Has my faith saved me, producing works?
Yesterday
We all took a stab at v14 on our own.
How did you do?
I am so proud of you for making the effort.
Be patient as God is going to open up a whole new world of understanding to you as you grow in discovering Truth for yourself.
Today
Let’s go in and unfold v14 together.
Know: God is not a God of confusion (1Co 14:33), and He never contradicts Scripture.
Open GODcha to the Book of James.
NOTE:
If you don’t have GODcha Get It >
Or, you can use your hardbound Bibles and follow along.
You can print off this post and put in a Notebook!
Let’s Pray
O Lord, we praise You for giving us Your Word, knowing that it is razor sharp, showing us our hearts. I pray we will hear Your Word to us, letting it reprove and correct us if necessary. Reprogram our minds, renew them as we receive Your instruction and teaching, (Heb 4:12); (2Ti 3:16); (Rom 12:2).
LOOK at What God Says
Let’s pick up where we left off yesterday.
Let GODcha point the way.
Where shall we begin?
READ God’s Word
Read James 2:14-20, asking the 5W’s and H.
What are we going to concentrate on?
Now, read James 2:14 and concentrate.
THINK and REASON the points James is trying to get across.
Unlock the Meaning 
Let’s unlock ‘says’, ‘faith’, and ‘works’ that are 
Key to the text?
Understand God’s Words
Check Out the Meaning
Dictionary Tutorial >Says, légō; (3) In affirmations meaning to affirm, maintain, e.g., with the words or proposition uttered (Mark 14:31; Gal. 4:1; 1 John 2:4). Followed by the acc. and inf. (Matt. 22:23; Luke 24:23). With the acc. implied (James 2:14; 1 John 2:6, 9).
Faith, pístis, firm persuasion, moral conviction, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation.
Do you remember what you learned about ‘faith’?
Trials: Test Our Faith Part 3 >
Faith is:
Conviction,
Commitment and a
Conduct
Remember: True faith not only believes, it behaves!
Remember: Faith is more than an intellectual assent!
Works, érgon, an act:—deed, doing, labour, work. Works of faith, meaning springing from faith. In James, however, érga generally denotes acts in which the man proves his genuineness and his faith (James 2:14). Faith is proven by its works (James 2:22, 25).
Do you see: The Conduct, in the definition of ‘faith’, is the ‘works’ that James is talking about?
NOTE: Grammar for ‘says‘ and ‘has’ are in the present tense, meaning this man’s life is marked by the continuous ‘saying‘ he has ‘faith’, but he never ‘has’ ‘works’ to prove it.
TIP: Remember to take the meanings back to the text.
v14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone (continuously) says [affirms in words] he has faith [a belief that behaves]
but
he (continuously) has no works [works, deeds, that prove his faith]? Can that faith [without works] save him?
Truth Explains Truth About 
Faith and Works
CR-Cross References-Word Search Tutorial >
Hear God Speak!
Remember don’t hurry.
Our goal is to engage with the LIVING God, hear Him, and be set free!
LISTEN to God speak and consider how you will LIVE it out!
Let’s scope out some of the Cross References.
Let’s see how ‘faith’ and ‘works’ relate to salvation!
THINK and REASON, asking the 5W’s and H.
Let’s Zoom in on True Faith.
1. How does Hebrews tell us flesh approaches God?
Faith alone pleases God.
He who comes to God must believe that He is who He says He is.
The Result: And God rewards those who seek Him. (Heb 11:6)
Understand: God didn’t say let’s make a deal. He said this is the deal!
LISTEN…
How do I come to God?
Do I try to approach God according to my terms?
Or, His?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
2. How does Paul say one is saved?
Paul said, man is ‘saved’ by grace through faith. It’s a gift of God, not a result of works (Why?) that no one would boast. (Eph 2:8-10); (Rom 11:6); (2Ti 1:9)
We see: We are NOT saved by works!
We see: We are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone!
LISTEN…
What am I trusting in?
Am I trusting in my works? Why?
When was I saved by grace through faith?
Respond to God. . .LIVE it out!
3. What happens ‘when’ a man is ‘saved’ by faith?
a. Paul said, Those saved by faith:
walk by faith;
are new creatures in Christ;
the old has passed away. (2Co 5:7; 5:17)
b. Paul said, Those saved by faith:
walk in newness of life, according to the Spirit. (Rom 6:4; 8:4)
c. The righteous live by faith. (Heb 10:38)
We see:
When salvation comes,
we are made new,
the old has passed away.
We are new creatures.
