Introduction: I have entitled this morning’s message Last Words since we have arrived at the last two verses of this glorious book of James.  Last words mean much to us.  We hold close to our heart the closing words spoken to us and others by a loved one that has since gone to be with the Lord. This became real for our family Friday evening when my wife got word that her father had gone to be with the Lord.  The sharing of last words still takes place today but with the drugs that are used today to deaden the pain of those last hours and days of life the loved one is often unconscious and cannot speak.  Don’t take me wrong, I’m not against that nor do I believe God is.  Before drugs were used to deaden the pain of the dying saint, some amazing dying words and scenes were recorded.  Some of the last words of D.L. Moody, the great preacher from Chicago, have been preserved for us in a book written by his son the year following his death on Dec. 22, 1899.  Among other things he said in those last hours he said:

 

Earth recedes; Heaven opens before me...It is beautiful.  It is like a trance.  If this is death, it is sweet.  There is no valley here.  God is calling me, and I must go.”

 

Yes last words are precious, and I believe the last words in one of God’s preserved books of the Bible ought to be precious to us as well - not just the ending of another book study.  Some have wondered why James ends so abruptly, and it does seem that way, but  like last words, James has a deep love for his brothers and sisters in Christ that he has been writing to and he knows that there are some who have never accepted Christ as their Savior among those he has just written this book to. 

 

There are such people probably in every church who have made only professions of faith, but there has never been any evidence to prove their faith - thus a faith that is dead. They have never entered into a true relationship with Christ. James knows this is the case because of Jesus' teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 7:20-23, Jesus taught his disciples:

 

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

These are people, who will have named the name of Christ or maybe sat in church for many years, but they never really knew Christ, and so they were not part of His family, part of His flock; they were not true, genuine Christians. This book has been a call to us to examine and see if our faith is real and genuine or merely a superficial, artificial and dead faith - which is no faith at all. We recall what James taught in chapter 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”

 

As we look back, we see the letter has been a series of tests by which we can measure the status of what kind faith we really have - genuine or false -

 

Chapter 1

Ÿ         How do you respond to trials?

Ÿ         How do you respond to temptations?

Ÿ         How do you respond to the word of God?

Ÿ         How do you respond to the standard of holiness?

 

Chapter 2

Ÿ         How do you respond to different kinds of people? The poor and the rich.

Ÿ         How do you respond to righteous works?

 

Chapter 3

Ÿ         What kind of speech comes out of your mouth?

Ÿ         What kind of wisdom is characteristic of your life?

 

Chapter 4

Ÿ         What is your response to the world, do you love it, are you a friend of it?

Ÿ         What is your attitude towards self, arrogant and prideful--or humble?

Ÿ         What is your attitude towards God's will?

 

Chapter 5

Ÿ         What is your attitude towards riches?

Ÿ         How do respond to suffering? Are you patient?

Ÿ         What is your attitude towards speaking the truth? Is your "Yes" your Yes and "No" No?

Ÿ         Are you dedicated to prayer - for yourself and others?

 

All of these are tests by which we measure our faith to see whether it is real or not. It calls on those who name the name of Christ (call themselves Christians) to be sure they are genuine.

 

So now at the end of the letter, James calls upon the Christians - those who pass the test, those whose faith is real - to evangelize those who have failed the test - those who are unsaved within the church. Evangelism in the church! What an amazing idea! But this is how we will display our love for each other by caring about those around us. Let's conclude our examination of the book by looking at James 5:19-20 READ

 

James begins this last section with his customary address, "brethren" This is his general term for his readers - Jews, Christians, and the church body as a whole. He has just moved from how the elders are to treat the sick and how those in the church are to treat one another, to how the believers are to treat those who have failed the test. He began addressing the whole church by saying in 1:5, "If  any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God" Then in 5:13 “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.” And now finally in verse 19, "If any of you do err from the truth." Not all were in each of these categories. The people within the church were to respond differently, depending on the situation and here the situation is that there may be some within the church who have failed the test, and are not true Christians. So James has set before those with real faith a challenge.

