Is Your Faith Working? Salvation By Faith-Alone; Christian Living by Faith AND WORKS
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
What a joy it was to unpack the full salvation summarizedi n the Apostles’ Creed - and even more how by alone you can make it yours - beyond a shoadow of a doubt resting on Christ’s righteeouness and not your own! That is scandolous - we think we are good enough at least to earn part of our salvation, don’t realize that faith is so radical that it is embracing a enw principle of life, new kind of life - from the Holy Spirit, and rooted in a participation a communion, a rolling of your life into Christ’s -ven his death and resurrection. That fatih a gift from God, is a regeneration, a being born-again to life in Christ, that saving faith , as the atlas of the Christian faith, is not only what our acceptance by God is rooted in, but also our new Christain living, our obedience and service, and thankfulness. But its not just that ... just that we think we can earn a bit our salvation, justification our new status with God, we also often think we can live the Christian life, offer God true obedience, our good works, by producing them on our own -without that active new principle of faith giving birth to them!
And while it may seem if you pull out this Scripture, out of its context, that James is say89ing you are not saved by Christ alone through faith alone -
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
but half by Christ’s work you have faith in, and the other fhalf by your good works , by a combo deal nthing is further fromthe truth. James an undershepherd is protecting the flock of true believers from a terrible error that shipwrecks people faith. The error is to think that true saving faith can ever be alone. It saves us alone by the righteousness of Christ that we’re trusting in, but true faith is never found alone, - united to Christ, with new principle of life implanted in us - faith whose root is in Christ alone, is never found alone, because it always and withoout fail produces the fruit of good works. While James isn’t so concerned to teach how we are justified in Christ here, and is more focused on whether a faith that some has is true and working faith, he does noentheless undergird his teaching with the same foundation of how we are not made rightesouness by our faith aor doing, but only are declared righteousness, justified by faith in God’s promised one.
We have a hard calling to see how God’s Word teaches, that good works are condemned, accepted, and required!Itis all amatter of using the right tool for the right job. A hammer is prrety useless for digging a hole, but fabulous for straightening a wall, and required for pounding a nail. Tonight you are called to examine how youare using good works. Catechsim will alter explain the nature of a good work, but tonight focus on what role your good works play, esopecially in relation to your faith. We must begin at the cetnre of our passage
A. Good Works are the Effects of Justification But Rejected as its Cause
Now let’s enter the illustration that both james and the Apostle Paul hold up as the quintessential example of justifying faith. It’s Abaraham before, circumcsiion, it’s Abraham some 30 years before ever did that great sacrfice and obedience of being willing to sacrfice His Son Isaac - believing that God could raise him up. Do you see that in
and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
James is saying, 30 years later the Scripture in is being fulfilled as he acts on the faith that once and for all made him righteous. When was Abraham called a friend of God, simply believed the promise - empty hands - no good works to show. Why is this essential to see? Same word Justified, Latin word - but always used in forensic CSI sense, a declaration of guilt or innocence, not a making a person a good person and then accepting them, but being counted righteous based on the record of another. God revelaed the poromsies Abraham belived in a trusting, inward, persona way, and he was justified and acdcepted by God broughtinto tight commuion. Before we turn to how Abraham’s faith was tested and proven to be true how his faith was justified so to speak by his good works, we must see that the astarting point isthat by faith his whole person was justiifed by faith alone in God’s promise! YOu must see that our good works could never play one iota of a role in our being made right with God.
James states this earlier in this very chapter when he says:
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.
Under the covenant of works - there was the possiblity of earning the reward of perfect obedience in our own strength performing the right and good life God desires and demands! But as James is saying, that way of earning the reward, of being justified has been slammed shut to us, because though we may have some good work to show, none of them are perfectly good, nor has any of us offered all the good works God requires. We need to get this straight in our minds: a good character may palliate someone, but a good character can’t atone for any offence. God doesn’t just say, try harder next time and we’re good. Our attempts to repent are not the same thing as expiation. There is no hope in our righteousness, only in Christ’s perfect rightousness.
