September
10, 2006 am Screen Doors on a
Submarine James
2:1-17
By Ronald E.
George Jr. at the
The CCM song screen doors on a submarine illustrate the Biblical truth spoken of in James 2. Faith is the testing of your soul’s decisions and life choices. When you put screen doors on a submarine it doesn’t take long before you realize the result of the decision you made. Life’s choices are much more complex and require the use of the guide of the Lord to help us to understand the results thereof. We want to evaluate the choices concerning ourselves but also the choices we’ve made that affect others. James uses the example of someone in need in James 2.
Scripture Text:
James 2:1 (NIV) My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus
Christ, don't show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a
gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If
you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's
a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there"
or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4 have you not discriminated among
yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has
not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith
and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have
insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the
ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering
the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8 If you really keep the royal law
found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing
right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as
lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one
point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit
adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit
adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as
those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because
judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy
triumphs over judgment! 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.
· Faith is belief and understanding of the facts. Facts comes from hearing the word of God. Faith is the decision you’ve made based on the information you’ve been given along with the understanding you have of the situation. Just the facts, Ma’am.
· Faith is action. Action is the resulting steps taken produced by belief. A wrong belief can be disastrous.
· Faith is inspiration. Inspiration or Intuition is that little voice that leads you along the way. It is the Lord. He speaks to you in the scriptures, through the message, and through your heart.
· Faith is the test. Testing or Judgment that is the time of evaluation of your thoughts that have produced the actions you’ve taken.
· Faith is the healing that needs to take place. Healing comes when you have gone to the doctor who has diagnosed your problem and given you a plan for recovery to health. You have understood the problem and now you have the answer to give you the health you want. You understand the situation and you now know how to cure the problem. So, you do it. Then the healing begins. Healing comes from the Lord.
Faith applies to you in whatever your state or situation.
Someone who is without the Lord realizes that the problem is that we need the Lord. Without the Lord we are lost and have no hope. Take the faith test.
Someone who is in difficult situation rely on the Lord’s wisdom and the Spirit’s guiding to make the correct choices in life. Take the Faith test. What is the result of the decisions you have been making?
Someone who is in a church or a family or a business must ask the same questions. What is the result of the decisions we have been making? What is coming out of our faith? Is it healing from the Lord? Is the final result of our actions something that is good or is it something that needs adjusted?