1 00:00:00,780 --> 00:00:03,880 The following message by Alistair Begg is made 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:05,440 available by Truth For Life. 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,880 For more information, visit us online at truthforlife 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:10,800 .org. 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:16,880 We're going to read from James in Chapter 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:17,260 2. 7 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:19,940 We read from verse 14. 8 00:00:20,060 --> 00:00:22,340 What good is it, my brothers, if a 9 00:00:22,340 --> 00:00:24,400 man claims to have faith but has no 10 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:24,820 deeds? 11 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:27,220 Can such faith save him? 12 00:00:28,220 --> 00:00:31,060 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes 13 00:00:31,060 --> 00:00:31,980 and daily food. 14 00:00:32,620 --> 00:00:35,060 If one of you says to him, Go, 15 00:00:35,220 --> 00:00:37,320 I wish you well, keep warm and well 16 00:00:37,320 --> 00:00:40,980 fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, 17 00:00:41,060 --> 00:00:41,860 what good is it? 18 00:00:42,940 --> 00:00:45,520 In the same way, faith by itself, if 19 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,300 it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 20 00:00:49,540 --> 00:00:51,660 But someone will say, You have faith, I 21 00:00:51,660 --> 00:00:52,460 have deeds. 22 00:00:53,220 --> 00:00:57,360 Show me your faith without deeds, and I 23 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,360 will show you my faith by what I 24 00:00:59,360 --> 00:00:59,600 do. 25 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:02,780 You believe that there is one God, good, 26 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:04,980 even the demons believe that and shudder. 27 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,280 You foolish man, do you want evidence that 28 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:09,760 faith without deeds is useless? 29 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,760 Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for 30 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,840 what he did when he offered his son 31 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:16,920 Isaac on the altar? 32 00:01:18,060 --> 00:01:20,020 You see that his faith and his actions 33 00:01:20,020 --> 00:01:22,420 were working together, and his faith was made 34 00:01:22,420 --> 00:01:23,840 complete by what he did. 35 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,440 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham 36 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,600 believed God and it was credited to him 37 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,500 as righteousness, and he was called God's friend. 38 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,180 You see that a person is justified by 39 00:01:36,180 --> 00:01:39,000 what he does and not by faith alone. 40 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:42,280 In the same way, was not even Rahab 41 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:45,440 the prostitute considered righteous for what she did 42 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,020 when she gave lodging to the spies and 43 00:01:48,020 --> 00:01:49,940 sent them off in a different direction? 44 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,100 As the body without the spirit is dead, 45 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,200 so faith without deeds is dead. 46 00:01:58,300 --> 00:01:58,780 Amen. 47 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:01,800 As we turn to the Bible this morning, 48 00:02:01,900 --> 00:02:03,060 and we're going to pray in just a 49 00:02:03,060 --> 00:02:04,580 moment, I want to read a quote from 50 00:02:04,580 --> 00:02:07,580 John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace and 51 00:02:07,580 --> 00:02:10,060 the minister of the gospel in the 18th 52 00:02:10,060 --> 00:02:11,000 century in England. 53 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:13,460 I came across this not so long ago, 54 00:02:13,460 --> 00:02:14,660 and I thought it was very good and 55 00:02:14,660 --> 00:02:16,000 worth sharing with you. 56 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,020 He says to his congregation in the 18th 57 00:02:19,020 --> 00:02:23,460 century, I counted my honor and happiness that 58 00:02:23,460 --> 00:02:26,120 I preach to a free people who have 59 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:27,640 the Bible in their hands. 60 00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:30,420 To your Bibles, I appeal. 61 00:02:31,380 --> 00:02:35,160 I entreat, I charge you to receive nothing 62 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,980 upon my word any farther than I can 63 00:02:38,980 --> 00:02:41,820 prove it from the word of God and 64 00:02:41,820 --> 00:02:45,120 bring every preacher and every sermon that you 65 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,300 hear to the same standard. 66 00:02:49,500 --> 00:02:50,440 Let us pray. 67 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:54,580 Father, we thank you for the privilege of 68 00:02:54,580 --> 00:02:57,800 turning now to the Bible, and we pray 69 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,860 that the Spirit of God will bring the 70 00:03:00,860 --> 00:03:02,860 truth of your word home to our lives 71 00:03:02,860 --> 00:03:05,100 in a way that is life-changing. 72 00:03:05,780 --> 00:03:08,060 For we humbly pray in Jesus' name. 73 00:03:08,700 --> 00:03:09,120 Amen. 74 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:13,940 Well, I encourage you to turn to the 75 00:03:13,940 --> 00:03:16,220 passage, or if you've left your Bible open 76 00:03:16,220 --> 00:03:17,040 there, that's fine. 77 00:03:17,460 --> 00:03:19,580 We're at the 14th verse of James chapter 78 00:03:19,580 --> 00:03:19,940 2. 79 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:21,960 You'll remember last time we had a very 80 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,060 long introduction and a short conclusion. 81 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:26,500 And so let me return to the conclusion 82 00:03:26,500 --> 00:03:28,880 so that we make sure that we don't 83 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,120 do a disservice to the text in any 84 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:31,380 way. 85 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,260 And let us just work our way back 86 00:03:34,260 --> 00:03:35,520 down through these verses. 87 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,680 It's important to remind one another, as we 88 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,260 saw last time, that the contrast that James 89 00:03:43,260 --> 00:03:46,580 is addressing here is not a contrast between 90 00:03:46,580 --> 00:03:48,020 faith and deeds. 91 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,720 It is rather a contrast between true faith 92 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:54,500 and false faith. 93 00:03:55,180 --> 00:03:59,560 A true faith, which James shows, is linked 94 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,820 inseparably to good deeds, and a false faith, 95 00:04:04,020 --> 00:04:06,920 which James points out, is one that is 96 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:08,500 barren and useless. 