When you hear the phrase, "good works," what happens? I think for most of us, a big, red flag pops up in the air, because we know from scripture, that we have to be very careful to teach that good works do not and cannot save us.

We are saved alone

by what Christ has done,

by faith in Jesus' perfect life

and His death on the cross.

So, for example, if you hear a sentence that contains in it, "the way of salvation" and also contains in it something about "good works" a big, red flag should go up. If, for example you heard the sentence, "We get to Heaven by believing in Jesus, and trying to do good." A big red flag should go up! Why? It is talking about getting to Heaven and in that sentence it says we get to Heaven partly by what Jesus did, but partly by what we do, partly by our good works. And, Brothers and Sisters, scripture teaches that we are not saved by our good works. We cannot, in any way, earn our way into God's favor, or earn our way to Heaven.

What does the Bible say? What can be more simple and plain and clear than this? The Bible says,

"We maintain that a man is justified by faith,

apart from observing the Law."

We are not saved by the good things that we do. We are saved by faith alone, in Christ alone. What does scripture say in Ephesians 2:8-9? What can be more simple, plain, and clear than this?

"It is by grace

you have been saved,

through faith,

and this not from yourselves

it is a gift of God,

not by works,

so that no one can boast."

Scripture is so plain and so clear in telling us that we cannot, by our good works, by the things we do, we can't earn our way to Heaven. The only way that we can be saved is by what Jesus has done for us.

➔ Jesus has lived a perfect life for you.

➔ Jesus has made full and complete payment for all of your sins.

➔ You cannot add to what Jesus has done. He has done it perfectly and completely.

We are saved by grace alone,

through faith alone,

in Christ alone.

And so, we are not saved by our good works. We always need to be very, very clear on that. However, does that mean that whenever a Christian hears the phrase "good works," a big, red flag should go up? By no means, because a Christian, who knows that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and not by our works, should be eager, should be eager to hear about good works. Martin Luther once said, "People are accusing me of forbidding good works, when really what I am trying so hard to do is teach people what true good works are."

Never should you get the impression that from this pulpit we forbid good works. Really, what we are trying to do is teach what good works really are. The Bible makes a profound connection between faith in Christ and good works. The Bible teaches

Christians do good works,

not in order to be saved,

but Christians do good works,

because we are saved.

What does it say in the book of Titus? It says,

"God redeemed us

to purify

for Himself a people

who are eager to do good."

What does that say? It says God has redeemed you. You are only saved by what Christ has done. But, why did God do that? He did that so He could set aside a people who are eager to do what is good. People who believe they are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone are eager to do good. They are eager to serve their Savior and live for their Savior.

What did Jesus say about believers? He said,

"I am the vine.

You are the branches.

If anyone remains in me,

he will bear much fruit."

There, Jesus is telling us that if you cling to Jesus by faith, your faith is going to be living and active. You are going to have a desire to do good works, which are pleasing to God, and are evidence of your faith in Christ, as your Savior.

We all probably know by heart Ephesians 2:8 and 9, which tells us that we are not saved by our good works. But, I don't know how many of you know the verse that is right after that. Listen to what it says. Ephesians 2:8-9 says,

"For it is by grace

you have been saved,

through faith.

This not from yourselves.

It is a gift of God,

not by works

so that no one can boast."

There, the Bible is very clear. Salvation is not by our own works. But, do you know what the verse is that comes next? Here is how it goes, when you put it all together.

"For it is by grace

you have been saved,

through faith.

This not from yourselves.

It is a gift of God,

not by works

so that no one can boast.

For we are God's workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus

to do good works."

Christians are eager to do good works, not because they save us.

Christians

are eager

to do good works,

because we are saved!

There is an indivisible connection between being a believer in Jesus, as my Savior, and understanding I am a lost and condemned creature, without Christ. I have been redeemed, not with gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ, and His innocent sufferings and death. Why? In order that I might be His own, live under Him and serve Him in His Kingdom. I am eager, as a Christian, to do good, because I love my Savior.

And so, James, in today's scripture reading, makes that point so clear. What does he say? He says,

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith, but has no deeds. Can such faith save him?"

If you claim to have faith,

u if you claim, "Yah, I know who Jesus is. I know that He died for the sins of the world. I believe He died for my sins,"

u if you claim that, but it has not changed your life,

u if it has not created in you a heart that is eager to live for your Savior, loves your Savior, that clings to your Savior, that says, "I want to do good. I want to please God. I want to do good to my fellow man, because of what my Savior has done for me,"

then you don't really have faith at all. There is an indivisible connection. Faith is living and active.

