Let us turn once again to the
portion of scripture we were reading in James and turning
now to the second chapter again and I'll read the last part of
the chapter from verse 21 through to verse 26. Words concerning
Abraham and Rahab. Was not Abram our father justified
by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works
was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled,
which saith, Abram believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. you see then
how that by works a man is justified and not by faith alone or only likewise also was not Rahab the
harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers
and had sent them out another way for as the body without the
spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also and the subject
that I want to take up today is that of our justifying faith. The faith that justifies is itself
justified by works. Justifying faith justified by
works. And in particular this morning
to consider what is said here with regards to the faith of
Abraham it's spoken of here in verses 21 through to 24 and of
course Abram is the father of all that believe. Abram is the
great pattern to us of saving faith and justifying faith. Now the whole passage that we
just read is a controversial part of God's Word. because some would say that Paul
is being contradicted by what James is saying in this Passion.
We have the words of the Apostle Paul, of course, in other of
the epistles. I'm thinking in particular of words there in
Romans 3, 28, where Paul says, we conclude that a man is justified
by faith without the deeds of the law. Man is justified by
faith and not by any works or any deeds of the law. And on a superficial reading
of what James is saying some would conclude that there is
a contradiction therefore with the teachings of Paul. I think of two men in particular.
J.C. Philpott said the two greatest
men that had lived since the days of the apostles were Martin
Luther and William Huntington. Well, with regards to this epistle
of James, you might be aware that Luther dismissed it. He called it an epistle of straw. and even said it should not be
considered as part of the canon of Holy Scripture. On the other
hand, William Huntington in his book Light Shining in Darkness
goes to some lengths in order to show that there is a real
unanimity between Paul and his teaching and what James is saying
in this epistle. Well, Philpott might consider
these two to be the greatest men, and I'm sure many of us
have a great regard for them. But on this matter, I would sooner
follow what Mr. Huntington says than what Dr.
Luther had to say. James is clearly a part of the
Scriptures. We're not to dismiss it, because
we find difficulties in some of the things that he is saying.
And really, the theme that is running through these words,
these verses. The portion that we've read this
morning is that of our faith is justified by works. And so, that is really the theme
that I want to take up. What is James doing? Well, he's
making a contrast between faith that is living faith and not
dead faith, faith that is is a real and a true faith and not
a false faith. Look at the language that we
have. He says at verse 14, What does he profit, my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works? Can faith
save him? Verse 17, Even so faith, if it
hath not works, is dead, being alone. And then here at the end,
verse 26, as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith
without works is dead also. He is endeavouring to emphasise
the fact that where there is genuine faith, it will be evidence,
there will be the fruit of that faith. And he's saying here in
the passage that we've read, from verse 21 to the end, he's
saying that all of this is illustrated in the case of Abraham and also
of Rahab. Verse 21, "...was not Abraham
our father justified by works?" And then verse 25, "...likewise
also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works?" Well, first
of all, to consider the faith of justification by faith of
Abraham and the sort of faith that that was and I want to deal
with two points this morning a negative point and then a positive
point and often that's how we have to come to the word of God
we're not to ignore the negative there are negative statements
that we have to consider as well as those great positive truths
of the gospel of the grace of God. Well, the negative thirst. And what is the negative here?
