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Alright on this episode of the sword of the spirit podcast understanding James 2 starts in 60 seconds I How's it going everybody sword of the spirit podcast this Is episode 50 it's gonna be a fun show tonight as I titled it Understanding James 2 this is probably the most commonly twisted chapter in the Bible used to teach a works-based salvation You know, there's no more basic Doctrine in the Christian faith then salvation by grace through faith alone. That's what you have to believe to go to heaven and Yet since we are living in the falling away in my opinion, it's attacked right there are people out there who deny Salvation by grace through faith alone. There are people out there who deny the gospel of Jesus Christ and their minds evidently the death Burial and resurrection of Christ wasn't enough To save them and so they feel like they have to add their own works into the mix They'll go to James 2 oftentimes to try and prove this doctrine if you go soul-winning the most commonly twisted verse in James 2 that you'll hear is Faith without works is dead People will repeat this ad nauseum. Of course, they don't know what it means, but they'll regurgitate this verse Taking it completely out of context well faith without works is dead you can't just live however you want after you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and Expect to go to heaven. It's because they don't understand James chapter 2 There are a lot of false teachings about this chapter There are those who would say that this chapter is teaching that once you believe the works come Automatically and so that's how Paul and James can be reconciled that their writings can be reconciled Because James 2 is trying to say that once you believe the works come Afterward and if those works never actually manifest themselves, then you were never saved to begin with total garbage That's a false doctrine. That's not what James 2 is trying to articulate whatsoever So the purpose of this podcast is to clear the air on this chapter for those of you who are a little confused on What it's trying to teach. I know for me personally when I read through the Bible the first time I Was confused on what James 2 was trying to teach Now I was kind of like I know salvation's by grace through faith and I know it's not of works I just finished reading verse after verse after verse about how it's by Faith alone and one saved always saved and all those great passages about salvation By the time you get to the book of James, you've read them all in Galatians and in Romans and in the book of John and yet when I got to James 2 it Confounded me for a long time. I wasn't quite understanding what it was teaching But after doing some study listening to sermons and diving into the scriptures myself. I realized, you know what this chapter is Teaching and you know, it just makes perfect sense after doing the study and ended up making perfect sense. So I'm really excited to just sort of dive into this here before I do I just want to remind you guys if you want to subscribe to this Podcast on Apple podcasts or the stitcher radio app or on Spotify it's available there as well. You can just use the keyword Ben the Baptist all one word and The audio portion of this show the audio podcast will be available to you there You can download it and also stream it at Ben the Baptist Kjv.com so you can check that out if you want to listen to every single episode of the show that's ever been Recorded done a lot of these and I want to thank you guys for your support as I do this continually here every week I wouldn't be doing it if there weren't people out there listening And so thank you for tuning in in the chat room and also for those of you who download the show afterward I do really appreciate Your support, you know, I don't ask for any kind of financial donations or anything like that All I ask for are prayers and I've had a few people email me actually and ask if they could donate or whatever Just pray that could be your donation. Just pray for me pray for the Channel pray for steadfast Baptist Church as well and for my pastor pastor, Jonathan Shelley, that's all I can ask for if you want to try and donate something. All right Well, let's dive into this here James chapter 2. What is James chapter 2 trying to teach? Well, first of all, I think we have to understand the premise which is that no one goes to heaven based on their works Okay, the Bible tells us in Philippians chapter 3 verse 8 yet doubtless Yea, doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus My Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them But dumb that I may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law But that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith Philippians chapter 3 Verse 9 is one of the clearest verses in the Bible describing the imputed righteousness of Christ on the believer When the individual chooses through their own agency to believe on Jesus and accept the gospel then at that point Christ's righteousness is imputed on that individual and the thing is the Bible Tells us over and over again that salvation is by faith Romans chapter 4 says but to him that worketh not But believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Even as David also described it the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputed righteousness without works Titus chapter 3 verse 5 says not by works of righteousness, which we have done but according to his mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. It also says in the book of Titus It says and being justified by his that being justified by his grace We should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life Galatians chapter number. Let