, we have a person who truly believes himself to be holy but he is unable to control what he says. He speaks flippantly, abusively, deceptively, impatiently, arrogantly, ungratefully and/or unwholesomely – yet still believes himself to be pious, devout, righteous and holy.

v. If such a person exists, what is true of that person?

c. [Slide 4] And so deceives his heart

i. The original language draws a difficult connection between this clause and the rest of the text.

ii. But it seems that the NET and other translations point out the obvious conclusion especially as you compare this to verse 22.

iii. A person who is a hearer and not a doer deceives themselves. Similarly, a person who thinks he is a holy person but cannot control his tongue is essentially a hearer only and therefore has deceived himself.

iv. The significance of James using the term heart here rather than simply saying “himself” as he did before, could be significant.

v. If this person truly believes that they are holy and yet cannot control what they say – they have deceived their heart… which is the very essence of their being.

vi. Such a person is, perhaps, more lost than before they confessed Christ. They are, perhaps, farther away from true holiness than those who live in blatant sin.

vii. Such was the state of the Pharisees who thought they were pious yet ignored justice and mercy. They were incensed when Christ said that prostitutes and thieves were closer to the kingdom than they were.

viii. Yet James points out a similar picture here. It is truly a tragic man who is convinced he is holy and cannot bridle his tongue. It is tragic because he is delusional.

ix. What is the only assessment we can make of a man who cannot control his tongue but has deceived himself to believe he is truly holy?

d. [Slide 5] His religion is futile.

i. Notice that James does not say – he has no religion.

ii. James says his religion – his piety, his devotion, his holiness – is worthless.

e. [Slide 6] Passage Truth: Although it is unspoken so far, the lesson in doctrine that James is teaching in these two verses is already obvious. He is defining true religion. What does it mean to be pious? What does it look like to be devout? What is a case study in true holiness? What does it mean to have humbly welcomed the gospel? What does it mean to be a doer and not a hearer only? James begins very simply by stating that they are not pious or devout because they believe they are pious or devout. Perceiving themselves to be a doer of the gospel does not make it so. They must live out the gospel in order to truly have a religion that is not worthless.

f. Passage Application: So, his audience must move beyond their simple belief that they are a partaker of the gospel and move to actually living it. Specifically, by controlling their tongue.

g. [Slide 7] Broader Biblical Truth: But do the Scriptures as a whole teach this? Do we find this in the rest of the bible? My friends there are countless examples of people who thought they were God’s child and it was not so. The entire Old Testament is full of Israelites who thought they were God’s chosen people and safe from His retribution for their sins. The Apostle Paul – A Jew – says that not all Israel is Israel. But today we’ve replaced the blood of Abraham with a list of truths we’ve decided to believe. And once we decide to believe them we simply need to be assured that we are safe and secure from God’s wrath. Men and women everywhere in this country live life like they always have but because they decided something when they were 5 years old at a VBS – they have convinced themselves they are going to heaven. James says that a character flaw as simple as a potty mouth can prove your decision to believe was worthless.

h. Broader Biblical Application: What about the application here? Do we find it in the rest of the scriptures? We could go back to verse 19 where James said to be slow to speak. We could go to Psalm 34:13 where it says to make sure you don’t speak evil words or deceptive speech. Or psalm 39:1 where the psalmist says he will watch what he says and make sure he does not sin with his tongue. Or Psalm 141:3 where the psalmist begs YAHWEH to place a guard on his mouth. Or we could go to the gospels where The Lord Jesus said in His teaching that out of the heart the mouth speaks. My friends, if you are truly devout, truly pious, if you possess true religion that is blameless before God, you will beg like the psalmist for YAHWEH to put a guard on your mouth and protect the opening of your lips. CBC, we sin so much with our tongues. Not just crude words or vulgar jokes either. We disrespect, we cut, we impatiently chide, we grumble, we complain, we gossip, we stir up, we backbite, we brag, presume, and we blaspheme. My friends our tongues are a powder keg. We must keep it under lock and key lest a spark find its fuse and blow us to smithereens. We cannot possibly claim to be pious if our lips can never seem to stop spewing unholy sewage.

