Sunday School Lesson
June 5
Lesson 1 (KJV)
GOD FORETELLS DESTRUCTION
DEVOTIONAL READING: Isaiah 47:10–15
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 47
ISAIAH 47:10–15
10. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.
12. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured fromt thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
14. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
15. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.
KEY TEXT
Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.—Isaiah 47:15
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Identify the object of God’s condemnation.
2. Explain the prophet’s use of sarcasm.
3. Identify one personal way to avoid repeating a sin of ancient Babylon.
HOW TO SAY IT
Ahaz
Ay-haz.
Assyrians
Uh-sear-e-unz.
Babylonians
Bab-ih-low-nee-unz.
Cnut
Keh-nyoot.
Ezekiel
Ee-zeek-ee-ul or Ee-zeek-yul.
Hezekiah
Hez-ih-kye-uh.
Isaiah
Eye-zay-uh.
Jeroboam
Jair-uh-boe-um.
Jotham
Jo-thum.
Judah
Joo-duh.
Nebuchadnezzar
Neb-yuh-kud-nez-er.
Sennacherib
Sen-nack-er-ib.
Sweyn
Svehn.
Uzziah
Uh-zye-uh.
Zedekiah
Zed-uh-kye-uh.
Introduction
A. How to Get Away with Murder?
Michelle Martinko was a miracle child. She was born 12 years and five miscarriages after her older sister, when their mother was 44 years old. Friends described her as a kind, smart person. When she was found murdered in her car on December 20, 1979, her family was devastated and the city was stunned.
The killer had come prepared. There were no fingerprints or other usable evidence found; DNA testing was not yet available. The case went cold for years. Michelle’s parents died without ever seeing her killer brought to justice.
When DNA testing finally became available, a full profile of the murderer was worked up. In 2005, that profile was tested against a nationwide database, but no matches were found. It wasn’t until a relative uploaded her own profile onto a genealogical website that detectives were able to connect the dots and to identify the perpetrator. He had no other connection to Michelle and no apparent motive; in the intervening years he had lived quietly as a family man.
For decades it appeared that justice would never be served in Michelle Martinko’s cold case. But God always sees the wickedness of individuals and nations. We may cry out, as did the prophet, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!” (Habakkuk 1:2). And in crying out, we may feel that God is slow to act. But God’s timing is not ours. Though evil in all eras seems to prevail, in the end justice wins.
B. Lesson Context: Isaiah and His Times
The prophet Isaiah had a lengthy ministry in Judah. (The books of Isaiah and 2 Kings contain most of the information we have about the prophet Isaiah.) Isaiah 1:1 places that ministry in the days of “Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” The first dated event is the death of Uzziah (also called Azariah; 2 Kings 15:1, 6–8, 17, 23, 27) in about 739 BC (Isaiah 6:1), the same year Isaiah received his call (see time line to the right). The final dated event is the death of King Sennacherib of Assyria, who died in 681 BC (37:38).
Isaiah had the most direct association with two kings of Judah: Ahaz (Isaiah 7:1–17) and Hezekiah (2 Kings 19–20; Isaiah 38). Isaiah seems to have had free access to the palace. This has caused some to think that he may have been a member of the royal family.
Judah experienced great changes politically, economically, militarily, and spiritually during Isaiah’s prophetic ministry. Uzziah in Judah and his contemporary Jeroboam II in Israel did well militarily. The land area under the control of the two nations was similar to what it had been in the days of David and Solomon (2 Kings 14:28).
Jotham succeeded Uzziah as king of Judah and became mighty because of his good life before the Lord. But the people were corrupt spiritually (2 Chronicles 27:1–2). Ahaz followed Jotham on the throne and became the spiritual opposite of his father. Ahaz even practiced child sacrifice (2 Kings 16:3). Ahaz and Judah were attacked by Israel, and Judah suffered greatly.