me go here Galatians chapter number 2 it says in verse 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified It doesn't get any more clear than that verse 21 in this chapter says I do not frustrate the grace of God for if righteousness come by the law then Christ is dead in vain There would have been no reason for Jesus to die on the cross for the death barrow and resurrection of Jesus if Salvation were by works if righteousness could be attained by the works of the law by following God's commandments Then Christ died in vain Those are some very powerful words there in The book of Galatians John chapter 3, of course the most famous verse in the Bible John 3 16 for God So loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting life for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but the world through him might be saved Bible also says he that believeth on him is not condemned But he that believeth not is Condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God John 3 36 says he that believeth on The Son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life But the wrath of God abideth on him do I have to keep going John chapter 6 verse 47 he that believeth on me Hath everlasting life Jesus Christ says John chapter 10 verse 28 and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand verse after verse scripture after scripture I can go I can go on all night Bible couldn't be more clear that Salvation is a completely free gift Ephesians 2 for by grace are he saved through faith and that not of yourselves It is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast and then of course, you know, Romans 6 23 But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our look at me we go on and on here folks Okay, but at the end of the day, it's got to be either faith or works. It can't be both Romans 11 says and if by grace then is it no more of works? Otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace Otherwise work is no more work, right? So it's got to be either works or faith It can't be both. You can't mix the two together Otherwise according to Romans chapter 4 verse 14, then your faith is made void and the promise is made of none effect So That's all I wanted. I just want to start off with that You know this idea that James 2 would teach a works based salvation would be a complete Contradiction when you look at the rest of the Bible and there's scores of scriptures But let's dive into now what James 2 is actually trying to teach us with that in mind spiritual salvation grace through faith alone What could James to be trying to teach when it says that Abraham was justified by works when it says? Seemingly that salvation is by works. Well, how does that make sense? What's it talking about? Let's look into it James 2 verse 10 for whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point He's guilty of all So I want to start there because a lot of people who would try and twist James to to teach what it's not teaching would ignore verse number 10 and they would Basically pretend that doesn't exist when verse number 10 would completely debunk the lordship salvation crowd It says that if you keep the whole law but offended just one point You're guilty of all now this is not saying all sin is equal a lot of people misunderstand this verse and try and teach a very Low IQ doctrine that says all sin is equal Well, no, that's false what it is saying is that if you offend in just one point you're just as guilty as Someone who doesn't follow God's law at all. It doesn't matter how many commandments you think you're following You'll never measure up to the perfect standard by which you will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment if you reject the gospel of Christ, but rather attempt to justify yourself by your own works. Why well Like I just said it's impossible You can't meet that standard the Bible tells us that There's not a just man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not Second Chronicles 6 36 says for there is no man which sinneth not Romans 3 23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and Of course James 2 10 tells us that if you just defend in one point Even if you're doing a great job in other areas, well, you know what you're guilty of all, right? So Let's keep going verse 11 for he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill Now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the law So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of Liberty so look Bible says in fact, it was God who said do not commit adultery. Do not kill Now if you're not committing adultery, but you are killing then you're still a transgressor of the law You still deserve to go to hell you could follow 99% of the law But if you're not following 1% of it you deserve to go to hell Right unless you're following the law perfectly unless you're a perfect person. You would deserve hellfire Okay Now the thing is verse number 12 now we start to switch gears a little bit It says so speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of Liberty Would be the Word of God okay, and so we ought to act and behave in such a way as Those who one day will be judged by this Bible. In fact, we're judged by this Bible every day of our lives God judges us our behavior on this earth Based on what his law says just because you're saved and you're gonna go to heaven when you die you have eternal life Doesn't mean that you can go live however you want I'll get to more of that a little bit later on in the sense that you're not gonna lose your salvation Obviously, but God will judge us here on this earth and punish us here in this life if we rebel against his commandments Verse 12 says as they that shall be judged by the law of Liberty