Transition:

[Slide 8] We saw a worthless, useless and fake religion in a person who thinks they are truly pious yet they cannot control their tongue. But this doesn’t answer the question of what a true and blameless religion would be. What would it look like to truly be devout? To be pious? To be holy? James begins that discussion in verse 27.

II.) True religion that is blameless before God lives out the law of liberty, so we must help the desperate.

a. [Slide 9] 27 – Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this:

i. James transitions to a contrasting kind of religion.

ii. He begins with two adjectives.

iii. Not a worthless religion but one that is pure and undefiled.

iv. These two adjectives are so similar in their meaning that to try to find some meaningful point of difference would probably be a fool’s errand.

v. This is no doubt a poetic or stylistic way of emphasizing and highlighting the difference in the two religions he has brought up.

vi. This second religion is pure and undefiled. It is spotless. It is blameless.

vii. Some preachers, taking the word “pure” to mean complete, have mistakenly assigned all of piety and holiness to these two specific components listed in verse 27.

viii. But interpreting them together as spotless or blameless – we see that what follows in this verse are two specific examples of pure and undefiled religion not the sum total of it.

ix. And notice - that this religion is blameless before The Holy God.

x. Some translations have “before our God and Father” but the NET nails James’ meaning when it says God THE Father.

xi. If God the Father, the Ancient of Days, He who sits on the throne of heaven, He who dwells in inapproachable light, He who is the Great I Am – if He determines this religion is blameless – then my friends, it is truly blameless.

xii. So what is this religion that is blameless before Him?

b. [Slide 10] To care for orphans and widows in their misfortune

i. These two kinds of people are connected with the word “and” meaning we should probably not be focusing on their differences but rather on their similarity.

ii. Just as “pure and undefiled” and “God and Father” were emphasizing the sameness rather than the difference – so here we are not looking at widows and orphans for their unique needs but rather for widows and orphans for their shared need.

iii. And what is that need?

iv. Their misfortune.

v. Even if you knew nothing of the cultural context of this book you would know that widows and orphans had a unique need in that they were afflicted. They were oppressed. They were pushed down in their society.

vi. In the 1st century Roman world there wasn’t a lot an orphan or widow could do to escape their situation. Widows could be left penniless and unable to earn a living for themselves. Orphans could be left with no benefactor to raise and educate them.

vii. James’ point to his audience is simply this – living out the gospel, being a doer of the Word, having a truly blameless holiness, is considering the least, the helpless, the outcast, the oppressed – and doing what with them?

viii. Caring. Feeding, clothing, healing, helping. The term here used is to visit or to meet.

ix. Blameless holiness meets the needs of those who are unable to help themselves.

c. [Slide 11] Passage Truth: James’ truth endures through the passage. And it is all the clearer. True and blameless religion before God lives out the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. It looks into and obeys the law of liberty.

d. Passage Application: And for his audience one specific way to live out the law of liberty is to care for those who are unable help themselves.

e. [Slide 12] Broader Biblical Truth: Perhaps you were not satisfied that the scriptures speak often about people who think they are God’s people when they aren’t. What of Judas? What of Demas? What of Simon the Sorcerer? What of Alexander and Hymenaeus? What of those Peter spoke about who have known the way of righteousness only to turn back from it? What of Rob Bell, Josh Harris, Rhett and Link, Ravi Zacharias, and countless others without prominent names or followers. They have made a confession, made a decision, believed that Jesus is the Son of God who died for their sins and rose again the third day… but have walked away either by denying the faith or by living unholy lifestyles? Can this kind of faith, religion, piety… can it save them? No. They will join many in the last day who will say – I have done many wonderous things in your name Lord. And the Lord will say depart from me worker of lawlessness. I never knew you. It is important that we know Christ. But it is infinitely more important that He know us.

f. Broader Biblical Application: But CBC… my friends. Hear me. All the names I listed before are those who are very obviously in possession of a religion that is worthless. But before we sit so high on our horse. Before we convince ourselves of better things. Do you help those who cannot help themselves? I’m not even talking about money, although that would be one application. Do you personally meet with and care for those who are voiceless, oppressed or afflicted? As we have studied the Old Testament in Foundations and even most recently in our study of Hosea and the Northern Kingdom… one of the main reasons that God is judging them is because… they oppressed widows and orphans. They did not alleviate their misfortune, they added to it. In Psalm 68 the psalmist calls the Lord a Father to the fatherless and an advocate for widows. In Isaiah God tells Israel to give the oppressed a reason to celebrate and to take up the cause of the orphan and defend the rights of the widow. Are we helping those who truly cannot help themselves?

