The Wake-Up Call

BY MICHAEL GAYDOSH
James 2:14-20

"Wake up! You who profess to have faith in Christ but don't display it in your lives, wake up before it's too late! Wake up, you who sleep! Wake up, you who slumber! For if you don't, you're going to sleep the sleep of death and slumber your way into hell."

That's what James 2:14-20 is all about. James is seeking to wake up sleepers on the highway to hell. He is following the lead of our Lord who says: "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

Most of you, if asked, would probably say, "Yes, I believe that, by the grace of God, I have faith in Christ. I believe that I'm saved not by my own works but by Christ having died for my sins."

Well, it's to this group particularly that James is sending the wake-up call. Notice he begins saying in verse 14: "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith" He's talking about people who say they have faith.

Is your faith matched by deed?

There is nothing wrong with saying we have faith. It is by confession with the mouth that we declare who we are and what we are. Jesus said, "If you deny me before men, I'll deny you before my Father."

But the issue is: Does their profession match their possession? Does what they say match what they really are? It's one thing to profess to be something and it's another thing to
really be that thing. And this is what James is concerned about. You see, we can be wrong on many matters in life. But this is an issue we must have straight. Otherwise, we'll end up in hell forever.

So, James asks rhetorically, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works? Can faith save him?" Notice the difference. Profession on the one hand, actuality on the other. Effectively, James is saying: A profession of faith in Christ without practical deeds of mercy is dead.

Example. In verses 15-17, he gives an example: "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, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith, by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."

The picture he gives is that of a brother who doesn't have enough for his necessities of food and clothing. Let's think of it first in terms that seem to be ridiculous:

As people of God, we gathered here to worship on the Lord's Day. A brother comes dragging into the back of the church, his clothing has been burned off him. His house has gone up in flames, and he has lost everything. And you say to him: "Oh, brother, it's been a rough night I can see. I hope that it goes well with you." And you get into the car and wave good-bye. When the last car pulls out of the parking lot, this brother is left helpless on the steps.

Now, that's ridiculous. But yet, whenever we turn our back upon the genuine, legitimate needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ, it's no less ridiculous than that.

Mark of the Christian. On this subject, I John 3:17 asks: If a person sees someone in need and has the ability to meet that need and yet isn't moved in his heart to do anything, how does the love of Christ dwell in such a one?

When Christ, seeing our need, gave all of Himself for us, He left the mark of the Christian to be this: "By this all will know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

That's the mark, that's the test, by which all men will know whether you're real or phony! Do you care about your brothers and sisters? Do you even make an effort to find out what their needs are? And when you hear of them, is there a part of you that comes unglued?

Some of them may have hurt us at one time or another. But we recognize that we are sinners and we are dealing with sinners and sinners do hurt one another. And God will deal with us in mercy as we have mercy upon others. Those who judge without mercy will themselves be judged with no mercy. If the love of Christ dwells in us, we're to have mercy and do what mercy would call us to do.

Is your faith Demon-Like?

In verse 19, James gives another example: "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believeand tremble!"

How many people have said to you: "Oh, I believe in God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior." And yet when you look at their life, you recognize they don't have any love for the Lord.

Well, this is exactly what James is getting at here. He says, "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Congratulations! But I want you to know something: Even the demons believe in this way and they tremble!"

There are many accounts in the Bible showing that the demons, or the devils, profess that Jesus is God. Look at Mark 1:21-25:

They went into Capernaum and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet and come out of him.
Here we have the demon crying out from this man, saying: "I know who you are, Jesus. You are the Holy One of God." They know that He's the Holy One of God. But Jesus says, Shut up. I don't want any testimony from you. Even if it's accurate testimony, I don't want it to come from the devil.

And then we read in verses 32-34:

At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.
 
If the love of Christ dwells in us, we're to have mercy and do what mercy would call us to do. 
The demons knew Jesus. The Pharisees didn't know Him. But the demons knew Him. The knowledge that they had of Him, however, was not a knowledge that could save them.

They trembled. In Mark 3:11, we're also told: "The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried out, saying, You are the Son of God." You see, their theology was accurate. They even trembled before Him, they fell on their faces before Him.

You can read other instances of demons knowing who Christ is in Mark 5, Act 16 and Acts 19. In Matthew 4, where Satan tempted Jesus, he actually quotes scripture. It shows that a knowledge of scripture, a knowledge of even the particulars of scripture, is no guarantee that our faith is genuine.

The demons believe. The demons tremble before Him. Do we ever tremble before God?

"Pursue holiness", says Paul in II Corinthians 7, "in the fear of God"; and in Philippians 2, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work within you." And in Isaiah 66, to whom does the Lord look with favor? "To him who is humble and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word."

Personal Application

James is seeking to wake us up. James is seeking to get us to recognize that saying is one thing and doing is altogether another. "Be doers of the word," he says in Chapter 1, "and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." How can we avoid being deceived in this most pressing of matters?

First, we need to ponder deeply the seriousness of this subject. There will be a multitude of professing Christians in hellpeople who have professed faith in Jesus Christ. It's a frightening thought. But to make certain that we're not deceived, we must ponder seriously the issue that is involved.

Secondly, we need to bring home to our own heartnot simply that some are deceived, but "Am I deceived?" Not simply, "I wonder about him or her", but, "I wonder about me." Ask in all sincerity: "Am I truly a child of God? How does my faith differ from the demons?"

We need to examine ourselves deliberately, solemnly and impartially. Paul tells us to examine ourselves to make sure that we are in the faith in II Corinthians 13. And in II Peter 1, we're told to make our calling and election sure. We should set time apart occasionally for this solemn duty.

Finally, we need to dread the very thought of having been deceived in this matter and ending up in hell. Until we begin to dread the possibility of this, we'll never be moved to cry to God for mercy. That may be the very step we need to take.

After you've examined your faith, you may say, "I honestly don't know if I'm truly a Christian." If so, the response you're to make is to cry out to God now. There's no time to waste. Begin afresh and anew right away by praying, "Lord, if I'm deceived, please open my eyes. Lord, if you haven't saved me, please save me now. I know I don't deserve it, but please have mercy on me. I don't want to go to hell."

God will have mercy on all who call upon Him, who call upon the name of Jesus. So, call out on the Lord with all your heart and all your soul. Ask Him in all sincerity to have mercy on you, and He will. And you'll be a trophy of His everlasting grace. o

Michael Gaydosh is pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, 803 County Line Road, Amityville, NY 11701, (516) 789-8178.
 

Back To Top

Back To Previous Page