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Summary

Sermon Outline “Fully Devoted, Fully Engaged Christ-Follower: Saving Faith - James 2:14-26 9/11/01 - Brutal and violent terrorist attacks claimed 2752 lives, many of whom were heroes whose actions saved others. Who among those heroes are eternally saved? The Bible clearly teaches: - Those without faith in Christ - their heroic acts, while most commendable, did not, cannot save them - Ephesians 2:8-9 - Those who had faith in Christ - their heroic acts were expressions of their faith. They were not saved by those works, but those works were evidences of their faith - James 2:24, NLT James 2:14-26 - James raised the question, “What is saving faith?” He linked for us genuine faith in Christ and good works expressing that faith. You can have works without faith, but you cannot have faith without works. This passage seems to some to contradict the clear teaching in the rest of the NT, that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. “Faith” - “pistis” - “conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it” (Strong’s). “Save” - “sozo” - “save, keep safe and sound, rescue from danger or destruction, preserve” (Strong’s). But what does this saving faith look like? Can it be idle, void of action/works? Saying you believe in Christ means nothing if the faith is not evidenced in your life - vs17. Faith cannot be evidenced apart from action/works - vs18. The demons have faith, but not saving faith - vs19. Examples of saving faith, evidenced by action/works: 1)Abraham - vs20-24 - Faith driven to obedience, sacrifice. 2)Rahab - vs25 - Faith driven to different allegiance & life. What are you driven to by faith? Saving faith is life response. Surrender to Christ as Lord. Turning from sin to Christ-likeness. Service to God and others. Witness to those without Christ. Vs26 - In no way do works save us, but unless our faith is active/ evidenced by our works, it is dead, not saving faith. Do you have saving faith? Check yourself! Fully devoted, fully engaged Christ-followers trust in Christ alone for salvation, but their faith is a living faith, seen by how they live and what they do.