06: Faith That Works - Lesson Plan

Key Thought : Faith and works cannot be separated. We can’t be saved by our works, but without them, our faith is useless.

[Lesson Plan for Faith That Works November 3, 2014]

1. Have a volunteer read James 2:18.

a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. How do we show our faith by our works? Can a person do good works and yet not have faith?
c. Personal Application: Is there a difference between belief and faith? Is this the same as the difference between a preference and a conviction? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “You are combining faith and adding works to it, which we are not supposed to do. It is faith and faith alone that saves us.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read James 2:19.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. Can anyone be scared into doing the right things and into heaven? Fear of punishment, fear of loneliness, fear of the law, fear of rejection – can people be Christians because they are afraid of the alternative?
c. Personal Application: Is there a place for us in taking pride in the things that we do? Why or why not? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “I believe in Jesus Christ. My pastor says that’s all we need to do to be saved. He says too many churches have added requirements, doctrines, etc. that take away from the simple gospel of believing in Jesus.” How would you respond to your neighbor?

3. Have a volunteer read James 2:21-24.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. How does works justify us in God’s sight if we are saved by faith?
c. Personal Application: Does your good works for others impact your faith for the better? Share your thoughts..
d. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why does Jesus talk about Abraham and Isaac as an example of faith? The Jews were in a different dispensation – they were saved by works until Jesus came for the dispensation of grace.” How would you respond to your friend?

4. Have a volunteer read James 2: 25.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. How could Rahab be justified by her works when she was guilty of lying to protect the spies? Is it okay sometimes to break the law and still be justified?
Personal Application: After this lesson, is there someone you could intentionally help in some way to show the love of Jesus by your good works? Share your thoughts.
b. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Note : “Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.” MH p. 149.

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Michael here - that seems like a logical application.
It is not certain that importance should be attached to the differences in these two phrases - through faith and by faith. The emphasis seems to be on faith - faith in this passage is contrasted to circumcision - faith brings justification to the Jew, not circumcision. Faith likewise brings justification to the Gentile who is not circumcised.

The faith that Abraham had that was reckoned to him as righteousness does not mean that faith possesses in itself some merit that can earn justification - that you clearly stated and understood in your dealing with the terms THROUGH faith and BY faith.

The faith that saves us is a relationship, an attitude, a disposition of man toward God. It means a readiness to receive whatever God has to reveal to us and do it with joy, love, confidence, and submission.

You are correct in thinking that some people would use the term righteousness by faith in such legalistic terms that it is no longer righteousness by faith at all. And they turn the faith into a type of works.

Faith is a personal trust and confidence in God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without a relationship with God, we would be lost. Faith is just a development of that relationship. By being thankful and confident in the atonement and the righteousness of Christ in place of ours, we have the experience of justification by faith.

The faith that is counted for righteousness in its very definition is the denial of all works, or merit. It is the beginning of a new life of transformation, love, and obedience. Thus the focus is on "faith THAT works." Not faith AND works, nor faith WITHOUT works.

Faith is a personal relationship with God. BY and THROUGH that faith we are saved. It is God who works in us BOTH to will and to do of His good pleasure. So even our faith is a gift from God, but it is we who have to exercize it.

I hope that helps. I have read your comments for years and am impressed by your insightful sharing.

Blessings,

Michael Fracker

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Comments

06: Faith That Works – Lesson Plan — 9 Comments

DANIEL BATURE on November 4, 2014 at 1:29 am said:

No work should be done out of faith to be called a good work..otherwise this is an enticing tactic to draw soul away from the savior-JESUS all in all because of our faith in Him we've no longer ability to control this fruits of spirits and they became our internal and natural life

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lemual Sikes on November 4, 2014 at 4:38 am said:

I wouldn't say that (No work should be done out of faith to be called a good work) Because there must be a marriage of both. We must have works and faith and if some of our works come from both as long as we are doing them for the right reason. Because we want to not that they will get us in to heaven or god will be pleased with us. He knows what is in our hearts as we do things. So are u looking for a reward, praise or nothing in return.

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Shirley de Beer on November 4, 2014 at 8:11 pm said:

2b - Christians through fear?