Hezekiah eventually succeeded Ahaz, and Hezekiah was a faithful follower of the Lord. Judah prospered at first, but then was devastated militarily by a king of Assyria, Sennacherib (2 Kings 18:13–16). The exile that had befallen northern Israel in 722 BC was also to befall Judah, but not at the hands of the Assyrians.
C. Lesson Context: Isaiah and the Future
Isaiah 39:5–6 predicts a captivity in Babylon. (Isaiah 36–39 runs parallel to 2 Kings 18:13–20:19.) Isaiah wrote as though Babylon had already conquered Judah, but his prophecies predated Babylon’s existence as an empire by about 150 years!
At the time Isaiah wrote, Babylon was a major city in the Assyrian Empire. Babylon rebelled between 700–689 BC in an attempt to overthrow Assyria, which destroyed the city in retaliation. Even so, the Babylonians ultimately destroyed and replaced the Assyrians. A key event was the destruction of Nineveh, Assyria’s capital city, in 612 BC.
God had at least two plans for the Babylonian Empire: to bring about the end of the Assyrian Empire and to punish the people of Judah because of their idolatry (2 Chronicles 24:18; Isaiah 10:3–19; etc.). Babylon would take Judah into captivity in waves. This began in 598 BC (2 Kings 24:10–16) and culminated with the destruction of Jerusalem and its aftermath in 586 BC (2 Kings 25).
I. Failed Confidence
(ISAIAH 47:10–11)
A. God Complex (v. 10)
10a. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me.
The word thou refers to Babylon, whom the prophecy concerns (Isaiah 47:1). Babylon’s wickedness was a show of power, designed to enforce compliance by means of fear. We keep in mind that Isaiah was writing many decades before Babylon’s rise as a world power. Yet so certain is Isaiah’s prophecy that he writes not only in future tense, but also in past tense!
The phrase None seeth me implies that the Babylonian Empire viewed itself as above accountability for its actions; the people of Judah and Jerusalem were similarly guilty (see Isaiah 29:15–16). The scope of the word none can encompass the entirety of Heaven and earth. The Babylonian Empire had not faced any consequences from either sphere for exercising its enormous power inhumanely, which led to the supposition that unjust treatment was acceptable—a “might makes right” philosophy.
Such a philosophy still permeates many societies: “If my country is the strongest, then surely everything my nation does is sanctioned by God.” We do well to remember that God uses the nations as He sees fit, not according to our limited understandings of power and influence.
10b. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.
This half verse speaks to an exercise in self-delusion (compare Isaiah 5:21; 44:19–20). All true wisdom and knowledge begin “in the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 1:7). Claiming to be wise or knowledgeable apart from God’s teaching is foolishness (Isaiah 29:14–15; 1 Corinthians 1:20–21).
Babylon trusted in its military and political might to the degree that it imagined its every move to have been mandated by a god. To put it another way, the empire ended up seeing itself as the god who justified its own actions. Their twisted self-image that I am, and none else beside me was a claim of godhood (contrast Exodus 3:14).
The temptation to set oneself up as a god has proved itself irresistible throughout the generations. Adam and Eve sinned by wanting to be like God (Genesis 3:4–6), and we have all inherited sinful tendencies to put ourselves in God’s place (example: Ezekiel 28:2). Phrases like “in their own eyes” often accompany condemnations of self-delusion in this regard (Psalm 36:2; Proverbs 26:12; 28:11; 30:12; Isaiah 5:21; compare 1 Corinthians 3:18–20).
We see extreme examples in modern-day cult leaders claiming divinity. But anytime someone acts as though his or her concerns are the ultimate concerns, danger looms. We all must be wary of our own, personal tendencies to behave as though we are the ultimate authority in our own lives. Nothing good can come of trying to unseat the Creator.
What Do You Think?
What sources of confidence in secular society tempt you to trust in them for security in place of or in addition to God?
Digging Deeper
How do you guard against putting your confidence in anything or anyone other than the Lord?