The question is what happens when you're judged by the law of Liberty like what I just told you You get chastened here on this earth 1st Corinthians 11 says but when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord So there you go clearly the context here before we get into the meat and potatoes if you will on James to the portion of the chapter that's twisted contorted by heretics we can clearly see the context is The chastening of the Lord on this earth that it's talking about those Who are should say it's talking about saved people All right That's actually something that I needed to point out earlier that James 2 is talking to the saved It says in verse number 1 my brethren James chapter Number 1 verse 2 says my brethren count it not all joy or should say counted all joy when he fall into diverse temptations Okay, James chapter 3 my brethren is where it starts out there as well So you have my brethren my brethren my brethren over and over again this is Written to the saved. All right, and the context like I said before we get into the main portion that's twisted is That we need to act we need to behave We need to speak as those are gonna be judged by the law of Liberty And of course when you compare scripture with scripture Bible tells us 1st Corinthians 11 that when we are judged were Chastened and of course that chastening is a physical chastening. It's a punishment here on This planet verse number 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath showed no mercy and mercy rejoiceth against judgment so the thing is is that We're gonna be judged harshly if we don't show mercy towards others. I mean you think about this if God chose to not be long-suffering with me and To not show any mercy toward me then he would just kill me right now I would just die on this broadcast live on the broadcast right here and right now but Because of the fact that he showed mercy toward me I'm still alive right now. Okay as a sinner and Since God chose to show that kind of mercy toward me It's my responsibility to show mercy toward other and not just toward others and not just You know get angry with them Quickly and just snap quickly at everybody who messes up but rather to forgive Verse 14. What does it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and have not works can faith save him? This might seem like it's confusing if you understand salvation is by faith went over that already tons of scriptures what is this trying to teach because It seems to be indicating that faith cannot save the individual who has faith but doesn't have works and I will submit to you that the answer to this question can faith save him the answer to this question is no faith cannot save the individual Who has faith but does not have works? Now the thing is though you have to understand what that word save is talking about Remember that James chapter 2 is written to the saved It's not teaching people how to get saved and go to heaven So when you read this chapter when you read this book You have to remove spiritual salvation out of your mind completely. That's the only way you're gonna understand it completely remove Spiritual salvation from your head when you're looking at James chapter 2 just forget about it We've already established the fact that salvation is by faith when it comes to going to heaven So what it says can faith save him the answer is no, but it's not talking about Spiritual salvation it's talking about a physical salvation. It's talking about that if you have Faith, but you don't have works Then that faith is not gonna save you from the chastening of the Lord Physically on this earth in this life remember the context just a few verses ago It talked about how we should behave in a way I should say that we should behave as those and speak as those Who are judged or going to be judged by the law of Liberty 1st Corinthians 11 told us that when we're judged were Chastened so we have faith, but no works Then that's not gonna save us from the chastening on this earth again remove spiritual salvation From the equation when you're reading James chapter 2 and it'll really help you out because I tell you what a lot of people go into this and they're thinking that this is teaching people how to go to heaven and That's how they get confused. They're like what the hell's going on here. I Just read John 3 16. I just read Romans chapter 4. I just read all these other scriptures Galatians 2 How's this what what's going on is there a contradiction the Bible and of course the atheists They'll point to James and Paul and say oh they contradict each other the thing is they don't have the Holy Spirit So they're not under they're not able to compare spiritual with spiritual. So what looks like a contradiction to the unsaved eye Is really not and and even to the saved eye If that even the saved eye that's kind of a wacky term, but anyway What might appear to be a contradiction even to the saved is really not right there might be something that? Stumps you in the Bible that is seemingly a contradiction but every time you actually study that out you'll realize it's not actually contradiction at all and Paul's writings and James writings is another example of that So faith alone cannot save a man from the chastening of the Lord Hebrews chapter 12 says in verse number 6 for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth and scourges every son whom he receiveth Hey just because you're eternally secure doesn't give you a license to go out and Live a wicked life because if you choose to do that God's gonna punish you here on this earth Just like a father would punish his children Now you say Ben. I don't believe you that can faith save him is talking about chastening or the salvation of the flesh Every time the