Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
READ: JAMES 2:10-26 [FAITH AND WORKS AND JUSTIFICATION]
Although there were other issues involved, yet the subject before us
tonight was sufficiently important to spark the Reformation when
professing Christendom was rent into two
There are some issues on which Christians can agree/disagree
Even doctrinal issues may be divided into fundamental/non fundamental doctrines and do not warrant the splitting of a church
Then there are other issues which are so important as to actually
define as to what a Christian is - denial of such doctrines puts a man
among the heathen, notwithstanding his protests to the contrary
We might put the doctrine of the Trinity in there
Denial of the Three Persons in the One Godhead makes a man a heretic
It makes him to be the purveyor of a damnable heresy - a preacher of
another gospel which is not another - and while we must be civil to
such as fellow human beings, yet we cannot accept their profession of
faith in Christ, for we are compelled to say "Which Christ?" - Certainly not the Christ of the NT and therefore not the Christ/God
These problems are not new - they are not a 20/21st Century thing
They were faced/dealt with by the Apostles back in the early church
We must in all honesty put this doctrine of justification by faith
alone into this category of being a fundamental Christian doctrine
Luther (an important player in the Reformation days) considered it to
be the article that led either to the standing/falling of a church
Even making allowances for Luther's often bullish behaviour, yet in
this matter he was fundamentally right - It is a defining doctrine
Our passage (James 2:10-26) is a fundamental passage in this matter
But it is only one - there are others, not least Romans 3-5 and all
must be allowed to speak before we can build up a clear picture of the
truth
But let us make James 2:10-26 our base passage and bring in the others
as appropriate and so see what the Lord says on the matter
3 things we must see:
1) HOW WE ARE JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD:
Might be a good place to define what the word "justify" actually means
In doctrine - it is vital to define terms, otherwise: confusion
A/ "Justify" means "to declare righteous" or "to reckon righteous"
It does not mean "to make righteous"
There are other means and ways that men are made righteous - but this is not and cannot be under the idea of justification
Bible gives two powerful proofs of this:
[i] Luke 7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
Can it ever be said that God was made righteous? Obviously not!
[ii] See again in the word as used in the OT legal system:
If there be a controversy between
men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then
they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked. (Deuteronomy
25:1)
The Judge does not make any one wicked or righteous - He listens to and
weighs the evidence as presented by the 2/3 witnesses and then he makes
his declaration concerning the accused
If the guilty was really guilty - the Judge did not make him so
If the Innocent was really righteous - the Judge did not make him so
The Judge only made a declaration when he justifies the accused and lets him go free from the dock
When God justifies the sinner, He only declares Him to be righteous
B/ How then is the sinner thus declared righteous?
3 elements: The basis - the cost - the instrumentality
[i] The Basis: The grace of God (Romans 3:24)
[ii] The Cost: The Blood of Christ: (Romans 5:9)
[iii] The Instrumentality: Faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)
C/ Big issue/Reformation: Is justification by faith or by faith alone?
Note the difference here: Here is the parting of the ways and
test as to whether or not we are in agreement with God's word or not
D/ The Bible teaches that we are justified before God by faith alone
If not by faith alone, then (naturally) it is by faith plus something else
It cannot be by faith plus the deeds of the law (our own good works)
James cannot disagree with Paul (both inspired/God) and Paul says:
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:28)
Paul develops the theme in the 4th chapter/Romans: (vs1-6) QUOTE
This is a constant theme both in Romans/Rest of Scripture:
And if by grace, then is it no more
of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then
is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. (11:6)
For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9)
OBJECTION! How can you so say when James clearly says: By works a man is justified by works and not by faith only? (v24)
Are you not contradicting Scripture? It seems so here
ANSWER: If I am contradicting Scripture, then I am doing it with other Scripture - that's a disaster for everyone involved
But I'm not contradicting Scripture and so I must explain James
2) HOW WE ARE JUSTIFIED BEFORE MEN:
Paul and James only disagree if we insist on having them give two
different answers to one single question - if so, the fault lies with us
This was Luther's problem…so he (foolishly) dumped James out/canon
A/ James is not telling us how we can be justified before God
That is taken for granted as James writes this most practical epistle
James is telling us how a man may be justified before his neighbour
Two different parties - Paul: justified before God (Faith alone)
James: How to be justified before men (By our works)
In other words, Paul deals with the root - James with the fruit
Cause and effect - Homely illustration:
Paul speaks of the fire/grate (cause) James: smoke/chimney (effect)
Whole thrust of James' argument is how can I prove I am a Christian?