THE LIMITS OF POWER
King Cnut the Great (also known as Canute; AD 985/995–1035) was simultaneously king of England, Denmark, Norway, and part of Sweden. He was Danish by birth and inherited the throne when his father, Swyen I (Forkbeard), died. Though Cnut conquered England with violence, his rule over the land was characterized by peace and prosperity. After converting to the Christian faith sometime before AD 1027, Cnut maintained important ties with Rome. In all, Cnut administered his kingdoms skillfully.
A story written about a century after Cnut’s death posited that the man believed he was so powerful, he could stop the tide from coming in. Such a belief would put Cnut’s earthly power on par with (and in opposition to) the Creator’s own.
When a nation’s leaders focus on their own power, we cannot be surprised to find citizens following their lead into disaster. How often do you pray for the world’s leaders in this regard, that the wisdom of God—and not their own delusions of power—will guide their decisions?
—C. R. B.
B. God’s Guarantee (v. 11)
11a. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth.
The Hebrew word translated evil is the same word that was translated “wickedness” in the previous verse. This implies that a moral evil is to overtake Babylon. In context, it is clear that this consequence comes from the Lord as punishment for Babylon’s deeds.
We should note that God does not inflict moral evil on anyone (see James 1:13). That’s on us (1:14). We bring it on ourselves (example: 1 Timothy 6:9). But God does permit both moral and physical evils in allowing natural consequences of our own actions. And although God never inflicts moral evils, He is known to have strengthened the preexisting evil resolve of people (compare Exodus 8:32 with 9:12), in addition to inflicting what are called physical evils or natural disasters (Genesis 19; etc.).
Punishment would come as a shock to the Babylonians. They would neither foresee its coming nor be able to thwart it. Their “sorceries” and “enchantments” would be powerless to stave off God’s wrath (Isaiah 47:9, not in today’s text; 47:12, below). They who had been the instrument of God’s wrath on Judah would find the tables reversed as they became the object of that same wrath (47:6).
11b. And mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know.
The Hebrew word translated mischief occurs only three times in the Old Testament: here and twice in Ezekiel 7:26. It is used as a parallel description with “evil” (above) and desolation. It may be tempting to try and discern the differences among these three words, but it’s more likely that the cumulative effect is intended: the punishment is going to be worse than the Babylonians could possibly imagine! Nothing they could do would prevent its coming or mitigate its terrible impact.
What Do You Think?
How can you talk about difficult passages of the Bible in a way that builds others’ faith?
Digging Deeper
Would you talk about these passages differently with nonbelievers than with believers?
II. Failed Defenses
(ISAIAH 47:12–15)
A. Futile Future-Telling (vv. 12–13)
12. Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
Enchantments and sorceries were common practices in the ancient Near East, meant to give people insight into their gods’ desires and intentions. In fact, Israel’s faith was meant to be unique in the ancient Near East for refusing such means to divine God’s will, looking instead to His chosen prophets and other leaders.
This is not to say that such works were seen as useless; the magicians in Egypt were successful up to a point when Moses confronted the pharaoh (Exodus 7:9–12, 22a; 8:7; contrast 8:18), and the medium at Endor called up Samuel’s spirit for Saul (1 Samuel 28:3–15a). Refusing to participate in practices that actually could affect reality was surely a higher, harder calling than eschewing rituals that never had any discernible impact.
Note that this magic was not meant to be entertainment (as in illusions) but, instead, intended to manipulate their gods into doing what the people wanted or needed (example: 1 Kings 18:26–29). God cannot be manipulated and does not tolerate anyone trying to force His hand. Given the intentions of these magical interventions, it’s no surprise that every variety of sorcery or witchcraft was forbidden in Israel (Leviticus 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 18:9–14; etc.).
