Lesson 11: Trusting a God We Can’t See (part 3)

Read: James 2:14-26 - www.bible.com/bible/59/jam.2.esv

What does real faith look like? We find the answer in James 2:14-26 - What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.


True faith is action. You might say the group I described in the previous lessons is a group of action. They may be putting something into action, but they are acting on their own behalf and not on behalf of the kingdom of God. Look at the difference in these verses of the action taken by faith. There is someone else who needs something and true faith provides it. There is a father who actually began to sacrifice his own son in response to God's command. There is a woman who betrayed her own country because her faith had let her see truth as resident in the other side. Neither Abraham nor Rahab took actions “in their best interest.” They could not possibly have seen how they would profit by their actions, and yet they obeyed God because their faith was in God and they knew He would take care of the consequences. But even the consequences are not important when faith in God is in action. Look at the example of Daniel's friends who were faced with the possibility of being burned alive for disobeying the king (Daniel 3). By faith these young man knew God could deliver them from whatever the king had in mind. However, they did not presume on the grace of God and demand their deliverance, they allowed God to work according to His plan. They were perfectly satisfied with God's decision even if it meant their deaths. Their ultimate agenda was God's kingdom and God's glory, they didn't care a bit what happened to them.

*How have you stepped out in faith with God without caring what would happen to you personally?