James part 5

A Transformative Faith

I love superheroes. Even though the newest trend in comics and movies is somewhat…questionable, I have enjoyed stories of superheroes my whole life. I grew up in the age when Saturday morning was reserved for a bowl of cereal in front of the tv watching cartoons. I had to be up early for the really good shows. They were filled with colorful stories of heroic characters performing super-human feats. Now, many of you may dismiss this as boyhood fun, but I think it’s interesting that most of us never grow out of this phenomenon with superhero characters. They take new forms as we grow up, but the fact is most people are drawn to heroic characters. They remind us that we are capable of more than “the ordinary.” They call us to find strength to overcome the trials of life.

And they also connect us to the greater story of Creation, especially the idea of transformation. Consider that most characters begin as regular humans. Through some trauma, trial, or struggle, they become something greater. In the beginning Batman is a traumatized spoiled rich kid. Iron Man was the drunken philanderer wasting his genius. My personal favorite transformation story is SpiderMan who is just a smart kid, struggling with the trauma of high school who is bitten by a radioactive spider. Instead of getting cancer like everyone else who is subjected to high does of radiation, he takes on the abilities of a spider…minus the creepy eyes and extra legs. Even if these stories involve elements that couldn’t happen in real life, they point us to that deep desire and unconscious understanding that this world is not as it should be. We are not as we should be. But, if we can find the source of true power, then we can become something greater than ourselves. That longing, I believe, is embedded in the human heart by God. It is the last vestige of our former design before sin corrupted us. We can call it part of our conscience, but it is also that desire to return to life before the Fall.

This longing for transformation is fulfilled in and through Christ who calls us toward salvation. As we’ve been reading in James, we’re taking note how James describes salvation as a process, and that process is understood through wisdom. Those who are on the salvation journey are on a similar track to what has been called “the hero’s journey.”

Before we read the rest of chapter 2, I want to point out how this section is organized. James is continuing his thought from 2:8-10, but here we have a new illustration. In fact, it could be argued that 2:1-13 is really a setup for 2:14. But regardless how we decide to break it down, the point is still the same.

True faith is a transforming faith.

It is not enough to pay lip service to God when a person’s daily actions do not line up with their confessions. Before we go too much further, it may also be helpful to realize James is not saying anything new here. In the latter part of our passage today, he brings up a few Old Testament characters because this truth is the same before and after Christ.

Consider what Isaiah and Ezekiel had to say to Israel,

And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

Isaiah 29:13

And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.

Ezekiel 33:31

The prophets pulled no punches when it came time to correct the Israelites for their double-mindedness. Jesus would later say Isaiah spoke very well when quoting this very verse to the Pharisees. Mere intellectual ascent about God is not what He asks from us. Matters of faith, of Scripture, and of God are not just academic exercises or social rituals to maintain an orderly society. Matters of faith are for knowing our Creator and the reality of life. When we understand those things better, and then when we put them into practice, we find ourselves transformed into versions of ourselves that exceed the normal expectations of humanity.

We become super-human.

Matters of the Heart | James 2:14-17

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 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? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 2:14-17

Before we dig too deep into what we’ve read, go back and look at 2:8-9. We tend to isolate “showing partiality” to mean “rich vs. poor,” but if we look at chapter 2 as a whole, it is also connected to the idea of mercy. Keep in mind, the “assembly” mentioned in verse 2 is more akin to a judicial assembly than a church assembly. Partiality in our judgements is what is being discussed. If we look at it from this point of view, then when we get to whether or not we help someone with their daily food or clothing, then it is not so much about the charitable act as it is the judgement regarding who should get our charity.

When the topic of giving, especially to those in need, comes up, I am always fascinated that people tend to park in one of two camps. They either believe we should help anyone who asks, regardless the circumstance, or they believe we should only help those “willing to help themselves.” When we look at what the Bible says about giving, it’s pretty clear. “God loves a cheerful giver.”

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7

Every once in awhile, I am asked about tithing and the particulars of giving 10%. I don’t mind answering these questions, but I’ve noticed when someone hears the biblical answer, it tends to throw them off a bit. The answer to “How much should I give to my church?” is the same as the answer to “How much should I give to that person in need?” You should give what you have decided in your heart to give. However much God has laid on your heart, give that.

Faith, giving, and judgement are matters of the heart.

If your reaction to that is relief because you don’t want to give anything, then James has a pointed question for you, “Can that kind of faith save you?” Then, if you think “Well, I better give a lot so God will see me be generous and save me, then you should read Paul’s statement again—God loves a cheerful giver, not someone who gives under compulsion.