97 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,000 We noted last time also that this distinction, 98 00:04:13,260 --> 00:04:17,519 this contrast, is a crucial contrast because on 99 00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:20,420 it hinges matters not only of time, but 100 00:04:20,420 --> 00:04:22,100 also of eternity. 101 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,920 And therefore the challenge that is presented in 102 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,780 the question of verse 14 is one to 103 00:04:28,780 --> 00:04:30,860 which we need to pay most careful attention. 104 00:04:31,620 --> 00:04:33,700 Look at his question, What good is it, 105 00:04:33,780 --> 00:04:37,020 my brothers, if a man claims to have 106 00:04:37,020 --> 00:04:39,220 faith but has no deeds? 107 00:04:40,840 --> 00:04:43,280 Here's the individual who is making big boasts 108 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:46,840 and big claims about their understanding of faith, 109 00:04:47,140 --> 00:04:49,760 but in actual fact they are good on 110 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,820 words and they are absent in deeds. 111 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,260 Their lips have much to say, their lives 112 00:04:55,260 --> 00:04:56,720 have little to show. 113 00:04:57,060 --> 00:05:00,020 They have belief without behavior, they espouse a 114 00:05:00,020 --> 00:05:03,040 creed, but there is no accompanying conduct. 115 00:05:04,220 --> 00:05:06,940 And James is making it quite plain that 116 00:05:06,940 --> 00:05:10,260 a sincere claim to have faith is not 117 00:05:10,260 --> 00:05:13,900 necessarily synonymous with a sincere faith. 118 00:05:14,780 --> 00:05:17,580 We can be sincere in our claim and 119 00:05:17,580 --> 00:05:19,360 yet be sincerely wrong. 120 00:05:20,140 --> 00:05:22,520 Hence the nature of this passage. 121 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,860 In verses 15 and 16 he underscores the 122 00:05:26,860 --> 00:05:30,440 useless nature of such a claim when he 123 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:33,900 says, let me illustrate this for you, the 124 00:05:33,900 --> 00:05:38,560 futility of mere words seeking to alter the 125 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:40,800 circumstances of the needy. 126 00:05:41,940 --> 00:05:43,260 It's quite obvious, isn't it? 127 00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:45,380 If somebody says to someone who's in need 128 00:05:45,380 --> 00:05:48,700 of clothes and sustenance, well I hope you 129 00:05:48,700 --> 00:05:50,960 have a wonderful day and keep warm and 130 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:52,020 are well fed. 131 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,460 He ends verse 16 with the way he 132 00:05:55,460 --> 00:05:57,200 begins verse 14, doesn't he? 133 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:58,320 What good is it? 134 00:05:58,720 --> 00:05:59,660 What good is it? 135 00:05:59,860 --> 00:06:01,500 It's absolutely no good at all. 136 00:06:02,020 --> 00:06:03,700 The poor will not thank us for our 137 00:06:03,700 --> 00:06:06,800 kind wishes, nor will God thank us for 138 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,400 just simply saying that we have faith. 139 00:06:10,140 --> 00:06:14,220 If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. 140 00:06:15,260 --> 00:06:16,080 But they don't. 141 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:20,780 They don't because wishes cannot transform the circumstances. 142 00:06:21,180 --> 00:06:23,200 That's the illustration he provides. 143 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,960 You might just as well do nothing as 144 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,580 stand there and make such statements. 145 00:06:29,860 --> 00:06:32,900 And then in verse 17, the application of 146 00:06:32,900 --> 00:06:34,320 his illustration. 147 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,360 In the same way, he says, faith by 148 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,460 itself, lonely faith, is dead. 149 00:06:43,220 --> 00:06:46,080 Lonely faith is dead. 150 00:06:47,420 --> 00:06:51,700 Now, James would have had access to a 151 00:06:51,700 --> 00:06:55,280 number of occasions when Jesus, his brother, was 152 00:06:55,280 --> 00:06:55,820 the teacher. 153 00:06:56,380 --> 00:06:59,000 We know, of course, that James, through much 154 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,820 of Jesus' life, did not believe that Jesus 155 00:07:01,820 --> 00:07:03,280 was who he said he was. 156 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:06,560 It was only after the reality of the 157 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,740 resurrection that he came to believe himself. 158 00:07:09,140 --> 00:07:11,040 But he would not have been unfamiliar with 159 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,660 the clarity of Jesus' teaching, and not least 160 00:07:13,660 --> 00:07:15,680 of all, in this kind of area. 161 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,000 So, for example, he may well have, as 162 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,180 a reference point, Matthew chapter 25, where Jesus, 163 00:07:23,380 --> 00:07:26,140 in the second half of that chapter, speaks 164 00:07:26,140 --> 00:07:28,100 about the separation of the sheep and the 165 00:07:28,100 --> 00:07:28,400 goats. 166 00:07:29,260 --> 00:07:30,620 It is a classic passage. 167 00:07:30,740 --> 00:07:34,900 We use that illustration or that phraseology in 168 00:07:34,900 --> 00:07:37,320 life, many of us not realizing that it 169 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,400 is a biblical picture. 170 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,740 We talk about separating the sheep from the 171 00:07:40,740 --> 00:07:41,040 goats. 172 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:43,420 It is, of course, a rural picture, but 173 00:07:43,420 --> 00:07:44,900 made famous by Jesus. 174 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:48,720 When, identifying the work of a Palestinian farmer 175 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,300 or shepherd, separating those that were to be 176 00:07:52,300 --> 00:07:54,080 in one place and those that were to 177 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,940 be in another, Jesus, on one occasion, says, 178 00:07:57,340 --> 00:07:58,740 that's how it's going to be when the 179 00:07:58,740 --> 00:08:00,800 Son of Man comes in his glory. 180 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,540 When he comes and sits on his throne, 181 00:08:05,060 --> 00:08:07,700 all the nations will be gathered before him, 182 00:08:07,700 --> 00:08:09,940 and he will separate the people from one 183 00:08:09,940 --> 00:08:12,620 another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from 184 00:08:12,620 --> 00:08:13,100 the goats. 185 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,320 I'm quoting Matthew chapter 25 and verse 31 186 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:17,440 at this point. 187 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:20,420 He will put the sheep on his right 188 00:08:20,420 --> 00:08:21,920 and the goats on his left. 189 00:08:22,020 --> 00:08:23,800 So, it's a very straightforward picture, isn't it? 190 00:08:24,140 --> 00:08:26,260 Anybody could understand what Jesus was saying. 