A Test of Faith, p.2

Read your Bibles and go to James chapter 2 this evening as we are continuing with the section on this thing of true saving faith and what it looks like and again as we look at this. This is a section of Scripture that all tormented would be too strong of a word, but I struggled with as a young believer as a young pastors. I would question myself in my doing enough work semi-caring for enough people in my around town and in the neighborhood are in the world and I caring and loving and ministering in doing the kind of good works, and I truly say, and then the light went on. I mean it was a halogen light Re: bus and LED big like today and that was that he's talking about a heart of compassion and service for your brothers and sisters in Christ and in your local church, that's who.

This is written to. Don't separate the text from the application of its immediate context.

He's writing to a local church and is defining for them and in effect he saying there are those who claim to be Christians and when they run into a brother or sister who is in dire need. Because of the persecution they're going through and they won't even help them. They don't have a heart for them. He says that's not saving faith exists can that faith save you must look at it together.

James chapter 2 verse 14, and beginning.

This is what use is it my brother someone says he has faith but has no works can that faith save him.

If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food to this is a literal specific dire need for 16 and one of you says to them go in peace, be warm to be filled and yet you do not give them what is necessary for the body, what use is that even so faith has no works, is dead, being by itself.

Someone may well say you have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without the works and I'll show you my faith by my works.

You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe in shutter but are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar. You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected, are brought to maturity. Verse 23 and Scripture was fulfilled which says and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way, just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. So I talked about the primary clarifier last week and that is the local church and your love for your concern for the fact that you're drawn to and want to minister to your brothers and sisters in your local church. Now once again Christians ought to be carrying giving loving people to everyone they come across that they can help, certainly, but there's a limit to that either snowing or you can go out tomorrow and Monday and every single person's gotta need. If you try to meet it.

You will be able to but you have a primary focus in a primary concern from your heart. Since God's take your heart for your local church that somehow this thing is clarified as to whether or not you have saving faith blue. Don't worry about time did you walk down the aisle right did you repeat the prayer right did you believe right. That's not to be your focus look in your heart and see is there evidence of a changed heart primarily concerning my love for other believers that was radically true in my life.

I went from no thought about church never want to be around so-called Christians to going to church regularly. I will get the cabbie ought that in some places churches are so we can have so many unsafe people in them. It's hard to since this love because they don't have the spirit, but nevertheless there is a drawing to those who do know Christ. Now we come to a piercing illustration beginning in verse 18 a piercing illustration. He gives this statement here in verse 18 someone may well say what is the point is making is the God who doesn't have works backing up his faith always usually is a big talker. Usually he's talking in the place of serving the Lord in his church like he ought to, and on and on and I might mention some of this this morning but the person insists I can worship God out on the lake. I'm close to got out there. What I can worship God. I can be just as close to God, not out in the woods honey can be just as close to God, medevac closer to God. If I just get me and my family together and our housemate will get to thriller families and will have a whole bunch are we don't really need the organized church and all talk talk talk talk for in the place of joining a local body of baptized believers and loving them and serving the Lord in serving one of their. Someone may well say they're always saying stuff I found this in the J. Vernon McGee's commentary about his good he said a minister wants to talk to a man who profess conversion. He asked what have you united with the local church will know I haven't.

The man replied. The dying thief never united with the local church and he went to heaven. The minister asked what have you ever set at the Lord's table in the local church know the dying thief never sit at the Lord's table local church and he was accepted minister as well.

Have you been baptized into the Fellowship of local church know we said the dying thief was never the baptizing of the Fellowship of local church and he went to heaven. Well, the minister said have you ever given to missions through your church know the dying thief did not get the missions and he was, not just for it. Then the disgusted minister said to the man.

Well, my friend. The difference between you two seems to be that he was a dying thief in your living thief thought those really good and that's very true.

They're always talking someone may well say they think they got away to Phyllis philosophy about their life and their approach to serving God, but is not God's way faithfully through the church, loving your brothers and sisters there and you know it's so real to me in it so obvious to me that Tom I can't be away from my church that long not get tired of the work, but I don't get tired of the brothers and sisters will get tired and whatever work were doing this like the man who is a cabinet shop worker and he's he and a few other guys have been employed at the cabinet shop and one day he doesn't show up for work at the cabinet shop in his boss, Coliseum. That evening, said what happened to you sick. You didn't show up for work.

He said while built cabinets at my house all day. Ointment know you hired him to be a part of the team here that's the point James is making you can't come up. Someone may well say you can't come up with your own view and philosophy of serving the Lord.

God's got the way he wants you to serve imminent sinners in the church.