Isaiah mocked Babylon by encouraging them to continue in worthless magical practices. Who knew—maybe these would succeed! But Isaiah knew that God would not allow such practices to profit Babylon any longer. Their days of brutalizing other nations with their might were numbered. Similar sarcastic calls can be found in Job 38:31; Jeremiah 44:25; Amos 4:4; and Matthew 23:32. Various means of future-telling were prevalent in the first century, when the church was being established. Clashes with dark powers always resulted in God’s wisdom and power being found greater (Acts 8:9; 13:6–12; 16:16–18; 19:19).
What Do You Think?
How would you speak to a friend who consults occult practitioners to discover the future?
Digging Deeper
How could you speak words of truth about this practice in a loving manner?
13a. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels.
Bad advice is tiring. Though Babylon did not realize it yet, all the counsels they sought were useless and would only weary them in trying to discover the truth and prevent disaster (Isaiah 57:10; Jeremiah 51:58; Habakkuk 2:13). And yet their “wisdom” would continue to be sought (see next)!
13b. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
The astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators all searched the sky for signs of the gods’ doings (compare Daniel 2:2). The practice was especially prevalent in Babylon. Calendars were drawn up based on the movements of heavenly bodies. These calendars were believed to reveal blessed or cursed days so that the people could act appropriately. We should note that there was not a clear distinction between the practices of astrology and astronomy at the time. This distinction is well made today, however, as the scientific study of the universe beyond planet Earth is an opportunity to experience renewed awe at all that God created.
In at least one instance, watching the night sky led wise men to a glorious discovery (Matthew 2:1–2, 7, 9–10). This exception only proves God’s great mercy and willingness to meet people where they are and literally lead them to seek Jesus. In Babylon’s case, however, even if these stargazers were correct in their predictions and knew when and what shall come upon Babylon, they would not be able to find a way to save the nation.
READING THE STARS
On the few occasions in my life when I have read a horoscope column, I have been bemused and befuddled. Advice for people “born under” the various signs of the Zodiac could be conjured up by anyone with some imagination and used interchangeably for everyone. Who could put their trust in what the stars “revealed”?
While staying out of town at a fellow minister’s house, I found myself reading the local evening paper and laughing at the day’s horoscope. When I shared my amusement with the minister’s wife, she turned toward me with a disapproving look and asked, “Do you think Christians should be reading such things?” I responded, “Mockery is the only appropriate reaction to horoscope messages. Our Creator is in control, not the stars.”
But she had a point: reading the night sky—or anywhere else in creation—without looking first to the Creator is at best misguided and at worst a sinful pratice. Seek first the Lord (Matthew 6:33)!
—C. R. B.
B. Fiery Fortunes (vv. 14–15)
14. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
They refers to the “wise” men who were trusted to read the sky and guide the people to right actions based on what they saw (see Isaiah 47:13b, above). These learned men were thought to be a source of light in the form of knowledge and thus safety through wise living. But instead, these very counselors would be the stubble that feeds the fire that blazes dangerously, devouring everything it touches.
15. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.
Riches often make a people feel safe. The presence of successful merchants in Babylon was another source of false security. Though Babylon had believed these friends were like a homey fire, keeping them warm and safe, such businessmen were actually the stubble to be burned up. It will turn out that Babylon and all its allies are doomed; none would save them.
What Do You Think?
Do those closest to you encourage you to seek God or, rather, to look to other sources of help?
Digging Deeper
What changes could you make to encourage them more in seeking God?
Conclusion
A. God’s Timing
Israel can be likened to Michelle Martinko’s parents—waiting for justice that never seemed to be within reach. Advancements in DNA technology became the antidote to the “magic” of all the circumstances that allowed the killer to go unpunished for so many years. But no amount of luck or skill would prevent Babylon’s fall, just as it did not prevent the murderer’s conviction.
God is not surprised at what happens among and within the nations of the world. Every group of people falls under God’s jurisdiction, and He can use any and all nations to fulfill His purposes. We Christians do well to remember and trust that God sees the injustice and violence around us and has a plan to right all wrongs.