191 00:08:26,700 --> 00:08:31,000 They would routinely have known that experience, either 192 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:34,360 by doing it themselves, from the realm of 193 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,140 shepherding, or as a result of seeing it 194 00:08:37,140 --> 00:08:40,500 take place in the course of a week. 195 00:08:41,260 --> 00:08:43,440 But what Jesus goes on to point out, 196 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,760 is that those who enter into his kingdom 197 00:08:48,380 --> 00:08:52,140 will be those who have done certain things. 198 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:54,160 And this is what he says. 199 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,560 I was hungry, and you gave me something 200 00:08:57,560 --> 00:08:58,080 to eat. 201 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,160 I was thirsty, you gave me something to 202 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:00,500 drink. 203 00:09:00,780 --> 00:09:02,860 I was a stranger, and you invited me 204 00:09:02,860 --> 00:09:03,140 in. 205 00:09:03,140 --> 00:09:05,160 I needed clothes, and you clothed me. 206 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,000 I was sick, and you looked after me. 207 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:09,040 I was in prison, and you came and 208 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:09,700 visited me. 209 00:09:10,780 --> 00:09:13,760 And then, the righteous will answer him, Lord, 210 00:09:14,300 --> 00:09:15,840 when did we see you hungry? 211 00:09:16,420 --> 00:09:18,060 I mean, seriously. 212 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:20,880 The 18th century Christians are going to be 213 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:21,540 able to reply. 214 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:26,780 We weren't there in 1st century Jerusalem. 215 00:09:26,980 --> 00:09:28,420 We weren't there in Galilee. 216 00:09:29,380 --> 00:09:30,600 When did we see you? 217 00:09:31,560 --> 00:09:33,240 When did we see you as a stranger, 218 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:34,420 invite you into our houses? 219 00:09:34,620 --> 00:09:36,180 Or when did you need clothes, and we 220 00:09:36,180 --> 00:09:37,080 gave you clothes? 221 00:09:38,220 --> 00:09:39,900 And the king will reply, I tell you 222 00:09:39,900 --> 00:09:40,380 the truth. 223 00:09:40,780 --> 00:09:42,600 Whatever you did for one of the least 224 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,120 of these brothers of mine, you did for 225 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:45,420 me. 226 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:50,060 And then he flips to the other side, 227 00:09:50,220 --> 00:09:52,000 and he says, and the people who will 228 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,420 be separated from me and cast into hell, 229 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,160 will be those who saw people needy, and 230 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,580 so on, and did nothing about it at 231 00:10:00,580 --> 00:10:00,900 all. 232 00:10:02,220 --> 00:10:04,080 It's a staggering statement. 233 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,040 It's a somewhat chilling statement, isn't it? 234 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:16,720 James says, Faith by itself, lonely faith, if 235 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,360 it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 236 00:10:23,990 --> 00:10:25,510 Now, of course, it would be possible for 237 00:10:25,510 --> 00:10:28,350 us to jump to a false conclusion on 238 00:10:28,350 --> 00:10:30,570 the strength of Matthew chapter 25, and also 239 00:10:30,570 --> 00:10:32,450 on the basis of James 2, 17. 240 00:10:32,910 --> 00:10:33,970 And some do. 241 00:10:34,890 --> 00:10:36,810 And this is how they understand it. 242 00:10:36,890 --> 00:10:40,370 They say, well, I read Matthew chapter 25, 243 00:10:40,650 --> 00:10:42,270 and apparently the way that you get to 244 00:10:42,270 --> 00:10:44,910 heaven is by giving clothes to people that 245 00:10:44,910 --> 00:10:45,830 don't have clothes. 246 00:10:46,410 --> 00:10:49,490 Or by welcoming them into your home if 247 00:10:49,490 --> 00:10:50,910 they don't have a place to stay, and 248 00:10:50,910 --> 00:10:51,490 so on. 249 00:10:51,630 --> 00:10:53,770 Because that's what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 250 00:10:53,770 --> 00:10:55,170 25, isn't it? 251 00:10:55,450 --> 00:10:55,870 Yes. 252 00:10:58,050 --> 00:11:00,890 But it's the same person who, when a 253 00:11:00,890 --> 00:11:05,010 religious, almsgiving gentleman by the name of Nicodemus 254 00:11:05,010 --> 00:11:07,330 came to see Jesus under the cover of 255 00:11:07,330 --> 00:11:10,790 darkness, that Jesus said to Nicodemus, I tell 256 00:11:10,790 --> 00:11:12,770 you the truth, you will never see the 257 00:11:12,770 --> 00:11:14,430 kingdom of God or enter the kingdom of 258 00:11:14,430 --> 00:11:16,450 God unless you are born again. 259 00:11:18,150 --> 00:11:22,490 In other words, that which is referenced in 260 00:11:22,490 --> 00:11:26,670 Matthew 25 is not the ground of entry 261 00:11:26,670 --> 00:11:30,430 into heaven, for that ground of entry into 262 00:11:30,430 --> 00:11:32,430 heaven is the work of Jesus. 263 00:11:33,310 --> 00:11:38,370 But those deeds are evidence of the fact 264 00:11:38,370 --> 00:11:40,770 that a man or a woman has been 265 00:11:40,770 --> 00:11:43,330 made new by the work of Jesus. 266 00:11:44,690 --> 00:11:48,090 Now clearly, it is possible to do those 267 00:11:48,090 --> 00:11:51,070 things without any reference to Jesus at all. 268 00:11:52,130 --> 00:11:54,010 And many people do, even today. 269 00:11:54,230 --> 00:11:55,870 All around the world, there are all kinds 270 00:11:55,870 --> 00:11:59,150 of humanitarian agencies that are dealing with AIDS 271 00:11:59,150 --> 00:12:01,370 crisis and poor people and giving out different 272 00:12:01,370 --> 00:12:02,430 things and so on. 273 00:12:02,790 --> 00:12:05,010 And it is all very, very good humanitarian 274 00:12:05,010 --> 00:12:05,610 work. 275 00:12:07,860 --> 00:12:10,000 But it is not, in any sense, related 276 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:10,400 to Jesus. 277 00:12:10,580 --> 00:12:12,340 Many of the people would deny an existence 278 00:12:12,340 --> 00:12:14,720 of God and certainly would have no interest 279 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:16,300 in Jesus of Nazareth whatsoever. 280 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:19,960 So that is why you see what James 281 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,040 is doing is of such pressing importance. 282 00:12:22,580 --> 00:12:26,760 He is making it clear that the presence 283 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:31,740 of these deeds cannot be used to argue 284 00:12:31,740 --> 00:12:37,060 the presence of faith, but the absence of 285 00:12:37,060 --> 00:12:40,280 these deeds may be used to argue the 286 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:41,620 absence of faith. 287 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:47,560 You see, you and I this morning cannot 288 00:12:47,560 --> 00:12:50,820 claim to have a valid, eternally significant relationship 289 00:12:50,820 --> 00:12:54,560 with Jesus if we choose constantly to sit 290 00:12:54,560 --> 00:12:59,720 lightly and easily to the needs of people 291 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:00,560 around us. 292 00:13:02,540 --> 00:13:04,960 We understand, I think we do, as a 293 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,560 congregation, that the need to be right with 294 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:10,380 God outweighs the need for physical sustenance. 