1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,700 Well, good morning, again. My name is Steve. 2 00:00:09,100 --> 00:00:11,800 I am not Pastor. Steve. 3 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:17,200 We have, we have already had this conversation our pastor 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,300 elect Steve or anything like that. 5 00:00:19,300 --> 00:00:22,400 I know that's just not me. I'm just steep. 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:27,200 Okay, you can call her call me older, Steve Elder Steve. 7 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,300 That's okay. Had a birthday last week so I'm 8 00:00:30,300 --> 00:00:33,500 now older. So thank you. 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,300 I happened to look it up and I was born in 1958 and for all of 10 00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:44,400 you techies, the microchip was invented in 1958. 11 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,700 So I'm as old as a microchip about that. 12 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,700 They're a lot smaller now than they were when they were first 13 00:00:51,700 --> 00:00:56,100 invented. But anyway, I want to welcome 14 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,900 everybody here this morning. I want to welcome visitors, 15 00:00:59,300 --> 00:01:04,800 thank you for being here with us and our scripture, this Warning 16 00:01:05,300 --> 00:01:08,900 again, we're in James. We're in Chapter 2, will be 17 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:17,200 beginning in verse 14 and going through 26 James 2:14 through 26 18 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:23,400 while you're turning there. I would like to thank you again 19 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,200 for the opportunity to bring you a message this morning. 20 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,400 I know I say this every time I get up here and I hope you don't 21 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:39,100 get tired of hearing it, but I am continually amazed every time 22 00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:44,000 that I have an opportunity to do this, how God has taken somebody 23 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:49,100 like me and is now using me to do something like this. 24 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:54,500 And it, it humbles me. And, and I thank you for the 25 00:01:54,500 --> 00:02:01,600 opportunity to do this. And also want to say that if he 26 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:09,699 can use me, he can use you. We, we've got Kyle made the 27 00:02:10,100 --> 00:02:12,300 announcement earlier about Josh and Hannah. 28 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:17,000 And Mandy and Shane. And and I want to want to see 29 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,600 this. Those are not sad things. 30 00:02:21,100 --> 00:02:24,600 Those are God, that is God working in our community. 31 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:31,600 It's with with Josh and Hannah. It's adding to our fellowship. 32 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,800 We're adding another child to our fellowship, which is a great 33 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:40,400 thing, which y'all but know me would know, two years ago, I 34 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,300 would say that with clenched teeth, but now, Now, I'm kind of 35 00:02:44,300 --> 00:02:49,900 get to where I like kids especially my own grandkids, 36 00:02:49,900 --> 00:02:56,200 I'll kind of love those guys now, and, and the opportunities 37 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,400 with with Mandy to step out into the community, I've had a chance 38 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,400 to talk with her for just a few minutes about some of the things 39 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,000 that she plans to do and it's amazing. 40 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:11,300 So so these are awesome things that God is doing in our 41 00:03:11,500 --> 00:03:14,800 congregation. And I thought, while I was 42 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,600 sitting there that it's interesting that we have these 43 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,000 openings that have come up, and I'm going to be talking about 44 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:27,000 works this morning, so that means there's opportunities 45 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:34,000 available, hint hint. So anyway, if you, if you again, 46 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:40,500 will if your turn to James 2:14, if you're able to stand with me, 47 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:44,000 would you do so? So we can Read God's work. 48 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,300 What good is it? My brother's if someone says he 49 00:03:51,300 --> 00:03:53,900 has Faith but does not have Works. 50 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,800 Can Faith save him. If a brother or sister is poorly 51 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:03,600 clothed and lacking in Daily food and one of you says to them 52 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:08,800 go in peace, be warmed and filled Without giving them the 53 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:12,000 things that things needed for the body. 54 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:17,300 What good is that? So also Faith by itself, if it 55 00:04:17,300 --> 00:04:23,300 does not have works is dead, but someone will say you have faith 56 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,600 and I have Works. Show me your faith apart from 57 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,300 your works. And I will show you my faith by 58 00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:35,900 my works. You believe that God is one, you 59 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:39,200 do well, even the demons believe and shudder. 