Though our enemies may never see the error of their ways or repent, we know our faith in God is not misplaced and will result in our seeing His plan come to fruition. Faith in anything else results in disappointment and misplaced priorities. May we trust His timing and wait patiently for the day He destroys wickedness once and for all. His promises are steadfast.
What Do You Think?
In what current situations do you need encouragement to continue waiting on the Lord with patience?
Digging Deeper
What actions will help you as you wait on the Lord’s time?
B. Prayer
Almighty God, thank You that we can be confident in Your knowledge about our lives and in Your wisdom concerning judgment. We ask for strength to live faithfully even when the present and future seem nothing like we expected. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Since God’s enemies will fall, don’t stand with them!
June 12
Lesson 2 (KJV)
GOD FORETELLS REDEMPTION
DEVOTIONAL READING: Isaiah 49:1–17
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 49:1–17
ISAIAH 49:1–13
1. Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.
2. And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
3. And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
4. Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my work with my God.
5. And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
6. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
7. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
8. Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.
11. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12. Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
13. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.
KEY TEXT
Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages.—Isaiah 49:8
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Identify the servant.
2. Describe the function of the text as part of Isaiah’s “Servant Songs.”
3. Identify one way to be a better servant of the servant.
LESSON OUTLINE
Introduction
A. The Right Time
B. Lesson Context
I. Identity of the Servant (Isaiah 49:1–5)
A. Called by God (vv. 1–3)
Some Polishing Needed
B. Confident in God (vv. 4–5)
II. The Lord’s Plan (Isaiah 49:6–13)
A. Call to All (vv. 6–7)
The Most Segregated Hour?
B. Day of Salvation (vv. 8–12)
C. Call to Joy (v. 13)
Conclusion
A. Speak and Sing
B. Prayer
C. Thought to Remember
HOW TO SAY IT
Babylon
Bab-uh-lun.
Gentiles
Jen-tiles.
Isaiah
Eye-zay-uh.
Sinim
Sin-ihm.
KID’S CORNER
Faith and Action Must Work Together
Sunday, June 5, 2022
James 2:14-26
James 2:14-26
(James 2:14) What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as truly “our Lord,” “our King,” “our Leader,” benefits us and should also benefit others. If someone claims to have faith in Jesus, but a faith in Jesus that does not benefit others, he does not have true faith and his faith does not benefit anyone—not even himself. True faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and true love for God and others go together as two sides of a coin. It is impossible to have a physical coin with only one side; likewise, it is impossible to have true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ without true love for God and others. One type of faith that cannot save you is faith that does not love God and others and does not seek to obey God and serve others in the name and power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember what Jesus said in John 14:23, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” Our faith in and our love for Jesus Christ and our obedience to His words indicate that the Father and the Son have made their home with us and we have true faith—a faith that benefits everyone.
(James 2:15) If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints” (Ephesians 1:15). True faith in Jesus as Lord results in “love toward all the saints” (that is, “all Christians,” “all God has set apart for holy service to God and others”). Works of faith express our love for God and others, and our desire to truly follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Whenever true Christians see a brother or sister in Christ who needs clothing or food or has other needs, Jesus has a plan for His followers to meet their needs. In faith, His followers will seek to follow His plans to benefit others, and in small ways compared to Jesus as The Way, Jesus’ followers will be channels of His saving love, grace, and mercy that flow through them to serve others.