True faith always brings life and life always produces good works now this verse 18 is a very misunderstood verse a matter fact we don't know for certain exactly what it saying and what the reason, just the quotation marks are not in the original Greek so the translators put them in where they think they go. Here's what I think it saying that fact. And here's what I'm convinced it saying James is giving you a hypothetical object or the hypothetical injector says verse 18 someone I will say you have faith and I have works. We saying yes well you have works.

That's good, but I have saving faith and maybe not the works, but did not matter because we both are okay. One has faith, no works.

One has faith and works. But what does it matter because were saved by faith.

Now the rest of the verse 18 it shows James answer.

Jane says back to him.

Well, show me your faith without the works had you do that see words getting shut will will show me your faith with no works. You can't show faith, with no works.

I don't know if you guy can hear your tongue is referred to. Someone may well say saying don't mean anything to Jane says show me your faith without the works, and then James is and I will show you my faith by my works course he's the pastor of local churches given his life for the church. It's obvious in James one, so he's silencing this object or you see, you can't come to Christ and remain the same anymore than you could come in contact with a 220 V wire and remain the same God changes you. When Christ comes in your life you're different.

And one of the primary ways are different is your affections are chatting, the circle of people you're drawn to the circle tape you love begins to change.

Well, didn't have to. You may be surrounded by Christians but for most of us in my situation. It was a radical change of direction concerning my affections. I was drawn to those people at the church. Interesting thing so this is quite a piercing illustration because he continues on in verse 19 answering this this objection that I can have faith without any works. MOM okay even though you have faith with works in your okay things his way to minute. Verse 19 you believe that God is one that might be part of your faith. We do well. The demons also believe in shutter were shutter means make the hair raise up all alone on this ends shutter means a deep emotional response. He said the demons know God is real and when they are promised by God or in God's presence think they're terrified because they know who you the Bible tells us, for example, that demons bear witness of the son ship of Christ in Mark chapter 3. They believe that there's a place of punishment made by God. Luke eight recognize Jesus as the ultimate judge sent from God.

Mark five. But they do not possess saving faith. I have a faith. They have a belief but is not saving faith. So remind yourselves church and be discerning. Older folks in the Lord that emotional responses, weeping, and even tears over God and God's love doesn't necessarily mean your say I want to know do you love Christians in your local church.

That's what James wanted to know MS what I want to know the real cautious of these great flam boy yet passionate self-denying crocodile tear itinerant servants of the church, so to speak who our real lot on the local church.

One of the questions always ask is what body of local church elders are they honoring and submitting to be careful.

I believe that's why Satan throws curveballs to everybody to make you think me so she so devoted and so, with all their hearts alone LOL do you not think Satan can counterfeit that if you get your heart of what really matters demons can counterfeit anything verse 20 the hypothetical objectors can as countered further. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless and he sang it. Basically, your faith is a lot like the way the demons have faith. I believe in God but they're not say Ellis going to not only this piercing illustration where he tells them. Your concept sounds like some demons would come up with. Basically that's what he sang.

Now let's look at a practical illustration, a piercing illustration that a practical illustration and it was starting verse 21 with Abraham was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar. Genesis chapter 22.

God told Abraham to think I just his son and sacrifice them on the mountain of Mariah. He obeyed God show that he had faith you were a show to work.

He took his son up there and did what God told him to do. Now the point is faith is changing your faith makes a bottle difference in your life and let me just mention the three components of faith in the inner man. First of all, faith affects the intellect means you believe the basic truths of the gospel doesn't mean you comprehend all of them but then your mind you see Christianity comes through the mind, Kristin. He's not some sort of trance you going to end in the spirit changes you that superstition and pagan religion that teaches that Christianity has to be understood in the mind that you understand your center you understand the weight of your walking and your great depravity and that you're only rightfully deserving of God's wrath. You're beginning to grasp that in the mind, and you begin to grasp in your mind that Christ, and love. The incomprehension took your penalty died for you on the cross was buried and raise for your justification and even intercede for you in heaven forever so that when you grasp all that you have the basic concepts of understanding in your mind then your emotion deals that guilt your motion feels the weight of your sinfulness. Your emotions feel the lawlessness in your emotions feel and sense the need to cast your hope and trust in Jesus Christ will be intellect understands the basic concepts emotions begin to feel the reality of the weight of sin and the need for Christ and then then the whale you embrace Christ.