60 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,800 Do you want to be shown you foolish person? 61 00:04:43,300 --> 00:04:47,700 That Faith apart from works. Is useless, was not Abraham Our 62 00:04:47,700 --> 00:04:51,800 Father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on 63 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:57,100 the altar You see that Faith was active along with his works and 64 00:04:57,100 --> 00:04:59,500 Faith was completed by his works. 65 00:04:59,900 --> 00:05:04,000 And the scripture was fulfilled that says Abraham believed God, 66 00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:08,400 and it was counted to him as righteousness and he was called 67 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,500 the friend of God. You see that a person is 68 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:16,300 justified by works and not by faith alone, and in the same 69 00:05:16,300 --> 00:05:21,200 way, was not also Rahab The Prostitute justified by works. 70 00:05:21,500 --> 00:05:25,400 When she received the message, Hers and sent them out by 71 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:30,500 another way, for as the body, apart from the spirit is dead. 72 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,000 So also Faith apart from works is dead. 73 00:05:35,900 --> 00:05:44,600 Please be seated. I don't often use Big Ideas when 74 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,300 I do have this opportunity, but as I was studying this this 75 00:05:48,300 --> 00:05:52,400 week, there was something that just came out and I couldn't get 76 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:56,500 it off my mind. So, the big idea for this 77 00:05:56,500 --> 00:05:59,700 morning. Is faith alone. 78 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:05,200 Bonds us to Christ yet? This faith cannot remain alone. 79 00:06:06,300 --> 00:06:10,100 It's resulting work. Must be buried the fruit of Love 80 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,800 or it is nothing but dead and useless. 81 00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:19,700 If there's nothing else that you hear me, say this morning, I 82 00:06:19,707 --> 00:06:25,000 pray that you remember that. When you leave Faith alone, 83 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,800 bonds us to Christ. Let's pray. 84 00:06:31,900 --> 00:06:37,300 Father, I love you. I thank you again for this 85 00:06:37,300 --> 00:06:42,200 opportunity to be able to be in front of your people and speak. 86 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:52,500 Father, I I am totally totally reliant on you this morning. 87 00:06:54,800 --> 00:07:02,800 Father, I pray that. you give me the air in my lungs that I need 88 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:11,700 to Proclaim your truths. pray that you give me the Breath to 89 00:07:11,700 --> 00:07:15,200 preach your word. Father, I pray that. 90 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:22,700 The words that I have put on paper today will be what your 91 00:07:22,700 --> 00:07:25,400 people need to hear. I pray that you bless them. 92 00:07:26,900 --> 00:07:31,500 And I pray God that we leave here with. 93 00:07:34,900 --> 00:07:42,200 The knowledge, the fact. That our faith alone bonds us to 94 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,600 you. He seems we ask in Christ's 95 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:46,800 name. Amen. 96 00:07:49,700 --> 00:07:52,500 So the big idea this morning focuses on faith. 97 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:59,200 So if we're going to talk about faith, let's all make sure that 98 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,700 we understand What faith is all about, right? 99 00:08:04,100 --> 00:08:08,500 Let's make sure that we have that definition together, the 100 00:08:08,500 --> 00:08:13,100 Oxford dictionary defines Faith as complete trust or confidence 101 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:19,500 in someone or something. Or it says in the doctrines of 102 00:08:19,500 --> 00:08:24,800 religion based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. 103 00:08:26,500 --> 00:08:29,900 But I don't know about you, but I don't care too much for either 104 00:08:29,900 --> 00:08:32,100 one of those definitions of faith. 105 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:37,400 When I, when I want to look at a definition for Faith, want to 106 00:08:37,408 --> 00:08:43,400 see what God says about faith. So, Hebrews 11:1 I think, says 107 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:47,700 it best. Now, Faith is the Assurance of 108 00:08:47,700 --> 00:08:59,300 things hoped for the conviction of Things Not Seen. but, so, so 109 00:08:59,300 --> 00:09:04,500 we, when we use this verse We can simply say that the biblical 110 00:09:04,500 --> 00:09:08,400 definition of faith is trusting God for things. 111 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:14,300 We can't explicitly proof. But if you look at that verse 112 00:09:14,300 --> 00:09:18,500 closely, there are two parts to it, two aspects to it. 113 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:29,400 One is an intellectual aspect. And that is where it says not 114 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:34,100 seen, and then there's a belief aspect. 