Please take out your copy of God's Word, which I pray is with you.
It's well read and treasured in your hearts.
And turn to the book of Galatians chapter 3.
On the 31st of this month, we will celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's 95 theses being nailed to the door of the Wittenberg Church.
An event which ignited a flame of doctrinal purification in Europe.
Much of the Reformers' teaching has been summed up systematically in what are known as the Solas, which we are considering one at a time leading up to the Sunday before the 31st.
So far we have considered a Sola Scriptura, and that is that God's Scripture, the Bible, the 66 books that we have canonized in our Protestant Bible,
are the final authority of God on earth.
We considered last week, Sola Gratia, by grace alone.
Salvation is a gift of God.
Today we're going to consider Sola Fide, or faith alone.
That is to say that we are justified through faith alone.
And in the coming two weeks, Solus Christus, in Christ alone, or justified by faith alone, in Christ alone.
And finally, Soli Deo Gloria.
That is, all is to the glory of God alone.
Now the Reformers were speaking to audiences that considered themselves Christian.
It was a very Christianized culture.
There was not opposition in Luther's day to Scripture, or grace, or faith, or Christ, or the glory of God.
But there was much addition and subtraction from these key doctrines.
And that is why the Reformers loved the word alone or only.
And we find in our day much error as well.
And it's why we should also look to the past and to our Bibles to see that the Bible alone is authority of God.
Final authority.
We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
And this is all to the glory of God alone.
So as we consider today, Sola Fide, faith alone, let's look at Galatians 3, verses 10-14.
Before I read, I remind you, beloved, that this is God's word to us.
It was written for His glory and for our good.
And we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
Let's begin in verse 10 and following.
For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse.
For it is written,
Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them.
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law,
for the righteous shall live by faith.
But the law is not of faith.
Rather, the one who does them shall live by them.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
For it is written,
Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.
So that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles,
so that we might receive the promised spirit through faith.
The producer of a podcast called The White Horse Inn,
which I would commend to you,
recently conducted a survey at a conference for evangelical pastors
where he asked the following questions.
Number one,
are we justified by faith alone,
by faith and works,
or by works alone?
And,
in your view,
is justification a one-time declaration,
or a lifelong process?
Now these two questions are pursuing the same point,
and it is a point that is extremely vital
to a proper understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ.
So I know I've tipped you off a little already,
but take a moment and consider how you would answer these two questions.
Somebody comes up to you on the street with a microphone,
and says,
are we justified by faith alone,
by faith and works,
or by works alone?
And,
in your view,
is justification a one-time declaration,
or a lifelong process?
The majority response of the pastors at this particular conference were,
we are justified by faith and works,
and justification is a lifelong process.
If you answer these questions in the same way,
you are dreadfully wrong.
This is likely not entirely your fault.
You may have grown up in a church
that one of these men pastored,
that never addressed the matter,
or,
if they did,
they did so poorly.
But,
beloved,
a proper understanding of justification
is at the very heart of the gospel.
And at the end of all things,
you will not be able to plead before God
that your Bible went unread
because of the church you grew up in.
You see,
if we fail to understand justification
through faith alone,
we fail to understand the gospel.
In fact,
any misunderstanding of justification
is antithetical to the gospel
and is very egregious.
That is to say,
it's the opposite of the gospel.
I fear that in our day,
there is more misunderstanding
of how a person is saved
than there was in the medieval Europe
of Luther's day.
So let's be sure today
that we all have a clear understanding
of justification through faith alone
so that,
number one,
we can be saved.
You may find yourself here this morning
believing that you're in Christ
because you have not understood
justification by faith alone.
You may think that you can be justified
by your works.
That you even being here
is gaining you some favor with God
so that we can be saved.
Secondly,
if we are,
in fact,
saved,
that we can have assurance
of our salvation.
How is it that we can know
that we belong to God,
that we are justified
before Him?