Transition:

[Slide 13] But this is only one application of blameless holiness. James has one more before he gets to chapter 2.

III.) True religion that is blameless before God lives out the law of liberty, so we must guard ourselves against the world.

a. [Slide 14] And to keep oneself unstained by the world

i. This second point is so very important in this context.

ii. For many use this verse to defend some kind of social gospel where God’s people’s only concern is righting the wrongs in society.

iii. But righting social wrongs cannot be the end of the discussion when we speak of blameless holiness. Truly it is a noble work and one near to the heart of Yahweh. But it is not the end. It wasn’t the end of what God desired for the Israelites and it is not the end of what God desires of His church.

iv. Do you see how humility is emphasized throughout this passage?

v. Blameless holiness is caring for the desperate. The ones Scrooge at the beginning of A Christmas Carol, would have said should “hurry up and die to decrease the surplus population.”

vi. This is what living out the gospel looks like when pointed at the desperate – those in the humblest of states.

vii. But when pointed at ourselves… what does living out the gospel look like?

viii. It assumes that we are in constant danger of being defiled by the world in which we live.

ix. The arrogant and prideful think they are always right. They defend their actions even when it is clear they are wrong. They justify themselves and find reason to be excused from fulfilling the law of God. And a less obvious expression of pride would be to live as if you could crawl through the soot without staining your pure white robes.

x. Living out the gospel is not just caring for the desperate. It is recognizing how desperate we all are in that when we gaze into the wonderful law of liberty, we see that we are highly susceptible to being stained by all that surrounds us.

xi. Seeing this through the lens of the gospel, we take great pains to keep, to protect, to guard ourselves from ungodly thoughts, words, philosophies, teachings, and practices.

xii. We don’t just want to escape the judgment of the world… we don’t even want to walk into the kingdom smelling like it.

xiii. That is what it means to obey the gospel. That is what it is to be a doer and not a hearer only.

xiv. This is blameless holiness… to fight to keep ourselves from succumbing to the influence of a world that hates God. Our Father.

b. [Slide 15] Passage Truth: Again, James’ point is inescapable. True religion that is blameless is one that lives out the law of liberty.

c. Passage Application: And specifically for his audience, that means they must protect themselves from the world’s influence.

d. [Slide 16] Broader Biblical Truth: If you do not yet accept and believe that good works must accompany faith if the faith is real – then at this point there is nothing I can say to change your mind. You are arguing with God… not me. I’ll let Him deal with you.

e. Broader Biblical Application: But CBC, we must be so very careful with this proof of true holiness that is blameless. We must be so very careful. I don’t want to open up a huge discussion on Christian liberty. Nor do I want to be the arbiter of your family’s personal convictions. But here is what I know… it is very easy to set something in front of our eyes, in our ears, holding our hands, taking our time, taking our energy, taking our money, that is so infused, so saturated by the world and its ways that it drips with the sludge of hell. And we can watch and listen and touch and do and give and pay for all of this without getting stained. But my friends… James says to keep… to protect ourselves from being stained by the world. Do you walk about this life expecting that sludge to grow arms so it can get its filthy fingers on your white pure robes? Or do you sit on your couch and watch your TV passively unaware of – not just the obvious sex, drugs, and ungodly behavior – but are you unaware of the ideologies, philosophies, and values that are bombarding your defenses? Are your shields even up? Or are you so exhausted from a day of work that you have no energy left to protect yourself? If you walk through this life claiming to have blameless religion before God but are not walking circumspectly as if around every corner something from hell is out to get you… then you are a fool. And you are going to fall.

Conclusion:

[Slide 17] My friends… true religion that is blameless before God is this…

You control what you say. You humbly help those who cannot help themselves. You walk circumspectly in the world.

If you don’t have these… you have not received the gospel of Jesus Christ.

If you do have these… but you realize, and probably have for some time that they have laxed and must be rekindled… then let today be the day you repent of idleness.

