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You can turn in your Bibles to 
Ephesians chapter 2 as we pick up where we left off this morning. 
I mentioned that 497 years ago, this coming Friday, October 31st, 
1517, that is a day we typically associate with the Protestant 
Reformation. That was the day when Martin 
Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the castle wall. his protest 
against Roman Catholicism, specifically in the areas of authority, the 
areas of soteriology, several other things as well. But as 
we also noted, that's not the official start date. That's a 
date that we can kind of hang our hat on, if you will. But 
there were many precursors to Martin Luther and to John Calvin 
and to Zwingli, the men we typically identify as the Protestant reformers. But nevertheless, it is a good 
time, a good occasion for us to remember. those emphases that 
were set forth at the time of the Reformation. Those solas, 
sola scriptura, the Bible alone, soli Deo gloria, to God be the 
glory alone, solus Christus, Christ alone, sola gratia, grace 
alone, and sola fide, faith alone. This was one of the things or 
one of the primary markers of difference between Protestants 
and Roman Catholics. It was that one small word alone. You see, as we mentioned this 
morning, Catholicism does not deny grace. They do not deny 
faith. They do not teach a strictly 
legalistic system that says, if I just do enough good, then 
God will reward me from on high. No, they acknowledge grace, they 
acknowledge faith, but they also leave the door open. In fact, 
they insist upon works being added to our faith in order to 
be saved. In fact, Canon 9 of the Council 
of Trent. The Council of Trent came subsequent 
to the Protestant Reformation. It was sort of them drawing the 
line in the sand and responding to many of the tenets of Protestant 
Isa. In Canon 9 of the Council of 
Trent, they said, if anyone says that the sinner is justified 
by faith alone, remember we insist on that. Justification is by 
faith alone. Romanism says, if anyone says 
that the sinner is justified by faith alone, meaning that 
nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace 
of justification. You see, they say there must 
be something else to cooperate with faith in order to obtain 
the grace of justification. The problem with Rome is that 
they don't keep justification and sanctification in their appropriate 
categories. They collapse the distinction 
and they roll it all into one And what you end up with is neither. You certainly don't have justification 
anymore. Because if it's faith plus works 
in order to be justified, that is condemned throughout the New 
Testament Scriptures. Primarily in Paul's letters to 
the Romans and to the Galatians. But back to the quote. says that 
if anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone, 
meaning that nothing else is required to cooperate in order 
to obtain the grace of justification, and that it is not in any way 
necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the action of 
his own will, let him be anathema." Another consistency between Romanism 
and Arminianism. This emphasis upon free will. Canon 11. If anyone says that 
men are justified either by the sole imputation of the justice 
of Christ or by the sole remission of sins. That is precisely the 
definition of justification. that is at the very hub of Protestant 
theology. Westminster Shorter Catechism, 
number 33. What is justification? Justification 
is an act of God's free grace wherein He pardons all our sins 
and accepts us as righteous in His sight only for the righteousness 
of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. So Roman Catholicism 
says that if anyone says that men are justified either by the 
sole imputation of the justice of Christ, or by the sole remission 
of sins, to the exclusion of the grace and the charity which 
is poured forth in their hearts by the Holy Ghost and remains 
in them, or also that the grace by which we are justified is 
only the goodwill of God, let him be anathema. So you see they 
pronounce damnation upon any and all who maintain Protestant 
theology. We need to understand there's 
been no fundamental shift in terms of these dogmatic stances. 