Back to God Hour Minsiter Peter Elderveld - story of $10 bill to illustrate. Rich man gave a needy woman gift… gave it to grocer pay overdue account. Gracoer to landlord, land lord bill at doctors office… donated to charity, charity to bank. Can’t accept coutnerfeit- but how reject something that did so much good. Bible’s message, by works of law none accepted, allour rightesouness is as filthy rags… Owe God teh real thing perfect thing, whole thing - and can’t do that!
But both in the OT and NT the covenant of grace that God sets up with his people is not offering a reward, out of merit , but out of grace! Our good works can’t be part of being accepted by God - because our salvation and justification rests on grace and not our earning! To mix our good works iniwth our justification is to put confidence in our own ability, instead of totally depending on the grace of God. It is to glory in ourselves, and or own works, instead of God and His Christ! The rewards God promises from our good works are not because of the merit wehave in them, but becauseof the grace of Christ in us. And that means our imperfect but good works - earn us nothing in terms of standing or acceptance with God!
You may think well what difference could that make in how I live out my faith? A qworld of difference?
Listen if Abraham wasn’t jsutified before his good works, and if his good works were how he earned God’s favour, he would be living in a totally different relationship, with compeltely differnt motives! After Abrhaam believes in , and God accepts him by faith alone, what does God call him? He was called God’s friend. Another way of saying he was right with God, jstified. How would that cahnge motives in our lives.
Imagine I hire you to wash my car next Saturday afternoon at 4pm. 5pm rolls around, washed, even did some body work - and where are you going to be, front door , with your hand out - earned this, contractual relationship; now imagine I am your father - you get to drive that car, dirty it, , part of the family - and i say need you to wash the car this afternoon - going to come to the door with a bill written out? Of course not - part of the family privelleges and responsbilities - but it might not be unusual - for taht Father to press a ten into the hands - son thank you and good job.
The motive is sifferentisn’t it, the cotnract, vs the covenant is didfferen tisn’t it. One is operating with a servant mentality - be judged according to merit - ddi or ddin’t do. The other is operating as a son, and is judged or rewarded, not really on the basis of the work done as much as in regards to who he is to teh Father. The grace and favour is the payment/reward, not the merit of the work.
While James isn’t spelling out this whole doctrine of salvation as justification by faith alone here, understand taht is the same udnerstanding that isthe foundation he is building on. But now his main concern is with what is at the very front end of our text. If someone has a so-called faith taht does not work, they are spiritual, they have knowledge, they attend worship, but they have no good works is taht real true saving, justifying faith?
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
James asking this hyposthetical question about so called faith - use Greek form that expects the asnwer must be NO! Do you get it? This person is the one who says they can show, literally prove their faith apart from works in their life, and how does james resopnd: impossible faith & treu good works always together!
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
James response is our second point, works are not only rejected as the cause of our justification, but B. Good works necessarily accompany faith
While it is true that we are saved by faith alone, it is never a faith that is alone. Saving faith is not a mere profession or intellectual assent, saving faith the gift of the Holy Spirit is an extremely active princple: Listen to how the Canons of Dort in most helpful article ot me The Holy Spirit’s Work in Conversion describes it - Faith isn’t just you or me choosing God, or you or me believing in some stuff like even demons do. Faith is an actuall gift from God a bestowal , breathed and infused mysterious into us (Art 14). Listen to article 11 of the 3rd/4th Head: “The Holy Spirit’s work in Conversion: Moreover, when God carries out this good pleasure in his chosen ones, or works true conversion in them, he no only sees to it that the gospel is proclaimed to them outwardly, and enlightens their minds powerfully by the Holy Spirit so that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God, but
by the effective operation of the same regenerating Spirit, he also penetrates into the inmost being of man, opens the closed heart, softens the hard heart, and circumcises the heart that is uncircumcised. He infuses new qualities into the will, making the dead will alive, the evil one good, the unwilling one willing, and the stubborn one compliant; he activates and strengthens the will so that, like a tree, it may be enabled to produce the fruits of good deeds.” Canons of Dort III/IV, 11
This almost reads like a Chrismatic Christan. Here any testimony of how we are saved describe the actual work of the Spirit like this! And James is saying, even though faith is waht justifies us before God, that gift of faith has power to be teh producer of good works, and if there are no good works - it is not treu faith! The apostle Paul speaks of faith in the exact same way in Galatians (the very book in which he says its either salvatin by faith or works can’t be both), when he says
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
This is what James is driving at. If your faith is’t producing the furiits of love -its a dead and a false faith. In 40-50AD numerous food shortages in Jerusaelm, discipleship was to give food to member of church inneed at your door. James, says disdcipleship is the proof of faith. If there are no good deeds that follwo your faith , your faith is incomplete! He turns to Abraham again and says 30 years after he wqas justified, what’s happening with this man?