Well, there is no justification by works before God. There is
no justification by any works that we perform before God. That's plainly declared by the
Apostle Paul there in Romans, Romans 3.20, "...by the deeds
of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight, that
is, in the sight of God." And then again, Romans 4.2, "...if
Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but
not before God." There is no glory in any works that Abraham
performed with regards to his standing before God. We've several
times in the past sought to preach on that great doctrine of justification,
plus of course the gospel truth that was very much rediscovered
at the time of the Protestant Reformation. It was shown to
Martin Luther, there in his monkish cell, when he was under terrible
torments, under the conviction of sin, and he came upon those
words, the just shall live by faith. Justifying faith, though
he contended for that, That is the article, he said, by which
the true Church either stands or falls. And the Romanist Church
denied that doctrine. It was not a true Church. And
so we have the great movement of the Spirit of God, which we
call the Protestant Reformation. And now, it was all wrought initially
in the soul of Martin Luther, and then, as we know, if we read
anything of Church history, it was worked out in the history,
in particular, of Western Europe. and standing at the center of
that, this truth of justification, the doctrine of justification. So we need to be clear what justification
is. And there's a statement by one
of the American Presbyterians back in the 19th century, R.L. Dabney. He says this, the Holy
Ghost, by justification, intends a forensic act. The Holy Ghost,
by justification, intends a forensic act. It has to do with the law
courts, does justification. And we see that quite clearly
in the Old Testament with regards to the work of the judges. Think of those words in Deuteronomy
25.1. If there be a controversy between
men and they come into judgment, that the judges may judge them,
then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked. There's to be right judgment,
the innocent are to be declared righteous and justified. But
those who are guilted, they are to be condemned by the judges. The judges must judge righteous
judgment. And the great judge The great
judge is God, and when we think of the doctrine of justification,
we've got to think of God in that capacity. He is the judge. He is the judge of all the earth. And so far as our works are concerned,
anything that we've done, they won't stand in his sight. Remember
those words of Romans 3.20, by the deeds of the law, shall no
flesh be justified in his sight, that is, in the sight of God.
We cannot perform what the law requires to stand as those who
are righteous and justified before God. And then, again, we have
it in that second verse of Romans 4, If Abraham were justified
by works, he hath whereof to glory but not before God. Whatever good deed Abraham might
ever have performed, and he might want to glory in it, but it would
not stand before God. That's what Paul is saying. If
he were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not
before God, not in the presence of God. What does God say? I will not justify the wicked. And by nature we're all in that
condition, we're wicked. We're born dead in trespasses
and in sins, we're alienated from God from our very birth
by wicked works. We were there in Adam, he's the
great head of the race, and Adam sinned and we sinned in Adam,
and we have received from Adam and Eve a sinful nature. As David acknowledges there in
Psalm 51, I was conceived in sin, I was shaped in iniquity.
Those lovely little babies that we delight in. and we see them
and we think well they are so innocent but they are dead in
trespasses and sins even as they come forth from the wombs of
their mothers how we see it in the wisdom of the book of Proverbs
there in Proverbs 17 and verse 15 either justifies
the wicked and either condemns the just even They both are abomination
to the Lord. The wicked are not to be accounted
righteous in themselves. They cannot be accounted righteous
in the sight of a God of eyes too pure to behold iniquity.
And it's an abomination to imagine so. And yet, what does God say
in his law? when he addresses the children
of Israel, you shall therefore keep my statutes which if a man
do, he shall live in them. That's what the law says. Do
this and live. Do this and live. It shall be
our righteousness if we observe to do all these things before
the Lord our God which he has commanded us. That's what the
law says. If the commandment is obeyed,
if the life in every detail conforms to that holy law of God, the
man can be declared a righteous man. Now, think of Abraham here
as we read of what he did. James speaks of him and he says,
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered
Isaac his son upon the altar? see'st thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect." Well,
what was it that Abraham did? What's been spoken of here? Well,
he offered Isaac, it says, upon the altar. You know the chapter
that's being spoken of? It's that that we have there
in the 22nd of Genesis where God gives him a strange commandment
He has received now this son. He's waited many, many years
for this promised seed, the son that would be born to Sarah. And God gives the commandment,
Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,
and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him therefore
a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell
thee of. And the whole chapter is remarkable
really. Here is Abraham, he's ready to
do just as God has commanded. Abraham stretched forth his hand
and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord
called unto him out of heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, here am I. And he
said, lay not thine hand upon the land. Neither do thou any
thing unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing
thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abram lifted up his eyes
and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket
by his horns. And Abram went and took the ram
and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his
son. This is the incident then that's
being referred to. Our faith wrought with his works."
