January 28, 2024 – Are You Responding to God by Faith?
James 2:14-17
Sermon: 2052 How to Be Strong in the Faith
Pray Over This
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 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? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
James 2:14-17
Ponder This
You are not saved by faith and works, but you are saved by faith that works. You are justified by faith alone, but the faith that justifies is never alone; it always has works. If your religion hasn’t changed your life, you’d better change your religion. When God does something in your heart and in your life, it will be seen. If you say, “Well, I’m trusting Him but I’m not going to make it known. I’m not going take any stand,” then you’re not really trusting Him.
Faith without works is dead. Walking down the aisle won’t save anybody, but what it indicates will save everybody. Jesus said, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38). You see, faith responds to the guidance of God. Faith is acting on what we know to be true. We faithfully obey. If you have Paul’s faith, you’ll have James’ works—they simply go together.
- What are some works that come because of faith?
- When have you struggled to live by faith? What makes this difficult?
Practice This
Read Genesis 22 and observe the ways Abraham displayed his faith through his works. Pray for God to grow your faith.
For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.
You can also listen to Adrian Rogers at OnePlace.com.