You stand in him you take him as your own, and you begin living out under his Lordship intellect, emotions in the wheel now look at verse 21 again was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar now that seems to be really contradictory to Paul's theology look back at Romans right quick and look at Romans chapter 4 would you do that and let's see what Paul said about Abraham's faith. Romans chapter 4 beginning in verse one what then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according the flesh is found, Abraham was justified by works, and that with James just said he has something to boast about, but not before God.

For what does the Scripture say Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, not to the one who works, his wages not credited as a favor. But what is new but the one who does not work but believes in him, he justifies the ungodly's faith is credited as righteousness. So here it looks like Paul is saying that Abraham was saved by faith alone. As he looked forward to God's promise of a Savior.

James, this practical local church guy is saying seems to be saying no faith has to have works for it to be saving, but there's really no contradiction in them that these two viewpoints at all their talk about to totally separate thing to totally entirely different things. Paul, in effect, is talking about Abraham's moment of justification when Abraham gained a right standing before God when Abraham cast that initial moment of faith in God to save him through supervision of a Savior, who we know is Jesus Christ that occurred in Genesis 15 six. For the Bible says and Abraham believed God, and God accounted in our reckoned it to him as righteousness. James, though he uses the word justification is actually talking about the proofs of justification. Or you could even say sanctification. James is the practical local church guy here is talking about the outward proof of Abraham's faith, offering eyes. It was the outward evidence of the inward saving faith now benefit look like James chapter 1 is a great cross reference here. Look at verse 17 James 117 was look at James talk about the sovereignty of God in salvation here and how it is a mono theistic statement that he is God and God alone gets this accomplished. James 117 every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above. Salvation is the best thing in the perfect gift. It goes from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. Verse 18 in the exercise of his God's will, he, God brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among his creatures and is a strong Pauline's type statement about salvation is by God's grace and work alone, to James, are you contradicting yourself like James is look surpassing know you got her step two different things that the first time talking about the moment of faith. It gives you a standing of justification in this text I'm talking about the audits of that faith that shows forth your justification because your words alone doesn't tell me anything I want to say alone in your heart for God's people in God's church and primarily in this context. When these two dear souls were being persecuted at the very least you take care your brothers and sisters who being her are hurting and who are being persecuted.

If you belong to God, if you're one of his truly saved once, so no contradiction here alone. By faith Abraham was justified before God works. Abraham was justified before men.

Abraham was not saved by faith plus works.

Abraham was saved by faith that works.

Another thing to remember is when Paul is writing to clean Romans when he talks about works. He's talking about Jewish ceremonial works. Ceremonies of circumcision.

All the washings and all the keeping of the rights of the rituals that was associated with the outward ceremony of Judaism.

So he's talking about ceremonial works of the law. James is talking about gospel produce better proof of your inward saving faith. Paul points out that works prevent true faith. James points out that gospel works a company true faith say that again Paul points out that there are works that prevent saving if you're putting your confidence in ceremonial or ordinances are rituals of the church to save you. That will keep you from ever coming to true saving faith.

If you trust what I was baptized as long as you're putting your hope in baptism.

You can't be putting your hope in Christ.

To prevent saving 5 W at the Lord's supper with the priest as long as you're putting your faith in the priest and taking the supper not Christ you're not you know if saving faith. So Paul is talking about. If you put your confidence in the works of the law ceremonial law you're not there yet you not to saving faith yet James talks about. There are gospel works which show forth that you have saving both let me say something to you. We don't have a whole lot of this anymore.

You have a whole whole whole whole whole lot of it that his folks would walk down the aisle put their names on the role and we can't find them, three, four, five, six weeks later. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people when our ropes. I'm telling you I don't give them one tiny chance to truly belong to Christ.

Beside the Ritz really folks are used to. You're listening to your pastor, the assurance of your salvation is your long-term inability to forsake God's church and God's people. Your long-term do you want to sit inability you might get NCN, you might fall out and you might get lazy and you might run this when you might run that way. But I'm telling you, if you're not see he draws you back to the sheepfold long-term abandonment of faithfulness to God in this church are long term church hopping and running to the next congregation that the field your carnal desires either wall tells me you don't have saving faith is with the books so quit this silly superstitious duffel what did you pray this prayer did you mean it. Did you say it right the Bible James is the evidences are do you love God's people of his church to be careful about measuring this. It may be different in all of us, but that at least the Germans there and you never get over it. In verse 23, he says, you see that faith was working somewhat Abraham with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected. The word perfected, there is the very same word that we see in James 14 turn back to James 14 and let's see what it means here. James one voices let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James singularly perfect and that you sin no more means to be brought to completion are brought to maturity 20 say when you begin to live out as a regular faithful product of your life faithful good works for God to his church into his bring to your brothers and sister in Christ, then you're reaching the kind of maturity. God wants in your life and that's what happened. Abraham. Abraham was an illustration that he honored God and did what God called him to do to the point that he was considered matured brought to an end in his faith, never's 23 of this is interesting. Get this thought in your mind the things I know Sunday night but think just for minute up in verse 21. James refers to Abraham's faith being shown by his work of curing his son Isaac up on Mount Moriah to sacrifice him because that what Isaac up on the background sacrifice because that's what God ordered him to do. But now verse 23 he goes back to Genesis 15 and he says, verse 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says and Abraham believed God, it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Now James goes back in James is not going go to Paul's viewpoint are the perspective Paul takes Abraham exactly saved in Genesis 15, 620 believed God was accounted to him as righteousness.