And thirdly,
so that we can help others
come to faith
and have assurance.
If I am correct,
and I believe that I am,
about how much our culture
is erring on this,
then we need to be ambassadors
for Christ.
We need to preach the true gospel
and help people understand
how it is they can be saved
and how it is they can be confident
that they are saved.
So let's do so by asking
and answering four questions.
I'm not going to alliterate today
to make John MacArthur proud.
I'm going to ask questions
to make Clay Namor proud.
Those questions are going to be as follows.
Number one,
what does it mean to be justified?
I'm going to use that word a lot today.
What does it mean
to be justified?
Secondly,
why do we need to be justified
through faith?
Thirdly,
how are we justified?
Through faith?
And fourthly,
what is the relationship
between faith
and works?
So number one,
what does it mean
to be
justified?
At Christ Family Church,
we don't use
large words
because we want to
appear smart.
We try to use
Bible words
because if you're going to be
faithful to the Scripture,
you're going to come across
these words.
Some of you,
I know,
might be going,
justified,
that seems like a kind of
churchy word.
Yeah,
it is.
Because we're a people
of the Word.
So you've got to know
what these things mean
when you come across them
in the Scripture.
So we don't want to
do away with
big words,
but we want to press you
to understand
big words.
What a novel idea
to give you an education.
What a crazy thing.
So,
justification
is a
one-time
declaration
that we are
righteous
before God.
The doctrine
of justification
includes
both the idea
that our guilt
has been
expunged,
it's been done
away with,
and that we have
been granted
perfection.
So,
the negative
debt that we had
has been brought
up to zero,
and we've been given,
we've been credited
to our account,
perfection,
the righteousness
that is Christ's.
The occasion
for Paul's writing
of this letter
to the church
of Galatia
was men
who had come
teaching
what Paul calls
a different
and contrary
gospel,
right?
An antithetical
gospel.
Look at Galatians
chapter 1
verse 6
and following.
Paul writes,
I am astonished
that you are so
quickly deserting
him,
this is Christ,
who called you,
excuse me,
it's the spirit,
who called you
in the grace
of Christ
and are turning
to a different
gospel.
Not that there
is another one,
he's saying that
there isn't good
news found anywhere
else,
not that there
is another one,
but there are
some who trouble
you and want
to distort
the gospel
of Christ.
He then has
some very strong
words for anyone
who would preach
such a gospel
beginning in verse
8.
But even if we
or an angel
from heaven
should preach
to you a gospel
contrary to the
one we preach
to you,
let him be
accursed.
As we have said
before,
so now I say
again,
if anyone is
preaching to you
a gospel contrary
to the one you
have received,
let him be
accursed.
These men
who would come
into the church
of Galatia
who are often
called Judaizers
were teaching
faith in Jesus
plus circumcision.
Faith in Jesus
plus the observation
of certain feasts
and this equals
justification.
This was the equation
that they were teaching.
Yeah,
yeah,
yeah.
Right?
Faith is good
but also
must add on to
faith
works.
And Paul
cries out
in his letter
to the Galatian
church,
no,
by faith alone
is one
justified
before God.
So this is
what justification
is.
A one-time
declaration
that we are
righteous
before God.
Secondly,
why do we need
to be justified
through faith?
Back in our text,
chapter 3,
verse 10
and following.
For all who rely
on works of the law
are under
a curse.
We are
cursed
and we are
incapable
of earning
our justification.
Right?
this is the purpose
of the law
to bring us
to Christ.
To show us
how incapable
we are
of pleasing
God
apart
from Christ.
As previously stated,
we are justified
through faith
alone.
No one is justified
by their works.
Paul is abundantly
clear about this
in Romans chapter 3.
Turn with me,
if you will,
please,
to Romans 3.
beginning
in verse 10,
Paul cites
ancient words.
He appeals
to the authority
of Scripture
to make his case
in Romans 3.
As it is written,
none is righteous.