And what was the work? He offered Isaac, his son, he
was willing to offer Isaac his son up for a sacrifice. Rahab also. Likewise also was not Rahab the
harlot justified by worse when she had received the messengers
and had sent them out another way. And we have the account
of Rahab there in Joshua 2. She received the spies, she hid
the spies. The king comes to inquire after them. She tells
lies. And then eventually she sends
them away another way. So both Abraham and Rahab also,
are they really obeying God's law? back in verse 11 here it says
he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill now if
thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor
of the law if thou kill if thou commit murder what was it that
Abraham was about to do he was about to kill his own son. Is that not contrary to the law
of God, the 6th commandment? Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt
do no murder. Rahab also, the 9th commandment
says thou shalt not bear false witness, she bears false witness.
They're not, either Rahab or Abram really doing that that
is right before the law of God. They're not doing anything that
is right before that law which is holy, that commandment which
is holy and just and good. They're going contrary to that.
I know in the case of Abraham there in Genesis 22 he's obeying
God's command. That's the mystery of it. It's
the testing of his faith but he's being commanded to do something
that is contrary to that holy law of God. And what does James
say here at verse 10? "...whoever shall keep the whole
law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Here we
see that whatever these two are doing, it's not in accordance
with the law of God, it's contrary to the law of God. It's not justification
by works in any sense, because It's the works of the law that
justify the sinner. Remember those words that we
have and we've referred to them already in Leviticus 18, you
shall therefore keep my statutes which if a man do we shall live
in them. All those words in Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 25. It shall be our righteousness
if we observe to do all these commandments. before the Lord
according as he hath commanded us but these are things that
are contrary and as we've already said no man is able in any sense
to abide by and to keep those commandments because we're all
by nature dead in trespasses and sins there is not a just
man upon the earth that doeth good and sinneth not and what
is the peculiar ministry of the Lord of God is it not to bring
that conviction of sin as Paul says
writing to the Romans we know that what thing soever the law
saith it saith to them who are under the law that every man
may be stopped that all the world become guilty before God therefore
by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his
sight It is not possible for anyone to be justified in God's
sight by the deeds of the law. How then is the sinner justified? There is no justification by
works before God. Clearly that's not so. But we
are told again in the Gospel I'm referring in particular now
to those words in Romans 4, 5, God justifies the ungodly. What
a statement is that? That God justifies the ungodly. God declares the ungodly righteous. That's what justification is.
How can that be? How can that be? it's by faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness all that he
wrought by that holy and obedient life that life in which he fulfilled
every commandment of God he wrought a robe of righteousness and he
washed that robe of course in precious blood because he was
obedient unto death even the death of the cross. He didn't
just honor the Lord of God in living, he honored God's Lord
in dying where he bore the penalty that was due to the sins of his
people. And this is the only righteousness that saves a sinner
by Him. By Christ all that believe are
justified from all things that they could not be justified from
by the deeds of the law. That's the great apostolic gospel
as we have it there in in Paul's preaching in Acts 13.39, by Him,
by Christ, all that believe are justified from all things that
they could not be justified from by the deeds of the law. And so Abraham, Abraham, the
great pattern of faith, the great pattern of what it means to believe,
The Lord Jesus makes mention of him, doesn't he, in John 8? He's there in Romans 4, again
in Galatians 3, and here we have him at the end of this second
chapter in the epistle of James. The significance of this man,
and what of Abraham? He was justified by faith. And
what was his faith in? It was in that seed that was
promised to him. In a real and a physical sense,
that seed, of course, is the son that Sarah was to born, Isaac. But Isaac is a type of the Lord
Jesus. We see it so clearly there in
Galatians 3.16, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made.
He saith not, as of seeds unto many, but as unto one, even thy
seed which is Christ. to Abraham and his seed, thy
seed thy seed which is Christ and how Isaac is such a remarkable
type in all those events that are recorded there in that 22nd
chapter of Genesis where Abraham does as it were receive his son
back from the dead we see in that chapter substitution the
ram that is to be sacrificed in place of Isaac. The great truth of substitutionary
atonement is there. And Isaac, now alive, he's not
been sacrificed. He's received him from the dead.
