This morning, by the grace of God, we are looking at how faith without works is dead.It is a common thing for us to say, “I have faith.” We know that without faith, it is impossible to please God, that without faith we cannot do anything, and that with faith we can move mountains.
However, I want to let you know that no matter how gigantic you think your faith is, if it is not commensurate with works, that faith is completely dead. Faith is like an anatomy, nobody can see it.
What proves you have faith is your works. If I tell you I have the gift of faith, how do I prove it to you? How do you know? You can only know I have faith by my deeds and by what I do.
This connects to what our sister was saying about humbling ourselves, praying, and forsaking our evil ways so that God will hear us from heaven. Nigerians are praying very well; the churches in Nigeria are praying. The question now is: have we forsaken our evil ways? No matter how much faith you have for a change, if you have not turned away from your wickedness, God will not hear.
The only thing that qualifies God to hear our prayer is when we turn away from our wickedness.Today, wickedness is deeply serious, even sitting right on the altar in the house of God.
There is deception, hypocrisy, lying, and every form of pride. Anything you can call wickedness has almost doubled today on the altar of God. How can God hear us when we say we are praying by faith, yet we have not forsaken our evil ways and evil thoughts?
Let us look at our Bible reading for this morning, where we will dwell majorly today: James chapter 2, starting from verse 14.What does it profit, my brethren? What do we gain, my brothers and sisters, if we say we have faith but do not have works? Can faith alone save us?
We can name our church the “Living Faith Foundation,” but can that faith save us when we have no works?If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things they need for the body, what does it profit? What kind of faith is that?
For instance, a brother was hungry and went to another brother’s office. They had known each other for a long time. The second brother said, “You came at a very wrong time. I am very sorry, but I don’t have anything on me right now. There is nothing. Sorry, sir.” Then he prayed, “The Lord will meet you at the point of your need”
He reached into his drawer and brought out a tattered fifty naira note that even a bus conductor might not accept. He said, “Please, sir, this is just all I have.” The brother looked at it and thought, But brother, you are a big man. What can this do? Instead of looking at it and saying thank you, he just watched.
The office owner then followed him out to walk him to the door. In the process, a bundle of cash fell right out of his breast pocket. God is truly wonderful. As he bent down to collect the money, the bundle of cash was exposed. He was looking at the money like a snake caught in the act.Amen.
The church is supposed to be a place where we bear one another’s burdens. But is that true today? We are claiming faith, yet when a destitute person comes to you saying, “Brother, sister, this is my condition,” some of you will just laugh.
You might say, “Let me cast out poverty from you,” or “You don’t know how to work.” If you don’t do anything to help, your faith means nothing to God.This brings us to the next verse, verse 17: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” That is where our topic this morning comes from. Faith without works—faith alone—is completely dead.
The scripture continues: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.”As I mentioned earlier, faith is an unseen, abstract thing.
You cannot see it. Furthermore, you can never truly have faith in someone you do not know. The number one thing you need is to know the God in whom you place your faith.
You must know this God because without faith, it is impossible to please Him.We have seen many people who claim to have strong faith, but they have no works to prove it. On the other hand, there are people whose works make you say, “Ah, this is truly a work of faith!”
For instance, consider our beloved father Abraham. God told him to sacrifice his only son. Who could easily do that? Yet, he did not question God. He took the boy by faith, knowing that God was able to bring him back to life again.
That was a true work of faith.My brethren, the work of faith does not end in just speaking the talk. Let us be careful in our present-day church because empty talk has replaced so many things in the Body of Christ.
We claim we are born again simply because we speak in tongues, but where is the accompanying power and the faith that follows?
Consider a missionary couple who went to a village where the people refused to hear the gospel of Jesus. They were newly married. The villagers told them, “You cannot preach the gospel here, or else you will not leave this place alive.”
They added, “If you know your God is powerful, pass through this shrine. If you come out alive, we will know your God is strong.” The husband began to feel afraid, but his wife looked at him and said, “Jesus said ‘Go ye,’ He did not say ‘Come ye.'” That is faith! The man agreed, saying, “That is true.
He said go, not come.” They entered, scattered the shrine, did their work, and spoke to their God. Nothing harmed them. When they came out, all the native priests bowed down and gave their lives to Christ.
Faith works! Today, some of us say it is more profitable to run away so we can live to preach another day. We just speak in tongues repeatedly and leave the place without doing anything meaningful.Let us look at the next verse.
Verse 19 says: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” But foolish men do not know that faith without works is dead. Even the devil believes there is a God.
The Book of Job declares that when the sons of God gathered together, the devil also appeared. He knows God exists. Believing is good, but where is the faith to prove that the God you believe in is real?
Do not be carried away by the winds of doctrine we hear today. Someone recently claimed that the devil does not fear prayers, and that the only thing the devil fears in the modern church is wealth. Since when did we start believing that the devil does not fear prayer?
They say the only thing the devil fears in our church is wealth. But you have forgotten when Christ was talking to the church in Laodicea.
He said, “You think you are rich and have need of nothing, but you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” It is by faith—the works of your faith. How many of us have trusted God and made vows, and God answered the prayer?
Do we still remember that it was God who did it? Even if we have prayed and it looks difficult, do you still have faith? The Bible says that after you have done all—after you have prayed and fasted—stand.