No,
not one.
No one understands.
No one seeks
for God.
All have turned aside.
Together they have
become worthless.
No one does good.
Not even one.
Their throat
is an empty grave.
They use their tongues
to deceive.
The venom of asps
is under their lips.
Their mouth
is full of curses
and bitterness.
Their feet
are swift
to shed blood.
And their paths
are ruin
and misery.
And the way
of peace
they have not known.
There is no
fear of God
before their eyes.
This is not
the beginning
of the gospel
preached
in most churches
today.
Apart from Christ,
you have become
worthless.
In Christ,
you have
great worth.
But apart from Him,
you are as dross
to be thrown away
of no value
whatsoever
in the kingdom
of God.
Flee
to Christ.
This is what
the law
is doing for us.
It's showing us
our great
need.
I've heard
visitors of
our church
go away
and complain
that don't make
them feel good
about themselves
when they come here.
It's not my job
to make you feel
good about yourself.
It's my job
to make much
of Christ.
God is aimed
at this
very purpose.
Paul is aimed
at this
very purpose.
Flee to Christ.
We have no
righteousness of our own.
We need the
righteousness
of Christ.
And Paul's not
alone in this.
Remember verse 10,
he says,
as it is
written.
Psalm 14,
1-3.
Psalm 53,
1-3.
Psalm 5,
9.
Psalm 143.
Psalm 10,
7.
Proverbs 1,
16.
Chapter 3,
verse 15-17.
Isaiah 59,
7-8.
And Psalm 36,
1.
The text I just
read to you,
those are the places,
those are all of the
references for the
places.
The scripture speaks
loudly to this point.
We are under the
curse of Adam.
We have his
sin apart
from Christ.
So,
we cannot
earn
our way
to heaven.
It is
a grand
impossibility.
Paul has been
pressing this
same point
in his letter
to the Galatians.
You can go back
to Galatians
chapter 2,
verse 16.
We know
that a person
is not justified
by works
of the law,
but through faith
in Jesus Christ.
So,
we also have
believed in
Christ Jesus
in order to be
justified by faith
in Christ
and not by works
of the law.
Because by works
of the law,
no one
will be
justified.
This is the
very beginning.
This is the
bad news
of the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
No one will be
justified before God
by their own
working.
And in many
churches today,
this doctrine,
justification by faith
alone,
has been disregarded
altogether.
Many churches
today,
even this morning,
I say with a
great deal
of grief,
are preaching
a soft
prosperity gospel
that says,
do good
so that you'll
feel good
and you'll
get good.
Beloved,
this is not
the gospel
of Jesus Christ.
Once a person
realizes their
need of
justification,
they recognize
they cannot
stand rightly
before the
creator of
heaven and
earth.
They need
to be
justified.
There is no
greater question
for that person
to ask
than,
how must
I be
justified?
How is it
then?
If I can't
do it,
how is it
then that
I can be
justified?
This was the
great question
of the
Reformation.
This was the
splinter in
Martin Luther's
mind.
This is what
drove him to
become a monk.
He thought,
certainly if
there's any
place that
righteousness
can be
found,
it's in
the good
work of
the
monkery,
which is
the proper
word.
But he
did not
find it
there.
Rather,
he found
it in
the scripture
as he
was preparing,
he was
translating,
preparing to
lecture from
Romans chapter
one.
The righteous
shall live
by faith.
It is of
highest importance
this morning
that you see
your need
of justification
by faith
alone.
Now,
what is
faith?
Faith is
not merely
a mental
ascension.
Faith is
not merely
going,
yeah,
Jesus.
But it
is belief
or I
prefer
trust.
But this
trust can
not just be
placed anywhere
that you would
like to place
your trust.
You cannot
simply have
faith in
anything,
but you
must place
your trust
in the
person and
work of
Jesus Christ.
So we are
justified
through faith
alone in
Christ
alone.