(Not how I became a Christian - that is Paul's department - but proof)
James is concerned about what a man says/does in a case of another's poverty (v14-15)
We are not talking about how a man does in the matter of his personal
sin before God - that's the context of Paul in Romans 3:1-27
That issue doesn't crop up here - taken/granted it has been dealt with
In a time of need - a professing Christian (v16) did nothing practical
Leaving James to ask the question: What does it profit?
Go back to our homely illustration
What use is a fire that does not give evidence of being lit?
No one gets heat - people perish in the cold - hence a dead faith (v17)
But the unhelpful professing Christian hits back (v18) Says: I have faith
James is unimpressed (v19) - he is a like a wee terrier here -
you shew me your faith without works (wow!) and I'll do the opposite
Faith without works is no better than the faith/devils (v19-20)
It is a dead faith - (v17/v20) it is like (v26) a body without a soul
B/ Is that the faith which a professing Christian should have?
Is this the faith which God has chosen people to have (v5)
A rich faith in the face of appalling personal poverty (v5)
Has such faith - consisting merely of words - a Biblical precedent?
[i] Not the faith (v21) of Abraham who offered up his Son Isaac
Why did Abraham do this?
Not to justify his soul before God - already seen (Romans 4:1-6)
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of
debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (Romans 4:2-5)
Abraham told the world that he loved God and here was the proof:
His works - it was more than mere words, it was sacrificial works,
Note too: It was founded on the commands of God's word
[ii] Likewise also, the faith of Rahab - a practical faith (v25)
Her works (not perfect) gave evidence of her faith
C/ Paul himself was constantly urging the faithful to evidence faith
Already quoted Ephesians 2:8-9 with its double emphasis on "Not of
works" - the "gift" Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
There are many practical exhortations in Paul's letters, not least:
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: (1 Timothy 1:5)
Because it is standard Apostolic teaching that the faith that saves must be a real faith and it can only be real
[i] If its fundamental doctrine is pure (introduction)
[ii] If its ground for justification before God is faith alone
[iii] If it leads to good works (passage)
There are implications in these things…
3) HOW WE MAY REMAIN UNJUSTIFIED BEFORE BOTH GOD AND MEN:
I must cast this into a negative mould, although to preach positive truth
A/ I can remain condemned before God (for my sin) by ignoring the 3 fold basis of being justified before God
[i] I can seek to ignore the grace/God that provides such justification
How? By introducing the concept of my contributing something
If it really is by grace plus works, then my works will prove to be the weak link that will destroy the whole chain
James himself tells me that: v10 To offend in one part - offend in all
But if we cast ourselves upon the mercy of God alone, then it cannot go wrong, for God delights in mercy (Micah 7:18)
[ii] I can remain in a state of condemnation by introducing something
else into the equation other than the blood of the Lord Jesus
The Lord Jesus has paid the price in full - to seek to add something to
it is to slight that finished work: I do not frustrate the grace of
God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
(Galatians 2:21)
How important/vital it is to have proper views of these things
There are errors that are not fatal - we need to learn the way of God
more perfectly - and then there are falsehoods, void of any truth at all
[iii] Can remain in a state/condemnation by remaining in a state/unbelief
This is the sole cause of a man's eternal loss: John 3:18-19
It is only by throwing the full weight of our soul upon Christ's
finished work that we can be justified (accounted righteous) before a
Holy God
Consider the poor tax collector: Luke 18:10-13 esp. v13
B/ I remain unjustified before men and God by withholding good works
[i] Unjustified before men because they need more than mere talk
[ii] Unjustified before God, because while faith alone justifies, the faith that justifies (to quote Calvin) is never alone
Good works are the evidence of good faith: No evidence = no faith
We do not work to be saved, but because we are saved
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven. (Matthew 5:16)
They profess that they know God; but
in works they deny [him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto
every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:16)
C/ Tonight a full free and eternal justification may be had
Come the way that the tax collector in Luke 18 came: Repentance/faith
THE END