(James 2:16) and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
A person who says they are a Christian but are not truly a Christian or a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ might say to a needy person, “Just believe in Jesus and you will be all right. Jesus will meet all of your needs,” and then do nothing to help the person in need. James showed how unreasonable it is to say to a needy brother or sister in Christ, “keep warm and eat your fill,” when they have no clothes or food. A true faith in Jesus Christ will lead a true Christian to respond reasonably in love when they see someone in need. They will pray for the Lord’s help to do whatever they wisely can. A reasonable response in love might also include the Apostle Paul’s statement to someone who appears to need help: “We gave you this command: ‘Anyone unwilling to work should not eat’” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). When faced with decisions on how best to help someone, a follower of Jesus Christ can prayerfully try to live by and be guided by the Holy Spirit who lives within them, as Paul wrote in Galatians 5:25, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.” Paul’s command might also apply to the person who says he has faith in Jesus Christ but will not do good works to help those in need as the Holy Spirit tries to lead them.
(James 2:17) Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
One definition of faith is mere “intellectual belief,” and this definition seems like the definition of faith that James is using. For example, most people have faith as an “intellectual belief” that the earth is round, but most people do not live daily with this belief as a part of their consciousness, and they do not make conscious decisions daily based on this fact. Before getting out of bed in the morning, few people say, “I must remember that my bed is on a round earth; I must do everything today in the right way because the earth is round, especially when I get ready for breakfast and go to work and do my job today.” In some sense the “intellectual belief” that the earth is round is a dead faith for most people; they do not think much about it. For part of the day, when astronauts are in space, they do make decisions based on the fact that the earth is round, so their faith is not merely intellectual or a dead faith. They and others do works of navigation based on their faith and observation that the earth is round. Likewise, Christians need to make decisions prayerfully and they need to live daily with the conscious commitment that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior according to the Scriptures; therefore, they want to do His will—this type of faith is not by itself or dead.
(James 2:18) But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
Mere intellectual belief without ever making choices and taking actions based on that belief does nothing to help anyone or show anyone anything about that belief. Intellectual belief without good choices and helpful actions based on true faith in Jesus will do harm by sins of commission or sins of omission. True faith in Jesus Christ will include intellectual belief that corresponds to reality, to what is, to sound biblical teaching; for example, that God exists, that God created people in His image, that God is love and light, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that the Holy Spirit indwells Christians to guide them, and other truths. Our choices and works reveal our intellectual beliefs and our true commitments. Consistently wrong choices can indicate a wrong intellectual belief or a misplaced trust, no matter how much a person may say they are a Christian. Doing good works in the name of Jesus Christ will show others our faith truly rests in and is guided by Jesus, who lives within us.
(James 2:19) You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
God is one; that is reality; that fact is true; that is the way God is as one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When a person’s faith regarding the true God is merely an intellectual belief that the truth will have no effect on the person’s daily choices and behavior. Demons know that God is One in Three Persons, and despite that knowledge they shudder at the thought because of their choices and actions and they will not repent. Some with a faith that is mere intellectual belief have far less faith than demons, and they should shudder and repent.
(James 2:20) But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
Some have thought that all they have needed to do was express and maintain mere intellectual belief in some facts about Jesus to be right with God forever, even though their faith has never shown that Jesus is Lord of their lives. James would have called a person who believed this “senseless” or without reason and commonsense. Their faith is barren and does not produce the fruits or gifts of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul wrote: “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” Those with true faith in Jesus Christ results in the Holy Spirit bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
(James 2:21) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
When a person makes choices and takes actions consistent with the revealed will of God and the Bible, the Word of God written, they are justified in their actions and right with God in their choices. God revealed to Abraham that He wanted him to offer Isaac on an altar. God’s request and Abraham’s decision to obey God showed his faith in God, and God saved Isaac from death. Because Abraham believed in the true God, he believed God and did what God told him to do; therefore, James said, “Abraham was justified by works;” his works showed he had the right kind of faith in God as his Lord, a Lord to be obeyed and not just believed to exist; a God one should “believe and trust,” not just “believe in.”
(James 2:22) You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
Faith that is merely intellectual belief in God’s existence is dead, such a limited faith is without life and inactive. True faith in Jesus Christ as Lord over all of existence and Lord over your own life too will produce works that flow from love for God and others. When true faith achieves God’s purpose in daily activity and reasonable choices, that faith is “brought to completion by works.” Our works do not save us, and we do not perform works of faith to save us—Jesus Christ saves us through His sacrificial death on the cross in our behalf. His work saves us and leads us to love and serve Him with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
(James 2:23) and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.
