Do you profess, but do not possess, the faith that works?

This week we have been looking at a section of the book of James that is viewed as being a little more difficult to understand. Wednesday, James addressed a situation in which a person, who professed to be following Jesus but then wandered away from Jesus, was engaged by a follower of Jesus in such a way that the one who turned away from Jesus then turned back to following Jesus. This person who was heading away from Jesus was engaged by a follower of Jesus in such a way that they ended up heading back to Jesus. 

James then revealed for us the reality that the person who engaged someone who had turned away from following Jesus in a way that resulted in them turning back to following Jesus should know that they have rescued the person who had turned back to Jesus from spending an eternity separated from God as a result of previously turning away from Jesus.

Now another question that has been provoked by James words here is “Well Dave, is James saying that we could lose our salvation? Because James seems to be saying here that a follower of Jesus can turn from the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel in such a way that they have to be turned back to Jesus or spend eternity separated from God in Hell. I mean, that sure sounds like someone can lose their salvation.”

But this morning, is that the case? Can a follower of Jesus lose their salvation? Is that what James is talking about here? Let’s look at these verses again, beginning in James 5:19:

My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

As we talked about earlier, James clearly is referring to a person who has been outwardly identified as a follower of Jesus. However, as we have talked about throughout this series, an outward profession of faith does not mean an inward possession of faith. As a matter of fact, that is the whole point of the book of James. The whole point of the book of James is the faith that works.

Throughout the book of James the overarching point of the book of James is to distinguish between the genuine and authentic faith that works as opposed to the false and faulty faith that does not work. That is why we have consistently reviewed the big ideas throughout this series.

I mean, consider what James has laid forth throughout this series. In James 1:19-27, James revealed that genuine and authentic faith produces a life of integrity while false and faulty faith produces a life of hypocrisy. In James 2:14-26, James revealed that genuine and authentic faith produces acts of confident trust in God and God’s promises that provide the proof and fruit of such genuine faith while false and faulty faith produces no such acts of trust.

In James 3:13-18, James revealed that genuine and authentic faith relies on wisdom that is from God while false and faulty faith relies on wisdom that comes from the wrong source and produces the wrong results. In James 4:13-17, James revealed that genuine and authentic faith looks to God for guidance while false and faulty faith relies on human arrogance when it comes to planning for the future.  And in James 5:1-6, James revealed that genuine and authentic faith trusts God as our ultimate treasure while false and faulty faith trusts treasure as our ultimate treasure.

You see, throughout the book of James, James repeatedly comes back to the reality that just because your profess faith in Jesus does not mean that you possess faith in Jesus. Throughout the book of James, James repeatedly comes back to the reality that it is the fruit, or what is produced in our lives, that reveals whether we simply profess or actually possess the faith that works.

James point here is that the person who pursues those who are professing that they are following Jesus but are turning away from actually trusting and following Jesus in a way that results on them turning back to actually following Jesus provides the proof of their salvation.  And James point here is that the person who pursues those who are professing that they are following Jesus but are turning away from actually trusting and following Jesus are providing an opportunity for those who may only profess salvation to actually experience and possess salvation.

Then, in the last part of verse 20, James explains that he who turns a sinner from the error of his ways will cover a multitude of sins. Now that leads us to the next question that we need to ask and answer, which is “Well whose sins are covered?” Is James referring to the sins of the one who had turned from following Jesus but had been turned back to following Jesus? Or is James referring to the one who turned the one who had turned from Jesus back to Jesus?

Again, the rule of thumb of the nearest antecedent tells us that James is referring to the one who had turned from following Jesus but now had turned back to following Jesus. James point here is that the one who has been turned back to Jesus experiences the spiritual benefits that come from having their selfishness and rebellion forgiven. However, it is important to understand that as followers of Jesus there are spiritual benefits that we experience when we are used by Jesus to bring people to Him.

And it is here, in this section of this letter, that we see James reveal for us a timeless truth when it comes to the faith that works. And that timeless truth is this: The faith that works pursues those who profess, but do not possess, faith in a way that provides the proof of their faith and that leads others to possess faith.  Just as it was for followers of Jesus in James day; just as it has been for followers of Jesus throughout history, the faith that works pursues those who profess, but do not possess, faith in a way that provides proof of their faith and that leads others to possess faith.

You see, as followers of Jesus, one of the ways that we demonstrate the faith that works is by demonstrating the heart of Jesus that drives us to lovingly pursue those who say that they follow Jesus but are living lives that look nothing like Jesus. One of the ways that we demonstrate the faith that works is by lovingly pointing out the inconsistencies that consistently occur in the life of a person who says that they follow Jesus but live lives that look nothing like Jesus.

One of the ways that we demonstrate the faith that works is by being used by Jesus to lovingly engage those who profess to have a relationship with Jesus but are living lives that reveal that they may not possess a relationship with Jesus. And as we are used by Jesus to bring someone who professes a relationship with Jesus to the place that they actually possess a relationship with Jesus, we provide the proof of our faith as we lead others in a way that provides them the opportunity to possess faith.

So here is a question to consider: How do you respond to those who profess that they have a relationship with Jesus but that live lives that look nothing like Jesus? Do you lovingly pursue those who say that they follow Jesus but are living lives that look nothing like Jesus? Do you lovingly engage those who profess to have a relationship with Jesus but are living lives that reveal that they may not possess a relationship with Jesus?

Or do you simply judge or ignore those who demonstrate an inconsistency between what they profess and how they live out their day to day lives? Because, the faith that works pursues those who profess, but do not possess, faith in a way that provides proof of their faith and that leads others to possess faith.