 

We are challenged to take on the ministry of going after people who give evidence of not being genuinely saved. Do you know anyone like that? Do you know people who used to go to church, but don't any more? Perhaps they have turned their backs on church or God. Do you know any people who maybe used to talk about honoring Christ, but are now living in overt sin? Do you know people who used to claim to be a part of the church but now deny the faith and have joined a cult of some kind or another, or just totally reject religion? These are the people who have failed the test. They may have named the name of Christ at some point, but they never really knew Him. Their Christianity was in name only - it never was a reality. Do you know someone in your family who, at some point or another, has made a claim of faith, but there has never been any proof of it in his life? James is calling on us, those who truly believe, to proclaim the Gospel to, and pray for, lost people in the church. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at this passage and our challenge, as we examine the following four ideas: The indications, the danger, the agent, and the objective.

 

I. The Indications

How does James tell us we are to identify these people? How do we know who to go after? Look at verse 19 again. In the Greek, the phrase "err from the truth", is a phrase of possibility, which is to say it is possible that within the walls of the church there will be those who aren't saved, and will stray from what they have heard.

 

The Greek word here is planao, which means "to be lead astray, to wander or be deceived." It is from the same root which meant planet, which was something that wandered through the sky. It is used a number of times in the New Testament, but it usually refers to the condition of an unsaved person.

 

In Matthew 22:29 Jesus says, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”  That word translated "err" is the same word “planao”, and is the condition of an unsaved person. Paul says in Titus 3:3-7, For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

The word "deceived" is this same word again. It refers to a person's pre-salvation sinful state. Here in James, these are people who have never been saved. They are unbelievers, even though they may have claimed to believe, but now have wandered away from what they have heard.

 

What have they heard? The Truth. James 1:18 tells us “the Word of Truth” is the Gospel message itself, in other words, the way of salvation. This is someone, therefore, who has rejected, despite their claims to the contrary, the message of salvation.

We may be surprised by these people, but God isn't. In John's gospel, we see the disciples were oblivious to Judas' false faith, but Jesus wasn't. In John 6:70-71 Jesus called him a devil. We might be shocked or mistaken by some who were once in the church and claimed faith. They may have gone along for the ride, been a part of the action, yet their heart was never true. Jesus said in John 8:31 "If you continue in the truth you are my real disciple," and so consequently if you don't, you never were. You see, a true Christian will never reject the truth. A true Christian will never turn his back on the Gospel and the God who saves. Oh, we may fall into sin or disobedience for a time, or have momentary doubts, but we will not wander away from or leave the saving truth.

 

Jesus makes the unequivocal promise in John 5:24, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

Jesus gives a similar absolute, with no qualifications, promise in John 6:51, I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. When God makes a promise, He makes good on it. ALWAYS. His promises aren't dependent on us.

 

So we see these are people who made a claim, never had real faith, and now are wandering from the truth. Do you know anybody who has made some claim, but then later denied the truth?

 

Look at the other indications. Verse 20 speaks of someone in the "error of his way". This is from the same root word as “err". "His way" equals "His path of life or his lifestyle". Errant living maybe the clearest evidence of "dead" faith. A lifestyle, which is a rejection of the principles of the word of God. Self-styled Christianity - their own way, not God's way. A life that is a contradiction of God's word. This is evidence of a spurious, pseudo or false faith.

 

Look again at verse 20. This person is called a "sinner". This is very important. This term is only used in the Bible of unregenerate, unsaved, never been saved, lost, unbelieving people. In fact, it refers to someone who is a hardened unbeliever, or one who is devoted to sin - a slave to sin. It is the character of an unbeliever. The word is used in some 64 scriptures in the Bible. I won't quote them all, but look how the word is used by many different authors:

 

Ÿ         Genesis 13:13 - But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Ÿ         Psalms 1:5 - Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Ÿ         Psalms 51:13 - Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Ÿ         Proverbs 11:31 - Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Ÿ         Isaiah 13:9 - Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Ÿ         Matthew 9:13 - But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Ÿ         Luke 15:7 - I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Ÿ         Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Ÿ         1 Timothy 1:15 - This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

 

"Sinners" is ALWAYS used to refer to those outside the kingdom.  While a Christian may sin, he will never be characterized as a "sinner." These are the people James is talking about, ones who have perhaps been a part of the church, but their nature never really was changed, they never were truly of God. John says again in 1 John 2:19: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

 

These are people who went out. They were deceiving themselves and perhaps others us as well, but they are lost. That leads us to the second point.

