FRIDAY, April 4th, 2008

James 2:10-26

ATTENTION SUNCOAST TEENAGERS! WE ARE HAVING A GREAT TIME IN JACKSONVILLE! YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO WWW.TBC.ORG AND WATCH THE LIVE VIDEO FEED TONIGHT AT 7:30 PM. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE YOUTH CONFERENCE SERVICE WITH THE REST OF US.

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

What a powerful punch of a passage! This passage has quite a bit of information but the key idea is that If I trust in Christ then my faith will automatically have works. Remember how we always talk about it in youth group? I think we say: "If you believe something then your ACTIONS will prove it. " Remember the $20.00 Bill illustration?
This passage makes it clear that Faith without works is dead.
This idea is kind of controversial because many people including me believe that faith is the only requirement for salvation. However, several people try to justify their sin by saying that "Salvation is by faith, not by works."
YEs, it is, but Salvation will ALWAYS bring good works. If we are saved then we WILL see a difference in our life. Is there a difference in yours?