The ethical* /[gedragsnorme] effect
By Pastor George Lehman
Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man a more clever devil. C.S. Lewis
Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all. – Aristotle
The revelation must become the application.
Ethical =Relating to beliefs about what is moral or principles of right and wrong. A positive or negative impact on decisions we make (our behavior values)
Unethical = unprincipled, dishonorable, corrupt
James 2:14-26 (NIV) – 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
We regularly, in the news, hear reports of some or other effect – the effect of global warming, the effect on the world economy and the effect of poverty.
The church faces its own effect that can be called the “ethical effect” (principles of right and wrong) or……as James puts it,
“A faith without fruit”.
As the world watches, too many Christians profess one thing but practice another.
A counterfeit faith produces no genuine fruit.
The result is, the church has little influence on the world today, even while we are proclaiming our faith.
While so many places and in so many ways, the church is losing its voice as the culture suffers from this ethical effect.
An integrity or credibility crisis is running rampant in every aspect of society.
The ethical effect has touched government, politics, business, law, sports and yes, unfortunately, religion.
The ethical effect has brought down high-profile individuals in every professional field.
Our world needs people whose lives match their lips and whose walk matches their talk.
As we journey with James through this section of verses, we come to what is called a contentious subject.
From time to time over the past twenty centuries this debate has flared up.
James 2:14-26 is like a boxing ring where the so-called learned have put James and Paul in the ring.
Paul with the emphasis on FAITH!
James with the emphasis on WORKS!
In this corner we have the apostle Paul wearing the GRACE trunks.
His claim:
Ephesians 2:8 (NIV) – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
In the other corner we have James wearing the WORKS trunks.
James 2:18 (NIV) – But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
Make no mistake about it, the Bible plainly teaches that our eternal salvation rests entirely on God’s grace through our faith in the finished work of Christ.
Salvation is a free gift of God to everyone who will receive it.
The bible also says that true, saving faith will always result in good works.
NB! After all, how could the living Christ come live in our life and not make any difference in the way you think, act and speak.
This whole debate hinges on the failure of some to make a clear distinction between…
The REQUIREMENT for true salvation and
The RESULT of true salvation.
Good work is never a requirement for salvation but they are certainly the result.
People who have passed from death to life; from darkness to light.
Whose sins have been forgiven; who have become a new creation in Christ.
They can’t help but see the world differently and respond accordingly.
With passion, enthusiasm, a fire to purity and proclaim the Gospel!
In the FAITH versus WORKS debate…
People tend to gravitate toward the extremes.
Some over-emphasize the faith aspect while completely neglecting the fact that it should result in good works.
Faith not works school of thought:
You pray a simpler sinner’s prayer – have no change of lifestyle.
Develop no real desire to pray – hardly ready your bible.
Exhibit zero desire for spiritual things yet still saved because you ‘believed’.
It’s called easy Christianity.
Faith or works:
Their understanding is if you have faith, that’s fine with them or if you do good works in your community, that’s also fine.
They trust faith or works will get them to this perfect place.
The ones who believe in a works salvation somehow think there’s a way to earn our way into eternal life.
James revealed to us the code we need to understand the relationship of faith and works.
Paul and James complement, NOT contradict each other.
Here it is:
Salvation is not about faith and works. It’s about a FAITH that WORKS.
If you can grasp this simple sentence, you will understand the heart of the issue.
The church today desperately needs to rediscover a faith that works. Christianity is a faith that demands a response not just a nod of the head.
A faith that bears fruit.
After all, a faith that has no fruit is a false faith.
To have an ethical effect on the world we need to live out a faith that works.
Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV) – “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”