And that
brings us to
our third
question,
which I just
kind of
answered.
but how
are we
justified
through
faith?
Verse 13,
Galatians
chapter 3,
Christ
redeemed us
from the
curse of the
law by
becoming a
curse for
us.
So saving
faith,
trust that
Jesus
is the
Christ.
It's a title
given to
him,
the promised
redeemer of
the Old
Testament.
God a
promise to
sin,
and that
he is
the son
of God.
Christ
redeemed us.
Christ
paid the
ransom to
deliver us
from the
captivity of
our sin.
John writes
in 1 John
5,
1,
everyone who
believes that
Jesus is
the Christ
has been
born of
God.
So saving
faith,
trust in
the person
of Christ,
who he
in fact
is,
who he
said he
is,
and saving
faith,
trust in
the work
of Jesus
Christ.
So in
verses 13
to 14,
we have
these two
phrases,
Christ
redeemed us
from the
curse of
the law
by becoming
a curse
for us.
As it is
written,
cursed is
everyone who
hangs on
a tree.
So Jesus
takes our
place on
the cross
of Calvary.
And the
second phrase,
so that
we might
receive the
promised
spirit
through faith.
I see in
these two
phrases both
sides of
justification.
Recall that
our previously
defined
justification
as follows.
Justification
is a
one-time
declaration
that we
are righteous
before God.
And then I
went on to
say the
doctrine
includes
both the
idea that
our guilt
has been
expunged
and we
have been
granted
perfection.
So first
we see that
our sins
have been
forgiven
because
Christ
became
a curse
for us.
Beloved,
you see,
because God
is just,
He cannot
merely dismiss
crimes
against Him.
He doesn't
simply overlook
the offense
because it
would be
against His
character.
He cannot.
He must
punish
crime
against Him.
And if you
have placed
your faith
in Jesus
Christ,
then your
sins were
punished
in Christ.
This is
often called
Jesus'
passive
obedience.
He died
in your
stead.
He was
sacrificed
as your
substitute.
This is
called
substitutionary,
atonement.
This is a
good
reformation
phrase.
Christ
died.
He atoned
for us
in our
place.
Only
God
Himself
could bear
the wrath
of God.
Eternal
punishment
poured out
in those
moments on
the cross
in Christ.
Your sins
were imputed,
were given
to Christ
as He
suffered
on the
cross.
And secondly,
that we have
been granted
His righteousness
because we
have received
the promised
Spirit
through faith.
In verse
11,
Paul cites
Habakkuk 2.4,
the righteous
shall live
by faith.
In Romans
8.4,
and then in
verse 9,
Paul wrote,
In order
that the
righteous
requirement of
the law
might be
fulfilled in
us,
who walk
not according
to the
flesh,
but according
to the
Spirit.
And then in
verse 9,
You,
however,
are not in
the flesh,
but in
the Spirit,
if in fact
the Spirit
of God
dwells in
you.
If anyone
does not
have the
Spirit of
Christ,
he does
not belong
to Him.
You can tell
my notes
got goofy
there for
a second.
So that
we can
receive the
promise of
the Spirit
through
faith.
I believe
that Paul
here is
given that
other
expression
of it.
Because we
are found
righteous
in Christ
by the
power
of the
Spirit.
God
requires
perfection.
And through
faith,
we are
made
perfect
in
Christ.
He
perfectly
kept
God's
law.
This is
often referred
to as
His
active
obedience.
And His
righteousness
is imputed,
it's given
to us.
Martin Luther
called this
the great
exchange.
We can
find in
2 Corinthians
chapter 5
verse 21
a beautiful
summary of
Christ's
work in
our
justification.
Paul
wrote,
For our
sake,
God
made
Jesus
to be
sin
who
knew
no
sin
so
that
in
Him
we
might
become
the
righteousness
of God.
This
double
imputation
is what
justifies
us
through
faith.