word save is used in the Bible. It's always about spiritual salvation. Okay Well acts chapter number 27 in verse 30 This is Paul as he's on his way to Rome and he ends up sailing into a storm and the sea is raging there's some tumultuous waves Says in verse 30 and as the shipment were about to flee out of the ship When he had led when he had let down the boat into the sea under Color as though they would have cast anchors out of the ship Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers Except these abide in the ship you cannot be saved Now is Paul doing some evangelism here is he trying to give him the gospel No, okay. What he's talking about is the flesh Okay, they're in the middle of a storm and he's referring to the fact that except these abide in the ship Okay, but he was saying there is that you cannot be saved physically Because of the situation they were in in the midst of a storm All right. So that's an example in Scripture of the word saved not referring to spiritual salvation going to heaven Matthew 24 is another example this it says and because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold But he that shall endure into the end the same shall be saved Again, the Pentecostals will go here a lot to try and teach that you have to endure to the end But Matthew 24 if you keep reading which I will do that for you Let me go to it real quickly here Matthew chapter number 24 if you keep reading that it actually tells us Explicitly that it's talking about the flesh Because it says That except those days should be shortened talking about the Great Tribulation For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no Nor ever nor nor ever shall be and then it says and except those days should be shortened There should no flesh be saved, but for the elect's sake those days Shall be shortened. So that's proof that the salvation it's talking about a verse number 13 is The salvation of the flesh so we see a biblical precedent for that interpretation of James chapter 2 verse 14 But let's keep reading because I don't want to take all night here. So let me go to James let me go back to James chapter 2 and It says in verse 16 if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food that's verse 15 rather Here's verse 16 and one of you saying to them depart in peace be he warmed and filled notwithstanding You give them not those things which are needful to the body What does it profit? So if you have a brother or sister who is in dire straits physically and You don't actually help them. They're naked and you don't clothe them. They're starving. You don't give them any food You just say be warmed and filled you pay lip service to them then That's not profitable. It's not profitable for them you think about this in terms of salvation When you go knocking doors and all you do is leave a tract on the door What does it profit? You're basically saying be you warmed and filled. You're not actually Profiting them and getting them saved. So that's sort of a spiritual application to this verse But obviously the carnal application is help out a brother or sister in need Just saying well, I'm good luck. Hope you figure it out. That's not really gonna help them verse 17 says even so Faith if it hath not works as dead being alone so we see a comparison to somebody who Says be warmed and filled to brethren in need to a brother or sister in need and yet doesn't actually do something You're not profiting them in the same way if you have faith, but you don't have works That's not gonna profit other people and it's certainly not gonna be profitable period It's not gonna be profitable period you're not gonna earn rewards in heaven. You're not gonna earn blessings in this life When you have no works coupled with your faith Now this is not teaching Faith without works doesn't exist That's what you have to understand. All right, because if faith without works doesn't exist this Verse is nonsensical Faith if it hath not works is dead being alone So this presupposes that the concept of faith without works exists Okay, you see what I'm saying? Think about it this way if you had a cell phone that was dead if the battery was dead That cell phone would not be profitable for you to make phone calls with or to make text messages text messages with However, it still exists the cell phone still exists It's just not profitable same way as your faith if you have faith with no works It's not profitable but the faith still exists and you will still go to heaven with a dead faith So Let's keep going here James chapter 2 Yeah, I mean may say thou has faith and I have work show me thy faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith By my works, so it's possible for you to show your faith By your works, okay And I think in terms of salvation the best example I could give is of course the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 1 Further in is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith that is as it is written that just shall live by faith Salvation itself is Faith to faith meaning that only a safe person can get another person saved. I Am showing my faith when I go out solely I'm showing my faith by my works when I get another person saved Because the work of giving the gospel to another individual and Helping them call on the name of the Lord Is a way in which I display outwardly my salvation So that's sort of the application I would take to verse number team All right Let's look at verse 19 thou believeth that there's one God thou doest well the devil's also believe in tremble See it says right there. You have to have works or you're not gonna go to heaven The devil's also believe right? No, that's stupid It doesn't say the devil's trust in the gospel for salvation and then they