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Sunday 06/29/25

Title: Faith & Good works Pt. 2

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Faith & Good Works Pt. 2

Last week we turned to James for more wisdom on living out our confession of Jesus as our Lord, which we kicked off with two passages which we will reread this morning before picking up where we left off in James.

Romans 2:1-8,

“(1) Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things. (2) Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth against those who practice such things.

(3) And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment? (4) Or do you have contempt for the wealth of His kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?

(5) But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed!

(6) He will reward each one according to his works:

(7) eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works SEEK GLORY AND HONOR AND IMMORTALITY,

(8) but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.”

Hebrews 10:19-25,

“(19) Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, (20) by the fresh and living way that He inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, (21) and since we have a great Priest over the house of God, (22) let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. (23) And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the One Who made the promise is trustworthy.

(24) And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, (25) not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.”

James 1:8-27,

“(8) since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

(9) Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position. (10) But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.

(11) For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.”

Jesus had a much different view of the needy and the wealthy than much of the modern church, but it is important to recognize a distinction between the poor and the wealthy.

There are many who are poor, who are otherwise good and reliable workers. Then there are those who are poor because they are lazy and will not work.

In the same way there are those who are wealthy who are wealthy by God’s grace and others are wealthy due to pouring all their lives into its pursuit.

This example in James has the former poor and the later rich in mind.

Jesus said of the poor, that God has ordained that they be rich in faith. This gives the lie to those who claim that faith is always a prelude to God blessing one’s finances with great abundance. Jesus Himself as well as the Apostles were not wealthy men by any stretch of the imagination.

The issue here in James is one of priorities and we know that due to the context. James is talking about temptations which would lure you away from God. So he places in contrast the poor who believe with the wealthy who pursue wealth. The one who makes riches his pursuit will perish with his riches. The poor who believe however will be exalted.

Jesus said that if for the sake of our association with Him and for the gospel’s sake we divest all interests in this lower life we will gain His eternal life. If however, we grasp onto and hold tightly to this lower life, we will lose both this life and the next. To which Jesus asked the question – What will a man give in exchange for his soul?

In fact, let’s just reach that account in Matthew 16:24.

This will also help kick our attention back into play regarding our real topic which is ‘good works’ which are produced by or brought forth by faith.

Again, Matthew 16:24-27.

“(24) Then Jesus said to His disciples,

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

(25) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

(26) For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

(27) For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.”

One of the “works” Jesus had in mind was clearly identified by Mark in his account of this teaching. His account reads nearly word for word as Matthews but ends with,

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:38

So James goes on with his analogy by saying,

“(12) Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love Him.”

This one verse in particular led us to read 1 Peter 1:3-8,

“(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (4) that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, (5) who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

(6) This brings you great JOY, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials.

(7) Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold – gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away – and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

(8) You have not seen Him, but you love Him. You do not see Him now but you believe in Him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,”

Continuing on in James 1…

“(13) Let no one say when he is tempted,

“I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one.

(14) But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. (15) Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.”

Address Jesus’ ability to be tempted as a human.

“(16) Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters.

(17) All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.

(18) By His sovereign plan He gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.

(19) Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters!

Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. (20) For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

(21) So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

(22) But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.”

Blessings!

Tri

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!