It
cannot be
achieved
by works
but only
through
faith in
Jesus
Christ's
person
and
work.
Faith
is the
instrument
of our
justification
but our
justification
is still
all of
grace.
We are
justified
by grace
through
faith
in
Christ.
That is
why we
do not
say we
are justified
because
of faith
but rather
through it.
Here
a reformer
spoke of
faith like
an open
hand.
A hand
that receives
the merit
of Christ.
It's not
the work
of faith
that makes
us justified.
It's that
we believe
in the
merit of
Jesus Christ.
This open
hand
grasps
hold of
Him
and what
He did
bearing
our sin
and granting
us
His
righteousness.
And that's
why we
often link
the solos
together
as we
speak of
them.
Justified
by grace
alone
through
faith
alone
in
Christ
alone.
In
this way
saving
faith
is a
resting
faith.
It
rests
in
Christ's
work
on our
behalf.
This is
one way
you have
assurance
before God
because
Christ
accomplished
it.
In the
beloved
accepted
and free.
We're
accepted
in
Christ.
Jesus
tells a
parable
in
Luke
chapter
18
beginning
in
verse
9.
Luke
records
Jesus
also
told
this
parable
to
some
who
trusted
in
themselves
that
they
were
righteous.
They
thought
they
could
work
their
way
into
favor
!
and
treated
others
with
contempt.
Two
men
went up
into
the
temple
to
pray.
One
a
Pharisee
and
the
other
a
tax
collector.
The
Pharisee
standing
by
himself
prayed
thus,
God
I
thank
you
that
I
am
not
like
other
men
extortioners
unjust
adulterers
or even
like
this
tax
collector.
I
fast
twice
a
week.
I
give
tithes
of
all
that
I
get.
There's
things
I
don't
do
and
there's
things
that
I
do.
I
thank
you
that
I
am
so
pleasing
to
you.
Verse
13
But
the
tax
collector
standing
far
off
would
not
even
lift
up
his
eyes
to
heaven
but
beat
his
breast
saying
God
be
merciful
to
me
a
sinner.
And
then
Jesus
says
verse
14
I
tell
you
this
man
went
down
to
his
house
justified
rather
than
the
other
for
everyone
who
exalts
himself
will
be
humbled
but
the
one
who
humbles
himself
will
be
exalted.
The
one
who
comes
humbly
I
have
nothing
to
offer
for
my
justification
except
the
completed
work
of
Christ.
So
this
is
how
it
is
that
we
are
justified
through
faith.
And
fourthly
and
lastly
!
What
is
the
relationship
between
faith
and
works?
What
of
all
the
commands
of
scripture?
What
of
the
moral
law?
We
mentioned
that
this
morning
with
the
kids.
Exodus
chapter
20
the
Ten
Commandments.
Can
a
Christian
now
just
live
in
any
way
that
they
please?
Paul
of
course
denounces
this
type
of
thinking
in
Romans
chapter
6
verses
1
and
2.
What
shall
we
say
then?
We
just
talked
about
justification
through
faith
alone.
What
shall
we
say
then?
Are
we
to
continue
in
sin
that
grace
may
abound?