still tremble Jesus didn't die for Devils. It's not even talking about the gospel here. It says thou believeth there's one God the devil's believe that too yet. They still tremble. What's this trying to articulate? Well, here's the thing if you have good doctrine, but you don't have works Coupled with that God's still gonna judge you the devil's are capable of believing right doctrine. The devil's believe there's one God But they still tremble at the prospect of being judged by the Lord Okay, so the same thing can be true for us in the sense that hey we can believe that there's one God Obviously if you're saved you believe that You have right doctrine But if you don't have works coupled with that right doctrine You're still gonna be judged on this earth, okay, I could believe the poster of pre-wrath rapture all I want I could believe in replacement theology all I want and certainly when it comes to essential doctrines Like the fact that there's only one God I can believe that all I want and yes, those things are important Obviously very very very important But James 2 is admonishing us to have works as well so if I believe right doctrines like that, there's only one God which is a fundamental as you can get But I don't have works as well. I'll face the consequences for that here on this earth again The devil's believe there's one God yet. They tremble I ought to tremble as well if I don't have good works coupled with some good doctrine So, I mean that's all it's really saying. Okay, it's not that hard to understand that Believes that there's one God thou doest well Congratulations, you believe good doctrine the devil's also believe in tremble Just because you believe good doctrine doesn't mean there aren't going to be consequences for you in this life if you choose to live a wicked life But of course it repeats it in verse 20. It says but wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead Alright, so if you have a dead faith Like I already talked about not profitable. You can't be a friend of God, which it talks about a little bit later on verse 21 Was not Abraham our father Justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar Seeing thou how faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect 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 Now a lot of people when they read this passage They'll skip over the last portion of verse 23 and he was called the friend of God You have to understand here that what this is talking about is Abraham being a friend of God if you have no works matched with your faith You can't be a friend of God. You have to obey God to be his friend More on that in a little bit Abraham Justified by works now What have I already talked about here on this podcast and if you're just joining me tonight obviously from the title of the podcast you can tell I'm talking about James to understanding James to and if you want to understand James to get Spiritual salvation out of your mind when you read this chapter because that's not what it's about Get it out of your head Physical we're talking to the save he starts off my brethren James 1 says my brethren my brethren my brethren We're talking to the saved So Abraham justified by works to go to heaven no, he wasn't justified by works to go to heaven But he was a friend of God King Jehoshaphat himself refers to Abraham as a friend of God because he was a righteous man because he had faith And he had works It says in In Second Chronicles chapter number 20 in verse 7 art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel This is Josh about praying to the Lord and gave us it to the seed of Abraham thy friend forever So Abraham known as God's friend in the Old Testament Jehoshaphat refers to him as such when he prays to the Lord God calls him his friend in Isaiah chapter 41 says in verse 8 But thou Israel art my servant Jacob whom I have chosen the seed of Abraham My friend so with that in mind Let's now understand verse 21 of James chapter 2 which is was not Abraham our father Justified by works. We had offered Isaac his son Upon the altar. He was justified by works in the sense that he was God's friend Okay, if you want to be a friend of God Then you must add works to your faith your faith. So again Abraham was justified by works not to go to heaven not for spiritual salvation but rather Abraham was justified by works to be God's friend and The scripture was fulfilled which said Abraham believed God It was kind of different righteousness and he was called the friend of God. He was justified by works to be God's friend Not every saved Christian is the friend of God. Jesus Christ himself said you are this is John 15 verse 14 ye are my friends if You do whatsoever. I command you if you do the commandments of the Lord Then you'll be God's friend. You're not just automatically his friend just because you got saved And that should be an admonition to you Don't be a backslidden Christian, you know, most of the people that get saved out sowning when you go door to door They're not God's friend because they never actually do anything They just accept the gospel they get saved they do no works They just sit at home play video games all day sit on their hands eat Doritos Okay, watch TV listen to music Go to work come home and repeat the cycle over and over again until the day they die Never step foot in church a lot of them do Or if they do they go to some lame community church Not God's friends. You want to be God's friend. You got to get plugged into a local independent Baptist Church Now the thing is if Abraham were justified by works Romans chapter 4 tells us for a favor hammer just fiber works. He had to work to glory but not before God so Romans chapter 4 is telling you that if James 2 Was referring to a