295 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:13,980 But the fact that we understand the priority 296 00:13:13,980 --> 00:13:16,000 of the gospel of a man or a 297 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,060 woman being put in a right relationship with 298 00:13:18,060 --> 00:13:20,960 God does not allow us to sidestep the 299 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,820 clear instruction of James here nor the instruction 300 00:13:23,820 --> 00:13:25,860 of Jesus in Matthew chapter 25. 301 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:28,600 We are not relieved of the responsibility of 302 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:32,200 caring for the needy simply because we understand 303 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,580 the nature of the priority of the gospel. 304 00:13:35,060 --> 00:13:37,060 It is indeed the priority of the gospel 305 00:13:37,060 --> 00:13:40,080 which gave rise to the great work of 306 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:42,300 Wilberforce in dealing with the slave trade in 307 00:13:42,300 --> 00:13:42,640 England. 308 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:45,100 It is the priority of the gospel which 309 00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:48,020 led to the development of so much work 310 00:13:48,020 --> 00:13:51,360 amongst orphans and widows and the development of 311 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:53,840 so many hospitals throughout the entire world. 312 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:56,080 It was because God had gone to such 313 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:58,840 lengths in coming to save that it seemed 314 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:01,800 incomprehensible to those who were redeemed by the 315 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,500 compassionate love of God that the outworking of 316 00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:06,400 that should not reveal itself in the cares 317 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,020 that are expressed to those who are in 318 00:14:09,020 --> 00:14:09,500 need. 319 00:14:10,500 --> 00:14:12,420 Spurgeon is reputed to have said, If you 320 00:14:12,420 --> 00:14:14,060 want to give a hungry man a tract, 321 00:14:14,500 --> 00:14:15,580 wrap it in a sandwich. 322 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,180 Which is quite an interesting thought, isn't it? 323 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,040 But maybe, and we want to be careful 324 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:25,020 about second-guessing Spurgeon, but maybe he should 325 00:14:25,020 --> 00:14:26,220 have said, If you want to give a 326 00:14:26,220 --> 00:14:28,820 hungry man a sandwich, wrap it in a 327 00:14:28,820 --> 00:14:29,300 tract. 328 00:14:32,380 --> 00:14:34,140 Because in all of our giving and in 329 00:14:34,140 --> 00:14:36,680 all of our going and all of our 330 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,860 sharing, the cause of the gospel must remain 331 00:14:40,860 --> 00:14:42,240 at the core. 332 00:14:43,780 --> 00:14:49,000 It is very, very possible to collapse a 333 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:55,160 biblical understanding of the gospel into an amalgam 334 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,500 of charity and morality. 335 00:14:58,500 --> 00:15:05,200 And indeed, the history of the church and 336 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:09,860 the history of organizations bears testimony to what 337 00:15:09,860 --> 00:15:13,900 happens when an individual or an organization or 338 00:15:13,900 --> 00:15:17,080 a church congregation or a denomination takes, as 339 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,300 it were, its focus from the work of 340 00:15:20,300 --> 00:15:23,800 Christ on the cross in the gospel and 341 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,740 attaches it to that which emerges from that 342 00:15:27,740 --> 00:15:31,920 truth, but dare not supplant that truth. 343 00:15:35,140 --> 00:15:36,600 And it could happen as easily here at 344 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,260 Parkside Church as anywhere else. 345 00:15:40,700 --> 00:15:46,260 That, incidentally and tangentially, is how groups who 346 00:15:46,260 --> 00:15:49,860 do not believe the essentials with one another, 347 00:15:50,860 --> 00:15:55,900 Jews and Christians, or Jews, Christians and Muslims, 348 00:15:57,260 --> 00:15:59,320 can be involved together. 349 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,020 The only way they can be involved together 350 00:16:02,020 --> 00:16:06,960 is if they collapse their central, core beliefs 351 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,720 into charity and morality. 352 00:16:11,540 --> 00:16:14,500 But if we are prepared to hold true 353 00:16:14,500 --> 00:16:18,900 and central to that which comes to us 354 00:16:18,900 --> 00:16:22,260 from the scriptures, then we will be forced 355 00:16:22,260 --> 00:16:26,440 to recognize that the gospel is the great 356 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:26,840 divide. 357 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,840 Well, verse 18, someone will say, you have 358 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,280 faith and I have deeds. 359 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:37,840 And James is going to say, no, we're 360 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:38,980 not going to be able to play that 361 00:16:38,980 --> 00:16:39,260 game. 362 00:16:39,740 --> 00:16:41,400 We're not going to be able to separate 363 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:42,600 them from one another. 364 00:16:44,940 --> 00:16:48,600 This 18th verse and perhaps even the 19th 365 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:57,620 verse proves to be a challenge insofar as 366 00:16:57,620 --> 00:16:59,810 the punctuation is very, very difficult. 367 00:17:00,490 --> 00:17:01,710 We have to remember that there was no 368 00:17:01,710 --> 00:17:04,730 punctuation provided for us in the original text. 369 00:17:05,430 --> 00:17:10,530 Therefore, in translating, the translators have had to 370 00:17:10,530 --> 00:17:13,050 decide who's who in this little dialogue. 371 00:17:13,730 --> 00:17:15,130 Is this a hypothetical dialogue? 372 00:17:15,569 --> 00:17:16,390 Who is the someone? 373 00:17:16,910 --> 00:17:18,990 Who is the you of the personal pronoun, 374 00:17:19,109 --> 00:17:19,730 you have faith? 375 00:17:19,910 --> 00:17:22,210 Who is the I of the personal pronoun, 376 00:17:22,349 --> 00:17:23,130 I have deeds? 377 00:17:24,030 --> 00:17:27,569 Should the punctuation, should the quotes simply surround 378 00:17:27,569 --> 00:17:29,030 you have faith, I have deeds? 379 00:17:29,470 --> 00:17:31,570 Or should the quotes extend to show me 380 00:17:31,570 --> 00:17:33,250 your faith without deeds and I will show 381 00:17:33,250 --> 00:17:34,490 you my faith by what I do. 382 00:17:34,930 --> 00:17:37,370 Essentially, it can keep you up all night 383 00:17:37,370 --> 00:17:38,890 trying to punctuate this. 384 00:17:39,470 --> 00:17:41,230 I've spent way too much time on it 385 00:17:41,230 --> 00:17:42,870 and this is what I finally decided. 386 00:17:43,990 --> 00:17:45,490 I'm going to leave you to have fun 387 00:17:45,490 --> 00:17:47,050 with it by yourselves at home. 388 00:17:50,190 --> 00:17:52,810 Because if we stand far enough back from 389 00:17:52,810 --> 00:17:55,090 the text and ask, what is the main 390 00:17:55,090 --> 00:17:56,490 and plain thing here? 391 00:17:56,490 --> 00:18:00,090 Irrespective of whether it's a hypothetical conversation, irrespective 392 00:18:00,090 --> 00:18:01,770 of if James is the first pronoun or 393 00:18:01,770 --> 00:18:03,930 the second pronoun or whatever it might be. 394 00:18:04,330 --> 00:18:05,890 What is James doing? 