Do everything to stand firm in your faith. Hallelujah.Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
You see how faith worked together with his works, and by works, faith was made perfect. The scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Thank you, sir.
When your breath ceases, they say a man is dead. So when you think you have faith but there are no works, it is like a body lying there without the breath of life in it. That faith is dead.
How can you resonate with this? Understand today that as crucial as faith is, the engine that runs it is what you do with that faith. Hallelujah. Amen.
Your belief in God will be shown and proved by the level of active faith you exhibit. That is what really proves if you have faith in God. Your help and your love toward the brethren also prove your works and show that you have faith in God.
As we read earlier, someone came and said, “I am destitute,” and the other person just said, “Go, God will bless you.” It is good to say that, but active love and good works are what prove your faith. When we render help to one another, we should do so without holding back.
Claiming to believe without doing good deeds means your faith is worthless. Without good works, your belief is useless. Our faith will not be useless, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
Let us look at the book of Romans chapter 15, verse 13: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” May He fill us with good works so that we may abound in the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is not inside us only so we can speak in tongues. No. The Holy Spirit is in you so that you will be able to prove the works He is doing in your life through faith. Amen.
You must understand that our faith comes from God and not from within ourselves.
It comes from God, and it is God who helps you to do good works.We read about the woman who went to the unjust judge.
She persisted because she believed by faith that he would avenge her. She continued going to him until the man finally said, “This woman will wear me out. Madam, what do you need?” That is faith.
Consider also the woman who came to Jesus saying, “My daughter is severely possessed. Please come and help me.” She kept following them, and though the disciples tried to stop her, they could not. They went to Jesus and said, “Lord, please send this woman away, for she is crying out after us.”
Jesus turned and said, “Madam, I am sorry, but I was not sent to you. I cannot take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She replied, “That is true, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”
Do not forget that the crumbs falling from the bread contain the exact same nutrients as the whole loaf. Jesus looked at her and said, “I have never seen this kind of faith among my own people. Go.” That was a work of faith that produced results.
How many people today could handle being insulted like that?I remember a woman who gave a testimony during a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) program. She had been trusting God for a child and kept going to her pastor for prayers.
It got to a point where the pastor became so tired of seeing her that he would dodge her whenever she approached. He was no longer ready to attend to her. So, she turned her face to God and said, “God, I remove my faith from man.
You are the God who created me, and You did not tell me I would be buried childless.” To the surprise of the man of God who used to run away from her, she returned not long after to share her testimony while carrying her baby. That is faith.
How much of the works of faith do we actually do? Let us not be like the people who were praying for Peter in the Book of Acts. While they were praying, God released Peter from prison.
Yet, when he stood at the door, they did not believe that the very thing they were praying for had actually come to pass.The promises of God are revealed when we show forth our faith through good works.
Do not be carried away. Romans chapter 12, verse 3 says, as I prepare to round up right now: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” If you are blessed, my brother, it is strictly by grace.
What do you have that God has not given to you? Spending time in prayer is incredibly important—whether fasting for 7 days, 14 days, or 21 days.
But what is the commensurate work that follows that long period of prayer and fasting at the end of it?When I was in Benin, I was traveling to Onitsha by bus. There was a young lady on board who was praising God. Usually, someone will lead prayers or choruses on the journey.
She was praising God so powerfully that the whole bus felt electrified. Everyone joined in. I assumed we were all going for a crusade, and I was actually planning to get her contact information so I could invite her to minister at a program in my church.
However, when we arrived at the toll gate near the Niger Bridge, all the local vendors rushed the bus selling okpa, akara, and other snacks.
This sister was sitting right by the window. One of the hawkers accidentally brushed against her while trying to sell his hot goods.
Immediately, this same sister started swearing at the boy, invoking local idols and all kinds of curses upon him. I was shocked. I leaned back and looked at her. Wow.
The devil just wanted to test her, and she immediately revealed her true character. Where are your works as a child of God to prove that you indeed have faith? Where is it? Faith alone cannot save you.
Works alone cannot save you. These two must be combined together before you can be saved. Hallelujah. As I round up, your faith cannot save you alone.
Like I said, as a child of God, there is no real faith without the true God. Other people may have faith in different things, but for you as a child of God, your faith must be anchored on Jehovah God Almighty.
Prayer:
Shall we rise on our feet this morning? I want us to pray for ourselves: “Lord, give me a commensurate work that will prove my faith in You, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Give me a commensurate work, oh God, that can prove my faith. Let me not boast of faith without works.
Help me, oh Lord, to take the right steps by faith in the right direction. Help me, oh God, to do good to my brethren by faith, because that is what proves my works.
Help me to give into the Kingdom of God as a work of faith.
Help me to pray right, and let me not pray wrongly, in the name of Jesus.” Father, we give You praise.
The voice of man has ceased. Holy Spirit, we ask that You continue from where we stopped, and let Your name be glorified Amen.
If you are here and you have not given your life to Christ, what we are discussing right now does not mean anything to you because, first of all, you do not know the One who holds the faith.
Father, we thank You. We ask that this Word will not stand against us on the last day.
Instead, Lord of heaven and earth, let us live to celebrate and rejoice that we came to church together today, heard this Word, and it did us good.
Thank You, everlasting Father.