“Abraham believed” means more than he intellectually concluded that God exists. Abraham believed and his trust in God led him to obey God; therefore, Abraham remained right with God. Abraham did not use his belief in the existence of God as an excuse to do whatever he pleased without regard to the consequences in relation to God. Through faith, Abraham so cherished his relationship with God that he was the friend of God. True faith in Jesus Christ always leads to a mutual friendship with Jesus Christ.
(James 2:24) You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Works of love flow from God’s love that He has poured into the hearts of all who believe Him. Through faith in Jesus Christ and love for God and others, Christians see what good works need to be done to help others and achieve God’s purpose—and they do these works. Those without clothing and food will receive clothing and food from those who respond in faith when God shows them how best to serve those in need (often on a case by case basis). When Christians take the actions God asks of them, they remain right with God and in a right relationship with God. They do things for God because they know Jesus Christ is their King and their Friend.
Remember what Jesus promised in John 15:14-16, “You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.”
(James 2:25) In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Works without love, works that only obey the law with the hope of earning credit and rewards from God, works that are efforts to do more good deeds than bad deeds so you can go to heaven, are not the works James commended or commanded. From observing her actions, the Holy Spirit inspired James to understand that Rahab had come to believe in the true God and she wanted to obey and serve God no matter what the danger might be to her. She had come to love God and His people; therefore, when God inspired her or told her to save the messengers she acted in faith and saved them. God had forgiven her for her sins because of her faith in Him, and by her obedience from love she remained right with God, even though she had not yet been taught the law of Moses. She was saved by God’s grace through her faith, a faith that led her to do God’s saving work.
(James 2:26) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
For a human body to remain alive it must remain indwelt by a human spirit—the spirit that goes to its place when the body dies. True Christian faith includes right belief, right teaching, belief that the Bible is true as the true Word of God written, but this remains a dead faith if it is not accompanied by following Jesus and obeying God day by day because we love God, His Word written, and others.
Faith and Action Must Work Together
Sunday, June 5, 2022
James 2:14-26
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the
devils also believe, and tremble (James 2:19—KJV).
You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also
believe, and shudder (James 2:19—NASB).
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons
believe—and shudder (James 2:19—NRSV).
Consider the many meanings of “believe,” “believing,” “believe
in,” “faith,” “trust,” and “action.” Some “believe” the truth
about God; for example, “there is one God.” James wrote that
people and demons can believe the same truths about God,
but demons shudder when thinking about them. James
insisted that “believing” the truth about God should make a
difference in people’s behavior. Believing God’s judgment
about their future, demons shudder. Believing what God has
said about people’s possible futures leads some people repent
of their sins. Some who claim to “believe in” God never take
the time to learn the facts about God or God’s will. Those who
remain unbelieving refuse to repent.
The first step in saving “faith” is “believing” the Bible is true.
Demons know the Bible is true, but instead of repenting they
try to distort the truths in the Bible to make unbelievers. In
addition to believing God’s Word is true, the next steps in
saving faith involve “trust,” entrusting our lives and future to
God, and then taking “action” by obeying the commands of
Jesus revealed in the Bible. Consider James’ example:
Abraham “believed” God’s promise about his son: “I will
establish my covenant with Isaac as an everlasting covenant
for his descendants after him” (Genesis 17:19). Later, when
God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham
“trusted” God’s promise that Isaac would have descendants.
Then, he took “action” and obeyed God. Abraham trusted God
would do as He promised, and God did; God saved Abraham’s
son. Therefore, James concluded: “You see that Abraham’s
faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was
made complete by what he did” (James 2:22).