115 00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:37,300 And that's where that verse is hoped for. 116 00:09:39,100 --> 00:09:43,200 So let me give you a silly example of that. 117 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,600 This morning when you came into the sanctuary. 118 00:09:49,100 --> 00:09:53,100 You looked around and you are looking for somewhere to sit. 119 00:09:54,700 --> 00:09:59,200 So, you look around and you find this chair. 120 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,000 Your mind tells you that you're looking for a chair, you're not 121 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,400 looking to sit on anything else except the chair. 122 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,500 So your mind tells you to look for a chair. 123 00:10:10,900 --> 00:10:16,100 So you find the chair and don't deny this. 124 00:10:16,500 --> 00:10:20,300 The first thing you did was before you sit down in that 125 00:10:20,300 --> 00:10:23,500 chair. Was thought who normally sits 126 00:10:23,500 --> 00:10:27,100 here? Am I taking their golden eyes? 127 00:10:27,100 --> 00:10:31,000 You did it, didn't you? Okay, especially if you're 128 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,100 sitting somewhere different, you know, if you're one of those 129 00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:37,500 that sits in the same place every week, if you sit over 130 00:10:37,500 --> 00:10:41,300 here, if you move over here next week, then the world's going to 131 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:47,600 tilt this way. So so you found your chair. 132 00:10:49,100 --> 00:10:51,900 Your mind tells you that's a chair. 133 00:10:53,100 --> 00:10:58,300 When you sit down on that chair. That's where faith comes in. 134 00:10:58,300 --> 00:11:03,000 You have faith in that chair, that it's going to hold you up. 135 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:11,400 Now like I said that's kind of a silly example of that but let's 136 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:17,400 look at it another way. Where does biblical Faith come 137 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:22,200 from? Ephesians 2, 28 tells us for a 138 00:11:22,300 --> 00:11:26,700 for by Grace you have been saved through faith and this is not 139 00:11:26,700 --> 00:11:29,100 your own doing. It's a gift from God. 140 00:11:31,100 --> 00:11:34,900 It's the word of God that produces faith in us. 141 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:40,400 Romans 10:17 tells us. So, faith comes from hearing and 142 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,200 hearing through the word of Christ. 143 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:48,400 So we can come to Faith only through hearing the gospel and 144 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,500 the specific message that must be heard is the word of Christ. 145 00:11:53,300 --> 00:11:57,900 That is the good news of Jesus Christ as the crucified and 146 00:11:57,900 --> 00:12:03,300 Risen Savior. So, there's biblical faith. 147 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:08,600 We see another type of Faith called saving faith. 148 00:12:11,300 --> 00:12:17,000 Faith in Jesus is saving faith. Whereby we receive and rest upon 149 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:22,700 him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel 150 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,000 that comes from the Westminster assembly's Shorter. 151 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:38,600 Catechism I quoted a catechism Gulp and that'll be the last 152 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:43,900 time when I quoted a catechism. R.c. 153 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:51,000 Sproul says saving Faith, which he calls Christian faith. 154 00:12:52,900 --> 00:12:56,500 He says that Christian faith is a personal act involving the 155 00:12:56,500 --> 00:13:00,900 mind, the heart and the will just as it is directed to a 156 00:13:00,900 --> 00:13:04,800 personal God and not an idol or an idea. 157 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:11,300 So now we have biblical faith, we have saving Faith. 158 00:13:11,900 --> 00:13:15,500 So what's the source of our faith? 159 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,800 Simply enough Jesus is a source source of our faith. 160 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:26,700 Because Jesus is son of God. Jesus gives us living Water by 161 00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:31,500 which we can be saved through Grace, that grace and mercy are 162 00:13:31,500 --> 00:13:35,400 given to us by God. Faith is from God. 163 00:13:36,300 --> 00:13:40,600 God gave us his one and only son to atone for our sins. 164 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,300 So now that we've looked at a little bit about faith. 165 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:53,300 So, We claim to have faith, right? 166 00:13:53,900 --> 00:13:55,800 Most of us claim to have a faith. 167 00:13:58,100 --> 00:14:06,200 But the problem sometimes arises when that Faith remains here and 168 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:11,800 doesn't move to here. That knowledge of Faith resides 169 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:15,700 in our head. But the belief. 170 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:22,400 Is a matter of the heart. I've heard it said and I'm sure 171 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:27,600 you have to that the longest 12 to 18 inches in the world, is 172 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:33,700 this just distance between our head in our heart. 