But Abraham showed for illustrated. He had real saving faith.

In Genesis 22 when he obeyed God and did the work of taking his son Isaac upon the mount.

So even James goes back to that moment of belief and says that was his real righteousness that was his real justification. Verse 23, but it was shown among men.

We took Isaac up on the mountain. Can I ask you not talking to the sun. Do not crowd your you're the best of the best typically may be an imposter. Here somewhere to figure the best of the best is your work in your church.

Is there love in your heart for your brothers and sisters that show forth. You are one who possesses saving faith. Look at verse 24. Our text.

You see, then, are rather see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone that A-T Robertson is one of the most eminent Greek scholars to ever live good good Southern Baptist and 80 Robertson says to understand the Greek here, you need to translate it this way, you see a man is shown to be justified by works and not by faith alone, but you can't show faith as well. James sister that hypothetical objector, you may well say talk talk talk talk talk about your faith in Christ that talk is cheap, talking, you can learn all the jargon in the world and sound so impressive. I want to see from your life. Do you love God church look our children.

That's what James a man's shown to be justified by his works. Now he goes to the very opposite illustration here and this is another practical strike and Rahab the harlot who who helped the Jewish spies out so they could take conquest of Jericho.

As of September 25 in the same same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way. In other words, was she not shown among all the inhabitants of Jericho. None of them had sympathy for God's people in God's work that is real except Rahab the harlot know what's the point. The Bible tells us that Rahab had heard about the God of Israel.

She had heard about the miracles and the wonders, in his power and she became convicted and convinced this is the true God of heaven, and I believe in him and embracing him. She was say and she shown that justification that salvation by siding with the congregation of God.

Israel in the same way we show our true saving faith by buying with and supporting and loving the congregation about the local church. All of this stuff.

That's the way it shall look these guys will have much of this anymore it happens and then in the family just disappear where they will think and talk to us.

We don't know where they are. We don't know what they're doing there some exceptions when folks are hurting and I understand that you know what that means. Far too often it means they don't belong to God.

If God put love in your heart for your brothers and sisters in Christ. By the way, all love even deeper than it should be for your own spouse because of your spouse abandons Christ here to stay with God and with this church and not go rejecting Christ because your spouse rejects Christ you are you listening to me and how can you can just disappear go floating off somewhere if God is moving you somewhere come to the church elders and respectfully honorably asked for release from the covenant commitment you made to this body would let you go. Trust me, we want you here if you don't figure this just disappearing Rahab love been sided with and supported the congregation of Israel proved her justification proved her salvation by that work and so do you. So do we all just go two ways around this. This is God's truth.

This is God's word. It's it's a very neglected, misunderstood, are completely ignored truth.

Verse 26, just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. You know it's difficult sometimes to tell if a person is dead or alive in the old days they would put a little glass right up to their nose and mouth and see if there be any vapor on you take the glass of discerning spiritual life and put a lot of churches and you'll be good to get a little droplet of vapor on the far, far, far too many folks who profess faith in Jesus Christ. If you put the glass of spiritual discernment on their life.

You won't be any evidence of true life there. James context again sis.

Where's the evidence shown by your love for your church and love for your brothers for the Larry did you see some of that brother what all this time you been hurting people loving you because you're their brother in Christ. You men I know we talked about that. Just the other day about the way brothers and sisters ministered to him in his time of need.

That's that's not special that's just normal. That's what we do for each other.

You see folks God saved to snow listen, God say this not first and foremost to keep you out of hell, that's wonderful and it's true. But first and foremost, God saved you to honor him and glorify him through your life and is primarily honored and glorified through his church so he saved you to honor and glorify him in his primary honor and glorify this church than your heart, your work, your passion, your love, your devotion should be to his church, you have to do other things.

We all know that but that must be there.

If you are he is is inconceivable to profess saving faith and produce no biblically defined good works. As James defines it in James chapter 2