This is still the dogma of the Church of Rome. Robert Raymond 
wrote a little book on the Reformation, why the Reformation must continue, 
the Reformation's debate with Catholicism, why it must continue. Because this dogma is still in 
place. We, as now, as then, need to 
demand on Sola Fide justification by faith alone. And to that end, 
we looked at Ephesians chapter 2 this morning, specifically 
verses 8 and 9, the plan of salvation. Paul writes, For by grace you 
have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it 
is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. And 
then verse 10 shows us the place of good works. You see, one of 
the arguments against the Protestant doctrine of sola fide, or justification 
by faith alone, is that you eliminate any place for good works. No, 
absolutely not. We keep them in their proper 
category. We keep them in their proper 
place. We utilize them in their proper function, the way that 
Paul teaches. in the word. So when we find 
in verse 10 he says, for we are his workmanship created in Christ 
Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should 
walk in them. We want to discover this evening 
how the free grace of God, the salvation plan of God originating 
in his predestination, originating in his decree, originating in 
election does not mean licentiousness on the part of the people thus 
redeemed, rather It is those who, by God's grace, have been 
called out of darkness into marvelous light, who have been justified 
freely by His grace. They're the ones that will, in 
fact, pursue good works in a proper way. So let us pray. We'll review 
a bit, and then we'll get on to new material. Our Father, 
we thank you for the scriptures and we pray now for the mind 
of Christ to be at work in our hearts and lives. We pray that 
you would help us to receive these things, help us to think 
clearly, help us, God, to understand theology and soteriology and 
the way of salvation. Give us grace, Lord God, we pray 
and we ask through Jesus Christ. Amen. So this morning we noted 
how in verses 8 to 10, as Paul sets forth the plan of salvation, 
it doesn't occur in a vacuum. Notice in verse 8, "...for by 
grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, 
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." 
We noted this morning, first of all, the origin of salvation. The origin of salvation, we find 
connection between chapter 2 and chapter 1. In this very instance, 
if you go back for just a moment to chapter 1, verses 3 to 14, 
there's one long sentence written by the Apostle Paul to extol 
the glory of the Triune God in the salvation of sinners. He 
praises first the Father for the work of election and predestination. You see that. Chapter 1, verse 
4. Just as He, God the Father, chose us in Him, Notice, before 
the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without 
blame before Him. He didn't choose us because we 
were holy and without blame, rather He chose us in order to 
become holy and without blame. Verse 5, it says, in love, we 
take in love, that prepositional phrase, as connected to verse 
5, the verb specifically, having predestined. So it's in love, 
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself. Notice, it's according to the 
good pleasure of His will. It's not according to the goodness 
of the creature. It's not according to the wisdom 
of man. It's not according to the good 
works that he'll engage in. It's not even according to the 
fact that in some tent meeting, he's going to raise his hand. 
No, God does this. In election, He does this in 
predestination, according to the good pleasure of His will. As John Gill says, election does 
not find men in Christ, but puts them there. It gives them a being 
in Him and union to Him. Paul then traces the redemptive 
work of God. He moves from the Father to the 
Son. Notice in verse 7 in him, we have redemption through His 
blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His 
grace. So you see, Christ is the active agent in terms of 
redemption accomplished. It is Christ's work coming into 
this world, living, dying, rising again. It is through His active 
obedience to the Law of God, His passive obedience in dying 
as a sacrifice and a substitute upon the cross. It is Christ 
who saves. It is Christ who provides redemption. 
It is Christ who is the One who brings us to the Father. And 
then He praises God the Father for sending the Spirit according 
to verses 13 and 14. Notice the Spirit's role in this 
whole affair. In Him you also trusted, Christ, 
after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, 
in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy 
Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance 
until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His 
glory. So when we get to chapter 2 and 
verse 8 and He says, for by grace you have been saved, we must 
acknowledge we've been saved because of the triune God. the 
Father chose, the Son redeems, the Spirit seals and guarantees, 
the Triune God, acting in blessed unity according to that eternal 
transaction compacted by the Father and the Son, has deigned 
to save His people from their sins. It's truly a blessed reality. We then notice, secondly, the 
objects of salvation. Notice verse 8, "...for by grace 
you have been saved through faith." This morning we read a quote 
by Martin Luther. In fact, I'll just read that 
again so that when I speak of stinking bags of maggots, you 
won't be alarmed. We're not calling people here 
to celebrate Luther, but the grace that he discovered, preached, 
and wrote concerning. When he heard that people were 
calling themselves Lutherans, he said, the first thing I ask 
is that people should not make use of my name, and should not 
call themselves Lutherans, but Christians. What is Luther? The 
teaching is not mine, nor was I crucified for anyone. How did 
I, poor stinking bag of maggots that I am, come to the point 
where people call the children of Christ by my evil name?" Again, 
I think we oftentimes look at Luther because he was such a 
colorful figure. We made the point this morning 
that we as sinners are worse than stinking bags of maggots. 