Guard your words. Be careful what you say. Speak the words of life. Encourage, Edify, rebuke, correct, instruct, give thanks, praise the Lord! But let all manner of wicked speech be removed from you. Let not a single idle word pass through your lips. Certainly, this does not mean we must speak only the scripture or only that which is overtly biblical. But prattling on endlessly about things that won’t be in the Kingdom of God makes just as worthless of a religion as gossip, backbiting, slandering, or lying. Control your tongue.

As a teacher I have grown accustomed to talking a lot. I take that teaching heart and wax eloquent often. One of the many lessons Eric Beauman has taught me… is to talk less. Choose my words more carefully. And speak only when necessary. I fail his advice often. But His advice is truly sound for it is found in the pages of James. Control your tongue Christian. And that includes the tongue at your fingertips too.

Help those who cannot help themselves. Our nation has made a mockery of poverty. Many who are truly capable of helping themselves are allowed to do nothing and yet eat. The apostle Paul says that if a man does not work, he shall not eat. Yet there are those who truly are oppressed and afflicted. They are unable to claw their way out of whatever situation they are in. They are caught in an endless loop and are doomed to never get ahead. It is those whom we must help. We must be the voice of the voiceless. We must defend the rights of the oppressed. We must help those who are unable to help themselves. If I could be so bold… one class of people that I believe God would certainly have in this category… are the unborn. I can think of no other people group in this nation that are oppressed more with simultaneously less of a voice than the unborn. I would go so far even to say that if you fight to keep this people group oppressed and afflicted, regardless of your reasons… there is no way you can have a true religion that is blameless before God. You have deceived your heart.

Let me be clear on this matter in that I do not see it as a political issue. Whether it is legal or illegal in this culture to kill unborn children is not abundantly relevant to what I am saying today. Certainly, defending their cause would include fighting for it to be illegal to kill them – but even if tomorrow it was illegal to kill the unborn, our fight would only just be beginning! Why? Because mothers would still go into alleys and murder their unwanted children. If we fight for the cause of the voiceless our fight doesn’t end when it is illegal to oppress them. It ends when they are no longer oppressed. And friends that only truly ends, when they are released from their spiritual father… Satan.

Finally, we must walk circumspectly. My friends the devil prowls this world seeking his next victim. And although we who are truly God’s children have nothing to fear from him… the reason we have nothing to fear is because God’s true children when they read what James says here, to protect themselves from being stained by the world… THEY LISTEN TO HIM! True believers bow to the Word of God. How long can you play with the sludge before you get a black spot on your white robes?

Psalm 101:3 says “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.” Perhaps this verse should rest on top of our computers or phones or TVs.

True religion that is blameless before God lives out the law of liberty. We love God and the things of God which means we obey God.

What kind of religion do you have before God? A worthless one or a blameless one?

[Slide 1] 2022 in Review

1.) [Slide 2] The challenges of 2022

a. Sickness

i. COVID – still (eyeroll)

ii. RSV outbreak

iii. Flu outbreak

iv. In early January we actually had to do a reset Sunday specifically inviting only 100% healthy members to come to church.

b. Physical issues

i. Surgeries

1. Knees

2. ACLs

3. Cataracts

ii. Injuries

1. Burns

2. Broken bones

3. Torn tendons

c. Long trials

i. Kathy LaForest was diagnosed with cancer this year

ii. Linda stopped being able to walk this year

iii. Eric’s heart started beating out of rhythm

iv. Sandy Henig is enduring respiratory problems.

v. Some that are not listed here are because the Lord freed them of their trails by taking them home.

d. Deaths of church members, family and friends.

i. Marilyn Ghekiere after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, was finally allowed to go home.

ii. Warren, after a long battle with lung cancer and two strokes, was taken home too.

iii. Others of us have lost fathers, mothers, brothers, neighbors and long-time friends.

e. Eldership transition

i. Although this certainly belongs into the blessings category…

ii. There are still, even now, some growing pains as we understand what being Elder Led means practically. And those growing pains are a challenge for both the congregation and the Elders.

f. Increasingly antagonistic culture toward the gospel and God’s people

i. Not only do we see brothers and sisters cancelled, shouted down, and ostracized for holding biblical viewpoints on various matters

ii. But this November the state of Michigan proved itself to be a very deep shade of blue. And while political parties and our affiliation to them is not a biblical matter directly – and even though, red or blue, there are things we as Christians ought to speak up to change – certainly the blue party is the greater of the two evils.

iii. Nevertheless, our state has continued to pass some of the most aggressively anti-God measures while maintaining the offices of members of a party that is definitively against biblical ideology.

iv. This whole thing also belongs in the blessings category. For in the darkness – the faintest light shines very brightly. And our faith, our hope, our love – is that tiny little light.

