Fruitful Faith

14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? – James 2:14-2 0NLT

Without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, the Christian life would be impossible to pull off. Not only that, without the Holy Spirit, the hope of anyone becoming a Christian would be impossible. It is only by the work of the Spirit that anyone is transformed from darkness to light, from death to life, and from condemned sinner to forgiven saint. Paul told Titus that prior to the Spirit’s divine help, “we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. ” (Titus 3:3 NLT). And Paul followed up this less-than-flattering portrait of our pre-salvation condition with some very good news.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. – Titus 3:4-6 ESV

God saved us, out of His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit was made possible because of the sacrificial death of Jesus. His perfect obedience to the will of His Father, demonstrated by His incarnation and, ultimately, His crucifixion, is what made the Holy Spirit available to sinful men and women. And it is the Holy Spirit who gives new life to those dead in their trespasses and sins, enabling them to see for the very first time the wonderful gift of God’s grace as expressed through the sacrifice of His own Son for the sins of mankind. 

Yet, the Spirit is often treated like the red-headed stepchild of the Trinity. We can easily overlook His significance and under-appreciate His role in our spiritual lives. Or we can over-emphasize those aspects of the Spirit’s presence and power that are more flamboyant and fantastic. The gifts of the Spirit can suddenly become our primary focus, causing us to seek those gifts that come with greater authority, increased visibility, and that give us an air of superior spirituality. This was the problem Paul confronted among the believers in Corinth.

It seems that the congregation in Corinth was using the gifts of the Spirit as a litmus test for measuring spirituality. There were those who were guilty of viewing their particular gift as a badge of honor, rather than seeing it as an undeserved byproduct of the Spirit’s presence within them. And those who had the more flamboyant and visible gifts, such as tongues or prophecy, were wrongly assuming that their more spectacular gifts were proof of their superior spirituality. But Paul corrected this misperception.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. – 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NLT

Each and every gift present within the church in Corinth had been given by the Spirit, based on His divine determination alone. It had nothing to do with the spirituality of the one receiving the gift. And just as with the fruit of the Spirit, the spiritual gift given by the Spirit was not intended for the blessing of the recipient.

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. – 1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT

And every gift was necessary. There was no particular gift that carried greater weight or worth. The gifts, made possible by the Holy Spirit and meted out at His discretion, were intended to bless the body of Christ, not the individuals who possessed the gifts.

To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. – 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 NLT

Don’t miss what Paul is saying here. Notice how many times he writes, “the Spirit gives.” There is no indication that any of the gifts are given based on merit. No, Paul states that it is the Spirit who distributes all these gifts and He alone decides which gift each person should have. It’s not based on personality, spirituality, or inherent capability. It is a gift, and it is intended for the well-being of the body of Christ.

So, what does this any of this have to do with the words of James concerning faith and works? Paul is talking about gifts given by the Spirit, and James seems to be talking about practical expressions of faith. Paul mentions such things as tongues, prophecy, healing, wisdom, and discernment, but James focuses on what appear to be more mundane and practical expressions of faith like sharing food or clothing with a brother or sister in need.

But there is a common thread between these two passages, and it has to do with our outward behavior. Both men are dealing with the outer expressions of our inward faith. Paul is discussing spiritual gifts, and James is dealing with practical manifestations of faith. And both men would strongly assert that any hope we have of doing either is based on God, not us. As Paul told the church in Philippi: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT).

And James told the believers to whom he wrote, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you” (James 1:5 NLT). James wanted them to know that God was the source of all their needs. Which is why he reminded them, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father” (James 1:17 NLT).

Both of these men are dealing with the reality of the Spirit’s presence within us flowing out of us in practical ways that end up blessing all those around us. For James, the declaration of faith in Christ that wasn’t accompanied by Christ-like behavior was worthless. It wasn’t true, saving faith. Because saving faith results in the Spirit’s presence and power. And that power is practical, producing spiritual fruit that blesses all those around us and gifts that minister to the body of Christ. And not only that, the power of the Spirit is evidenced by the simple, yet practical ways in which we love and care for those around us.