We are worse than the most loathsome and disgusting animal that you 
can picture. You might have an aversion to 
rats. might be snakes, might be maggots, it might be some 
odious terrible thing that offends you. Can all those things do 
what God made them to do? A stinking bag of maggots is 
functioning exactly how God created that stinking bag of maggots 
to function. That rat that's eating your raisin bran functions 
exactly the way that rat was made to do. Hopefully you don't 
have rats eating your raisin bran. You've got big problems 
if that's the case. Call someone. You look at a dog. You look at 
a cat. You look at any animal in the 
world. They do what God made them to 
do. It is man that has rebelled. It is man that has rejected. 
It is man that has resisted God. It is man that aborts babies. 
It's man that smokes crack cocaine. It's man that goes in and steals 
from liquor stores. It's man that engages. in all 
manner of evil. It's men that lie with men and 
women that lie with women. All these things are typical 
of sinful men and women. So when Paul says, for by grace 
you have been saved through faith, when we look at the you in that 
particular verse, it exalts the magnificent grace of God Most 
High. Go back for just a moment to 
chapter 2, verses 1 to 3. He describes us. It's a snapshot. It's a before picture. This is 
what we look like. prior to coming out of the darkness 
into marvelous light. This is what we looked like before 
we came to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Verse 1, 
chapter 2, "...and knew He made alive, who were dead in trespasses 
and sins." See, we weren't just a little hindered, we weren't 
a little crippled, we weren't a little lame. No, we were dead 
in our trespasses and sins. The only thing that raises a 
dead sinner is a powerful God full of amazing grace. He says, 
"...in which you once walked according to the course of this 
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the 
spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also 
we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling 
the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature 
children of wrath just as the others." You see, Paul includes 
himself in that list. It doesn't matter if you robbed 
liquor stores or you're a self-righteous, pious Pharisee, as Paul was. He includes himself in this mass 
of humanity that has rebelled against the living and true God. 
That's what makes but God in chapter 2 verse 4 so glorious. That's what makes chapter 2 verse 
8 reference to grace. By grace you have been saved 
through faith. It makes it glorious, seen with the backdrop of human 
depravity and total inability in the reality that this is what 
we were. And God, in His grace and in His mercy, called us out 
of that mess and gave us life. And then we noted the instrument 
used. Specifically verse 8, for by grace you've been saved through 
faith. Notice it's not because of faith. 
It's not because you believe and then God rewarded that. No, 
through faith. God gives the gift of faith. 
