James | Faith Without Works | Rev. Greg Schneeberger |10.19.25

·43 min·4 clips

Rev. Schneeberger compares faith without works to a body without breath, using a CPR training story.

Rev. Greg Schneeberger delivers a sermon titled 'Faith Without Works' based on James 2, part of a series on the book of James. He opens with a prayer, setting a reverent tone for engaging with challenging biblical text. Schneeberger begins by humorously addressing a recent CPR training, using it as an analogy to explain that faith without works is like a body without breath—dead. He acknowledges the potential for listeners to misinterpret James as promoting legalism, warning against swinging from legalism to licentiousness. The preacher emphasizes that his goal is preaching to the heart, not just teaching, to connect head and heart through Jesus. He introduces the concepts of sola scriptura and regula fide, explaining that scripture interprets scripture and James does not conflict with Paul's teachings on grace. Schneeberger uses a fruit tree metaphor to illustrate how good works naturally flow from true faith rooted in Christ's grace. He discusses the historical context of James writing to early Jewish churches, addressing Gnostic heresies that prioritized knowledge over action. The sermon explores different biblical uses of words like 'faith' and 'justification,' noting that James refers to a specific, inadequate type of faith. Schneeberger revisits the law's three uses, highlighting how it exposes human need and leads to Christ. He reads from Galatians 2 to show alignment with James, stressing that righteousness comes from Christ's work, not human effort. The preacher explains that sanctification involves growth in obedience, though it is non-linear and reliant on the Holy Spirit. He examines Abraham's story, interpreting 'justified' as 'vindicated' to show how works prove existing faith. Schneeberger closes by affirming that Jesus perfectly unified faith and action, and through union with Christ, believers receive both justification and sanctification. The sermon ends with a prayer and invitation to communion, reinforcing the message of grace.

As heard by us

A sermon on James that presses faith toward embodied love, obedience, and hope in Christ.

Faith without works gives this review its main pressure point, as Rev. Greg Schneeberger reads James against a narrowed faith made mostly of correct statements about Jesus.

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Why you'd press play

You want James to press past faith as a list of sentences about Jesus and into the kind of trust that reshapes a life.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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