spiritual salvation? Then That would be impossible Because he would be justified but not before God Romans chapter 4 verse 2 and James 2 21 fit together like a glove. There's no contradiction Why because one's spiritual one's physical? James 2 is talking about somebody's already saved and Admonishing that person to add works to their face. It could be profitable and be a friend of God Romans 4 is Talking about spiritual salvation. Okay, there's a difference Another thing to keep in mind as well, which I think obliterates the idea that James 2 is talking about spiritual salvation Just totally destroys it Is you have to look at when Abraham even got saved himself He didn't get saved when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar That's not when he got saved. He got saved way before that That happened in Genesis chapter 22 Guess when Abraham got saved Genesis 12 verse 8 and he removed from thence unto a mountain under the east of Bethel and pitched his tent having Bethel on the west and hai on the east and there he builded an altar under the Lord and Called upon the name of the Lord now What do you have to do to be saved? Bible says whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Abraham did that in Genesis chapter 12 verse 8. I think that's when he got saved personally That's my opinion. I believe he got saved in Genesis chapter 12 So if he got saved all the way well Move my got a little excited there and hit my mic If he got saved all the way in Genesis chapter 12 Are you hearing this? I? Have a studio audience here if if Abraham got saved all the way back in Genesis chapter 12 and yet He offers up Isaac in Genesis chapter 22 How could you sit there and say he got saved in Genesis 22 doesn't make any sense that is proof right there that the Justification James 2 was talking about which it says happened after you offered Isaac a son upon the altar was not spiritual Verse number 24. It says ye see then how That by works a man is justified and not by faith only Well, how is a man justified by works if he wants to be a friend of God? That word how very important you see then how that a man is justified. Well, how is that? How's a man justified by works? If he wants to be God's friend Just like Jesus said in John in John 15 verse 25 likewise also Was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out Another way if you remember this story Joshua chapter 6 Rahab hid the messengers who had spied out Jericho and in verse 17, Joshua 6 17 It says in the city shall be accursed even it and all that are therein to the Lord only Rahab the harlot shall live She and all that are with her in the house because she hid the messengers that we sent so Rahab was allowed to live because she hid the messengers Now James 2 is telling us that she was justified by works when she received the messengers. Is that when she got saved? No, she had already been saved Spiritually take that out of your head when you're talking about this chapter when you're reading this chapter What this is telling us is that Rahab was justified by works in the sense that? Her flesh was spared from destruction She got to dwell in peace in Israel Because she took those messengers and it was her works that justified her in The sense that she wasn't killed All right and again, just because You are saved and you're gonna go to go to go to heaven doesn't mean that God Can't kill you if he wants to look at Ananias and Sapphira Acts chapter 5 they died because they lied to the Holy Ghost drop dead just like that So Rahab her flesh was spared from the men of Israel That's what it says there I believe what it's teaching rather in James 2 25 It says verse 26 for as the body without the spirit is dead. So faith without works is dead Also, if you remember the analogy I gave earlier That I thought that this phrase faith without works is dead was analogous to a dead cell phone but we see the Bible making a very similar analogy as well as a body Is dead without the spirit faith without works is dead in the same way now that body still exists It's still laying on the ground. It's just not moving around. It's not useful Think of a dead vehicle where the engine is blown and it's not working anymore And the vehicle still exists folks It's just you can't drive it anywhere, right? the Bible talks about being a vessel unto honor and Being fit for the Masters use I'm not satisfied with just Yeah, I believe the gospel and I'm just gonna go on and live You know to feed the flesh and We shouldn't be satisfied with that Because if that's all you ever end up being you will not be used of God Bible tells us in John chapter 15 that God can purge us so we can bring forth more fruits We can go on and get people saved And if you want to be used mightily of the Lord, you have to add works to your faith Yes, we emphasize greatly that works are not necessary to go to heaven But once you actually accept the gospel and you have the Holy Spirit inside you then works are extremely important If you want to be used of the Lord if you want to earn blessings you don't be chastened and That's what James 2 is all about folks And the reason I want to do this podcast because I'm sick of it being Twisted I'm sick of it being contorted. I'm sick of Pentecostals and Catholics and All these other false denominations Taking James 2 out of context atheist Stephen who think that Paul and James contradict each other I think I proved beyond any shadow of a doubt what this chapter is actually talking about tonight and Just to recap James 2 admonishes us to add works to our faith so that our faith can be Perfect now that we're perfect doesn't mean Flawless it means complete Perfection Oftentimes in your King James Bible means Complete James who tells us that Abraham was justified