James will not allow us to over-spiritualize our faith. He will not let us become so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Which is why he uses a very practical, real-life illustration to keep us grounded.

Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? – James 2:15-16 NLT

In Corinth, the believers were bickering over who had the most important spiritual gift. They were jockeying for position within the church based on what they believed to be the perceived importance of the various gifts. And, in doing so, they were missing the point entirely.

James was dealing with people who were putting way too much emphasize on their displays of religiosity. They were consumed with impressing one another and intent of giving the appearance of spirituality. But James wouldn’t let them get away with it.

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. – James 1:26 NLT

They were guilty of showing partiality by showing preference for the haves over the have-nots. In doing so, they were violating the royal law: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (James 2:8 NLT).

The practice of partiality, the desire for prominence, the jockeying for spiritual stature, and the fruitlessness of faith are all constant dangers we face as believers. And Paul and James would both have us understand that any hope we have of avoiding these pitfalls is an awareness of our complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. He has given us gifts, and they are meant to bless others. He will produce fruit that is meant for the good of others. And His power will result in good deeds being done by us – giving ample evidence that our faith is real.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

If You Are the Son of God

1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
    and him only shall you serve.’”

9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    to guard you,’

11 and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. – Luke 4:1-13 ESV

This well-known passage, containing Luke’s account of the temptation of Jesus by the devil is familiar to most of us, but there is an important aspect of this dramatic encounter that is often overlooked. The immediate context is essential if we are to understand all that we see happening in this story. Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. And in his gospel account, Mark records:

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. – Mark 1:9-12 ESV

Mark gives the impression that Jesus was somehow driven by the Spirit as if He had to be forced. But Luke paints a different picture, describing Jesus as being “led by the Spirit in the wilderness” (Luke 4:1 ESV). The intensity of Mark’s language seems intended to convey the speed with which Jesus departed and the feeling of strong compulsion He felt from the Spirit of God. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul describes the incarnation of Jesus in very strong terms:

…though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men… – Philippians 2:-7 ESV

Jesus emptied himself. The Greek word Paul used is kenoō, and it comes from a root word which means “to empty.” But what is Paul inferring here? Did Jesus become any less God when He came to earth in human form? Did He empty Himself of His divine character or capabilities? It seems that the best way to understand Paul’s words is to keep them in their context. He states that Jesus was in the form of God, but did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped or clung to. While He enjoyed His rightful place at the right hand of God the Father in heaven, He willingly relinquished His rights and regal role, choosing instead to take the form of one of those He had created.

Jesus left behind the glory of heaven where He was worshiped daily by the angels and enjoyed unbroken fellowship with God the Father, and took the form of a helpless infant. He became dependent upon others to care for Him. He set aside His divine rights and privileges in order to accomplish His Father’s will. And during His earthly life, Jesus subordinated Himself to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, operating under His direction and by His power. He was no less the Son of God. He had not given up any of His divine powers or prerogatives. But for the time He was to live on this earth in human form, Jesus chose to live as a man, completely dependent upon the Spirit of God in every way.

And notice what Mark records God saying to Jesus immediately after the Spirit descended upon Him after His baptism: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” God confirmed the identity of Jesus. His humanity had not changed His identity. He was still the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. He was still fully divine and “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15 ESV). He was God in human form. His name was “Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23 NLT).

But why is this important? What difference does it make? Because of what immediately happens after Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness. He was led there by the Spirit of God, and yet, he found himself being assailed by Satan himself. For 40 days, Jesus had fasted from food and water, leaving Him in a severely weakened condition, both physically and emotionally. He was drained of energy. His humanity was running on fumes. And notice the words Satan spoke to Jesus while in this weakened and vulnerable state: “If you are the son of God…”

Satan questioned the identity of Jesus. Forty days earlier, God has proclaimed, “You are my beloved Son; with you, I am well pleased.” Now, after more than a month of complete isolation from human contact and total abstinance from any source of nourishment, Satan raises doubts about Jesus’ identity. Was He really the Son of God? Is this the way God treats His own? In His emacated and weakened condition, did Jesus even remotely reflect the image of God?

