Bible Study Notes (02/08/22) James 2:14-26 Part 3 "Faith Without Works"

James – Gospel Motivated Love
Faith Without Works
Passage: James 2:14-26

Review from Sunday:

Pietism is focused on self-improvement by the individual effort of the Christian. The priority of the Christian life is not only to the daily confirmation of our salvation by self-examination but creating systems to bring about personal life change. In comparison, piety is to obey out of gratitude for what we have received from Christ for the benefit of our brothers and sisters. Obedience is never seen as a means of gaining or maintaining our relationship with God but always on the basis of gratitude.

Col. 2:6 ¶ Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
Col. 2:7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

How did we receive Christ? By faith through grace alone. We are to continue to walk each day trusting in the sufficiency of Christ to save us, not our own discipline or efforts. In response to receiving this great gift, what are we called to do?

James 2:12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

Those who walk by faith in the way they received it understand there is no need to selfishly attend to their own needs and desires because Christ is our final and full satisfaction here in this life and in our new home on the new earth. So as James wrote, we walk and speak to others as one who is no longer living under judgment but in freedom.

James 2:1 ¶ My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.

We can’t hold to our own desires of fulfillment and hold to Christ at the same time. James 2:14-26 describes the kind of faith that is attempting to apply what they have received in Christ as if Christ hasn’t provided for all their needs. This is why they were hosing partiality; they were still focused on their own desires instead of what they had received in Christ.

QUESTION: Do you ever find yourself struggling with pietism? Attempting to prove or maintain your relationship with God based upon your own works?

QUESTION: Why do you think pietism destroys unity within a local church?

QUESTION: Why is it so hard to trust that Christ will transform us into His image by faith alone?

Life is hard. That might be the understatement of the year. When you hear that the call of the NT is for us to lay our life down for the sake of others, this can seem almost impossible. I am messed up. I can hardly keep myself afloat, and now I need to take someone else on? It will sink me! This is what pietism creates. Our entire lives become self-focused. We truly believe if we simply work harder to do more, our lives will get better, and our problems will go away.

We end up walking away from the very help God designed for our spiritual health and joy. That which we think will sap our time and energy is designed to replenish and strengthen us. This is why James uses such harsh language for those who reject the call of the believer:

James 2:14 ¶ What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

We attempt to find rest and hope in the systems of the world, but they only drag us into deeper despair. These activities are not even sinful in themselves, but if we attempt to use them to satisfy the longing of our soul, we will be trapped.

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
John 15:12 ¶ “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

What is great about this promise from Jesus? What keeps us from loving someone? Nothing! Therefore, what can keep us from having the full joy of Christ? Anything that we replace our love with. If we care less about what the world thinks of us and more about how to love those whom God has put in our family at church, we will never run out of opportunities for love. An abundance of opportunity to love means our joy in Christ can be endless.

QUESTION: Why is it so hard to accept that loving others will bring the joy of Christ?

QUESTION: What are you willing to confess that gets in your way of loving others as Christ has loved us?

QUESTION: How does the truth of the gospel set us free to love others without fear of failure?


PRAISE, PRAYER, AND CONFESSION:
•What can you offer to the Father in praise?
•What is a sin you need to confess?
•What is a burden we can carry?
•What can we take to our Father in prayer?