395 00:18:07,030 --> 00:18:10,810 The answer is that he is dealing a 396 00:18:10,810 --> 00:18:16,570 healthy blow to any attempt to suggest that 397 00:18:16,570 --> 00:18:19,510 faith and deeds may be separated. 398 00:18:20,130 --> 00:18:20,890 That's what he's saying. 399 00:18:22,430 --> 00:18:25,190 Somebody says, well, we can perhaps parse it 400 00:18:25,190 --> 00:18:26,570 out and you can have one and I 401 00:18:26,570 --> 00:18:27,090 can have the other. 402 00:18:27,230 --> 00:18:29,050 Perhaps that's the way we ought to do 403 00:18:29,050 --> 00:18:29,190 it. 404 00:18:29,410 --> 00:18:29,650 No. 405 00:18:30,370 --> 00:18:31,970 The person says, why don't you go ahead 406 00:18:31,970 --> 00:18:33,770 and provide me with an example of real 407 00:18:33,770 --> 00:18:37,810 faith that is not accompanied by deeds and 408 00:18:37,810 --> 00:18:39,530 I'll be happy to show you the reality 409 00:18:39,530 --> 00:18:43,350 of my faith on the basis of my 410 00:18:43,350 --> 00:18:43,730 deeds. 411 00:18:48,350 --> 00:18:51,970 Now, the idea of faith being simply an 412 00:18:51,970 --> 00:18:56,810 orthodox assent to certain truths is also dealt 413 00:18:56,810 --> 00:18:59,230 with in the 19th verse. 414 00:19:00,910 --> 00:19:03,030 You believe there's one God? 415 00:19:03,410 --> 00:19:04,330 That's jolly good. 416 00:19:05,170 --> 00:19:08,150 But even the demons believe that and they 417 00:19:08,150 --> 00:19:08,630 shudder. 418 00:19:10,530 --> 00:19:12,490 James again would have known that when Jesus 419 00:19:12,490 --> 00:19:15,530 came into an area, oftentimes it was the 420 00:19:15,530 --> 00:19:17,430 demons who were able to identify him. 421 00:19:18,330 --> 00:19:22,130 Mark chapter 1, Jesus' teaching in the synagogues 422 00:19:22,130 --> 00:19:24,410 and they're amazed at his teaching because he 423 00:19:24,410 --> 00:19:25,310 has such authority. 424 00:19:25,310 --> 00:19:27,590 And then a man in the synagogue who 425 00:19:27,590 --> 00:19:29,530 was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 426 00:19:29,970 --> 00:19:31,170 What do you want with us, Jesus of 427 00:19:31,170 --> 00:19:31,570 Nazareth? 428 00:19:31,770 --> 00:19:33,250 Have you come to destroy us? 429 00:19:33,490 --> 00:19:35,730 I know who you are, the Holy One 430 00:19:35,730 --> 00:19:36,390 of God. 431 00:19:37,410 --> 00:19:38,770 Was the demon a believer? 432 00:19:39,790 --> 00:19:42,430 Was the demon trusting in Jesus as a 433 00:19:42,430 --> 00:19:42,670 Savior? 434 00:19:42,810 --> 00:19:43,050 No. 435 00:19:43,830 --> 00:19:44,710 He knew who he was. 436 00:19:44,790 --> 00:19:47,290 He had an orthodox understanding of Jesus. 437 00:19:48,450 --> 00:19:49,890 And James is pointing out, you can have 438 00:19:49,890 --> 00:19:54,210 an orthodox understanding of the Godhead, but you 439 00:19:54,210 --> 00:19:55,690 won't be any better than the demons if 440 00:19:55,690 --> 00:19:56,470 you do. 441 00:19:58,330 --> 00:20:02,210 So, in other words, information plus a little 442 00:20:02,210 --> 00:20:06,690 perspiration is not the same as the transformation 443 00:20:06,690 --> 00:20:09,950 that God brings about when he gives us 444 00:20:09,950 --> 00:20:11,750 birth through the word of his truth and 445 00:20:11,750 --> 00:20:14,170 turns his people into those who are producing 446 00:20:14,170 --> 00:20:14,950 first fruits. 447 00:20:15,430 --> 00:20:16,370 That's verse 18. 448 00:20:16,450 --> 00:20:18,010 We needn't stray very far from it. 449 00:20:18,230 --> 00:20:20,550 In chapter 1, he chose to give us 450 00:20:20,550 --> 00:20:20,990 birth. 451 00:20:21,510 --> 00:20:23,350 And that's God's initiative, remember? 452 00:20:23,490 --> 00:20:24,550 Through the word of truth. 453 00:20:24,570 --> 00:20:25,570 That's God's instrument. 454 00:20:25,890 --> 00:20:27,570 That we might be kind of first fruits 455 00:20:27,570 --> 00:20:28,390 of all he created. 456 00:20:28,570 --> 00:20:29,970 That's God's intention. 457 00:20:32,630 --> 00:20:34,410 He produces this in us. 458 00:20:37,460 --> 00:20:39,380 So, James is tackling the individual who says, 459 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:41,360 Well, I actually have an orthodox view. 460 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,960 I do believe there is a God. 461 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:45,620 Well, that's very good. 462 00:20:46,140 --> 00:20:48,860 And I even actually believe that Jesus was 463 00:20:48,860 --> 00:20:49,560 the Son of God. 464 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:50,600 That's also very good. 465 00:20:50,660 --> 00:20:53,160 But you haven't even got beyond the demon's 466 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:54,000 classroom yet. 467 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:56,980 And the person may be prepared to say, 468 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:58,280 And not only do I believe in a 469 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:00,120 God and believe that Jesus is the Son 470 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:01,800 of God, but I also believe that it 471 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,240 is very important to do certain things like 472 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,000 feeding people and giving clothes to folks who 473 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:08,540 are cold at night. 474 00:21:11,050 --> 00:21:12,850 All of that put together is now what 475 00:21:12,850 --> 00:21:14,930 James is referencing here in terms of saving 476 00:21:14,930 --> 00:21:15,490 faith. 477 00:21:19,980 --> 00:21:23,160 You see, what the Bible makes clear to 478 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,160 us is that we're not in need of 479 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:26,900 an educator. 480 00:21:27,660 --> 00:21:28,960 We're in need of a Savior. 481 00:21:31,230 --> 00:21:32,970 We're not in need of education. 482 00:21:33,190 --> 00:21:34,270 We're in need of salvation. 483 00:21:35,610 --> 00:21:39,150 There is an educational dimension to coming to 484 00:21:39,150 --> 00:21:43,130 saving faith insofar as there are propositions that 485 00:21:43,130 --> 00:21:44,590 are laid out for us in the Bible 486 00:21:44,590 --> 00:21:45,870 that are to be believed. 487 00:21:46,230 --> 00:21:48,370 But the believing of those propositions is not 488 00:21:48,370 --> 00:21:50,470 to be equated with genuine saving faith. 489 00:21:50,570 --> 00:21:53,930 Because it is possible to believe propositions intellectually 490 00:21:53,930 --> 00:21:57,010 without consenting to the impact of those propositions 491 00:21:57,010 --> 00:21:57,850 in our lives. 492 00:21:58,890 --> 00:22:01,930 And we know that from easy illustrations throughout 493 00:22:01,930 --> 00:22:03,890 every aspect of our days. 494 00:22:05,150 --> 00:22:07,870 There's no intellectual road to God in the 495 00:22:07,870 --> 00:22:09,630 sense that we can simply decide to put 496 00:22:09,630 --> 00:22:11,370 the pieces of the puzzle together and get 497 00:22:11,370 --> 00:22:11,630 there. 498 00:22:11,930 --> 00:22:13,570 No, we need God to do what only 499 00:22:13,570 --> 00:22:14,370 God can do. 500 00:22:14,690 --> 00:22:15,970 And that is to wake us up to 501 00:22:15,970 --> 00:22:16,850 our need of a Savior. 502 00:22:17,190 --> 00:22:19,250 Which is very different from being wakened up 503 00:22:19,250 --> 00:22:20,510 to an interest in a deity. 504 00:22:20,910 --> 00:22:22,850 Or being concerned to acknowledge that there is 505 00:22:22,850 --> 00:22:24,530 an existence of a superpower. 