God gives the gift of repentance. It is that faith which unites 
you by God's grace, savingly to the Lord Jesus Christ. And 
when he says, for by grace you've been saved through faith and 
that not of yourselves, that refers to everything that precedes 
in verse 8. It is by grace, through faith, 
salvation in Christ. That does not originate from 
yourself. That is a gift from God. That has been conveyed upon you. That has been bestowed upon you. Now notice, the place of good 
works in verse 10. Two considerations here, first 
the place, secondly the need for good works. Notice what Paul 
says in verse 10, for we are his workmanship created in Christ 
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should 
walk in them. It's interesting, verse 9 invalidates 
an emphasis or invalidates a resting upon works for salvation. not 
of works, lest anyone should boast." You see, you've been 
saved by grace through faith in Christ. Done. Saved. In. Protected. Secured. Redeemed. is not of works, lest anyone 
should boast." Does that mean there is no good works in the 
Christian life? No, not at all. But they come 
in their proper place. There's an order, a conspicuous 
order. The persons who do the good works 
of verse 10 are those who have been saved by grace. They don't 
do the good works in order to be saved by grace. They have 
been saved. Remember, perfect passive participle. Something that's happened in 
the past, it has abiding results. The fact that it's passive means 
that we didn't do it. God saved us. God granted us 
mercy. You have to see the conspicuous 
order here. Verses 8 and 9 tell us how we 
are saved. Verse 10 instructs us in the 
role of good works once we are saved. Secondly, the salvation 
of God, as I've already mentioned, results in good works. It is 
not because of good works. This is crucial. This is the 
fundamental flaw in Romanism. Faith plus works in order to 
be saved. Protestantism, the Bible teaches, 
we've been saved by grace in order to go do good works. You see the difference? It's 
a small shift, but it's huge. There's one scheme where we do 
the works in order to be saved. The other scheme is we do the 
works because we have been saved. See, that's huge, because ultimately 
what happens if we do good works and we claim a bit of the credit 
for having come to salvation? That invalidates the grace of 
God. This is the fundamental teaching 
in the book of Galatians, chapter 2, verse 21. Paul says, I do 
not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through 
the law, then Christ died in vain. If it is the case that 
men can earn their salvation, if it is the case that men aren't 
so bad off, if it is the case that they're not really dead 
but a little hindered, and with a little help from their friends, 
can do the right thing and garner favor with God, then Christ died 
in vain. But we know that's not the case. 
Christ didn't die in vain. Christ died to save His people 
from their sins. The Bible emphasizes this through 
and through, that justification, which is a component of salvation, 
is by faith alone. It is not by works. It is not 
a mingling of works plus faith. Faith alone is taught in Genesis 
15.6. Abraham believed God. It was 
credited to him for righteousness. Romans chapter 3, verse 20. You can turn to these passages 
because I want us to see. Roman Catholics say, well, it 
doesn't say faith alone. It doesn't say faith alone in 
the Scriptures. Yes, it certainly does say faith 
alone in the Scriptures. Notice in Romans 3.20. He says, 
"...therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified 
in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But 
now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, 
being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness 
of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who 
believe." He says, "...for there is no difference for all have 
sinned and fall short of the glory of God being justified 
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ 
Jesus." You see, works are excluded from this component. There's 
no works plus faith in order to gain favor with God. Notice 
in verse 28, "...therefore we conclude that a man is justified 
by faith apart from the deeds of the law." How can anybody 
who gives any credence to the written word of God say, well, 
the Bible doesn't teach faith alone? Okay, it may not put those 
two English words back-to-back together, but it teaches faith 
alone. Is that what verse 28 says? Therefore we conclude that 
a man is justified by what? By faith apart from the deeds 
of the law. By faith apart from the deeds 
of the law. What are you left with? Faith that is alone, right? It's terrible. We're going to 
read the Bible the way God intended us to read the Bible, and hopefully 
be good Protestants. We'll understand it is by grace 
alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. Notice in chapter 4, verse 1, 
what then shall we say? That Abraham our father is found 
according to the flesh. For if Abraham was justified 
by works, he has something to boast about. but not before God. See, what's the implication? 
He's not justified by works. He has no reason. He has no ability. 
He has no ground whatsoever to boast before God. You see, if a man contributes 
anything to his salvation, he will certainly take the credit 
that is due to him. That's why it's structured in 
such a way that it's grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ 
alone, so that all credit, all glory, all honor, and all praise 
goes to our God. there is a specific design in 
view. For what does the Scripture say? 
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works the wages 
are not counted as grace, but as debt. Notice in 911, tracing 
back God's electing purposes, God's predestination, God's sovereignty. Notice in verse 10, and not only 
this, but when Rebekah also had conceived by one man, even by 
our father Isaac, for the children not yet being born, nor having 
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election 
might stand, not of works, but of him who calls." You see, God 
purposed way back in that particular setting, irrespective of good 
and evil. He set his affection upon Jacob, 
and he did not upon Esau, and that according to his good pleasure. 
the Bible tells us. Galatians 2.16, Galatians chapter 
2 and verse 16, knowing that a man is not justified by the 
works of the law, so the works are absolutely excluded in terms 
of our salvation coming from on high. Do you understand something? 