But Jesus’ physical condition did not alter His identity. He was no less the Son of God in His famished and dehydrated state than He had been as an infant in the manger in Bethlehem. Jesus knew who He was, and He knew why He had come. He was fully aware of His identity and His purpose. So, when the temptations of Satan proved ineffective. And notice the nature of the three temptations the enemy used.

The first one involved getting Jesus to use His divine power to turn stones into bread. Could Jesus have done pulled this off? No doubt about it. But it was not in God’s will. And Jesus was aware that Satan was attempting to get Him to use His divine rights and privileges for purely selfish reasons: To meet His own needs. So, Jesus rejected Satan temptation, saying, “Man shall not live by bread alone” (Luke 1:4 ESV). It’s interesting to note what Jesus said to His disciples on the occasion when they offered Him food to eat, and He responded, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about” (Luke 4:32 NLT). When they questioned whether He had already eaten,  Jesus simply replied, “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work” (Luke 4:34 NLT.

Satan was trying to get Jesus to place His own physical needs ahead of His Father’s will for His life. But Jesus wouldn’t take the bait because He knew who He was and what He was here to do.

The second temptation involved Satan’s offer to give Jesus authority over all the kingdoms of the earth in exchange for His worship. What’s the problem with this scenario? As the Son of God, Jesus already had authority over all the kingdoms of the earth. Paul reminds us, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16 ESV). Satan was offering Jesus power He already possessed. But in His weakened state, it could have been easy for Jesus to question His own power. But He didn’t. Instead, He responded, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” (Luke 4:8 NLT). Jesus wasn’t tempted by Satan’s offer of power, because as the Son of God, He was all-powerful. Jesus saw Satan’s offer of power in exchange for worship as what it was: idolatry.

The final temptation features Satan taking Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem. And, once again, he questions Jesus identity, saying, “If you are the son of God…” Then he challenged Jesus to throw Himself off the pinnacle, so that God would send angels to rescue Him before He ever hit the ground. What’s going on here? Again, it is a direct assault on the identity of Jesus, but also an attempt to get Jesus to violate that identity. Satan was giving Jesus a different purpose than the one God had given Him. As Jesus Himself state, He had come “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 ESV). He came to die, not be rescued. And the manner of His death had been pre-ordained from before the foundation of the earth. This was a temptation to live outside the purpose given to Him by God the Father. And it was a temptation to trade obedience to the will of God for prominence. But Jesus wasn’t interested because He knew who He was and what He was here to do.

So, what’s the point? How does this apply to you and me? Take a look at Philippians 2:3-5. Notice what Paul says to the believers in Philippi as they struggle living out their faith amid conflict and persecution. They are under direct attack by the same enemy who accosted Jesus in the wilderness. And Satan is using the same tired tactics to get them to forget their identity in Christ. He is offering them pleasure, power, and prominence in exchange for their worship. He wants them to think about themselves, to focus on their own needs, to seek immediate relief from their problems by turning their backs on God. He is offering them what they already have if they will only deny who they truly are. But Paul reminds them:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus… – Philippians 3:3-5 ESV

Have the mind of Christ. Think like He does. See life from His perspective. He knew who He was. He was confident in His identity. And we should know who we are. We are sons and daughters of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, redeemed, forgiven, righteous, holy, saints of God, heirs of the Kingdom, citizens of heaven, ambassadors for Christ, ministers of reconciliation, members of the body of Christ, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and as Peter puts it, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9 ESV). It is when we forget our identity that we fall prey to the attacks of the enemy. Recognizing who you are and why you are here, your identity and purpose is the key to living for Christ and like Christ.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson