Our Substitute was Spotless Innocent and Pure.

A few weeks back I posted the introduction of a sermon by C.H. Spurgeon called, “The Heart of the Gospel.” In his introduction Spurgeon said, “THE heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.” This doctrine is so essential and necessary, but at the same time so neglected today.

In this post I will continue to quote from this sermon based on Second Corinthians 5:20, 21. As Spurgeon begins to consider the doctrine of the atonement he first focuses upon the sinlessness of Christ Jesus.

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” — 2 Corinthians 5:20, 21.

First, then, with as much brevity as possible I will speak upon THE GREAT DOCTRINE. The great doctrine, the greatest of all, is this, that God, seeing men to be lost by reason of their sin, hath taken that sin of theirs and laid it upon his only begotten Son, making him to be sin for us, even him who knew no sin; and that in consequence of this transference of sin he that believeth in Christ Jesus is made just and righteous, yea, is made to be the righteousness of God in Christ. Christ was made sin that sinners might be made righteousness. That is the doctrine of the substitution of our Lord Jesus Christ on the behalf of guilty men.

Now consider, first, who was made sin for us? The description of our great Surety here given is upon one point only, and it may more than suffice us for our present meditation. Our substitute was spotless, innocent, and pure. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin,” Christ Jesus, the Son of God, became incarnate, and was made flesh, and dwelt here among men; but though he was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, he knew no sin. Though upon him sin was laid, yet not so as to make him guilty. He was not, he could not be, a sinner: he had no personal knowledge of sin. Throughout the whole of his life he never committed an offense against the great law of truth and right. The law was in his heart; it was his nature to be holy. He could say to all the world, “Which of you convinceth me of sin?” Even his vacillating judge enquired, “Why, what evil hath he done?” When all Jerusalem was challenged and bribed to bear witness against him, no witnesses could be found. It was necessary to misquote and wrest his words before a charge could be trumped up against him by his bitterest enemies. His life brought him in contact with both the tables of the law, but no single command had he transgressed. As the Jews examined the Paschal lamb before they slew it, so did scribes and Pharisees, and doctors of the law, and rulers and princes, examine the Lord Jesus, without finding offense in him. He was the Lamb of God, without blemish and without spot.

As there was no sin of commission, so was there about our Lord no fault of omission. Probably, dear brethren, we that are believers have been enabled by divine grace to escape most sins of commission; but I for one have to mourn daily over sins of omission. If we have spiritual graces, yet they do not reach the point required of us. If we do that which is right in itself, yet we usually mar our work upon the wheel, either in the motive, or in the manner of doing it, or by the self-satisfaction with which we view it when it is done. We come short of the glory of God in some respect or other. We forget to do what we ought to do, or, doing it, we are guilty of lukewarmness, self-reliance, unbelief, or some other grievous error. It was not so with our divine Redeemer. You cannot say that there was any feature deficient in his perfect beauty. He was complete in heart, in purpose, in thought, in word, in deed, in spirit. You could not add anything to the life of Christ without its being manifestly an excrescence. He was emphatically an all-round man, as we say in these days. His life is a perfect circle, a complete epitome of virtue. No pearl has dropped from the silver string of his character. No one virtue has overshadowed and dwarfed the rest: all perfections combine in perfect harmony to make in him one surpassing perfection.

Neither did our Lord know a sin of thought. His mind never produced an evil wish or desire. There never was in the heart of our blessed Lord a wish for any evil pleasure, nor a desire to escape any suffering or shame which was involved in his service. When he said, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me,” he never desired to escape the bitter potion at the expense of his perfect lifework. The “if it be possible,” meant, “if it be consistent with full obedience to the Father, and the accomplishment of the divine purpose.” We see the weakness of his nature shrinking, and the holiness of his nature resolving and conquering, as he adds, “nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” He took upon him the likeness of sinful flesh, but though that flesh often caused him weariness of body, it never produced in him the weakness of sin. He took our infirmities, but he never exhibited an infirmity which had the least of blameworthiness attached to it. Never fell there an evil glance from those blessed eyes; never did his lips let drop a hasty word; never did those feet go on an ill errand, nor those hands move towards a sinful deed; because his heart was filled with holiness and love within as well as without our Lord was unblemished. His desires were as perfect as his actions. Searched by the eyes of Omniscience, no shadow of fault could be found in him.

Yea, more, there were no tendencies about our Substitute towards evil in any form. In us there are always those tendencies; for the taint of original sin is upon us. We have to govern ourselves and hold ourselves under stern restraint, or we should rush headlong to destruction. Our carnal nature lusteth to evil, and needs to be held in as with bit and bridle. Happy is that man who can master himself. But with regard to our Lord; it was his nature to be pure, and right, and loving. All his sweet wills were towards goodness. His unconstrained life was holiness itself: he was “the holy child Jesus.” The prince of this world found in him no fuel for the flame which he desired to kindle. Not only did no sin flow from him, but there was no sin in him, nor inclination, nor tendency in that direction. Watch him in secret, and you find him in prayer; look into his soul, and you find him eager to do and suffer the Father’s will. Oh, the blessed character of Christ! If I had the tongues of men and of angels I could not worthily set forth his absolute perfection. Justly may the Father be well pleased with him! Well may heaven adore him!

Beloved, it was absolutely necessary that any one who should be able to suffer in our stead should himself be spotless. A sinner obnoxious to punishment by reason of his own offenses, what can he do but bear the wrath which is due to his own sin? Our Lord Jesus Christ as man was made under the law; but he owed nothing to that law, for he perfectly fulfilled it in all respects. He was capable of standing in the room, place, and stead of others, because he was under no obligations of his own. He was only under obligations towards God because he had voluntarily undertaken to be the surety and sacrifice for those whom the Father gave him. He was clear himself, or else he could not have entered into bonds for guilty men.

Oh, how I admire him, that being such as he was, spotless and thrice holy, so that even the heavens were not pure in his sight, and he charged his angels with folly, yet he condescended to be made sin for us! How could he endure to be numbered with the transgressor and bear the sin of many? It may be no misery for a sinful man to live with sinful men, but it would be a heavy sorrow for the pure-minded to dwell with a company of abandoned and licentious wretches. What an overwhelming sorrow it must have been to the pure and perfect Christ to tabernacle among the hypocritical, the selfish, and the profane! How much worse that he himself should have to take upon himself the sins of those guilty men. His sensitive and delicate nature must have shrunk from even the shadow of sin, and yet read the words and be astonished: “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin.” Our perfect Lord and Master bare our sins in his own body on the tree. He, before whom the sun itself is dim and the pure azure of heaven is defilement, was made sin. I need not put this in fine words: the fact is itself too grand to need any magnifying by human language. To gild refined gold, or paint the lily, were absurd; but much more absurd would it be to try to overlay with flowers of speech the matchless beauties of the cross. It suffices in simple rhyme to say —

“Oh, hear that piercing cry!
What can its meaning be?
‘My God! my God! oh! why hast thou
In wrath forsaken me?’
“Oh ‘twas because our sins
On him by God were laid;
He who himself had never sinn’d,
For sinners, sin was made.”

Now tell me Doth this offend you?

Faith Works and James Two (Part 6)

In chapter two verse 25, James presented his second Old Testament illustration to prove his case that a claimed faith that does not result in good works is not the kind of faith that saves. The kind of faith that saves always results in good works. No doubt James could have chosen any Old Testament believer to show that good works necessarily follow true faith, but he chose Abraham the patriarch Abraham and Rahab the prostitute. In my previous post I considered Abraham. In this post I will consider Rahab.

(James 2:25 NASB) And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

Rahab demonstrated that she had genuine faith by her actions. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews made the point that it was because of her faith that she did what she did.

(Hebrews 11:31 NASB) By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

The historical account of this story is found in Joshua chapter two. Joshua sent two men to spy out the land of Cannan and especially the city of Jericho. While in Jericho they went to “the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.”(Joshua 2:1 NASB).

The king of Jericho became aware that there were Israeli spies in Jericho and that they were staying with Rahab. The king sent a message to Rahab. He told her to send them out because they were spies. But Rahab had hidden them on her roof. She told the king that the spies had been there but they had went out the city gate just before it was closed for the night. She said, “Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” (Joshua 2:5 NASB) So Rahab sent the king and all the king’s men on a wild goose chase. That night Rahab went up to talk to the spies. She had demonstrated her faith when she hid the spies. In this conversation, she declared her faith.

(Joshua 2:8-13 NASB) Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. "And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. "Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death."

Rahab declared that she believed in the LORD the God of Israel, and she was willing to lay her life on the line for her faith. The spies promised her that she would be safe if she did as they told her.

(Joshua 2:14 NASB) So the men said to her, "Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."

She demonstrated her faith by hiding the spies and further by helping them escape.

(Joshua 2:15 NASB) Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.

The spies instructed her that, “when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father's household.” (Joshua 2:18 NASB). After all their instructions, she said, “According to your words, so be it." So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. (Joshua 2:21 NASB).

In the sixth chapter of Joshua it we read,

(Joshua 6:17 NASB) “And the city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.”

In Joshua 6:21-25 we read that the people of Israel followed God’s plan of attack and the city walls fell in on the city. Jericho was totally destroyed. Everyone was killed by the edge of the sword. No one survived. No one except Rahab and those she had taken into her house.

Rahab made a profession of faith. She claimed to believe. But, how was the Israeli spies to know if she was for real? The answer to this question is the point of James 2:25.

And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? (NASB)

Rahab's claim to have faith in the LORD God of Israel was justified (evidenced) in the sight of men by her actions.

The rest of Rahab’s life continued to justify her claim that she believed in the LORD. Rahab became part of God's people. She married a Hebrew from the tribe of Judah named Salman. Through this marriage Rahab the pagan prostitute became an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

Rahab was justified (declared to be righteous) before God by faith alone. Her faith led her to perform good works, and her claim to have faith was evidenced (justified) before men by her actions.

The last verse of James two is the final restatement of James’ conclusion.

(James 2:26 NASB) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Just as the human body is lifeless without the immaterial spiritual nature of man, the kind of faith the does not result in a changed life, in holiness, and yes in good works is dead. It has nothing to offer and it is incapable of producing salvation. The kind of faith that saves is the kind of faith that results in good works. Paul said,

(Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Now tell me, Doth this offend you?

The Necessity of Gospel Preaching

Today I would like to share with you the introduction to a sermon Charles H. Spurgeon preached July 18, 1886, called “The Heart of The Gospel.” After almost 120 years the Gospel preaching of C.H. Spurgeon retains its relevance.

The heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. They who preach this truth preach the gospel in whatever else they may be mistaken; but they who preach not the atonement, whatever else they declare, have missed the soul and substance of the divine message. In these days I feel bound to go over again the elementary truths of the Gospel. In peaceful times we may feel free to make excursions into interesting districts of truth which lie far afield; but now we must stay at home, and guard the hearths and homes of the Church by defending the first principles of the faith. In this age there have risen up in the church itself men who speak perverse things. There be many that trouble us with their philosophies and novel interpretations, whereby they deny the doctrines they profess to teach, and undermine the faith they are pledged to maintain. It is well that some of us, who know what we believe, and have no secret meanings for our words, should just put our foot down and maintain our standing, holding forth the word of life, and plainly declaring the foundation truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let me give you a parable. In the days of Nero there was great shortness of food in the city of Rome, although there was abundance of corn to be purchased at Alexandria. A certain man who owned a vessel went down to the sea coast, and there he noticed many hungry people straining their eyes toward the sea, watching for the vessels that were to come from Egypt with corn. When these vessels came to the shore, one by one, the poor people wrung their hands in bitter disappointment, for on board the galleys there was nothing but sand which the tyrant emperor had compelled them to bring for use in the arena. It was infamous cruelty, when men were dying of hunger to command trading vessels to go to and fro, and bring nothing else but sand for gladiatorial shows, when wheat was so greatly needed. Then the merchant whose vessel was moored by the quay said to his shipmaster, "Take thou good heed that thou bring nothing back with thee from Alexandria but corn; and whereas, aforetime thou hast brought in the vessel a measure or two of sand, bring thou not so much as would lie upon a penny this time. Bring thou nothing else, I say, but wheat: for these people are dying, and now we must keep our vessels for this one business of bringing food for them." Alas! I have seen certain mighty galleys of late loaded with nothing but mere sand of philosophy and speculation, and I have said within myself, "Nay, but I will bear nothing in my ship but the revealed truth of God, the bread of life so greatly needed by the people." God grant us this day that our ship may have nothing on board it that may merely gratify the curiosity, or please the taste; but that there may be necessary truths for the salvation of souls. I would have each one of you say: "Well, it was just the old, old story of Jesus and his love, and nothing else." I have no desire to be famous for anything but preaching of the gospel. There are plenty who can fiddle to you the new music; it is for me to have no music at any time but that which is heard in heaven,—"Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory for ever and ever!"

The complete sermon (#1910) by C.H. Spurgeon can be found in volume 32 of the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit or at www.spurgeon.org.

Now tell me, Doth this offend you?

Faith Works and James Two (Part 5)

In chapter 2 verses 20-26, James used two Old Testament characters, Abraham and Rahab, to illustrate and prove his point. James interspersed these two illustrations by stating his conclusion three times. First, in verse twenty, before the Abraham illustration James stated his conclusion negatively.

(James 2:20 NASB) But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Second, in verse 24, after the Abraham illustration and before the Rahab illustration James stated his conclusion positively.

(James 2:24 NASB) You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.

And finally, in verse 26, after the Rahab illustration James again states his conclusion negatively.

(James 2:26 NASB) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

It is important to remember two things here. First, a proper understanding of James’ point in these two Old Testament illustrations must go to prove what is stated in his conclusions. We must not draw any conclusion from these illustrations other than James’ conclusion. Secondly, and conversely, whatever meaning we draw from James’ conclusion statements must be supported by the illustrations that the inspired writer provided. We must not force James’ conclusion to mean something that the illustrations do not support.

To begin let’s consider the first conclusion statement.

(James 2:20 NASB) But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Are you willing to recognize? Are you willing to be convinced by the evidence? We should note two things here. First, James is asking if this “foolish fellow” is willing to look at the evidence. People, even religious people, reject biblical truth. They reject the truth, not because there is no evidence for the truth, but because they are unwilling to receive it. Secondly, when James set out to prove his point he cited God's revealed Word. He provided evidence from the biblical stories of Abraham and Rahab. The Bible is the final authority for the Christian.

“Faith without works is useless” is the negative side of James’ conclusion. Saying “I have faith” is insufficient if it is not the kind of faith that results in a changed life and good works. Even believing true things about God and Christ is insufficient if it is not the kind of faith that results in a changed life and good works. The kind of faith that James wrote about is useless and dead. The solution to the problem James is addressing is not to add works to this merely said faith or intellectual faith. Jesus addressed those who had these kinds of faith and also had “good works.”

(Matthew 7:21-23, 26, 27 NASB) "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' ..."And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall."

Adding ‘good works’ to flawed faith does not turn the flawed faith into genuine faith.

The solution is to abandon this useless and dead faith and replace it with complete confidence and trust in the Person and work of Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. This kind of faith is neither useless nor dead. This kind of faith is the sole and sufficient means of coming into a right relationship with God. And this kind of faith always results in a changed life and good works.

(II Peter 1:5-11 NASB) Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Having stated his conclusion, James offered Abraham as the primary proof that the kind of faith that produces a right relationship with God also results in a changed life and good works.

(James 2:21-23 NASB) Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.

We really need to think clearly as we go through this section. We need to answer this very important question. Was James actually saying that Abraham was made right with God by the act of offering his son on the altar? Some Bibles paraphrases make it sound that way.

Think of Abraham, our ancestor. Wasn't it his action which really justified him in God's sight when his faith led him to offer his son Isaac on the altar. (Phillips)

How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. (Today’s English Version)

The most striking difference between these paraphrases and the New American Standard Bible is the inclusion of the words "in God's sight," or "with God". The fact is the word for God is nowhere in the original text of this verse.

But it still remains that James did ask, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?” The implied answer is that Abraham our father was justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar. But the real question to be asked is this. Before whom was Abraham justified by works? If we answer, Abraham was justified by works before God, then James is in clear contradiction with the teaching of the Apostle Paul.

(Romans 4:2 NASB) For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God.

The justification that came by works "when he offered Isaac his son on the altar" was a justification before men. It was Abraham’s claim to have saving faith that was justified by his works. Abraham was tested. He was given an opportunity to demonstrate that his faith was genuine. Hebrews 11:17-19 parallels James’ point.

(Hebrews 11:17-19 NASB) By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED." He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type.

Abraham's faith was being tested when God called him to sacrifice his only son. Abraham passed the test and showed the world that his faith was genuine. Abraham’s faith found its fulfillment and in his works.

(James 2:22 NASB) You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

Justification before God is not accomplished by a co-operation between faith and works. Faith alone saves. But genuine faith finds its expression in “good works.” Faith and works must be distinguished, but they can never be separated.

In verse 23, James said that Abraham's actions proved and confirmed what God had already said. Abraham's works confirmed what God had declared years earlier.

(James 2:23 NASB) and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.

James cited two passages from Genesis and the life of Abraham. First he said, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?” (James 2:21 NASB). Then he said, “and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,"” (James 2:23 NASB).

Let’s consider these two passages in the context of Genesis. First we will go back to Genesis 15.

(Genesis 15:5 NASB) And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."

God promised a childless 80-year-old man that he would of have multitudes of descendants. Let’s go back to the beginning of the chapter.

(Genesis 15:1-4 NASB) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." And Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what wilt Thou give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "Since Thou hast given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."

(Romans 4:20, 21 NASB) yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform.

God promised Abraham that he would have multitudes of descendents, and Genesis 15:6 says, “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” There it is. God declared Abraham to be righteous based on his faith.

It is important to note that God’s declaration that Abraham was righteous was wholly unrelated to what he did “when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar.” (James 2:21 NASB). The passage that James cited concerning the offering of Isaac on the alter is not found in Genesis 15. We have to go forward seven chapters to Genesis 22 to find the offering of Isaac. And we have to go thirty-something years into the future. When God declared that Abraham was righteous because of his faith Isaac wasn’t even born and he wouldn’t be born for another twenty years. God declared Abraham to be righteous because Abraham had genuine faith. He had the kind of faith that lead him to obey God when thirty-something years later God said,

(Genesis 22:2 NASB) "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."

Abraham was justified before God by genuine faith alone. Abraham's genuine faith resulted in obedience to God. Abraham's claim to have genuine saving faith was justified before men by his obedience to God. God's declaration is confirmed and fulfilled by Abraham's obedience.

(James 2:23 NASB) and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.

So, as I said above, Abraham's actions proved and confirmed what God had already said. Abraham's works confirmed what God had declared years earlier.

We say we have faith in God, and that God, therefore, declares us righteous in His sight. Do our actions confirm and corroborate our claim that God has called us righteous, or do they contradict it?

Finally, James follows his first Old Testament illustration by reiterating his point.

(James 2:24 NASB) You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.

Again, this conclusion statement must be supported by the passages in Genesis. Allow me to paraphrase and expand a bit on this conclusion based on the illustration of Abraham.

You see that a man is justified [even Abraham provided evidence to men that he was in a right relationship with God] by works, [that is, by his non-meritorious action which he did after and as a result of coming into a right relationship with God] and not by [saying, I have] faith alone.

Now tell me, Doth this offend you?

Faith Works and James Two (Part 4)

In this post I will continue with my consideration of James 2:14-26.

In verse eighteen James presented a hypothetical challenge to the person who claims to have faith but does not have any works to prove that his faith is genuine.

(James 2:18 NASB) But someone may well say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

If we claim to have faith but our faith does not result in good works, then we are leave ourselves open to this challenge. To the one who claims faith but has no works the challenger may well say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." J.B. Phillips’ paraphrase is helpful at this point.

A man could challenge us by saying, "You have faith and I have merely good actions. Well, all you can do is to show me a faith without corresponding actions, but I can show you by my actions that I have faith as well."

In other words, the challenge is for the one who claims to have faith but does not have works to demonstrate (or give evidence) that his faith is real without works. Clearly, this is an impossibility. It cannot be done. You cannot prove that you have faith by saying, I have faith. Faith must be demonstrated in actions. In fact the lack of good works tends to prove the lack of true faith. On the other hand if a person has genuine good works his good works provide evidence that his faith is genuine.

Everyone who claims to have faith must ask himself, can I show others my faith? How do I show that I have true faith? Can others see my faith?

I’ve heard parents instruct their children to be seen and not heard. In his epistle, James was confronting professed Christians who, when it came to their faith, were heard and not seen. True faith is not one or the other. True faith must be seen and heard; and probably in that order.

Next, James turned his attention to intellectual faith.

(James 2:19 NASB) You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

Knowing certain things about God and even believing these things are true is not the kind of faith that saves.

True biblical faith has three elements: knowledge, agreement, and trust. To be saved a sinner must know certain things about God, and agree that these things are true, but that is not enough. James said, the demons also believe, and shudder. What do the demons believe? He says that the demons believe, that God is one. This is the basic truth of Judaism and Christianity. Monotheism, the belief that there is only one God, is the foundation of all biblical truth. Yet affirming all biblical truth is not enough to save. In addition to knowing the truth and believing the truth, the sinner must trust fully in the Person and work of Jesus Christ alone to be saved.

So far then, James has identified two kinds of faith that are insufficient to save. First he dealt with the kind of faith that is merely a said faith or a claimed faith that does not result in good works. He asked, can that kind of faith save? The answer is no. Second he dealt with the kind of faith that is merely intellectual. Knowing and believing certain things about God does not save. True saving faith is trust, not in anything that the sinner can do to earn or deserve his salvation, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ alone. And genuine faith in Jesus always results in good works and holiness. The kind of faith that does not result in good works and a righteous life is not the kind of faith that brings a sinner into a right relationship with God. It is not saving faith. It is the kind of faith that demons have.

It should be noted that it is not God who needs to see good works to know if the sinner’s faith is genuine. God sees the saving faith and declares the sinner righteous immediately. But saving faith is accompanied by the Holy Spirit coming into the life of the believer. Therefore, the believer can no longer live in sin. A changed life is the necessary result of saving faith. If the life never changes it is because the Holy Spirit is not there. It is because there was never genuine faith.

(I John 3:5-10 NASB) And you know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.

(I John 2:4, 6 NASB) The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Now tell me, Doth this offend you?