And
in
verse
2
he
uses
the
strongest
Greek
expletive
which I
cannot
translate
into
English
for you
and
our
English
translators
have
rendered
it
by
no
means
by
no
means
you
can
insert
what
you
think
he
may
have
said
there
how
can
he
we
who
die
to
sin
still
live
in
it
by
no
means
we
are
not
justified
by
works
we
are
justified
by
faith
alone
but
yet
we
work
so
what
is
that
relationship
good
works
are
the
evidence
of
our
faith
and
beloved
we
must
get
this
equation
right
and
we
must
help
others
see
it
not
Jesus
plus
circumcision
and the
observation
of
certain
feasts
equals
justification
or
Jesus
plus
attending
church
or sharing
the gospel
or going
on mission
trips
or dressing
modestly
or avoiding
course
joking
or
serving
the poor
all wonderful
things
but not
Jesus
plus
those
things
equals
justification
but
rather
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
equals
justification
which
yields
good
works
faith
alone
faith
in
Jesus
Christ
equals
justification
which
yields
good
works
the
good
works
become
the
evidencing
of
the
faith
that
we
have
so
we're
accepted
therefore
we
work
not
we
work
in
order
to
be
accepted
having
been
accepted
out
of
grateful
response
the
spirit
of
God
abiding
in
us
changing
who
we
are
from
the
inside
we
begin
to
work
that
out
outside
so
we
pick
up
and we
obey
the
commands
of
God
right
we
grow
in
this
is
the
process
called
sanctification
right
sanctification
is a
lifelong
process
justification
is a
one
time
declaration
it
grieved
me
at a
small
local
baptist
school
that I
used to
work at
to see
the
testimonies
of students
coming in
all of the
applications
of the
school
had
testimonies
on it
how the
the
I could
sum up
for you
the
common
testimony
for young
people
coming to
this
small
baptist
college
were
something
like
this
I
grew
up
in a
Christian
home
I
attended
church
all my
life
at
summer
camp
I
responded
to an
invitation
and now
I go on
mission
trips
and I
serve
in the
church
and I
hope
with every
one of
them that
I read
I hoped
that that
little
response
was saving
but they
seem to
bank so
much
in their
pedigree
and in
their
activity
this is
how I
know
because I'm
working
look at
me
working
rather
than
praising
in their
testimony
the work
of Christ
on their
behalf
and beloved
you are not
the hero
of your
testimony
Jesus
Christ
is
and a
testimony
that's
not
just
covered
in his
blood
may not
be a
testimony
of saving
faith
now
Martin
Luther
notoriously
called
the book
of James
an epistle
of straw
and wished
it had been
excluded
from the
canon
because of
its apparent
contradiction
of the
doctrine of
justification
by faith
alone
all of
these men
had errors
at some
point
he offered
to award
anyone
who could
reconcile
James
and Paul
I wonder
what the
award would
have been
for that
I believe
this was
largely
a reaction
to Rome's
improper
use of
the book
of James
they love
to flee
to James
to make
the case
for
justification
by
works
and it's
because of
the following
text
I'm going to
invite you
to turn
with me
to James
chapter 2
it's right
after Hebrews
so if you can
hit Hebrews
it's right
after Hebrews
beginning
in verse
14
what good
is it my
brothers
if someone
says he
has faith
but does
not have
works
can that
faith
save him
if a brother
or sister
is poorly
clothed
and lacking
in daily
food
and one
of you
says to
them
go in
peace
be warmed
and filled
without giving
them the things
needed for the
body
what good
is that
so also
faith by
itself
if it does
not have
works
is dead
but what
Helmand
will say
you have
faith
and I
have
works
show me
your faith
apart from
your works
and I
will show
you my
faith
by my
works
you believe
that God
is one
you do
well
even the
demons
believe
and shudder
now if you've
been hearing me
across the past
35 or so minutes
does this create
a problem
for you
hang on a
second
he has
just said
and he's
going to
say some
things
that are
even a
little
more
controversial
soon
but
but we
have to
have
we have
to have
it
right
faith
by itself
if it
does not
have
works
is
dead
I will
show you
my faith
by my
works
but then he
sets up
for us
a very
interesting
juxtaposition
which we're
about to get
into
he starts
by saying
you believe
that God
is one
you do
well
however
is what he's
essentially saying
even the
demons
believe
and shudder
they're in
fear
of
this God
but what