506 00:22:24,950 --> 00:22:26,790 Or that there is some great unmoved mover 507 00:22:26,790 --> 00:22:28,150 at the origin of the universe. 508 00:22:28,470 --> 00:22:30,250 Or that we're prepared to give credence to 509 00:22:30,250 --> 00:22:32,810 the idea of a prophet who roamed the 510 00:22:32,810 --> 00:22:34,070 Galilean hillsides. 511 00:22:34,470 --> 00:22:36,210 We can do all of that and yet 512 00:22:36,210 --> 00:22:39,110 still have no notion of what it means 513 00:22:39,110 --> 00:22:42,170 to have our sins forgiven, to have our 514 00:22:42,170 --> 00:22:44,770 lives invaded by the expulsive power of a 515 00:22:44,770 --> 00:22:47,570 new affection, to be convinced within our hearts 516 00:22:47,570 --> 00:22:49,690 that God is who He claimed to be, 517 00:22:49,750 --> 00:22:50,510 and so on. 518 00:22:50,510 --> 00:22:54,430 There is great potential for a lonely faith. 519 00:22:55,530 --> 00:22:58,410 And a lonely faith, says James, is a 520 00:22:58,410 --> 00:22:59,250 dead faith. 521 00:22:59,590 --> 00:23:01,110 It is no good. 522 00:23:01,470 --> 00:23:02,650 It is dangerous. 523 00:23:03,490 --> 00:23:04,650 It is unhelpful. 524 00:23:04,970 --> 00:23:07,310 It will take a man or woman eventually 525 00:23:07,310 --> 00:23:08,430 into hell. 526 00:23:09,230 --> 00:23:10,730 That's why it's so significant. 527 00:23:12,930 --> 00:23:14,950 Now, he says, what I'd like to do 528 00:23:14,950 --> 00:23:16,630 at this point is call a couple of 529 00:23:16,630 --> 00:23:19,010 witnesses in defense of my thesis. 530 00:23:19,850 --> 00:23:21,810 And so he's going to call first of 531 00:23:21,810 --> 00:23:22,510 all, Abraham. 532 00:23:23,130 --> 00:23:24,570 That won't be a surprise. 533 00:23:24,870 --> 00:23:26,930 He's the daddy of them all, as it 534 00:23:26,930 --> 00:23:27,990 were, we might say. 535 00:23:28,430 --> 00:23:32,890 So well known for his place in biblical 536 00:23:32,890 --> 00:23:33,390 history. 537 00:23:33,710 --> 00:23:36,750 And then he's going to call Rahab a 538 00:23:36,750 --> 00:23:38,690 prostitute, which is a little more surprising. 539 00:23:39,070 --> 00:23:40,430 An unlikely illustration. 540 00:23:42,170 --> 00:23:43,490 What is he doing in this? 541 00:23:44,390 --> 00:23:49,010 Well, he's destroying the pretense of those who 542 00:23:49,010 --> 00:23:54,810 imagine that simply their declaring of a belief 543 00:23:55,710 --> 00:23:58,830 without evidence in their lives is saving faith. 544 00:24:01,400 --> 00:24:02,320 You foolish man. 545 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:03,340 You foolish fellow. 546 00:24:04,540 --> 00:24:06,000 The fool, remember, is the one who said 547 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,460 in his heart there is no God. 548 00:24:08,120 --> 00:24:08,920 You foolish man. 549 00:24:08,980 --> 00:24:10,860 Do you want evidence that faith without deeds 550 00:24:10,860 --> 00:24:11,480 is useless? 551 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:14,020 Let me call two witnesses. 552 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:15,660 First of all, let me call Abraham. 553 00:24:16,360 --> 00:24:19,320 Wasn't our ancestor Abram considered righteous for what 554 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:21,460 he did when he offered his son Isaac 555 00:24:21,460 --> 00:24:22,040 on the altar? 556 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:23,640 And he goes all the way through to 557 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:25,700 the staggering statement in verse 24. 558 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:28,320 You see that a person is justified by 559 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,240 what he does and not by faith alone. 560 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,480 He's justified by what he does and not 561 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:35,300 by faith alone. 562 00:24:35,420 --> 00:24:36,580 What are we going to do with this? 563 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:39,740 Some of you are immediately reaching for your 564 00:24:39,740 --> 00:24:42,760 concordance to say that seems like an amazing 565 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:43,480 contradiction. 566 00:24:44,540 --> 00:24:48,040 That seems to be a distinct contradiction to 567 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,880 what Paul is saying in the opening chapters 568 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:51,540 of Romans. 569 00:24:52,100 --> 00:24:53,860 After all, isn't it Paul who tells us 570 00:24:53,860 --> 00:24:57,180 that no one will be justified by the 571 00:24:57,180 --> 00:24:58,760 works of the law because by the works 572 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:00,300 of the law can no one be justified. 573 00:25:01,140 --> 00:25:04,360 James is apparently saying that Abraham is justified 574 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:06,620 by what he does and not by faith 575 00:25:06,620 --> 00:25:07,000 alone. 576 00:25:11,290 --> 00:25:13,130 Well, let me answer the question for you 577 00:25:13,130 --> 00:25:15,830 and then we can unpack it now and 578 00:25:15,830 --> 00:25:16,790 at a later time. 579 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:21,580 Two things will be helpful in tackling what 580 00:25:21,580 --> 00:25:24,120 is an apparent but not a contradiction. 581 00:25:25,060 --> 00:25:28,040 Number one, recognizing that what Paul is dealing 582 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:31,140 with in Romans is different from what James 583 00:25:31,140 --> 00:25:32,660 is dealing with in James. 584 00:25:32,820 --> 00:25:35,080 They're coming from two different starting points. 585 00:25:36,540 --> 00:25:39,180 Paul is starting from the point or he's 586 00:25:39,180 --> 00:25:44,500 pointing out that works have no value in 587 00:25:44,500 --> 00:25:46,140 bringing a man or a woman into a 588 00:25:46,140 --> 00:25:47,220 relationship with Jesus. 589 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:49,800 So those who would come along and say, 590 00:25:49,860 --> 00:25:50,760 well, I did this and I did this 591 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:52,880 and I did that would God accept me 592 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:53,840 on the basis of that? 593 00:25:54,300 --> 00:25:56,020 And Paul says, no, it wouldn't be possible 594 00:25:56,020 --> 00:25:58,240 for you could never be good enough or 595 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,360 do enough in order to be accepted by 596 00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:00,660 God. 597 00:26:00,780 --> 00:26:03,700 Therefore, you'll never be accepted by God on 598 00:26:03,700 --> 00:26:04,960 account of what you do. 599 00:26:08,850 --> 00:26:10,750 James is not at that point. 600 00:26:11,630 --> 00:26:14,290 James is picking up the people who profess 601 00:26:14,290 --> 00:26:17,430 to have come to a knowledge of Jesus. 602 00:26:18,630 --> 00:26:23,670 And James is insisting that a genuine awareness 603 00:26:24,410 --> 00:26:26,430 of who Jesus is and what he has 604 00:26:26,430 --> 00:26:31,210 done will be evidenced in good deeds. 605 00:26:32,070 --> 00:26:34,950 And that those good deeds are not the 606 00:26:34,950 --> 00:26:37,630 ground of our acceptance with God, but they 607 00:26:37,630 --> 00:26:40,410 are the evidence of our acceptance with God. 608 00:26:41,450 --> 00:26:43,250 So again, we ended last time in Ephesians 609 00:26:43,250 --> 00:26:43,570 2. 610 00:26:43,850 --> 00:26:45,330 It is by grace you have been saved 611 00:26:45,330 --> 00:26:46,970 through faith and that not of yourselves. 