Pastures Community Church9th June 2013

Is My Faith Alive or Dead?

James 2 v 14-26

Five questions to look at

1. Who was James speaking to ?2. What is faith ?3. What does “dead faith” look like ?4. What does living faith look like ?5. Is your faith alive or dead ?

1. Who was James speaking to ?

Many believers were from a Jewish background

They were being told that they were free from the written law

Perhaps they were using this as an excuse to refrain from “good works”

2. What is faith ?

Hebrews 11 v 1 Now faith is confidence in what

we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews 11 v 6Without faith it is impossible to please God

1 Peter 1 v 8-9 Though you have not seen him (Jesus), you love him; and even though you do

not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and

glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of

your souls.

3. What does “dead faith” look like ?

It does not come from God

It does not change the person from within

It will quickly fail if put to the test

Acts 8 v 9-24

Matthew 13 v 20-21 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the

word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last

only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the

word, they quickly fall away.

4. What does living faith look like ?

Ephesians 2 v 8For it is by grace you have been saved,

through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God

Romans 10 v 17Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the

word about Christ.

John 14 v 1Jesus said “You believe in God; believe

also in me”.

Matthew 25 v 34-40

1 Peter 1 v 6-7In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for

a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come

so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in

praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.

5. Is your faith alive or dead ?

James 2 v 26As the body without the spirit is dead,

so faith without deeds is dead.

Not all “faith” is alive

Real faith will change our actions, it leads to obedience to God’s word

It will give us a love for Jesus that cannot be shaken by the world

Have you got this kind of faith ?

If not, ask God to give living faith to you tonight