 

II. The Danger

These people give evidence of being lost, and therein lies the challenge - we see the danger these people are in. This alone should compel us who know the Lord as our Savior to be active. What is at stake? Their soul! (v. 20). The immortal soul. And it is in danger. It is facing death - eternal death. Romans 6:23 says "the wages of sin is death.." Revelation 21:8 says, But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

The first death is physical. The second is spiritual and is eternal. These people face death, and they face it with, as James says, a "multitude of sins". Sins just keep building up and accumulating. Those who are unbelieving are like the unrighteous rich James spoke of in 5:5 - those who have fattened themselves for they day of slaughter. They have become weighted down with an incredible load of sins. How many sins does it take to send a person to hell? One. Imagine the immense damning reality of all the sin of the unsaved. Paul confirms this in Romans 2:5: But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

 

These people are just piling up sin for judgment. What a horrible danger they face. Can you understand the urgency then? Do you understand the importance of what James is calling us to do? These people are now living the reality of sin and rejection of God, and their eternal soul is headed for death, carrying a multitude of sins. That is the danger.

 

III. The Agent

So, who is God going to use to bring salvation - a true faith - to those who are lost? Who will be the agents of this ministry? The elders? The pastor? Only those who are seminary trained?

 

Look at the text. In verse 19 we find the word "one" and in verse 20 it says "he which" So who can God use as His agent? Anyone. It doesn't say just pastors or elders or apostles or preachers. It is the job of anyone who is saved. Don't just think to yourself, "Well, that is what we hired the pastor to do," or "Well, that is what we appointed the pastor and deacons to do." No. This is for all of us. Paul proclaims in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20: And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

 

Do you understand that my friends? Once you have been saved, you then have the job or the ministry of reconciliation. It is a job for all of us. Sometimes we sit and wait for someone else to do it. We sometimes even pray God might bring someone to us who is unsaved, and provide us the opportunity to witness to them. But this is a call to be even more deliberate. Start right now by thinking of those people you know who give indications they are unsaved. Perhaps they used to attend church or maybe once made some kind of profession, but are now living as they always truly were - sinners. You need to go after them. Our evangelism should start right here in the church. We need to go after those who may have been brought into the church and made some profession, but never really believed and are now gone. Do you know anyone like that? Don't think to yourself, "Well I will tell the pastor or a deacon to go after them. It is their job, not mine." We all have the ministry, and if God has placed someone on your heart, if there is a name in your mind, it is because He wants to use you, He wants you to be His agent.

 

That is an awesome challenge - to be the agent or ambassador of God. But that is what we, who are in Christ Jesus, have been called to do. That is James' challenge for us. But what a blessing for us to be used by God! God wants to use you to bring others to a saving faith. WOW! God delights in the salvation of the lost, and blesses those whom He uses.

 

IV. The Objective

Look at verse 20 again and notice the word “converteth" - that is the Greek word epistrepho. It can refer to a physical turning or facing a different direction. But it often refers to being turned to God in a one time act of salvation. This further supports the idea the people James is talking about here are unbelievers. Notice how the term is used in the following scriptures:

 

Ÿ         Matthew 18:3 - And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Ÿ         Acts 3:19 - Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Ÿ         Acts 11:21 - And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

Ÿ         Acts 26:18 - To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Ÿ         1 Thessalonians 1:9 - For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

 

These verses speak of salvation. Conversion.  Turning from sin to Christ. That is the objective. Salvation. In fact, the word "save" here is the Greek word sozo, which is the dominant word used for salvation in the New Testament.

 

With salvation comes forgiveness. James says salvation will cover a multitude of sin. We want to turn sinners from sin in order that they may be saved, and in being saved, their sins will be forgiven - no matter how many of them there are. This is a description of the extent of God's forgiveness. God in His grace forgives multitudes of sins. John promises us in 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

Our sins are covered and buried. Psalm 103:12 encourages us with the words: As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  And Psalm 32:1 states, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

 

Conclusion:

Our ministry is then a ministry of perception, examining the evidence, and looking at the indications of those who have abandoned truth. We must understand the danger involved; these people have eternal souls headed for eternal death, with a multitude of sins. But God wants to use us, all of us, as His agents to bring about the salvation of others. We are the “any of you”  and the “he which” James is talking about, and God wants to use us to achieve the great objective, which is turning them from their sin and that multitude of sins, and receiving forgiveness and becoming truly and genuinely a Christian of faith.

 

Thus, James’ last words to us are words of evangelism and of the reality of our faith in Jesus Christ.  If we really love the Lord we will really love those who have not yet come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

 

I encourage each believer here to go back through this book of James from time to time in your Christian walk and see how you are doing at putting feet to your faith in Christ.