612 00:26:47,110 --> 00:26:48,850 It is the gift of God, not of 613 00:26:48,850 --> 00:26:50,550 works, so that no one should boast. 614 00:26:51,050 --> 00:26:52,270 Then what does he say in the very 615 00:26:52,270 --> 00:26:52,950 next verse? 616 00:26:53,330 --> 00:26:58,370 For we are God's workmanship created in Christ 617 00:26:58,370 --> 00:27:05,710 Jesus to do good works so that they 618 00:27:05,710 --> 00:27:08,890 are the evidence of, not the ground of. 619 00:27:09,570 --> 00:27:12,110 But James is saying, I don't want to 620 00:27:12,110 --> 00:27:15,070 hear from you folks just rabbiting on about 621 00:27:15,070 --> 00:27:17,390 what you believe and telling me things that 622 00:27:17,390 --> 00:27:19,250 stir around in your heads. 623 00:27:20,270 --> 00:27:23,030 Lonely faith is dead faith. 624 00:27:25,330 --> 00:27:26,850 The other thing that we need to recognize, 625 00:27:26,970 --> 00:27:29,390 and with this we must stop, is that 626 00:27:29,390 --> 00:27:33,310 James and Paul are using justification in two 627 00:27:33,310 --> 00:27:34,390 different ways. 628 00:27:38,390 --> 00:27:44,930 The verb dikaio is used in the majority 629 00:27:44,930 --> 00:27:48,630 of times in the way that most of 630 00:27:48,630 --> 00:27:50,890 us have been taught to understand it in 631 00:27:50,890 --> 00:27:55,150 terms of being declared righteous, not being made 632 00:27:55,150 --> 00:27:55,710 righteous. 633 00:27:56,090 --> 00:27:58,630 That justification in that sense is the opposite 634 00:27:58,630 --> 00:27:59,810 of condemnation. 635 00:28:00,950 --> 00:28:03,910 That in condemnation we are declared guilty. 636 00:28:04,710 --> 00:28:08,230 In being justified we are declared not guilty. 637 00:28:09,430 --> 00:28:11,570 But those who are declared not guilty still 638 00:28:11,570 --> 00:28:13,470 know themselves to be wretched sinners. 639 00:28:14,550 --> 00:28:17,010 How then can those who are sinful people 640 00:28:17,010 --> 00:28:18,310 be declared not guilty? 641 00:28:19,170 --> 00:28:21,650 On the strength not of anything done by 642 00:28:21,650 --> 00:28:25,510 them, not actually of anything done in them, 643 00:28:26,510 --> 00:28:29,210 but on the strength of something done for 644 00:28:29,210 --> 00:28:33,950 them, so that our acceptance before God is 645 00:28:33,950 --> 00:28:36,550 an account of who Jesus is and what 646 00:28:36,550 --> 00:28:37,730 he has accomplished. 647 00:28:38,290 --> 00:28:41,510 And indeed, until we understand that use of 648 00:28:41,510 --> 00:28:44,070 the verb to justify, most of us will 649 00:28:44,070 --> 00:28:46,850 make a complete shambles of trying to understand 650 00:28:46,850 --> 00:28:48,170 what James is doing here. 651 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,860 So why don't I just end by at 652 00:28:53,860 --> 00:28:56,180 least making an attempt to make sure that 653 00:28:56,180 --> 00:29:00,000 we understand what Paul is doing with justify, 654 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:01,520 and then we'll come back to what James 655 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:02,980 is doing with justify. 656 00:29:03,140 --> 00:29:05,500 Turn to Romans chapter 3 for just a 657 00:29:05,500 --> 00:29:05,760 moment. 658 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,640 I'm going to take you on a whistle 659 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:14,800 -stop tour of a few verses. 660 00:29:18,100 --> 00:29:23,880 In Romans, Paul is explaining, chapter 1, that 661 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:25,900 we have exchanged the glory of God. 662 00:29:26,420 --> 00:29:28,980 In chapter 3, he is explaining that we 663 00:29:28,980 --> 00:29:31,740 have fallen short of the glory of God. 664 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:34,740 And our predicament is such that in verse 665 00:29:34,740 --> 00:29:37,620 19, now we know that whatever the law 666 00:29:37,620 --> 00:29:39,120 says, it says to those who are under 667 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:40,740 the law, so that every mouth may be 668 00:29:40,740 --> 00:29:43,660 silenced and the whole world held accountable to 669 00:29:43,660 --> 00:29:44,080 God. 670 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:45,040 And here we are. 671 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,780 No one will be declared righteous in his 672 00:29:47,780 --> 00:29:50,620 sight, declared righteous in his sight. 673 00:29:50,820 --> 00:29:54,360 Notice, by observing the law, rather through the 674 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,100 law, we become conscious of sin. 675 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:59,840 So in other words, our mouths are shut. 676 00:30:00,220 --> 00:30:01,920 We have nothing to say in our defense. 677 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:05,560 And when we are called upon to sit 678 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:07,060 in the dock and to give an answer 679 00:30:07,060 --> 00:30:09,360 for where we stand before God, the answer 680 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,540 is we stand with our mouths closed. 681 00:30:11,700 --> 00:30:12,860 We stand guilty. 682 00:30:13,260 --> 00:30:15,380 We stand caught with a sword of rebellion 683 00:30:15,380 --> 00:30:16,160 in our hands. 684 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:22,160 We stand lost in our own helpless indifference. 685 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,960 And then in verse 21, he explains how 686 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:30,480 it could possibly be that those who have 687 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:33,560 exchanged the glory and fallen short of God's 688 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:36,100 glory may come, as he mentions it in 689 00:30:36,100 --> 00:30:38,740 Romans 5, to rejoice in the hope of 690 00:30:38,740 --> 00:30:39,140 glory. 691 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:41,220 How is this possible? 692 00:30:41,580 --> 00:30:45,020 Because, verse 21 and 3, a righteousness from 693 00:30:45,020 --> 00:30:47,340 God apart from law has been made known. 694 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:51,500 And this righteousness from God comes through faith 695 00:30:51,500 --> 00:30:55,500 in Jesus Christ to all who believe. 696 00:30:55,820 --> 00:30:56,860 To all who believe. 697 00:30:57,220 --> 00:31:01,140 To all who cast themselves consenting on Christ. 698 00:31:03,100 --> 00:31:05,940 What this makes perfectly plain is that you 699 00:31:05,940 --> 00:31:09,160 can never be so bad that you are 700 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,180 beyond the reach of God's grace. 701 00:31:12,060 --> 00:31:14,380 And none of us could ever be so 702 00:31:14,380 --> 00:31:16,900 good that we are beyond the need of 703 00:31:16,900 --> 00:31:17,660 God's grace. 704 00:31:17,780 --> 00:31:18,860 That's Jerry Bridges. 705 00:31:19,620 --> 00:31:21,660 You can never be so bad as to 706 00:31:21,660 --> 00:31:23,660 be beyond grace's reach. 707 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:26,420 And you could never be so good as 708 00:31:26,420 --> 00:31:28,880 to be beyond grace's need. 709 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:31,180 So it covers us all, doesn't it? 710 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:33,660 It covers a person who's sitting here this 711 00:31:33,660 --> 00:31:36,420 morning and whose life, as we look back 712 00:31:36,420 --> 00:31:38,500 on it, is a royal shambles. 713 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:41,240 Who feel that they have blotted their copy 714 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:42,600 book so severely. 