Faith Without Works is Dead

February 4, 2018 Background Scripture: James 2:14 – 26 Lesson Passage: James 2:14 – 26 Our study of biblical faith would be incomplete without a review of some “faith principles” found in the epistle written by James. James addressed his letter to the Jewish Christians who were scattered as a result of the early persecution of the church in Jerusalem. Whether one wants to compare or contrast James’ doctrinal statements about faith with those of the Apostle Paul, the unbiased conclusion is always that they are both correct because they are both found in the word of God. Whereas Paul asserts that good works cannot justify anyone but only the grace of God through our faith brings salvation, James asserts that a faith that saves will also produce works in and by the saved person. Paul’s stance is totally a matter of what justifies a person in the presence of God. James, on the other hand, takes the stance that a person who has been saved will show evidence of that in their manner of living. On the one hand, Paul defines justification by faith but on the other hand, James defines a living faith that shows up in the sanctification process that every living Christian continuously goes through. In justification, the person is delivered at once and eternally from the penalty of sin which is eternal damnation. In sanctification, the person goes through the process of being delivered from the power of sin in their everyday situations. James wrote about faith as part of the character of a Christian who is going through the process of maturing spiritually. James gave several illustrations of the type of works that faith should engender in the believer. He gave a hypothetical situation of someone coming to a Christian with physical needs but leaving with only words or prayers but no deeds are done to alleviate the needs. James called this behavior dead faith. Living faith goes beyond words and follows through with deeds. Next, James offered examples of faith by looking at two of the faithful who are recorded in Israel’s history. The example of Abraham clearly shows the relationship between Paul’s statement concerning faith and James’ statement. Both writers used Abraham as an example of faith. Paul referred to God recognizing Abraham believing Him and the promises He made to him and counting Abraham’s belief in Him as faith. Faith was reckoned to Abraham without Abraham performing any deeds or works at that time. James referred to Abraham’s actions many years after that encounter with God and offers it as the proof of the living faith which was in Abraham. We believe that justification comes from believing God’s words and trusting in Him that the works of Jesus satisfies the penalty of sin in all who receive it by faith. Being saved and having the Spirit of Christ in us should propel Christians to do good works just as Jesus did on earth in the flesh. Christians should do good works as we live through the sanctification process. James challenged believers to show forth or demonstrate their faith without using works but his choice was to show his faith by the works that resulted from having faith. Robert C. Hudson January 22, 2017

A Strong Faith

January 28, 2018 Background Scripture: Daniel 10, 11 Lesson Passage: Daniel 10:10 – 19 The strength of Daniel’s faith can be measured by his willingness to remain steadfast in fasting and prayer for three weeks waiting to hear from God. When the answer came, it must have been mind boggling—or perhaps awe inspiring! Daniel was given a vision of all of the kingdoms of the world that would wage war against each other over the centuries long after his own death. He was told which kingdom would prevail over which and what would subsequently lead to their downfall. Daniel would develop the firm conviction that in spite of all that was being devised by men over the centuries, God would remain firmly in control of everything. God set angels and archangels over nations to limit the damage that demonic forces would do if left unchecked. Daniel’s desire to know the outcome was satisfied by showing him much more than he could possibly have known to inquire about. Nations would continue to rise against nations and God knew which ones would, the time that they would, how long their reign would last, and which nation would overthrow them. Yes, God knows the activities that evil people engage in and how long those things are going to last. In the midst of all of this, God protects His people. Daniel’s desire to know was limited but God’s answer to him covered such a long span of time that thousands of years later many of the prophecies have been fulfilled and yet many remain to be fulfilled in the future. Daniel’s prophecies are important to all other prophecies in terms of the span of time involved and the details that are included. For many years, scholars and theologians have used the prophecies of Daniel to understand world events of our past and to anticipate future events that were foretold. When one reflects on the text in the two chapters of the background scripture, one must be reminded that Daniel arrived in Babylon as a youth and part of the spoils of war gained by Babylon when they conquered Judah. He found favor with kings and was given a prestigious position for a servant. In spite of Daniel’s situation, God’s hand was upon him and he prospered even in servitude. As one of the writers of the major prophecies of Israel, Daniel was uniquely positioned by God to speak to kings and declare the oracles of God far beyond his own limited lifespan. This was not a result of Daniel having a casual relationship with God or being simply religious. Daniel’s relationship with God was on a level that few individuals presented in the scriptures ever achieved. Because of it, Daniel didn’t just speak to the issues of his day, but his writings speak to issues that are yet unfolding in our lifetimes. Because Daniel trusted God, God entrusted him with some of the true treasures of Heaven which included detailed descriptions of future times and events. Daniel does not appear to have been feared as some prophets were but he was highly respected by kings as a man of God. Daniel had a strong faith and even kings were able to observe it and praised Daniel’s God for it. Robert C. Hudson December 8, 2017