173 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:40,200 So true, Faith transforms our conduct as well as our laws. 174 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,800 That's what we move that Faith from intellectual. 175 00:14:44,900 --> 00:14:49,400 To a saving faith. If our lives remain unchanged. 176 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:54,500 We truly, we don't truly believe the faith that we claim to 177 00:14:54,500 --> 00:14:58,800 accept. Here's another question about 178 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:04,400 faith. Why does God Save Us by faith 179 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:09,200 alone? why doesn't God just prescribe 180 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:20,700 some specific Duty, some Quest that we might be able to do to 181 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:25,100 complete Or prove our worthiness. 182 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,800 You know Christianity is unique in that. 183 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:36,300 It is taught that no amount of Good Works will make us right 184 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:43,100 with God. And you know why that is Because 185 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,200 Faith eliminates the pride of human effort. 186 00:15:47,100 --> 00:15:49,800 Because faith is not a work that we do. 187 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:58,500 Faith exalts, what God has done, not what people do, Faith admits 188 00:15:58,500 --> 00:16:00,700 that. We can't keep the law or measure 189 00:16:00,700 --> 00:16:03,600 up to God's standards. We need help. 190 00:16:04,900 --> 00:16:08,900 Faith is based on our relationship with God, not our 191 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:13,200 performance for him, right? Thank you, Jesus. 192 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:20,700 So we are saved by faith alone, and at that time, we're all 193 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:28,600 declared Justified. So before we move into this 194 00:16:29,100 --> 00:16:33,800 discussion over faith that works, let's make sure we 195 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,000 understand what we mean by Justified. 196 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,000 Justified. Or justification means that 197 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:46,900 we're being made righteous. Let's look at this word 198 00:16:47,300 --> 00:16:51,300 Justified as it's used in the case of James. 199 00:16:55,000 --> 00:17:01,800 Before we get into these two conflicting, looks at the word 200 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:05,900 Justified. Like John Piper made a good 201 00:17:05,900 --> 00:17:13,200 quote about about some of these apparently conflicting. 202 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:19,900 Verses in our Bible, Piper says, when the Son of God became a 203 00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:23,800 human being, he became vulnerable to abuse and death. 204 00:17:24,900 --> 00:17:29,100 When the word of God became human language, it became 205 00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:33,400 vulnerable to ambiguity and misunderstanding. 206 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:47,300 We'll look at apparently conflicting, passages from James 207 00:17:47,300 --> 00:17:50,800 and Paul that are caused by multiple meanings of this. 208 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,400 Same word justification. One, we just looked at look at 209 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:59,600 James 2:24 again where it says you see that a person is 210 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,700 justified by works and not by faith alone? 211 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,900 but then, if we look at what Paul says in Romans, Romans 212 00:18:08,900 --> 00:18:17,500 3:28, Paul says for we hold that one is justified by faith, apart 213 00:18:17,500 --> 00:18:24,400 from the works of the law. So these two verses apparently 214 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,800 look on the surface to be totally contradictory. 215 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:34,800 But the issue is, is the meaning of the two words, the two 216 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,600 meanings of the word justification. 217 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:44,800 Now, in our home groups on Wednesday night, I think the 218 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,600 book did a great job explaining this. 219 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,800 I will apologize. First off, if you were in home 220 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,700 group on Wednesday night, you're here in this for the second 221 00:18:56,700 --> 00:19:01,000 time. If you were not in home group on 222 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:05,200 Wednesday night, you should be so that you will be hearing it 223 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:09,200 for the second time on Sunday. So, I'm going to read this 224 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,400 again. Again, and it comes directly 225 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,200 from the home group book and it's referring to. 226 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:22,600 This verse James 2:24 begins verse 24 has caused significant 