do the
demons
not have
that he's
referring to
the works
right
so verse 20
he goes on
do you want
to be shown
you foolish
person
that faith
apart from
works
is useless
and here's
here's who
he sets up
as the example
against
the demons
who do
not have
good works
verse 21
was not
Abraham
our father
justified
by works
that's a
troubling phrase
isn't it
was not
Abraham
our father
justified
by works
when he
offered up
his son
Isaac
on the
altar
you see
that faith
was active
along with
his works
and faith
was completed
by his
works
and the
scripture
was fulfilled
that says
Abraham
believed
God
and it
was counted
to him
as
righteous
righteousness
and he
was called
a friend
of God
okay so
in our
English
translations
this causes
a lot
of trouble
right
we go
that could
be
very troubling
but what is he
trying to show
what is the
what's the larger
context and what is he
trying to show
right
James is saying
that works
evidence
faith
right
so for someone
to simply
say they
believe
and not
believe in a
way
right
that shows
their belief
he's saying
is useless
it's dead
faith
it's not
real faith
at all
it never
was real
faith
right
here we have
demons who say
they believe
and yet they don't
have works
evidencing that
so you've got to
you've got to see
the juxtaposition
between the demons
and Abraham
but we have
Abraham
doing what
offering up his
son Isaac
on the altar
proving
that he
believed
not just simply
saying
to God
I believe
in the
promise
but actually
proving
that he
saw God
as faithful
he believed
and it was
counted to him
as
righteousness
Paul in
Romans 4
verses 1
through 3
references the
same text
as James
here
what then
shall we say
was gained
by Abraham
our forefather
according to
the flesh
for if Abraham
was justified
by works
he has something
to boast about
but not before
God
for what
does the
scripture
say
Abraham
believed
God
and it
was
counted
to him
as
righteousness
verse 24
back in
James chapter 2
you see
that a person
is justified
by works
and not by
faith alone
another troubling
verse
and in the
same way
was not also
Rahab the
prostitute
justified
by works
when she
received
the messengers
and sent
them out
by another
way
so again
another example
of somebody
who's
working
and that
seems to
be what
James is
saying
that they're
justified
by the
work
verse 26
summarizes it
for as the
body apart
from the
spirit is
dead
so also
faith
apart
from works
is dead
so grapple
with this
what I'm
saying to
you
is that
they are
entirely
consistent
with one
another
and what
James is
communicating
to us
is that
if you
have
saving
faith
you genuinely
place faith
in Jesus
Christ
you will
work and
evidence
that
that's
the simplicity
of what
he's doing
you will
obey the
commands
of God
in a
growing way
we don't
obey it
perfectly
ever
but we're
working
this process
of sanctification
growing in
holiness
a bit
by bit
day
by day
further
to make
my point
of the
synthesis
between the
two
the book
of James
was likely
written
in 45
AD
five years
before the
Jerusalem
council
at which
Paul
and James
who was an
elder
the Jerusalem
church
agreed that
we are saved
by grace
alone
through faith
you can read
about that
in Acts
chapter 15
so we see
the synergy
between the
two of them
so
you may not
be satisfied
with that
I don't know
if Martin
Luther would
have been
but there
is Paul
and James
reconciled
pay up
Martin
Luther
later in
his life
he seemed
to have
arrived
at the
same
conclusion
listen to
a bit
of what
he wrote
the very
first part
of this
is on
your
bulletin
Luther
wrote
oh it
is a
living
busy
active
mighty
thing
this
faith
and then
he goes
on
and so
it is
impossible
for it
not to
do
good
works
I love
this word
incessantly
it does
not ask
whether there
are good
works
to do
but before
the question
rises
it has
already
done
them
and is
always
at the
doing
of them
he also
wrote
faith is a
living
restless
thing
it cannot
be
inoperative
we are not
saved
by works
but if
there be
no works
there must
be something
amiss
with faith
so in
conclusion
we are
justified
by grace
alone
through faith
alone
in Christ
alone
this
justification
is a
one time
declaration
of our
righteousness
in Jesus
Christ
which
evidences
itself
in our
activity
a faith
that rests
in the
merit of
Christ
is a
faith
that works
in grateful
response
let's pray
together