Child of Theos

 

 

WHAT DOTH IT PROFIT?

James 2:14-26

 

Introduction:

One of the major themes of the book of James is that of spiritual maturity. Throughout the entire book, James, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gives an outline of ways in which spiritual maturity is manifested. In the first part of chapter one, he speaks of spiritual maturity manifested by trials and temptations. In the latter part of the chapter, he speaks of spiritual maturity manifested by Scripture study. In the first part of chapter two, he speaks of spiritual maturity manifested by impartiality. In the passage in which we focus our attention, James speaks of spiritual maturity as manifested by good works. This particular passage of Scripture is one of the most debated and misunderstood passages in the entire Bible. Many of the great reformers struggled with this passage. For example, Martin Luther had an issue with it calling James an “epistle of straw.” Luther did have somewhat of an appreciation of the epistle but that did not excuse the problems he had with it. He said, “Though this Epistle of St. James was rejected by the ancients, I praise it and hold it a good book, because it sets up no doctrine of men and lays great stress upon God’s law. But to state my own opinion about it, though without injury to anyone, I consider that it is not the writing of any apostle…Flatly against St. Paul and all the rest of Scripture, it ascribes righteousness to works, and says that Abraham was justified by his works, in that he offered his son Isaac, though St. Paul, on the contrary, teaches, in Romans iv, that Abraham was justified without works, by faith alone, before he offered his son, and proves it by Moses in Genesis xv.”[1] The truth of the matter is that there is no contradiction between the writings of James and the writings of Paul at all. To properly understand this passage one must keep in mind who is actually seeing this faith that James mentions. The book of James is written to believers and it demonstrates faith as it is seen by men. On the other hand the apostle Paul demonstrates faith as it is seen by God. Dr. H.A. Ironside explains this truth very well, he says, “It is a grave mistake to infer, as some have done, that this Epistle emphasizes works rather than faith. It stresses the importance of faith throughout, but shows that real faith is never separated from a life of piety.”[2] Dr. Ironside pointed out that when Luther was referring to Romans 4:2, he missed part of the verse which is very explanatory of the issue of faith vs. works. Romans 4:2 says, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath not whereof to glory; but not before God.” The part that Luther did not get was the phrase “not before God.” Therefore, having a proper understanding of the point of the passage, God wants us to understand three applications of faith and works in a sermon entitled “What Doth it Profit.”  

 

I.                         The Proof of Faith and Works (verses 14-20)

The first application of faith and works that is mentioned in the text is the proof of faith and works. In regard to the proof of faith and works, James gives three interrogatives, a conclusion, and an objection.

A.                The Interrogatives

1.                  “What doth it profit?”

            At the very beginning of verse fourteen, James here again reminds us of the audience to whom he is writing. “What doth it profit, my brethren…” It is important to remember that the book of James is written to believers. James asks the question (the first interrogative), “What doth it profit?” What does this phrase mean? The word profit is derived from the Greek word o;feloj. This word has the idea of advantage, that which is advantageous. So in other words, James is asking, what is the advantage of someone who says that he has faith but does not have the works to demonstrate it? Now, it is very important to keep in mind in regard to this particular passage that the faith in view here is faith as it is seen by man. In contrast, the Apostle Paul is presenting faith as it is seen by God. God does not need the proof of works to verify our faith in Him because He can see our heart. Therefore, because man cannot see our heart, the only way in which our faith can be verified among other people is through the demonstration of it in our works. Mathew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” John 1:7-9 says, “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” The Light here refers to Jesus Christ. In the context we have John the Baptist who was sent to bear witness of the Light, Jesus Christ. When we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ by believing on him as John said have the Light dwelling within us. However, man cannot see that light in us unless we shine it before men as Christ spoke about on the Sermon on the Mount in Mathew 5:16. So coming back to James, he is saying what is the advantage to simply saying you have faith when you do not demonstrate that you have it by your works before man? The only way which man can know of your faith in Christ is through the works you do. We will develop this thought later on. So James asks, “What doth it profit?”

2.                  “Can faith save him?”

