HOW A HEALTHY FAITH ENGAGES LIFE (13 OF 14)
Scripture: James 5:7-11
This content is part of a series.
How a Healthy Faith Engages Life (13 of 14)
Series: James
Robert Dawson
James 5:7-11
Sometimes when we are communicating with other people it is important to define our terms clearly because words can mean different things depending on how they are used the context in which they are used and how the person we are communicating with understands them.
This is especially true in religious and theological circles especially in dealing with people of other faith systems. We use the same terms many times but define them differently. What you think about heaven is vastly different from what a Mormon thinks about heaven. How you define salvation is different from how a JW defines salvation. What we think about Jesus Christ is different from what people of other faiths or even of no faith think about Jesus.
Even in our evangelical circles - in our Baptist churches - we must be careful to define what we mean when using certain terms. James' letter may be little but it has a big message. In many ways, from beginning to end, James' letter is an expanded definition of a word we throw around too lightly and fail to take seriously - the word faith - especially in relation to salvation.
James tells us that not all faiths are equal. Saving faith does not simply believe facts about the gospel message on an intellectual or rational level. That is part but it is not all.
- The faith that saves is a faith accompanied by works. It is a faith that evidences itself in our actions and attitudes toward God, ourselves and others.
- If there are no evidences of faith in your life the Word of God says your faith is not alive but dead. If there are no evidences of faith then your profession of faith is empty.
- Salvation is not by works. It is by grace through faith. Works is not the basis of our salvation but it is the necessary result of salvation.
As we come to the close of this letter James is still pressing us hard to examine our faith and see if it is dead or a ...
Series: James
Robert Dawson
James 5:7-11
Sometimes when we are communicating with other people it is important to define our terms clearly because words can mean different things depending on how they are used the context in which they are used and how the person we are communicating with understands them.
This is especially true in religious and theological circles especially in dealing with people of other faith systems. We use the same terms many times but define them differently. What you think about heaven is vastly different from what a Mormon thinks about heaven. How you define salvation is different from how a JW defines salvation. What we think about Jesus Christ is different from what people of other faiths or even of no faith think about Jesus.
Even in our evangelical circles - in our Baptist churches - we must be careful to define what we mean when using certain terms. James' letter may be little but it has a big message. In many ways, from beginning to end, James' letter is an expanded definition of a word we throw around too lightly and fail to take seriously - the word faith - especially in relation to salvation.
James tells us that not all faiths are equal. Saving faith does not simply believe facts about the gospel message on an intellectual or rational level. That is part but it is not all.
- The faith that saves is a faith accompanied by works. It is a faith that evidences itself in our actions and attitudes toward God, ourselves and others.
- If there are no evidences of faith in your life the Word of God says your faith is not alive but dead. If there are no evidences of faith then your profession of faith is empty.
- Salvation is not by works. It is by grace through faith. Works is not the basis of our salvation but it is the necessary result of salvation.
As we come to the close of this letter James is still pressing us hard to examine our faith and see if it is dead or a ...
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