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
Could you say the same of yourself, - I have an active faith, and right there along with it here are my accompanying good works. And The goal of my faith of being made right with God, accepted by Him, granted life from above and eternal ife - commuion and opwer from him - the goal of that salvation is that we live our lives towards God in holiness. We are to live with God’s glory and the good of others as the goal of our lives and faith is what enables us to start doing that fromthe ehart with a true motive of self-giving Godl glorifying love! When Abraham was tested 30 years later, the good wroks were the proof of his faith!
When you hear the NT repeat the OT in saying
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Does that make you tremble or do you think that’s not right, I can see the Lord without holiness; Whenyou hear Jesus say
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Do you think: I don’t care two hoots about rightesouness during my daily life,eyt I’m still forigven and saved? Or do you understand taht God’s goal in giving you faith is taht - as you live for rightesouness otehr would glorify him, and other Christains would be edified as they see the way of life and love lived out, and you yourself see the change that faith wroks on the outsdie of your life - way you talk, listen, care and give, serve and love - gain assurance by seeing living evidenceo f Christ’s work in you!
As James gives the extreme example of Abrhaam’s obedience issuing from faith begun 30 years ealier, but active that bring back miracle child from death if God’s will - James says, when you see good works produced by faith in your life - you know what that’s when you can say
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
That would seem to contradict
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
But now in context you see that good works are evidence that saving faith is present and active in my life. That the works validate and prove true the living faith you have. In that sense, works while not justifying you before God, good works do justify your faith in the sense of proving your faith is true and lviing faith. And that justification of your faith, is not at all by merely having dead orthodoxy, bare intellecutal or historic belief! This too is what Paul says in
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
In this sense we see that good works while rejected by God for our justification, are accetped by God as the fruits of our true faith. And this is astounding news that can change the tenor, the emotional atmostphere of your life.
there are some poeole who are so down on good works, because we are saved by faith, they are so aware that our best works are like filthy rags before God, because they are all tainted by sin, they take that truth and amplify it asnd get overwhelmed by it,. They fail to see that god delights in our imperfect yet sincere and truly good works - that he has planned them speicifically for our lives and he will indeed even reward them. Yes, your good works are necessary to faith! Imperfect though our works my be, and totally ineffective to earn our justification and standing before God, , none the less as they are done in the power of the Holy Spirit, our good works are accepted and pleasing to God - they are perfected by the Spirit as our reasonable service. Good works done in the Spirit out of love for God - though not perfect in themselves, so please God and covered by Christ’s righteousness, though undeserving of reward in themselves, God looks at our gospel obedience - and he is pleased as Father with his own child - And we even read:
Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
We read in
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The apostle Paul says, we ought to live storing up treasure in heaven - recognizing we will be rewarded in heaven, but not as something we earned and deserved, but as a crown no the grace working in us.
thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
The book of Revelation speaks of it repeatedly too, degrees of reward,
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”
But all of grace and no envy - because they are not rewards of our merit, but rewards of God’s grace working in us: It is grace that inclined us to do good works, and grace which enables us to do them.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
Not the basis of our salvation or admission into heaven, but desired reward and goal to be found pleasing God. Do you underwtand that your good works while not earning you anything from God, are no none the less so valuable and pleasing to God that he desires to reward them, both already in this life and fully in the life to come!. All that fruit is one sense a prduct of you abiding in Christ, of Christ living in you, mystery of Christ in me the hope of glory - and because of that those good works are of the highest value and have Christ as theri author in us! make us compeltely humble. like Paul.