The great doctrine of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
all of this is spoken of in Hebrews 11 as the faith of Abraham. there
at verse 17, by faith Abraham when he was tried offered up
Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his only
begotten son of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed
be called accounting that God was able to raise him up even
from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure. The resurrection is there you
see It all points us to the Lord Jesus Christ. And what does the
Lord say? We've referred to Christ's words
in John 8, where He speaks of Abram. Your father Abram, He
says to the Jews, rejoice to see my day. And he saw it and
was glad. How did Abram see the day of
the Lord Jesus? He saw it there on the Mount
Moriah. where he was commanded to take
his son and to sacrifice his son. All Christ was there. That's why the Lord goes on to
say in that 8th chapter, doesn't he, before Abraham was, I am. He is the great I am. He is that one who in the fullness
of time was manifest in the flesh, the great mystery of godliness.
That one who comes to accomplish the salvation of sinners and
all the sinners justification is only to be found in Christ,
who is that promised seed. And that's where Abraham's faith
so much centers. What says the Scripture? Abraham
believed God, and it was reckoned to him, or accounted to him,
or imputed to him for righteousness. And what did he believe? Well,
remember what we're told there at the end of that fourth chapter
in the epistle to the Romans. He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory
to God, and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he
was able also to perform, and therefore it, that is the promise,
or the promise of the seed, the promise of Christ, it was imputed
to him for righteousness. there is the righteousness with
which Abraham, the father of all them that believe, was justified. And whatever works he might perform,
there was no justification before God in those works, but those
works are a demonstration before men, a justification before men. That's what James is saying.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead also. But turning to my second point,
the positive. The positive truths that James
is stating here. He is speaking of justification
by works before men. No justification by works before
God. It's only the righteousness of
Christ that justifies us before God. But what of our lives as
believers in this world? This is what James is dealing
with. Justification by works before men. Observe the context.
It's always before men. Here in verse 18. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast
faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy
works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. There's something to be seen,
you see, before men. Let your light so shine before
men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. the words of the Lord Jesus in
the Sermon on the Mount look at what we have here in this
chapter we read the words earlier verse 14 what does he profit
my brethren though a man say he hath faith and hath not works
can faith save him? can that sort of faith that has
no work save him? If a brother or sister be naked
and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye
give them not those things which are needful to the body, what
does he profit? Even so, faith, if it hath not
works, is dead. Being alone, that's not saving
faith. That's not true faith, that's not living faith. There is an emphasis surely here
on on those practical works, those works that are seen of
men. Verse 22, "...see'st thou..."
this is concerning Abram's faith "...see'st thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect." "...see'st
thou..." the margin says "...thou seest." He has something to be
seen, he has something tangible. So, I mean, to behold, again
at verse 24, Ye see, ye see there now, that by works a man is justified,
and not by faith only. By their fruits, by their fruits
ye shall know them, says the Lord Jesus. And by those fruits
that faith is seen to be so genuine. There's an emphasis then here
on practical works, good works after justification. It's there in the 39 articles
of the Reformed Church of England. Of course, they pay no regard
to those ancient articles of faith anymore that came in at
the time of the Reformation, but there is an article there
on on those works that follow justification and this is what
James is speaking of there's an emphasis here on those works
that will be seen of men that give evidence that the faith
the justifying faith is that genuine article it's the faith
of God's elects but also with regards to to Jacob we see the
importance of the experience of the trials, there's the trying
of faith Was not Abram our father justified
by works, it says, when he had offered Isaac, his son, upon
the altar? Oh, that was the great trial
of his faith. We read it there, didn't we,
just now, in Hebrews 11, 17. By faith, Abram, when he was
tried. When he was tried, he offered
up Isaac. There in Genesis 22, the Lord
tempted or tried Abraham. The whole 22nd chapter in Genesis
is the trial of his faith. And of course, where there is
faith, there is always the trying of that faith. They come together
as Paul reminds those Philippians. at the end of chapter 1 of that
epistle unto you which is given in the behalf of Christ not only
to believe on Him but also to suffer for His sake. Oh there's
faith, there's suffering, there's the testing and the trying of
that faith. And all the apostles make that
quite plain and they mention it many times in their various
epistles the words of Peter now for a season if need be are in
heaviness through manifold temptations that the trying of your faith
though it be more precious than of gold that perishes might be
found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus
Christ we see it then in Peter, we see
it in Paul, we have it here in James Look at what James says in the
opening chapter. Verse 2, My brethren, count it
all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that
the trying of your faith worketh patience, but that patience hath
a perfect work, that ye may be perfect, and the entire wanting
nothing. or the trying of faith. Verse
12 Blessed is a man that endureth temptation when he is tried he
shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised
to them that love him. What's the purpose of the trial?
