Line Upon Line – The Shocking Truth

FAITH WITHOUT ACTIONS CANNOT BE CALLED REAL FAITH

The Apostle James is clear and straight forward in declaring that a believer must look to God thru His laws, and act accordingly. A true believer must not only listen to God but act. A person's actions reveal what he really believes.

James 1:21-22 NKJV 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James bluntly declares that if one listens to God's Word and is only a hearer and not a doer that person is deceiving himself. He has false faith, period ! The

Apostle gives a clear example of just how that deceived person is behaving.

1:23-24 NKJV 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

If a believer looks at the high, accurate standards of God's laws and sees his own face all smeared with mud, and does not clean up, he is really living in self deception. Further James, describes what each believer should do in light of the truth revealed by the Laws of God.,

James 1:25-26 NKJV 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.

It is normal for human nature to live in self deception. Everyone wishes to believe that they are right- often no matter how awful their behavior. Self deception is part of the human condition that God is teaching us to overcome.

Jeremiah 17:9 NKJV 9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Proverbs 16:2 NKJV 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits.

Proverbs 16:25 NKJV 25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

James is very clear that we cannot and should not live based on our human standards, but must look to the Laws of God.

LAW AND GRACE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THIS WORLDLY AGE

Christians are saved by grace and no one is good enough to earn salvation. When a new believer is baptized and repents, what is he or she repenting of, isn't it dead works as defined by God's Laws? This is a basic doctrine, note:

Hebrews 6:1 NKJV 1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

After one is saved by grace we are required to repent of sinning which is the breaking of the law. We are not saved by our obedience; only Christ can save us by His sacrifice but we are then expected to repent and obey God.

Romans 3:31 NKJV 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Romans 6:1-2 NKJV 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

If there is no law defining sin then one cannot sin, therefore faith establishes the law. One is acknowledging that God is right and we are wrong.

TRUE LIVING DYNAMIC FAITH MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY DEEDS

James makes the need for Christian deeds crystal clear both of charity and obedience.

James 2:14-17 NKJV 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

The last six of the Ten Commandments guides us into how to show love for our fellow man. He further uses the example of Abraham who demonstrated how painful it was for God the Father to sacrifice His own Son by his actions.

James 2:23-24 NKJV 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

James goes beyond any doubt in regard to law and grace and states :

James 2:26 NKJV 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

The Apostle gives additional advice in regards to good deeds and resisting the many pressures of this age to live in sin. He says when we need extra help resisting sins and obeying God , ask for it and move closer to God and further from the sinful world.

James 4:6-9 NKJV 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners;..purify your hearts, you double-minded...

We must demonstrate what we believe in by our deeds or our faith is dead.

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED PROGRAM

Episode 549: Defining True Faith in Christ: The Epistle of the Apostle James

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