One author putsit this way all our good works, are out of god through jesus Christ. And they are unto God through jesus Christ,
And that brings us to our last point about good works, not only are they condemned as merit and any cause for being made right with God, and not only are the accepted and even rewarded as the fruit of living faith, but
C. Good works are demanded of us and expected!
We can’t leave nor Lords’ Day 24 behind just with a knowledge that good works are no good for justification, but accepted and rewarded in the end. In the knitty gritty of our lives we need to resolve as john the Baptist urged his hears, to bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance. Fruit in keeping with the new life we have by faith. And human nature hasn’t cahnged that much since the days in which james wrotethis: we all hav a tendency to get selfish, like to be so focused on our stuff, materialism - that we get careless, prfance, indifferent to good works!
But James uses a vivid analogy to conclude:
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
A body from which the soul has departed has become a lifeless corspe and the body itself has become useless. James says a “faith” that has no works isalso useless. It is not that the good works are the life principle that gives life to faith (anymore than a soul gives life tot he body, no the Spirit of God, the breathe of life is that principle). The point is that just like we were given a body and soul to be animated by the life principle of God’s breathe, in a seamless unity. So too our faith and works are inseparable. Do you get that there - its not just that faith needs good works to get us to the goal of lviing holy with God and for others. it is aso the case their is a natural necessity to bear good fruit from faith.
An apple tree - good root system, well watered, good sulight - bear apples. A water aquifier bubbles up not with salt water - purified sweet water - natural necessity. So too spirtual life tapped into Christ living accepted by God, animated by His Spiriti gong t sprout out of itself into good works to others and to God. We need to hold this before each other. Breathe is not just a nice add-on for the body. Without it, it’s a corpse. So too discipleship, faith in action is just a nice add on to justifying faith, without out its not really faith! Another way to put this is that no one lives like Jesus, without faith in Jesus. And if you have faith in Jesus, you begin to live Him!
There is no such thing as a carnal Christian - one who has faith but no works wahtsoever, no tranformation, and then hopes to be saved in the end even though living inteh carnal life, andother Christain who have same faith but havesaid, I am going to live in the Spirit ofro this life too. Both will not be saved, nor do both have true faith.
James is saying, we can’t be like the prodigal. Remeber as son - has an inheritance, they worked but not paid as hired hands who had to work …worked because they loved their father, whole estate was actually theres. But then one son lost sightof the riches of that relationshiop - got jealous of hiredhands earning the money. Couldn’t take it any more -s o asked for inehrtance now squandered it - came back not as son, but wanting to be a slave. Jesus says, no can’t earn it back, grace, even when saved, good works are grace lived out as Sons eager for the Father’s glory. Live out of the vital motions of our relatinoship to God of grace… That living for the Father’s operation from the heart is how faith and works necessarily go together.
There may be times when your soul will become so inactive, likeina deep sleep or comma and the body lives on and you wonder still life here? So too there may be seasons of tragic backsliding or severe testing where obviously living but no fruits of good works seem apparent. But understand these states are like a comma completely against the nature of faith and a faithful person - and rarely does that ever happen even for a moement compeltely, where at least the mourning that we are not waliing in the Spirit in those times. What I am saying is tghat the normal cousrese of the eChristain life is for godo works and faith to go hand and hand, in rearte and dangerous if not - though not necessarily sgin of being lost.
CONCLUSION:
But how this too of understanding the natural necessity of living out your faith, along with the promises of a reward to crown those graces, and a deep humbling acknowledgement that in no way do good works cause our justification, but just the opposite our justification by faith alone causes our goods works done as sons and daughter of God, living for his glory! The Xn life can be hard, our duties demanding, but God’s grace is sufficient for us, and as we lay our good work on the Altar of Christ’s worth - see each good work purified, and accepted and reward by God the Father. Not a kind word or glass of cold water will forgotten by God let’s press on in zeal to offer our good works through Christ, storing up treasure in heaven!
But how this too of understandingthe natuarl necessityof living out your faith, along withthe promises of a reward to crwonthose graces, and a deep humbling acknowledgement that in no way do good works cause our justification, but just the oppostie our justiication by faith alone causes our goodsworks done as sons and daughter of God, living for his glory!