by works in the sense that he was God's friend And he was willing to offer His son Isaac upon the altar The fact that he was willing to go through with something as extreme as that tells you. Yeah he had a very strong commitment to following the Lord and He was God's friend Consequently, it tells us also that Rahab the harlot was justified by works in the sense that Her flesh was spared from destruction What's the lesson we could take from James 2 I'll just wrap it all up here in a nice little bow and then we'll go home What's the lesson that James 2 is trying to teach us? Why is this chapter in the Bible that seems to have confounded so many people? Here's what it's saying if we add works to our faith We will be God's friend and on top of that our Flesh will be spared from destruction on this earth from the chastening of the Lord on this earth That we would deserve if we chose to live a wicked life again, Ananias and Sapphira actually, let me just go to it real quickly because to me this is a warning for us as saved Christians Bible says in verse number one Acts chapter 5 But a certain man in Ananias with Sapphira's wife sold a possession and kept back part of the price His wife also being privy to it and brought a certain part and laid it at the Apostles feet But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of The land whiles it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart that was not lied unto men But unto God and Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost and great fear came on all them that heard these things So when Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession and lied about The profit they made from that They lied to the Holy Ghost and they were judged by God their flesh judged. I Don't know why I snapped but there you go their flesh was judged and they died Here's an appropriate time to use a snap Just like that. Okay, they died both of them Here's Sapphira Right here and it was about the space It's a three hours after when his wife not knowing what was done came in and Peter answered under her Tell me whether you sold the land for so much and she said yay for so much So Sapphira repeats the same lie gives Peter a false number that they allegedly sold this land for and Peter said unto her how is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord behold the feet of them which Have buried thy husband are at the door it shall carry thee out Then she fell down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost and the young men came in and found her dead and carrying her forth buried her by her Husband so Anna's Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead. Here's another example In which a saved Christian Might just drop dead first Corinthians chapter 11 it says For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's body for this cause many are weak And sickly among you and many sleep So if an individual who is saved takes the Lord's Supper unworthily then that person runs the risk of dying That's what it's saying right here 1st Corinthians 11 many sleep for taking the Lord's Supper unworthily now what I personally think that that means is if you take the Lord's Supper and you're in Wicked sin the kind of sin that would get you kicked out of church Like what the Bible describes in 1st Corinthians chapter 5 so anyway, the reason why I bring that up is simple because what we can get out of James 2 is that we can be justified by works in the sense of being God's friend and we can also be justified by our works in the sense of not being afflicted or Punished in the flesh on this earth in this life by adding works to our faith and also Abraham would be a an example of somebody who was justified by works to be God's friend and Rahab an example of somebody justified by works in terms of not being afflicted in the flesh She would have died She would have died if she didn't take those messengers in just as sure as we could die if we live a wicked life here on this earth and Anais and Sapphira are examples of that and of course 1st Corinthians chapter 11 as well. So I Think that's gonna do it for the show tonight. Hopefully that cleared up James 2 for you guys if you were a little confused on it I think that That makes sense to me makes a heck of a lot more sense than it Magically being about salvation when that doesn't fit with the context at all and So you could use this when you're out soul winning obviously don't have time to Spend an hour going through the whole chapter But if somebody takes a verse out of context, I think now you have plenty of ammunition to clear the water on What this chapter is? Actually talking about but folks I think it's time to go ahead and wrap this thing up So thanks for tuning in in the chat room as usual I really appreciate it for more information on the podcast go to bend the Baptist kjv.com That's where I upload the show every week. You got the video there. You got the audio there Podcast airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. Central 9 p.m. Eastern go to youtube.com slash bend the Baptist for other videos I upload throughout the week and also don't forget to subscribe to the channel Hit that Bell button too so you can get notified whenever I upload a new video because YouTube likes to censor Christian YouTube channels that aren't lame that aren't promoting a bunch of rainbow filth Sodomites Basically if you believe the Bible you're gonna be persecuted. Okay, it's gonna happen. So To try and avoid that hit the bells you can be notified And subscribe to the channel for more share with your friends and family If you have anybody out there is confused on James 2 I would hope this could help them. God bless you all. I Will talk to you guys again very soon You You You You