227 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:26,600 confusion among Christians because it seems to formally 228 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,800 contradict Paul's teaching, that we are, in fact, justified by 229 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:35,000 faith alone justification, however, has two different 230 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,800 meanings in Scripture. On the one hand is Paul's 231 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:43,200 somewhat technical use of the word to mean a Judicial 232 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:48,600 declaration and acquittal and declaration that a person is 233 00:19:48,700 --> 00:19:52,200 regarded as righteous. We stop right there for just a 234 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:55,200 second. Paul uses. 235 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:01,800 The definition that says a Judicial declaration remember, 236 00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:05,800 Paul's background. Paul was a Pharisee of 237 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:10,100 Pharisees. He had been taught from the 238 00:20:10,108 --> 00:20:15,000 get-go, the law. He was a very educated man. 239 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:24,100 So we would we would expect him to use that technical Definition 240 00:20:24,100 --> 00:20:27,900 of the word justification where he says it's a Judicial 241 00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:34,200 declaration. And then Paul also says that 242 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:38,400 this justification happens through faith alone on the basis 243 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:43,100 of Christ's righteousness alone. on the other hand, however, as 244 00:20:43,100 --> 00:20:48,200 an older and more common, meaning of justification, as a 245 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:54,300 Public Presentation of a person as being righteous, This is what 246 00:20:54,300 --> 00:20:59,900 James uses. We don't have any evidence that 247 00:20:59,900 --> 00:21:05,000 James was a very educated, man. Remember James, the brother of 248 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:07,800 Christ didn't believe that. He was the Messiah, the whole 249 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:12,400 time Christ was alive. He didn't really come to Faith 250 00:21:12,500 --> 00:21:17,600 until after Christ's death. So we would expect him to use 251 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:22,700 that were common. Use of the word justification. 252 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:28,300 Common definition. So the example used in the book 253 00:21:29,300 --> 00:21:34,800 is of a wedding ministers, pronouncement that a couple are 254 00:21:34,900 --> 00:21:40,400 man and wife. And so let's think about this 255 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,700 for a little bit little bit you've got up at the end of the 256 00:21:43,700 --> 00:21:47,000 wedding, you've got the minister, you've got the bride 257 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:50,100 and the groom, the bride and groom are still facing each 258 00:21:50,100 --> 00:21:53,400 other. They do the minister does his 259 00:21:53,400 --> 00:22:00,000 thing and then he Claire's the man and wife to be one, he 260 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:07,100 declares them husband and wife. So that is the judicial or 261 00:22:07,100 --> 00:22:10,300 that's the legal definition of marriage. 262 00:22:10,300 --> 00:22:17,800 They've been proclaimed, husband and wife. but then, The husband 263 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:21,000 and wife then turn and face the congregation. 264 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:27,100 And the minister says, now I pronounce to you. 265 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:33,700 Mister and missus as husband and wife, that's the public 266 00:22:33,700 --> 00:22:37,100 pronouncement that they are now husband and wife. 267 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,900 So that is the, as I said, that's the Public Presentation 268 00:22:42,900 --> 00:22:48,300 of a couple. So you have the legal definition 269 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:53,700 of the marriage and then the Public Presentation of 270 00:22:54,400 --> 00:23:01,300 justification in marriage So, let's look briefly here at both 271 00:23:01,300 --> 00:23:06,400 Paul, and James is use of Abraham as an example, even 272 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:13,100 though they tend to be to me a little bit more muddy than what 273 00:23:13,100 --> 00:23:18,000 we just talked about Paul writes in Romans 4, beginning in verse 274 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,900 1. What then shall we say, was 275 00:23:20,900 --> 00:23:24,400 gained by Abraham, our forefather, according to the 276 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,800 flesh? For what does the scripture say? 277 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,900 Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him as 278 00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:35,200 righteousness. Paul here is using Genesis 15:6, 279 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:39,800 which is a key verse that's been quoted at least four times in 280 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:44,400 the New Testament. And this means that the faith in 281 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,500 God is something that everyone in the Bible is expected to 282 00:23:47,500 --> 00:23:52,700 exercise. It entails trust in or confident 283 00:23:52,900 --> 00:23:56,600 Reliance on God based on the truthfulness of his words. 