That if you choose the path of works, it must be perfect, Does 
everybody understand the ramifications? There's two ways to enter into 
heaven. You say, wow, that's not Protestantism. Jesus said, 
I am the way, the truth, and the life. Well, if somebody could 
actually obey the law completely, perfectly, absolutely, and perpetually, 
you'll enter into heaven. So that means there's only one 
way in, right? It's by Jesus Christ. You see, if you choose 
works If you choose a sprinkling or a smidgen of works, you invalidate 
grace. You are subscribing to the position 
that you are able, in your strength, to merit God's favor on your 
own. You see, it's not a small thing 
that's in view in this particular instance. I'm going to quote 
Machen in just a moment to that effect. But notice in 2.16 of 
Galatians, "...knowing that a man is not justified by the works 
of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed 
in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, 
and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law no 
flesh shall be justified." Notice in chapter 3, verse 1, remember 
the historical context. The churches in Galatia had received 
the Gospel from the Apostle Paul. First missionary journey for 
Paul, probably around AD 49. He goes to the southern Galatia, 
he goes to these churches, he preaches Christ in them, crucified, 
the people believe, they are saved. After Paul then goes from 
that location, Judaizers come to those churches and they say, 
yes, it is good for you to believe on the Lord Jesus. That's wonderful. But you must also be circumcised 
according to the law of Moses. You must essentially, if you're 
Gentiles, become like Jews in order to present yourselves holy 
before God. Paul says, absolutely not. If 
we're an angel out of heaven, preach another gospel to you, 
which we did not preach, let him be anathema. Let him be damned 
to hell, let him be cursed if he adds words to faith. That's 
what's going on in Galatia. So notice, specifically chapter 
3 verse 1, O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you 
should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly 
portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from 
you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by 
the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun 
in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have 
you suffered so many things in vain, if indeed it was in vain? 
He began with faith and now you think you must supplement that, 
you must add to it, you must get circumcised according to 
the law of Moses in order to be saved? Notice what this brings 
a man into, Galatians 5.3, and I testify again to everyone, 
or to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the 
whole law. He is a debtor to keep the whole 
law. You see, if you say, I don't 
want faith in Christ, I want works, then you become indebted 
to keep the whole law. So our confession says, this 
must be personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience. Who 
of us are prepared to engage in that particular endeavor? 
Listen to Jay Gresham Machen. It's a long quote, but it's very 
readable. Please pay attention. You need 
to understand what's going on in these epistles. He says, certainly 
the point of difference between Paul and the Judaizers, this 
is his commentary on Galatians, was no trifling difference, no 
matter how trifling it may seem to the modern church. I could 
hear people today say, what's the big deal, Paul? So they get 
circumcised. It's not a big deal to get circumcised 
for health reasons or for physical whatever. for medical reasons. Certain cultures think it's healthy. 
I don't want to get into a debate on the physical logistics of 
circumcision. You want to do it for that? I 
mean, Paul circumcised Timothy so as not to give offense to 
Jews. That was not wrong. Paul does 
not condemn a man getting circumcised for custom, or for ethnicity, 
or for whatever it is. Now when it's done in the name 
of religion, when it's done in terms of acceptance with God, 
it is on that point that Paul says no. So it is a big deal. Machen says, certainly the point 
of difference between Paul and the Judaizers was no trifling 
difference, no matter how trifling it may seem to the modern church. 