Well, James speaks of how it works patience or endurance and then he goes on that that's
Patience and endurance must have a perfect work that ye may be
perfect. Not sinless perfection this,
but maturity. Evidence of a real faith. And isn't that what
we have here? With regards to Abraham's faith,
the trial is necessary for the proving of his faith. the maturing,
the perfecting of his faith. That's what it says concerning Abraham in verse 22. See a sow,
O faith, wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect
or mature. Now, it's interesting, the word
that we have here the verb wrought, seest thou how faith wrought
with his works it's one of those words we have many of them in
the New Testament which is really a combination of two words literally
it means to work together the words to work and the words
together to work together and we can think you see of of wrought
iron. Our faith wrought with his works. Now, what of wrought iron? Well, it's put in the furnace,
isn't it? It's tempered. It's hammered. It's worked on. It's perfected. And that's the
faith of Abraham. We sang of it just now in that
hymn of Joseph Hart. Gold in the furnace tried. ne'er lose his ought, but draw,
so is the Christian purified and bettered by the cross." Oh,
yes, there's this practical aspect to justifying faith, it will
be seen. There'll be the fruits of faith,
there'll be the fruits of the Spirit of God, the evidence that
God has come into the soul of that man that is partaker of
the divine nature, But there's also the experience of living
that life of faith, and all the trials and testings that come
with that life of faith. It's like that wrought iron,
something that's been worked on. And by all that working, it's
made stronger. And it's the same, isn't it,
with the gold. And that's the imagery, of course, that we have
in Peter's epistle. The trying of your faith, more
precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried in the fire,
is found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ. Oh, I trust that here we see
quite clearly that our own works cannot ever justify us before
God. Look at just what James is saying,
verse 22, verse 23, See'st thou how faith wrought with his works,
and by works was faith made perfect, it was it was matured, and the scripture
was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God Abraham believed
God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. That is the
promise of the seed, the son, the type of Christ. His seed
was Christ. It was imputed unto him for righteousness
and he was called the friend of God. But his faith was genuine. That's the faith that justifies
before God, nothing of ourselves, we're all as an unclean thing.
All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, we're told. We all
fade like the leaf. We see the leaves fading and
falling all the time. Carried away are iniquities like
the wind, they carry us away. It's nothing of ourselves. It's
justification by faith. There's no contradiction really
between James and Paul. In that sense, I'm speaking of
different things. Paul is continually emphasizing
the importance of justifying faith. And that faith centers in the
promised one, in the Lord Jesus. But James is speaking of something
quite different. He's speaking about that faith
is justified before the world, before man, justified by by good
works and justified as that faith is
tried and tested and perfected in all the mystery of the ways
and the dealings of God with his people. Oh the Lord, help
us then to rightly understand and to interpret his word or
to know that faith of Father Abraham that faith that sent
us in him who is the seed of Abraham, him who is the seed
of the woman, the seed of David, even the eternal Son of God,
the only Saviour, the only justifier of sinners, that ought to have
a faith that is real and genuine. And James, James who clearly
here unfolds to us the difference between that faith that is a
living faith and the dead faith, that faith that is something
that is true over against that that is only false or the Lord
grant that we might be favoured then with that faith that is
truly of God comes by the operation of the Spirit of God as the Spirit
comes to reveal Christ and to testify of Christ and we're looking
and trusting in Him and walking as those in who know him and
rejoice in him. May the Lord bless his work. Amen.