715 00:31:42,900 --> 00:31:44,480 Who have marred their lives. 716 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:46,380 Who have turned their back on God. 717 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:47,820 Who have destroyed things. 718 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,440 Who have wasted his time and wasted their 719 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,220 time and invaded others' lives. 720 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,500 And harmed them and hated God. 721 00:31:54,820 --> 00:31:57,080 And they say, there is no possibility for 722 00:31:57,080 --> 00:31:57,280 me. 723 00:31:57,640 --> 00:31:58,520 Look in here. 724 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:00,500 To all who believe. 725 00:32:00,740 --> 00:32:01,880 To all who believe. 726 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:04,460 You are not so bad as to be 727 00:32:04,460 --> 00:32:05,440 beyond his reach. 728 00:32:06,580 --> 00:32:10,100 And then, the spotlight spins around and catches 729 00:32:10,100 --> 00:32:12,540 the smug and the self-confident and the 730 00:32:12,540 --> 00:32:15,040 religious and the people who are so secure 731 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:16,120 in their own goodness. 732 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,080 And shakes us up and says, listen here. 733 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,400 You're not good enough to get into heaven 734 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,000 without a Savior. 735 00:32:26,140 --> 00:32:29,060 You will on that day have only one 736 00:32:29,060 --> 00:32:29,760 defense. 737 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:32,780 You will only have one plea that you 738 00:32:32,780 --> 00:32:33,580 may enter. 739 00:32:33,960 --> 00:32:36,680 And that plea is Christ. 740 00:32:37,700 --> 00:32:39,440 Jesus paid it all. 741 00:32:40,060 --> 00:32:41,200 He did it. 742 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:43,760 And I look to him. 743 00:32:46,190 --> 00:32:50,110 The wonder of justification by faith is that 744 00:32:50,110 --> 00:32:55,170 God has brought into time his great assize. 745 00:32:56,150 --> 00:32:58,230 So that when a man or a woman 746 00:32:58,230 --> 00:33:01,430 comes to rest in the work of Jesus, 747 00:33:02,270 --> 00:33:05,530 that man or woman need never ever fear 748 00:33:05,530 --> 00:33:08,630 that God will go and muck around and 749 00:33:08,630 --> 00:33:11,610 rake around in that which he has forgiven. 750 00:33:11,610 --> 00:33:15,030 We need never fear that the penalty will 751 00:33:15,030 --> 00:33:16,990 be reintroduced. 752 00:33:17,930 --> 00:33:20,610 It is forever and for all time. 753 00:33:22,230 --> 00:33:24,850 He will discipline us. 754 00:33:26,330 --> 00:33:29,150 The work of God in sanctification is an 755 00:33:29,150 --> 00:33:30,130 ongoing work. 756 00:33:31,230 --> 00:33:34,930 But the work of God in justification is 757 00:33:34,930 --> 00:33:35,910 a finished work. 758 00:33:36,770 --> 00:33:40,130 That's why there is no condemnation. 759 00:33:40,130 --> 00:33:45,430 To them that are in Christ Jesus. 760 00:33:47,940 --> 00:33:49,340 Does that describe you? 761 00:33:50,420 --> 00:33:52,500 In Christ Jesus. 762 00:33:56,220 --> 00:33:59,160 Not interested in Christ Jesus. 763 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:01,440 But in him. 764 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:05,460 Because you have cast yourself upon him. 765 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:08,800 Caught up in the arms of his mercy. 766 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,820 You'll actually know if that's true. 767 00:34:13,500 --> 00:34:15,840 Not because of a feeling in your tummy. 768 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:18,480 Although you may have a feeling in your 769 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:18,760 tummy. 770 00:34:20,590 --> 00:34:22,270 But you will know it to be true 771 00:34:22,270 --> 00:34:26,710 when even through your own awareness of your 772 00:34:26,710 --> 00:34:32,090 falterings and your bumblings and your bad weeks 773 00:34:34,940 --> 00:34:39,000 and your not praying enough and you're not 774 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:40,780 reading your Bible regularly. 775 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:45,920 That even when you are confronted by the 776 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:49,980 fact that there's a way to go. 777 00:34:51,179 --> 00:34:58,040 Still when Alan plays that hymn and takes 778 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,360 it up a notch on the second stanza 779 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,940 if you know the hymn there was a 780 00:35:02,940 --> 00:35:05,100 reason to take it up and play it 781 00:35:05,100 --> 00:35:07,580 with such conviction because what is it that 782 00:35:07,580 --> 00:35:09,580 Spafford says in the second stanza? 783 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:11,100 My sin. 784 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:15,040 Oh the bliss of this glorious thought. 785 00:35:15,380 --> 00:35:18,980 My sin not in part, but the whole 786 00:35:18,980 --> 00:35:22,360 is nailed to his cross and I bear 787 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:23,020 it no more. 788 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:24,140 That's the issue. 789 00:35:24,460 --> 00:35:26,420 And my dear friends if you do not 790 00:35:26,420 --> 00:35:29,040 have that conviction within your heart if God 791 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:31,460 does not bring it to you despite all 792 00:35:31,460 --> 00:35:33,420 of the assailing of the evil one against 793 00:35:33,420 --> 00:35:33,720 you. 794 00:35:34,020 --> 00:35:36,860 Then you probably need to get down on 795 00:35:36,860 --> 00:35:40,140 your knees and cry God be merciful to 796 00:35:40,140 --> 00:35:43,160 me the sinner and he will save all 797 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,280 who believe and he will bring you into 798 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:49,420 an experience of genuine expressions of his wonderful 799 00:35:49,420 --> 00:35:51,020 love and grace. 800 00:35:52,380 --> 00:35:55,400 While we left Abraham kind of hanging we'll 801 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:56,280 come back to him. 802 00:35:57,440 --> 00:36:03,850 Father look upon us in your mercy come 803 00:36:03,850 --> 00:36:05,990 to those of us who feel ourselves to 804 00:36:05,990 --> 00:36:09,550 be beyond the pale of your goodness and 805 00:36:09,550 --> 00:36:11,290 pick us up in the arms of your 806 00:36:11,290 --> 00:36:15,590 redeeming love and to those of us who 807 00:36:15,590 --> 00:36:17,690 like the elder brother in the story of 808 00:36:17,690 --> 00:36:21,830 the prodigal have been slaves in your house 809 00:36:21,830 --> 00:36:23,690 but have no knowledge of you as a 810 00:36:23,690 --> 00:36:28,430 wonderful father and friend pierce the bubble of 811 00:36:28,430 --> 00:36:33,730 our self righteous pomposity and bring us down 812 00:36:34,930 --> 00:36:40,650 so that we might kneel and then that 813 00:36:40,650 --> 00:36:44,490 we might stand with all of our comfort 814 00:36:44,490 --> 00:36:48,710 and all of our defense outside of ourselves 815 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:50,450 in Jesus. 816 00:36:51,550 --> 00:36:52,730 It's in his name we pray. 817 00:36:53,390 --> 00:36:53,870 Amen. 818 00:37:19,420 --> 00:37:25,020 www.truthforlife.org www 819 00:37:25,020 --> 00:37:34,920 .truthforlife 820 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:35,800 .org