The question is where is your heart? Where are you showing partiality and evil judgment? I once heard a preacher say, “If someone shows me their checkbook, then I’ll show them where their heart is.” We invest in the things we want to invest in. It’s true for our money, our talents, and our time.

Our response to the needs in front of us shows where our heart is.

Look back again at 2:13. Earlier I mentioned “showing partiality” is linked to the trait of mercy. Mercy also informs our giving. If our response to someone in need is, “Well, they should have made better choices in life,” then we are not showing mercy. Now, as a teacher, I routinely talked to students about making better choices than their parents so they can excel beyond their parents. This statement isn’t an insult to their parents. Even the best of parents want their kids to do better. As parents we want our kids to learn from our mistakes early so they can move on to bigger things. They will make their own mistakes, sure, but the goal is to not repeat the same ones. Mercy is being willing to understand that this person did not learn the same lessons. For whatever reason, they missed something, and now they are struggling. Mercy is also willing to understand that sometimes it isn’t even the person’s fault at all. Something out of their control has brought them to the state they are in. Maybe we’ll never know why they are in the state they are in, but here’s the kicker…it doesn’t matter. Our willingness to show mercy is not contingent upon our understanding. It is contingent upon whether our heart is tuned to God.

A New Heart | James 2:18-26

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 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? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:18-26

Faith and works are tied together just as the condition of our heart will determine our willingness to show mercy, to give, and to treat all others as equally as we treat ourselves.

True faith is a transformed heart which is evidenced by godly desires and actions.

“Works” is a general word. The Greek is just as generalized as the English. It can point to those actions that we do out of ritual just as much as those actions we do out of conviction. James is attacking the notion of ritualized religion. We read from the Old Testament prophets who did the very same. These are the general populace who say things like, “I gave my offering. I sat in the pew. What more do you want?”

It reminds me of an episode of Home Improvement when Tim shares his view of church. His wife, Jill, was bugging him about falling asleep in church. He replied, “I showed up. I get credit for showing up. It’s extra credit if you stay awake.” It’s humorous because that pretty much sums up most people’s attitude when it comes to church.

James says going through the rituals is good. Verse 19 alludes to the Jewish Shema, “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is God, the LORD is one.” Shema Y’Israel, Adonai Elehenu, Adonai ekhad. It is good to believe the Lord is one. But, even the demons know this to be true! Mental ascent to the truths of God cannot be enough, because even the demons are well aware of Who God is. Surely, no one would make the argument they are right with God. And yet, many people will spend their lives against God and His plan, but then believe they are ok because they recognize a Supreme Being.

Someone might say, “Well, at least I’m not an atheist,” but I would say at least the atheist is honest about their heart’s belief.

James then gives us two examples of faith in action—Abraham and Rahab. Pop question: what do these two characters have in common…besides being in the Old Testament?

These are two characters whose life before their experience with God was devoid of the Torah. Abraham was called out of his pagan lands. He did not have the benefit of the Law. In fact, it would be several centuries before Moses brought down the Law from Mt. Sinai. Rahab was also called out of a pagan land. She was responding to the revelation that these Israelites served the One True God who led His people out of slavery and into conquest of their Promised Land. Likewise, both of these characters did not just recognize the reality of God, they acted upon that revelation. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, just as he would have done in his old land, but instead of God allowing this sacrifice, He provided a substitute. Rahab was willing to leave everything familiar—and leave it to destruction—in order to join with the family and nation of God. They left their old ways behind in order to take on new identities and new families under their new God.

James uses these examples on purpose, because it reminds us what it means to be saved—to be truly saved.

True faith requires leaving the old ways of our past behind in order to take on a new identity in Christ.

Last, James gives a simple illustration. How do we know when the spirit has left a body? The body is dead. It has no life, no breath, no brainwaves, nothing. A faith that has no works is just as dead.

How can you know you are truly saved? Take an honest look at your heart. Do you desire God? Do you desire His presence? Do you desire His ways, His attitude, His heart? The question is not “Are you perfect?” Because no one is perfect. Even David, who is called “a man after God’s own heart,” was nowhere near perfect. The real test of salvation is whether your desire is to please God. If it is, then the best advice I have for you today is to feed that desire. It will point you in the way you should go, and it will help you know the works God is calling you to—whether those works are in giving, in showing mercy, or in treating others as you would want to be treated.

But, if in your heart you know that your desire not so much about pleasing God as it is pleasing yourself and avoiding punishment, then you should be aware that is not true faith. The demons do these kinds of things. Sure, you may put on a good show for people, but God always looks at the heart.

I’d like us to end today praying through a particular Scripture.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalm 139:23-24

Lord, help us to know our hearts as you know our hearts. Cleanse us of our grievous ways and lead us in the way of everlasting.