Thinking Further
Faith and Action Must Work Together
Sunday, June 5, 2022
James 2:14-26
Name __________________________________________
1. What type of love should true faith in Jesus Christ inspire within true believers?
2 According to James, what unreasonable or senseless response does the person who says he has faith, but has no works, give to the hungry person who has no food?
3. If someone’s faith is nothing more than intellectual belief, how might that make a difference in the way they live? Can you think of some examples?
4. Hebrews 11 describes faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). What did this assurance and conviction of some of those listed in Hebrews 11 lead them to do?
5. How is faith brought to completion by actions, deeds, or works?
Answer and Discussion
1. What type of love should true faith in Jesus Christ inspire within true believers?
Love for God that inspires a desire and willingness to serve God. Love for others that inspires a desire and willingness to seek the best way to help and bring joy to others, especially our needy brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. According to James, what unreasonable or senseless response does the person who says he has faith, but has no works, give to the hungry person who has no food?
He says to the hungry person with no food, “Go eat your fill” (James 2:16) without doing anything to help him get food to eat.
3. If someone’s faith is nothing more than intellectual belief, how might that make a difference in the way they live? Can you think of some examples?
It may make no real difference. For example, someone may believe there are books in a library, but never go to the library to read a book. Someone may believe that God will forgive sins, but he never repents and asks God to forgive him. Someone may believe that Jesus is Lord, but never seek to discover the will of Jesus as his Lord. Someone may believe that Jesus died on the cross for them, but their belief never leads them to thank God or love Jesus for their unmerited favor in giving them eternal life through faith.
4. Hebrews 11 describes faith: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). What did this assurance and conviction of some of those listed in Hebrews 11 lead them to do?
1. Abel offered to God a better offering (Hebrews 11:4). 2. Abraham obeyed when he was called (Hebrews 11:8). 3. Isaac invoked a blessing for the future of Jacob and Esau (Hebrews 11:20).
5. How is faith brought to completion by actions, deeds, or works?
Faith is brought to completion by works by believing God exists, by believing in God, by believing God, by doing what God says we need to do, by obeying God because we love God, by allowing the love of God to fill our hearts, and by expressing God’s love to others in wise and practical ways.
Word Search
Faith and Action Must Work Together
Sunday, June 5, 2022
James 2:14-26
Name __________________________________________
O H S I L O O F T Z R M R A W
M P N D V J Y P Q P N G V C U
D G H G E A H F N O S M D S V
F E W Y D M P A I F R K I H M
Y K A R S F O T S H U D D E R
S T E D G I C N W Y W Y S A G
L K Y K V A C Z S S I C U B R
Y N X D W I Y A M U L R S M A
E V E I L E B K L O N M E V S
K D O O F D A E T E W U J A N
H M F P E Y G H C T Q X V K J
T E N E H T E A O H M E C O S
I W D K N S E W E G J S X N W
A S Z F R P L V N I Q Y P Q P
F B Y V Z V Q C A R B H B M N
Faith
Deeds
Save
Clothes
Food
Peace
Warm
Physical
Action
Dead
Believe
Demons
Shudder
Foolish
Righteous
True and False Test
Faith and Action Must Work Together
Sunday, June 5, 2022
James 2:14-26
Name __________________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
1. Those who have faith with no deeds are the best believers. True or False
2. When you see someone without clothes or daily food, you should always say to them: “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed.” True or False
3. Faith with no action is dead. True or False
4. We can show our faith by our deeds. True or False
5. Some can show their faith without deeds. True or False
6. Demons believe there is one God — and shudder! True or False
7. Abraham was considered righteous for what he did. True or False
8. Abraham’s faith was made complete by what he did. True or False
9. A person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. True or False
10. A body can live without the spirit, but faith without deeds is dead. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
Prayer
Almighty God, thank You that we can be confident in Your knowledge about our lives and in Your wisdom concerning judgment. We ask for strength to live faithfully even when the present and future seem nothing like we expected. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.