284 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:06,500 From James 21. And from our text this morning, 285 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,200 Was not Abraham Our Father justified by works when he 286 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,500 offered up his son Isaac on the altar. 287 00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:20,600 James is referencing Genesis chapter 22 in which the event 288 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:22,700 occurred approximately thirty years. 289 00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:29,500 After the events in chapter 15 used by Paul the reference me, 290 00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:34,500 make sure you understand the reference that Paul uses in his 291 00:24:35,300 --> 00:24:40,800 version of what he's talking. Talking about occurred at the 292 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:48,300 initial saving if you will the acceptance of Abraham of God. 293 00:24:49,500 --> 00:24:57,900 And then the situation that James uses was 30 years later 294 00:24:57,900 --> 00:25:03,800 after Isaac had been born. And so it was it was used later 295 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:07,600 here. Abraham's Faith was already 296 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,800 established in verse 21. When God called Abraham to take 297 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:14,600 Isaac, his only son and sacrifice him. 298 00:25:15,300 --> 00:25:20,300 Abraham's Faith was being validated as genuine Abraham has 299 00:25:20,300 --> 00:25:25,800 been justified in faith. But now, his faith was being 300 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:31,200 justified by works as a process of sanctification the ongoing 301 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:43,300 process of justification. Then we get to Rahab. 302 00:25:44,900 --> 00:25:47,300 Story of Rahab is a little bit clearer for me. 303 00:25:47,700 --> 00:25:52,000 Little bit more simple, you remember, Rahab is the 304 00:25:52,200 --> 00:26:01,500 prostitute that lived at Jericho when when the Israelites sent 305 00:26:01,500 --> 00:26:10,000 spies to Jericho to check out the land around Rahab, hid them 306 00:26:10,700 --> 00:26:15,500 and in return, her life, and her family's life, Life was spared. 307 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:20,000 And the reason for that was that Rahab had already heard about 308 00:26:20,300 --> 00:26:24,000 all of these miraculous things that God had done for the 309 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:30,700 Israelites in their Exodus from from Egypt and she believed in 310 00:26:30,700 --> 00:26:36,000 God. So Rahab was justified by her 311 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,900 faith. And her faith was justified by 312 00:26:39,900 --> 00:26:43,900 her works. Both of these instances teach 313 00:26:43,900 --> 00:26:48,200 justification by faith alone, but James is looking past the 314 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:52,500 initial moment of justification to the ongoing process of 315 00:26:52,500 --> 00:26:59,500 sanctification James is saying that faith alone saves but works 316 00:27:00,500 --> 00:27:03,700 gives evidence that it is the true faith. 317 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:14,000 I know that repentance is not mentioned in this in the 318 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:18,100 scripture that we read this morning, but as I was putting 319 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:21,000 this together, I it kind of struck me. 320 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:30,100 That there may be some people that Are wondering. 321 00:27:30,500 --> 00:27:34,500 Where does repentance fit into this works? 322 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,800 Justification, sanctification process. 323 00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:42,600 So just wanted to take just a second, basically, just to read 324 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:50,000 a quote about repentance this, this quote comes from nine marks 325 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:55,200 dot-org, And it says, some people say that you can believe 326 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,300 in Jesus as Savior but not as Lord. 327 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,800 That is, you can believe in him but never repent of your sin. 328 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:08,200 You can believe in him and be saved even if your life goes on 329 00:28:08,500 --> 00:28:13,000 as it was just before you became a Christian or. 330 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:18,100 So the claim Globe goes, some people even claim that if we say 331 00:28:18,100 --> 00:28:22,600 repentance is necessary for salvation, we're adding Works to 332 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:26,600 the gospel. They claim that if repentance is 333 00:28:26,600 --> 00:28:30,700 required, then we're no longer saved by God's grace alone. 334 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:38,000 But by what we do as well, So then is repentance a work. 335 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,600 We must perform in order to earn our Salvation. 336 00:28:42,700 --> 00:28:48,400 No, not at all. Repentance and Faith are really 337 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:53,100 two sides of the same coin. Repentance is turning from sin. 338 00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:59,300 Faith is turning to trusting in and relying on Christ. 