It was the difference between a religion of merit and a religion 
of grace. You see, it can't be for by grace 
you've been saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It 
is the gift of God if you've contributed, if you've added, 
if you have a hand in it, if you can take credit for some 
of it. You see, a little introduction of this invalidates the system 
of grace because it no longer becomes grace. It becomes debt. It becomes payment. It becomes 
reward for a job well done. Machen again, the Judaizers teaching 
required a man to earn at least a part of his salvation by his 
own keeping of God's law. Paul saw clearly that to follow 
such teaching was to do despite to the cross of Christ. If we 
have to fill up even the slightest gap by our own works, then we 
are still lost in sin. This is what Romans and Galatians 
is about. We need to understand this is 
what the Reformation, at least in part, was about. It was this 
whole idea of how does a man approach God? How is a man accepted 
before God? Is it grace alone, through faith 
alone, and Christ alone? Or is it my contribution to this 
whole package? Because if it's my contribution 
to this whole package, it invalidates the entirety of it. He says, we must trust Christ 
for nothing or for all. To trust him only for part is 
the essence of unbelief. There are two ways of being saved 
according to the Apostle Paul. One way is to keep the law perfectly. We know that cannot be, right? In Adam all die. It was one man 
who had the opportunity in the garden to keep that law, to keep 
the covenant of works, and he transgressed. That's why we need 
Jesus to keep the covenant of works in the covenant of grace 
to bring us into the pale of redemption. He says, there are 
two ways of being saved according to Paul. One way is to keep the 
law perfectly. That way is closed because of 
sin. The other way is to accept the 
gift of salvation which Christ offers us freely by his cross. The two ways cannot both be followed. That is the burden of the epistle 
to the Galatians. A man must choose as the way 
of salvation either the law or grace. In bidding men choose 
the latter way, grace, The apostle was contending for the very heart 
of the Christian religion. That's what's at stake here. 
Edward Fisher and his excellent book. You want a good book to 
read next summer or this fall? It's called The Marrow of Modern 
Divinity. Edward Fisher, 1658 is the modern 
there. So it's not quite modern for us, but the theology is absolutely 
beautiful. Fisher says, so that if you desire 
to be justified before God, you must either bring to him a perfect 
righteousness of your own and wholly renounce Christ, or else 
you must bring the perfect righteousness of Christ and wholly renounce 
your own. Christ Jesus will either be a 
whole Savior or no Savior. He will either save you alone 
or not save you at all. That's what the Reformation maintained. That's what Protestants since 
then have maintained. That's what our confession upholds. That's what we believe and that's 
what we preach. It's no small thing to introduce 
works as a means by which we gain acceptance with God. Paul 
says, let him be anathema. Let the wrath of God fall upon 
one who distorts, who perverts, who twists the gospel of free 
grace. The emphasis in verses 8 and 
9 is on God's grace with a specific exclusion of man's works. It should be impossible to conclude 
from Ephesians 2.8-10 that our works are somehow necessary for 
our salvation. Paul is dealing with saved men 
by the time he gets to verse 10. Now what is that particular 
role that good works play? For by grace you've been saved 
through faith, that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of 
works, lest anyone should boast. We are saved. We are redeemed. 
God is elected. God is predestined. Christ has 
shed His blood, the Spirit is sealed, the Spirit is redeemed, 
or guaranteed. We've been called out by the 
preaching of the cross. We, by God's grace, have seen 
our sin and depravity. We, by God's grace, have seen 
the glory and sufficiency of Jesus Christ. We, by God's grace, 
have believed on Him. We've received the forgiveness 
of sins. We've received the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received 
by faith alone. Now what? Verse 10. For we are 
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God 
prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." People at times, 
especially Roman Catholics, see a big disparity between James 
and Paul. You know, James taught salvation by works, and Paul 
taught salvation by faith. They both taught salvation by 
grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone, unto good works. You see, you cannot remove this 
component from the Apostles' teaching. Paul insists on good 
works every bit as much as James does. But in both instances, 
whether Paul or James, the good works are not unto salvation. The good works are as a result 
of Salvation. to get that. It's the same trajectory 
in James 2. If we had time, we would develop 
that. James 2, 14 to 26. He's dealing 
with a man who says he has faith, but he has no words. Can that 
kind of faith save him? James is asking. What's the implication? True saving faith always yields 
biblical fruit. Paul teaches the same thing right 
here. You've been saved by grace through faith. You've come to 
know the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not by your works. Its tap 
roots are in election. It's in predestination. You, 
by God's grace, have confessed Jesus as Lord. Now comes good 
works. Our confession says it beautifully 
in terms of the proper place or role of good works. It says, 
these good works done in obedience to God's commandments are the 
fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith. It's the fruits 
and evidences of a true and lively faith. It's not the means by 
which we earn our salvation. It is the fruits and evidences 
of the fact that God, by grace, has saved us. confession goes 
on to say, "...and by them, by these good works, believers manifest 
their thankfulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their 
brethren, adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths 
of the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship they are, 
created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that having their fruit unto 
holiness they may have the end eternal life." That's The proper 
place for good works. Fruits and evidences. Samuel Petto wrote a book called 
The Covenant of Grace and he emphasizes this reality in terms 
of evangelical works. That means good works that Christians 
do. See, no one denies that. Protestants 
do not deny good works. We deny the efficacy of good 
works to assist salvation. We deny that wholesale. But in 
terms of a justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in 
Christ alone believer, of course you need to do good works. Of 
course you can't murder people. Of course you can't commit adultery. 