The second interrogative is also found in verse fourteen. James asks the question, “Can faith save him.” Now, this particular question is one that has created a lot of debate and controversy. This is where many people say that James is contradicting the apostle Paul. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul is speaking of justification by faith alone, but James is not speaking about that at all. James here is speaking of a completely different form of justification. What is the faith that is in view in this passage? James here is not talking about salvation from eternal damnation in hell but rather the preservation of physical life. Remember that James was written to believers so this matter of eternal life had already been settled for them. This idea of the preservation from physical death can be seen throughout the entire book of James. In James 1:15 we have the example of the progression of sin. It says “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” The exhortation here in this verse is as Hodge put it “physical death is the ultimate end of sinful conduct.”[3] This is a truth that is clearly laid out throughout Scripture. The book of Proverbs sheds quite a bit of this light. Proverbs 10:27 says “The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.” Proverbs 12:28 says, “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” In Proverbs 19:16 we read, “He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.” In James 1:21-22 we have the exhortation of being doers of the Word and not hearers only. The latter part of James 1:21 says that we should “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” Again, here, as it is in verse fourteen of chapter two, the word saved is referring to the preservation of physical life.  Hodges said, “In this light, the meaning of verse 21 is transparent: although sin can culminate in physical death, the Word of God, properly received, can preserve physical life.”[4] (Hodges 41-42)

3.                  “What is the advantage to simply telling someone in need to be warmed and fed without actually meeting their need?

            James explains in James 1:21-25 that the believer should not only be a casual hearer of the Word but a doer of the word. I believe that James picks that thought back up in 2:14-26. He does so by asking the third question in verses 15 and 16. The question is: what is the advantage to simply telling someone in need to be warmed and fed without actually meeting their need?  James gives a scenario here. There is a brother or sister that is poor and has need of clothing and food. A man tells them go in peace and be warmed and filled but doesn’t actually take the initiative to meet their need knowing that he had the means to do so. The very fact that he just wished them well did not meet their actual need. Again he asks the question, “What doeth it profit?” “What is the advantage of this?”

B.                 The Conclusion of the Matter

Having posed the three questions, James comes to the conclusion of the whole matter in verse 17. “Even so faith, if it hath not works is dead, being alone.” (Jas. 2:17) James says here that this faith without works is dead. In other words it is very weak, it is vain. This faith is not effective because it is alone. I think that we can draw an interesting parallel from James 1:26, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” Those who just give lip service to the fact that they have faith and don’t carry out that faith by their works has a vain faith. It is a dead faith, a faith that is very weak.

C.                 The Objection

James now presents a hypothetical situation of objection. He creates an imaginary character who voices an objection to what had previously been stated. This imaginary character is seen in verses 18 and 19, James’s sharp response to that is found in verse 20. Verse 18 says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou has faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Verse 19, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” This hypothetical character tries to make the previous truth that faith and works are closely connected an absurdity. Hodges summarizes it this way, “‘It is absurd,’ says the objector, ‘to see a close connection between faith and works. For the sake of argument, let’s say you have faith and I have works. Let’s start there. You can no more start with what you believe and show it to me in your works, than I can start with my works and demonstrate to you what it is that I believe’…The impossibility of showing one’s faith from one’s works is now demonstrated (so the objector thinks) by this illustration: ‘Men and demons both believe the same truth (that there is one God), but their faith does not produce the same response, Although this article of faith may move a human being to do well it never moves the demons to do well. All they can do is tremble. Faith and works, therefore have no built-in connection at all. The same creed may produce entirely different levels of conduct. Faith cannot be made visible in works.’”[5]

James moves on and gives his sharp rebuttal to this man in verse 20, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” Did you not understand, you foolish man, that faith without works is dead? James proceeds in the next few verses to show this hypothetical man the reason why faith without works is dead.  Having looked at the proof of faith and works James now gives us a pattern of faith and works by giving two Biblical examples.

II.                The Pattern of Faith and Works (vv. 21-25)

Continuing the sharp rebuttal of the imaginary man’s objection, James gives his first example of someone who was justified by works. So the first example James give is that of Abraham.