Fear can wake us up to our need but I follow Jesus not because of fear of punishment, nor from hope of reward but because of who He is, because of His character, because of His love, because of His worldview, because of His wisdom, because of His divine power, I am drawn to Him, I want to be with Him and to be like Him.

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Shirley de Beer on November 4, 2014 at 8:17 pm said:

3d - Children of Israel saved by works?

Absolutely not!! Check out Hebrews 11, all the great Israelites operated by faith.

God has only one Everlasting Covenant of Love which has been progressively revealed throughout salvation history, the New Covenant is made with Israel and includes the same laws as in the old covenant.

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Shirley de Beer on November 4, 2014 at 8:26 pm said:

2d - I believe in Jesus, that's enough?

I would ask the neighbour to share with me what they understood the meaning of 'believe in Jesus' to be. I would ask her how 'believing in Jesus' impacted her life. I am sure that we would discover that her sincere practical belief in Jesus was similar to what is sometimes called doctrine.

Of course there are some who use 'just believe' as an excuse to do their own thing, but I choose to believe that most are just confused by so called experts.

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Sharron Bullard on November 6, 2014 at 5:32 am said:

I think faith and works go together, works is what we do, and sometimes we do before we pray about it, criticizing should never come into what we are doing, when We criticize we loose them, show the love, pray foe them and let The Holy Spirit work in and thru them to do of Gods good pleasure, and then stand back get out of Gods way and let the Holy Spirit work. Love, Prayer, Holy Spirit, Jesus, God works wonders when we get out of the way.

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Shirley de Beer on November 12, 2014 at 8:03 pm said:

Hi Michael, can you help me. While meditating on faith and Paul in Eph & Rom I was struck with this query - are we saved BY faith or THROUGH faith?

It bothers me a bit because if I say I am saved by my faith it tends towards something I do while if I say I am saved through faith it is more like saying my faith is only the channel through which Jesus grace reaches me.

Eph 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,
Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Also why does Paul say here one is justified by faith and the other through faith?

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- Michael Fracker on November 13, 2014 at 2:53 pm said:
  
  Michael here - that seems like a logical application.
  It is not certain that importance should be attached to the differences in these two phrases - through faith and by faith. The emphasis seems to be on faith - faith in this passage is contrasted to circumcision - faith brings justification to the Jew, not circumcision. Faith likewise brings justification to the Gentile who is not circumcised.
  
  The faith that Abraham had that was reckoned to him as righteousness does not mean that faith possesses in itself some merit that can earn justification - that you clearly stated and understood in your dealing with the terms THROUGH faith and BY faith.
  
  The faith that saves us is a relationship, an attitude, a disposition of man toward God. It means a readiness to receive whatever God has to reveal to us and do it with joy, love, confidence, and submission.
  
  You are correct in thinking that some people would use the term righteousness by faith in such legalistic terms that it is no longer righteousness by faith at all. And they turn the faith into a type of works.
  
  Faith is a personal trust and confidence in God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Without a relationship with God, we would be lost. Faith is just a development of that relationship. By being thankful and confident in the atonement and the righteousness of Christ in place of ours, we have the experience of justification by faith.
  
  The faith that is counted for righteousness in its very definition is the denial of all works, or merit. It is the beginning of a new life of transformation, love, and obedience. Thus the focus is on "faith THAT works." Not faith AND works, nor faith WITHOUT works.
  
  Faith is a personal relationship with God. BY and THROUGH that faith we are saved. It is God who works in us BOTH to will and to do of His good pleasure. So even our faith is a gift from God, but it is we who have to exercize it.
  
  I hope that helps. I have read your comments for years and am impressed by your insightful sharing.
  
  Blessings,
  
  Michael Fracker
  
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  Reply ↓
  - Shirley de Beer on November 13, 2014 at 8:09 pm said:
    
    Hi Michael,
    
    Thank you, yes that really answers my real question. When we use the word 'faith' we must always remember all it encompasses.
    
    I love the LORD and His Word and sharing what I have discovered with others, thank you for your kind words.
    
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    Reply ↓

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06: Faith That Works – Lesson Plan