2.) [Slide 3] The blessings of 2022

a. Teaching – LOTS of teaching praise the Lord!

i. Love and Respect study completed – perhaps another round on the horizon?

ii. We invited Dr. Grady McMurtry from the Creation Worldview Ministries to be with us for 3 nights in April

iii. We completed our investigation of the concept of Sacraments and seem to agree with the early Reformers that both the Lord’s Supper and Baptism are Physical signs of spiritual truths that God uses to dispense grace in order to grow our faith as we receive them.

iv. We took several weeks to look at what the bible says specifically about Deacons. As a test – what is the difference between Deacon with a Capital D and deacon with a lowercase d?

v. Foundations has gone from Amos to Micah, to II Kings and now in Hosea

vi. In Sunday worship the Lord has taught us in His word as we finished 1 and 2 Peter and began the book of James this year.

vii. Ladies’ bible study studied the first 11 Genesis

viii. Senior Saints study through prominent people in church history.

ix. Wednesday night prayer group’s expansion on the sermon has been a huge blessing allowing me to keep my sermons a little more approachable to more people.

x. Probably more bible studies and gatherings that people don’t tell me about. Which is kinda great actually!

b. Teaching being applied and the church growing!

i. In Application of the teaching on the Sacraments

1. Elliott May was baptized this year, making a public application of the promise of Christ’s blood washing us clean and creating new life in Him.

2. We celebrated the Lord’s Supper 4 times this year together and have officially established a spring-time catered meal as a new church tradition. And perhaps a Lord’s Supper Christmas tradition is forming too.

ii. As a result of the teaching on Elders and Deacons

1. We officially received 6 men as Elders of our church this year. We (The Elders) hit the ground running and have been attempting to Shepherd you for the last 8 months. (Wow – it has only been 8 months. We’ve done so much if feels longer)

2. As a direct result of the teaching on Deacons we have seen unprecedented involvement and activity as people from every corner have stepped in various ministries from coffee preparation all the way to visiting the sick and shut in and everything in between. We had a work day that was easily the biggest we’ve seen in many many years. And I give God the glory for showing us that Christ’s people are servants to each other. That is not outsourced to a person with a title. The title Christian is all that is required to serve one another.

3. As a direct result of the teaching on Deacons we were able to investigate and receive our first Deacon under the Elder Led model. Doug Bogen took office and has already begun organizing and facilitating ministry primarily toward the buildings and grounds.

c. Missionary Moments and Movements from and to Asia Pacific

i. We were blessed to have Eric and Cherie Daum with us for the first 5 months of this year. They have since gone back to Asia Pacific and we think are getting close to finding out where God would have them spend the next several years of ministry. Also – Cherie is pregnant with baby number 4.

ii. The Behrendts spent the first 7 months of this year living in our parsonage. They too have now gone to the field in Asia Pacific and are doing a lot of language and culture learning.

iii. We were blessed to have the Hattons visit us this year in August. They gave us an update on what is going on with the Amdu people and how we can pray for them. Two of their children are back in the states to attend Ethnos school.

d. Membership additions

i. Although we started the year by losing the Wrights who moved up to Wisconsin

ii. We have added 7 new members join our church this year!

iii. Because we have added so many, and even though we released a 2022 member directory – it is obvious that we need a 2023 member directory. That is coming soon.

e. Praise Team expansion

i. We started using a new presenting tool this year. It has worked out very well and we discovered that the free version of it is probably all we really need!

ii. We also added 4 new members to the praise team this year!

iii. And in November we did a night of praise which was basically an interactive praise team practice. It was actually kinda great and will most likely be repeated before winter’s end.

f. Babies – We’ve had several grandchildren born this past year.

g. Church finances held strong

i. For having to up our budget going into 2023, our finances held strong this year.

ii. We brought in more than we budgeted and we spent less than we budgeted.

iii. Let that be an example for you and your family.

h. Things Change and sometimes even for the better