We see: The living God comes to dwell within us by His Spirit (we saw this back when LOOKING at how we fulfill the Royal Law).
We see: We walk in newness of life and live by faith.
UNDERSTAND: True faith brings us into a living relationship with the living God whereby we can never ever be the same!
LISTEN…
How am I new and different? How is God daily changing me?
Respond to God. . . LIVE it out!
4. Whatever is not from faith is what?
Whatever is NOT from faith is sin. (Rom 14:23)
5. What did Paul call us to do?
We are to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. (2Co 13:5)
Understand: this is not about growing up in a Christian home, or a time in the past when you:
raised your hand,
said a prayer,
walked an aisle,
got baptized or confirmed,
signed a card. . .
We examine ourselves by looking at our lives right now!
LISTEN…
Am I willing?
What does my life reveal about what I deeply believe about who Jesus is and what He has done for me?
Would others say there is evidence of God doing a work in my life, or do I pretty much look like everyone else?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
Let’s Focus on Works
What do you learn about our ‘works’?
1. We are NOT saved by works that anyone can boast,
but
we were created for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Eph 2:8-10)
We see: Works is the result of salvation.
2. God is at work in us, to accomplish His will and desires (the works prepared beforehand). (Phil 2:13)
Understand: The path has been laid out before us, with works prepared beforehand.
3. According to (2Co 9:8), the context is about giving of our resources.
God makes all grace abound – as we give generously, God graciously replenishes; having all sufficiency – supplying everything we need; for an abundance for every good deed.
Understand: God gives all we need for every good work, deed, we desire to do.
LISTEN…
What works are being produced in my life that I am walking in?
How have I experienced God’s gracious replenishment to give and do for Him from my heart?
Respond to God…LIVE it out!
What Have We LEARNED
Sum It Up!
We LEARN:
Faith is:
Conviction,
Commitment, and
a Conduct that gives evidence to that Conviction and Commitment.
It is impossible to please God apart from such faith.
Salvation comes only by grace through faith…it is NOT by works.
We LEARN:
When saved:
we are new creatures, a change takes place.
we walk by faith, in newness of life.
we are made righteous and live by faith.
Whatever is NOT of faith is sin.
We must examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith.
We LEARN:
Works are deeds that spring forth from faith, that prove our faith.
We were created in Christ for good works,
God prepared these good works beforehand so that we would walk in them.
God works in us to carry out His will and pleasure.
God graciously provides for everything needed for every good deed.
Understand: There is a Faith that does NOT work!
Because it CANNOT save! It has NO works!
Understand: True Faith does work!
True Faith, NOT works, saves a person.
We See: True Faith, NOT Works, saves —
Making one a new creature, and the Spirit within produces these good works.
Let’s Call It A Day!
We just took a small bite of spiritual food today.
Digest it, and let it nourish your soul.
Reflect, meditate on what God has shown you, (Psalm 119:15).
What stirred your heart?
Has God corrected your thinking?
Don’t Forget To Note Your Findings
Oh, you will want these critical Truths about faith and works in your in your Notes.
Video Tutorial> Notes Tutorial >
You can return and recite, review, and reflect on them regularly enabling you to memorize the information stored in them longterm!
You will be so glad you did!
Let’s Turn What We Have LEARNED Into Prayer
Perhaps. . .
FATHER GOD, I thank you for Your clear Word to us thus far about faith and works. Oh Father, do a work in all our hearts to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Oh LORD, there may be some who are with us who have been trusting in their works for salvation, as I once did. May Your Word cut through the lies we have believed. Oh, if we are trusting in a prayer, walking the isle, a confirmation, a baptism, our believing parents, or even a heritage, open our eyes! Help us all to understand that we are not saved by our works, but we are saved by grace through faith. Having a firm conviction of who You and Jesus are, convinced we are sinners in desperate need of a Savior. As a result of that conviction we have totally surrendered to You, committed our lives to You! Thus, there is a conduct that gives evidence to our conviction and commitment. And it is all of You! May we realize as we walk by faith and live by faith, there are works springing forth from our faith, that prove our faith! Works that You prepared beforehand that we would walk in. Thank you HEAVENLY FATHER that you work in us and provide an abundance of grace for every good deed!
You are doing fantastic! Keep pressing on!
GODchats posts 3 to 4x a week to give you time to sit at the feet of Jesus and not be rushed.
Please know that God established a pattern for mankind, and that pattern is that we work six days and then we have one day when we set it aside to rest, and replenish our body, and focus on worshiping God. Rest tomorrow and worship God!
In a couple of days we will continue to LOOK at some critical James 2:14-17.
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