Of course you should be kind to your brethren. Of course you 
should give preference to others. Of course you should be hospitable 
to others. Of course you should do those 
things that the Bible enjoins upon God's people. The two great 
commandments, love to God and love to men. No one doubts, disputes, 
or debates the presence or the reality of good works. It's where 
do we place them. See, the Catholic takes justification, 
sanctification, collapses it, says it's faith plus works in 
order to be saved. Protestant says, no, we're justified 
freely by grace. We receive the imputation of 
righteousness. We receive the forgiveness of sins. That's a 
done deal. We are secure. We will enter into heaven because 
of the doing and the dying and the rising of Jesus Christ in 
Him alone. But every justified believer 
will do good works. Every justified believer will 
go do those things which are pleasing to God. Every justified 
believer has the Holy Spirit that is working in him to will 
and to do according to God's good pleasure. Of course, we 
see the validity and the merit involved in good works. Not the 
merit in terms of salvation, but the value of it is what I 
mean. Pettus says, it is true, there is a necessity of evangelical 
works to testify our faith, obedience, and thankfulness to God. But 
they are required not as conditions, but as effects and declarations 
of our justification. I think that so many theological 
puzzles can be unraveled if we understand conditions and consequences. Good works in a believer is the 
consequence of God's having saved him. It is not the condition 
upon which God saves him. Everybody clear? Nod a little 
bit. Let me know you're there because conditions and consequences 
are absolutely crucial to understand. Especially when you get into 
faith as a condition in the New Covenant, there's some nuances 
to get into, there's some definition to deal with, there's some theological 
precision that one has to pursue so that we don't end up across 
the Tiber in Rome. That's bad. We want to be in 
Geneva with those brethren who confess sola fide, all the days 
of their lives. Good works are not a condition 
of salvation, but a consequence of salvation. Back to our text, 
notice what Paul says in verse 10, "...for we are His workmanship, 
created in Christ Jesus for good works." The same sort of idea 
present In chapter 1, verse 4, He chose us that we should be 
holy and without blame. He didn't choose us because we 
were holy and without blame. Same thing here. It's not as 
if God created us in Christ Jesus because we were already doing 
good works. No, rather, He created us in 
Christ Jesus for good works. The trajectory in the letter 
is clear. The eternal plan of God chapter 
1 verses 3 to 14. The absolute wretchedness of 
man, chapter 2, verses 1 to 3. The amazing, glorious grace of 
God, chapter 2, verses 4 to 9. And now, the response in terms 
of gratitude, the response in terms of seeking to please the 
Lord, who has saved us by His grace. We are His workmanship, 
created in Christ Jesus for good works. It highlights the need 
You see, if you're a believer and there's no good works, guess 
what is missing? There is, in the language of 
our confession, a lack of fruit, a lack of evidence of a lively 
faith. So you see, we need to insist 
upon this reality as well. Not good works in order to be 
saved, but if you profess the true religion, if you have confessed 
faith in Jesus Christ, if you have said, I am a believer, or 
I have decided to follow the Lamb, then there must be good 
works to manifest, to demonstrate, and to serve as fruits and evidences 
of that. You see, we ought not to seek 
sola fide. We ought not to hide behind the 
doctrine of justification by faith alone. Say, well, I can 
just lay on my couch because I'm justified. I can just eat 
Doritos and watch Gilligan's Island until Jesus returns because 
I've been justified freely by His grace. No! There's no place 
for that. God saves us according to this 
passage. We are His workmanship created 
in Christ Jesus for what? For good works. Go do what is 
pleasing to God. Go do what honors the Lord. Go 
do what commends the gospel to others. Go and manifest the love 
of Christ. Go and do those things which 
adorn the truth of your profession. Go and serve other men. Notice, which God prepared beforehand 
that we should walk in them. Again, how do we dispute or debate 
the idea of God's absolute sovereignty? We see it in chapter 1, verse 
4, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. 