A.                Abraham

James continues by asking another pointed question to the hypothetical man. Verse 21, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the alter?” It is interesting to note that this was a trial in Abraham’s faith. We find this trial recorded for us in Genesis 22. Again we see this issue of trials coming up in the book of James. Abraham was facing the ultimate test of his faith when God told him to offer his only begotten son Isaac upon the alter for a sacrifice. Abraham, though the test was very difficult, passed the test. Now, this passage in Genesis is the record of his justification by works before man. At this point Abraham had already been saved. The declaration of Abraham’s justification by faith before God is found in Genesis 15. Genesis 15:6 says, “And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Abraham’s offer of Isaac was the justification of his works before man, not before God. I think Paul in Romans 4:2 makes it very clear. Remember that Paul’s focus was justification by faith alone before God. With that in mind notice verse 2 of chapter four of Romans: “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.”  The only justification that is valid before God is justification by faith alone. God doesn’t need our works to prove to him that we have faith because he can see our heart. But, because man cannot look on the heart, the only way he can know whether we have faith in God is if we demonstrate it in our works. This is exactly what Abraham did.

            Notice verse 22, “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” Notice the first two words, “seest thou.” The use of the pronoun here indicates to whom James is still speaking too. James here is still talking to the man mentioned in the previous verses, this hypothetical man. His faith was wrought with his works. The word wrought is a word that we don’t normally use in our vocabulary. In the original, the word wrought has the idea of working together or cooperating with. So we see that Abraham’s faith cooperated or worked together with his works. Notice also the words made perfect. In the original, these two words are actually one word, teleio,w this word had the idea of completion, accomplishment or maturity. So in other words Abraham’s faith worked together with his works and by this was his faith brought to completion or maturity. So we can see that Abraham’s faith was increased and matured by his works.

            In verse 23, James references Abraham’s justification by faith in Genesis 15, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”  Hodges said, “Abraham’s works filled this ancient text full of meaning, so to speak, by showing the extent to which the faith of Genesis 15:6 could develop and undergird a life of obedience. Simple and uncomplicated though it was at the first, Abraham’s justifying faith had potential ramifications which only his works, built on it, could disclose.”[6] He goes on to say and makes this verse very clear, he said, “When Abraham did act on his faith that faith was made fruitful in his superb obedience to God concerning Isaac. When his justifying faith was put to work, the implications of his original faith were wonderfully realized and Genesis 15:6 was in that way ‘fulfilled.’”[7] Because of this, Abraham was called a “friend of God.” What a complement! Not only was Abraham a friend of God himself but also of men. II Chronicles 20:7 says, “Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?” In Isaiah 41:8 God is speaking and he says, “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.” Abraham was God’s friend and other people knew it. Let’s bring this forward to us in 2012. What is it that God calls you?  Are you a friend of God? Do other people know you are a friend of God? Do you want to be called a friend of God? Notice what John 15:13-14 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.” Jesus Christ Himself, showed the ultimate love by giving his life for us. He says that we can be His friends if we do what He commands us to do. The declaration of God’s friendship with us is conditioned by the works that we do for him. Again, we are not speaking of salvation here. Are you a friend of God? Do other people know you to be a friend of God?

            In verse 24, James redirects his focus back to his readers, he says, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” Notice again the pronoun, ye. The text makes it very clear that James is now once again addressing his readers. James here concludes to his readers that there are two types of justification, justification by faith alone before God and justification by works before man. James is saying here that the justification by faith alone before God faith is not the only justification there is. One is justification by faith before God and the other is justification by works before man.

B.                 Rahab the Harlot

James continues by giving another example of someone who had justification by works before man. It is important to remember again here the theme which James is presenting is that of the saving of life. Go back to the question in verse 14, “Can faith save him.” Also look back at chapter 1 verse 21, “…receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls.” Notice also James 5:15 “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick.” We can see by the example that James gives here of Rahab that her physical life was saved because of her works. The story of Rahab the harlot is recorded for us in Joshua 2. Joshua in this chapter sends out two men as spy to take a survey of the land of Jericho. As they went they came across the home of a prostitute named Rahab and lodged there. Somehow word got to the king of Jericho that these two spies had come to search the city. The king sends word to Rahab to bring these spies to him. Rahab hides them and tells the pursuers that they had indeed come to her but she had no idea where they had gone. She takes them up to the roof of her house and hides them behind some stalks of flax. After the men’s pursuers went out of the city, Rahab sends Joshua’s men out of her window down the wall with a scarlet cord and sends them the opposite direction of the pursuers. Before she let them go she asks these men to promise her that they would save her family alive. Notice Rahab’s request in Joshua 2:12-13 “Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.” These men do promise to save her and later on in Joshua 6 with the fall of Jericho we see this carried out. Joshua 6:22-23 says, “But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman…v. 23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had…” Because of Rahab’s works she was saved. The justification of faith by works before men (ie. The nation of Israel) Rahab’s physical life was saved. Had she not put these spies up and helped them, I believe that she would have perished along with all those who did at the fall of Jericho. Rahab, being a harlot had at one time fallen into the pattern of sin that James discusses in chapter one. She was “drawn away of her own lusts and enticed.” Then the lust conceived and bore sin. Had she continued in this downward slope, the lust and sin would conceive and give birth to death and she could have very well perished at Jericho. But because of her acts of kindness to these men, her physical life was spared. Hebrews 11:31 speaks of her faith also by saying, “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” Rahab’s life was spared. Having looked at the proof of faith and works and the pattern of faith and works, illustrated by Abraham and Rahab the harlot, James brings this chapter to a conclusion and gives the Précis of faith and works.