339 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,500 Repentance is not a work anymore than faith is. 340 00:29:03,500 --> 00:29:07,500 We simply Our sin and rely on Christ. 341 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:18,900 Faith apart from works is dead, is your life producing works? 342 00:29:20,500 --> 00:29:23,300 Works of love for God and for others. 343 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:30,700 Works that are not only financial, but our physical 344 00:29:30,700 --> 00:29:34,900 also. You may not be able to 345 00:29:34,900 --> 00:29:39,800 financially help a lot of other people. but let me tell you 346 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:45,800 from, from my experience in being involved with Ministries 347 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:54,800 and Charities and such are many times when somebody shows up to 348 00:29:54,800 --> 00:30:00,400 help with a physical project that is just as important as a 349 00:30:00,408 --> 00:30:06,400 financial something that they might give to us. 350 00:30:08,300 --> 00:30:13,500 It's a huge blessing. remember what James says in verse 15 and 351 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:18,300 16 if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in 352 00:30:18,300 --> 00:30:24,100 Daily food, And one of you says to them, go in peace, be warmed 353 00:30:24,100 --> 00:30:27,800 and filled without giving them two things needed for the body. 354 00:30:28,500 --> 00:30:34,100 What good is that is giving a cold hungry person, a good word 355 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,900 and a pat on the back. Is there sent down the road? 356 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:43,400 Is that a good work? No, that is not. 357 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,700 And if brothers and sisters, that stopped me telling you that 358 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:54,800 James the brother of Christ in his divinely inspired writings, 359 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:59,100 that are part of God's. Holy word is telling us that 360 00:31:01,300 --> 00:31:04,500 once you're open your eyes today and and look for those 361 00:31:04,500 --> 00:31:08,600 opportunities presented to us to change people's lives. 362 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:15,200 Be eternally thankful for the justification of your faith and 363 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,500 continue to seek opportunities to accomplish The Works. 364 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:23,100 That bear the fruit of Love. While God continues to sanctify 365 00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:28,700 your life. James and Alan, and I will be 366 00:31:28,700 --> 00:31:30,400 available after the service today. 367 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:37,500 If you have any questions, I want to remind you again of the 368 00:31:38,100 --> 00:31:40,900 one thing I asked you to remember out of this message, 369 00:31:42,100 --> 00:31:47,600 And that is that faith alone. Bonds us to Christ yet. 370 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:52,400 This faith cannot remain alone. It's resulting work. 371 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:55,600 Must be bearing. The fruit of Love or it is 372 00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:02,800 nothing, but dead and useless. I like to end with a quote from 373 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:07,100 a lady named Helen wodehouse. And then we'll pray. 374 00:32:09,700 --> 00:32:12,800 We think we must climb to a certain height of goodness 375 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:18,600 before we can reach God. But he says, no at the end of 376 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:23,900 the way, you may find me. He says, I am the way I am the 377 00:32:23,900 --> 00:32:28,600 road under your feet, the road that begins just as low down, as 378 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:34,700 you happen to be, if we are in a whole the way begins in the 379 00:32:34,700 --> 00:32:38,200 hole. The moment we set our face in 380 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:42,500 the same direction is his. We are walking with God. 381 00:32:43,500 --> 00:32:47,900 Spray. Father, I thank you for your 382 00:32:47,900 --> 00:32:55,400 word. I thank you for The life that is 383 00:32:55,400 --> 00:33:02,600 in your word, I think you that we have an opportunity to hold 384 00:33:03,100 --> 00:33:06,900 your holy word in our hand. And I pray God that we take the 385 00:33:06,900 --> 00:33:14,000 opportunity to study that. father, I pray that this morning 386 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:22,400 that is we leave here that we take a new look around, be aware 387 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:27,900 of people that are hurting around us, people that we can 388 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:35,100 help Either financially, either physically spiritually 389 00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:39,700 emotionally. Father and I pray that we 390 00:33:39,700 --> 00:33:46,200 continue as you sanctifies through our lives, that our 391 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:52,100 works continue to produce love. We ask these things. 392 00:33:52,100 --> 00:33:54,200 Your most holy name. Amen. 393 00:33:51,100 --> 00:33:53,300 We ask these things. Your most holy name. 394 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:54,200 Amen.