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There are lots of Christians who call themselves “faith” people. There
are multitudes of ministries that identify themselves with what has been
touted as the “faith” movement. But in the midst of all that, I find
that there is still gross misunderstanding concerning the nature of
faith in the life of a believer. So let’s look for a while at what
faith is really all about…
 Faith is not just a good suggestion, or a nice little add on to the Christian walk, it is at the very core of our walk with God. To the degree that we miss the core issues concerning faith is the dregree that we will find ourselves stumbling in our Christian walk.
20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone…26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:20-26)
FAITH AND WORKS
Often when discussing faith, many believers will quote Hebrews 11:1 as the Bible definition of faith.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 NKJ)
But Hebrews 11:1 is not a definition of faith, instead it is a description of what faith looks like; a subtle but substantial difference. A simple way to define faith is confidence (trust) in God. It is confidence in the Word of God.
The subject of faith and the proper understanding of it is one of the basic foundations to a meaningful prayer life. Faith is essential to our intimacy with God. In our text from James’ Epistle, we see that if we are going to look at the subject of faith that we will have to consider the subject of works as well.
The concept of works James refers to here is very different from the works Paul speaks about in the book of Romans. In James, works are active, present-tense expressions of our obedience to God. Our works express the risk that is involved in obeying Him. One of my spiritual heroes, John Wimber, used to say it like this: “Faith is spelled R-I-S-K!”
James tells us that true faith has a real correlation with what we do.
Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions. James 2:18 (WEY)
James is not at all suggesting that our confidence or faith in God combined with our works, earn us a relationship with God. Paul clearly taught that we are not saved by our works. We do not do the works of the law to earn salvation or God’s favor. Our actions demonstrate what we believe about God and thus position us to receive from Him. In Romans,
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin…23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:20-24)
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:27-28)
1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:1-3)
Dead faith is faith that exists only in a conceptual form; it is just a good idea. A faith that is alive is faith that is joined with active obedience. If our confidence, trust, or our faith in God is not joined to active obedience, our faith in God is just a concept. The need of the hour isn’t to simply have faith. No, the need of the hour is that we have completed faith or another way to say that would be mature faith.
One of the fundamental principles throughout the New Testament is that we cannot obey the Holy Spirit if we do not communicate with Him. As we fellowship with the Holy Spirit, He will strengthen us in our inner man, which will allow our faith, our confidence, to live and grow.
16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through fait…(Ephesians 3:16-17)
The Holy Spirit is God. In fact, He is the God that is living inside of us. We interact with Him by dialoguing with Him (that is called prayer); giving Him our attention; asking Him what He is thinking and feeling, and asking for revelation as we study the Word. False religions have counterfeited this. The reason we look inward is because the Spirit of the living God is dwelling inside of us. Those in false religions look inward to their own spirit, confusing it for God and thinking it is endless truth.
Many believers live their lives with a spiritually dull heart out of fear. They do not fellowship with the Holy Spirit; the God Who dwells inside them, because they are afraid of being deceived as those involved in false religions are. Beloved, the Holy Spirit is not going to deceive you. He is going to glorify the Word, and He is always going to glorify Jesus. If we are committed to staying in the Word of God, committed to staying in fellowship with our fellow believers; if we commit our hearts to holiness and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we should have no fear of being deceived.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God; but faith does not grow or mature by the Word of God alone. Active expressions of our obedience to God must accompany the Word of God in order for our faith to grow into maturity.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)
Faith works together with and is matured by our sanctified works. Abraham’s faith worked together with his works. Abraham’s confidence in the word of God worked together with his expressions of obedience to God. By outwardly taking the risks to obey God, Abraham’s faith matured.
SPEECH: THE KEY TO MATURE FAITH
We will only have complete or mature faith if we bring our tongue consciously under the sanctifying leadership of the Holy Spirit. The one who does not stumble in what he says is mature in his faith.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:4)
2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. (James 3:2)
God, in His infinite wisdom, established our tongue among the members of our body, soul and spirit in a governmental way. If our tongue is submitted to the Holy Spirit then we are mature believers. If our tongue is not under the Holy Spirit’s leadership, our entire spirit, soul and body can be defiled by it. Our tongue is like a gateway through which either darkness or light is permitted into our spirit, soul and body.
And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (James 3:6)
Even as believers we can release darkness into our lives and circumstances if our speech is not right and we are resisting the Holy Spirit in this area.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. (Proverbs 18:21)
A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. (Proverbs 18:7)
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:29-30)
The anointing of the Spirit is necessary if we are to bridle our tongue. In fact, it is the same anointing that helps us bridle our appetites. A bridled tongue that is under the leadership of the Holy Spirit is an expression of our intimacy with God.
…if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. (James 3:2)
No one can tame their own tongue. The tongue cannot be bridled apart from interacting with the Holy Spirit in a dynamic way on a daily basis. If our speech is does not come under the Holy Spirit’s leadership, our physical appetites are open to powerful demonic influences.
but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (James 3:8)
Without Bible faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). Let me reiterate, Bible faith isn’t just believing, it is believing - having enough confidence in God and His Word – to walk out that confidence in obedience to God. Bible faith is believing and having corresponding actions. And Bible faith is only possible in the context of having a real daily relationship with the Person of the Holy Spirit – God dwelling inside of you.
Beloved, take time today, take time everyday to commune and fellowship with the God that dwells inside of you. Ask Him to empower you to bridle your tongue, how you speak. If you will submit your speech to the Holy Spirit, you will find that the rest of your actions will also come into conformity to God’s Word. And as your actions correspond to proper believing it will bring your faith to completion.
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