Listen to how Martin Luther described faith. "Oh, faith is a living, busy, active, mighty thing so it is impossible for it not to be constantly doing what is good. Likewise, faith does not ask if good works are to be done. But, before one can ask, faith has already done them, and is constantly active. Whoever does not perform such good works, is a faithless man. Faith is a vital, deliberate trust in God's grace. So certain, it would die a thousand times, for God's grace. And such confidence and knowledge of divine grace makes us joyous and merry toward God and all creatures. And this, the Holy Spirit works, by faith. Therefore, without being forced, a man is willing and desires to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer everything, for the love of God and to His glory who has been so gracious to him. It is therefore as impossible to separate works from faith, as it is to separate heat and light from fire."

And so, James says, in the same way,

"Faith by itself,

if it is not accompanied by action,

is dead."

Christians will do good works, not in order to be saved, but because we are saved. In fact, James makes this challenge. James says, "Show me your faith without deeds." Can you do that? Can you show me that you are a Christian, without your actions? Can you?

➢ If you have no desire to live for Jesus,

➢ if you live in unrepentant sin,

➢ if you have a desire to go off and live contrary to the Word of God and contrary to the Will of your Savior,

➢ if you have no desire to serve other people,

➢ if you are self centered, self absorbed, self important, proud, arrogant, rude, self seeking, easily angered, you keep a record of wrongs,

you have no good deeds. Show me your faith, because I can't see it. I can't see it, because it is not there. James says, "Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do."

"I will show you my faith,

by what I do."

If I believe in Jesus, then I believe that I have been redeemed at a huge price, a redemption that I could never have on my own, and it is all by grace. I have not earned it. I have not deserved it. Just in His mercy, God has given it to me, in Christ. He has done it for me, no matter who I am. Faith is going to be so thankful, so desirous to live for our Savior, that you are going to see it. You are going to see it, by the way we desire to live for our Savior.

Now, James takes this to a very practical application. He takes it right into a local Christian congregation. He uses this example, a very touching example. He says, "Suppose a man comes to your meeting (church services) wearing a gold ring and fine clothes."

And you say to him, "Here's a good seat for you."

Then, "a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in."

And you say to him, "You stand there." or "You sit on the floor by my feet."

James says, "What good is it?"

What good is that? Is that faith? Is that faith in action? That is showing favoritism. James tells us look at what Jesus did. He says, "Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love Him...?"

Anyone who knows Jesus, anyone who clings to Jesus by faith, knows what Jesus has done. Jesus does not show favoritism. Jesus does not say, "I am going to die for the really wealthy people. I am going to die on the cross for the really good looking ones out there. I am going to die on the cross for the really smart people, because I want them to be with me in Heaven." Jesus never, never, ever did that. Jesus, in His love for the whole world, overlooks all those things. Jesus says, "I died for all. I died for all. I don't care how you look. That does not matter to me. I don't care how rich you are, or how poor you are. That does not matter to me. I don't care how strong you are, or how weak you are. That does not matter to me. I love you all equally. I took all your sins. I paid the same price for all of you, the same price. I did not pay any more for the smart or the wealthy, or any less for the smart or the wealthy. I paid the same price for all."

Faith, in that kind of Savior, will display itself. And, it will display itself in action. It will display itself and say, "Thank you Jesus. Thank you. That is the way I want to treat others. I want to do good to others, not in order to be saved, because I am saved."

I remember when I was a young man, there was a song on the radio. It was about a girl who was seventeen years old. It was a very piercing song, about what it is like to feel favoritism. It went this way.

"I learned the truth at seventeen,

that love was meant for beauty queens

and high school girls, with clear skinned smiles,

the valentines I never knew,

the Friday night charades of youth,

were spent on one more beautiful.

At seventeen I learned the truth.

For those of us with ravaged faces,

lacking in the social graces,

who desperately remained at home,

inventing lovers on the phone.

It isn't all it seems

at seventeen.

For those of us who knew

the pain of valentines that never came,

and those whose names

were never called,

when choosing sides at basketball.

To ugly duckling girls like me,

it isn't all it seems at seventeen."

You can just hear her hurt, can't you? You can just hear how it hurts, when people choose favorites. Our scripture reading today says,

"Faith

by itself,

if it is not accompanied by action,

is dead."

As God's People, as God's People, it is our desire to put our faith into action, to not show favorites, not deal with people differently, because of the way they look or anything, but to deal with all of them the same, because that is how Christ has dealt with us.

Regardless of what you think about Martin Luther King, Jr.’s politics or the rest of his theology, this is a profound statement.
"I have a dream that one day this country will rise up and live out its creed, all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day the sons of former slaves will sit down with the sons of former slave owners at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day my four, little children will live in a world where men are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I have a dream that one day little, black boys and little, black girls, will join hands with little, white boys and little, white girls and walk together, as brothers and sisters."

If anybody is able to do that, if anybody is able to fulfill that dream, it is Christ's people, it is people who have faith, it is people who want to put faith into action.

So James says, "Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do."

Amen.