III.             The Précis of Faith and Works (Verse 26)

James ultimately comes to his conclusion by summing everything up in verse 26. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James again gives an illustration here. The illustration is of a dead corpse. The word spirit in verse 26 in the original can be defined as “the vital principle by which the body is animated; the power by which a human being feels, thinks, wills, and decides.”[8] When we think of a loved one passing away our minds go to the funeral home where the deceased lies. We walk in to pay our respects to the loved ones of the dearly departed and we notice the person laying in a casket. We could approach that casket and try to talk to it. “So how about those Colts last night, man they played their hearts out.” Will he respond back and say, “Yea man, what a game!?” No, of course not, he is dead. Maybe you have an extra bottle of water with you and you try to offer him a drink of it, does he take it? No, he is dead. There is a humorous song that speaks of a man reflecting on his younger days of life when they would sit up at night with their dearly departed. He spoke of a custom that people would do years ago. In days of old there were not very many funeral homes, so they would set up the casket in their homes. The people would then stay the night before the funeral and be with the dearly departed throughout the remainder of the night. This man speaks of something that happened when he was young, when his elderly and extremely arthritic uncle passed away. He said that this man was so arthritic and hunched over that the morticians could not straighten him out. So they took a chain and tied him down and then placed over that a gown and did not tell anyone about it. That night as the people were there with the dearly departed, early in the wee hours of the morning a huge storm came up. There was a loud clash of lightening and a huge rumble of thunder. Well, the shock waves from the thunder caused the chain that was on the uncle to fall off and when it did the stiff body of the dearly departed sat up. Of course panic and pandemonium struck in the house and everybody tried their best to get out of there as quickly as they could. So while this man was reflecting on this event he said “I aint sittin’ up with the dead no more.” When asked why, he responded, “Because the dead started sittin’ up too.” Obviously this is not something that normally happens. James points out that without the revitalizing spirit of life the body cannot life, its dead.

            Now James gets to the point and says just as this body is dead without the spirit of life, so too is faith dead without works. Hodges put it this way, “Faith remains vital and alive as long as it is being translated into real works of living obedience.”[9]  It has been said that a living faith is a working faith. How is your faith? Is it a living faith or a dead faith?

Conclusion:

            I Corinthians 3:11-15 says, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” When death eventually comes to us and we stand before God in heaven, what will we have to show for Him? Will we have the precious metals and stones laid up for us? Or will we have everything burnt up before us realizing that it was of no value? How is your faith today? Oh sure, you know you are saved in God’s sight. You know that you have been justified by faith before God. You can go back to a specific date and time of which you were born again. But have you been justified by works before man? Do you have the manifestation of works to show others that justification by faith has taken place? How is your heart? Is there some sin in your life that is putting you in extreme danger? Has some lustful desire coupled with enticement conceived and given birth to sin in your life? Maybe you are dangling over the very cliff which with the next step you will plummet to your death. Let me encourage you to “receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your soul.” But remember dear believer, don’t just be a casual hearer of the word, be a doer of it. Get into God’s Word and get into God’s work. Don’t forget about Rahab. Had she not helped these men who came, she could have lost her life just a few days later. God saved her from the attack and fall of Jericho when she did these works for Him and His people. He did it for her and He can do it for you. What is the advantage of someone who says he has faith and does not have works? What are you doing for God? Is your faith a living faith or a dead faith? What doth it Profit?