Who chooses before the foundation of the world save a sovereign 
God? Well, in this instance, even 
the good works that we do, If you go out tonight and somebody 
falls down and hits their head on your way home from church 
and you go out and you pick them up and you clean off the blood 
and put them in your car and take them to an inn and get them 
some meal and pour some oil in their wounds and you do those 
good things, Does God say, wow, I never saw that coming. Wow, 
that's amazing, that's pretty awesome. No, it tells us in this 
text, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 
Listen to Gil. John Gil says, but the intention 
is not that they should be saved by them, good works, but that 
they should walk in them. And this being the preordination 
of God, as it shows that predestination is not according to good works. 
since good works are the fruits and effects of it. So likewise, 
that it is no licentious doctrine, seeing it provides for the performance 
of good works as well as secures grace and glory. You see, an 
insistence upon sola fide, justification by faith alone, often times has 
brought the charge of antinomianism. Paul faced this in the book of 
Romans, chapter 6, verse 1. What shall we say then? Shall 
we continue in sin that grace may abound? May it never be. Why do you think Paul brought 
that up in chapter 6? I suppose it was because when 
he preached in synagogues and he highlighted the Sola Fide, 
or the doctrine of justification by faith alone, Jews would get 
him in the back and say, you know, if you take that to its 
logical conclusion, that means we can live in any old way that 
we want. May it never be. Those who have been saved by 
Christ, those who have died with Him, those who have been buried 
with Him, those who have been raised with Him, seek the same 
sorts of things that characterized Him. Their orientation is changed. They are new men and new women 
in Christ. They want to pursue those things which are pleasing. 
The Gospel ultimately produces godly living, not in order to 
be saved, but because we have been saved. This is the consistent 
testimony of Scripture. And it's interesting how Paul 
ends this particular bit. Which God prepared beforehand 
that we should, note the language, walk in Him. The predestinating grace of God 
not only secures the salvation of the individual, but it puts 
him on a holy course. that is contrasted with chapter 
2 and verse 2. Notice in chapter 2, verse 2, 
when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, we walked according 
to the course of this world. But because of God's grace, because 
of newness of life in Jesus, because we have been freely saved, 
we now walk in this course of good works that are pleasing 
to our Father and hopefully beneficial to our brethren. So in conclusion, 
I commend to you J.C. Ryle's book, Holiness. He has 
a particular chapter on there, either on justification or sanctification. But at the end, he gives many 
ways that justification and sanctification how they're similar, but how 
they're different as well. He's got the similarities, he's 
got the differences. I was going to bring it and read 
it, but I thought, you know, it's going to be late, and people probably don't 
want to listen to, you know, 19 Points by J.C. Ryle. So I'll 
just save you the time. If you don't have the book, I'm 
sure that you can find it online. I'm positive. But just a short 
brief statement from Gordon Clark, I think, on his commentary on 
the pastoral epistles, he makes this observation. What passes 
so apparently as good works are not good unless preceded by justification. You see, not every good work 
or everything that purports to be a good work is a good work. 
Our confession specifies and defines what a good work really 
is. Now, when a pagan does good things, we want him to do good 
things. It's better that pagans cut their 
grass and pay their taxes and not chop people's heads off than 
them chopping people's heads off, by all means. They're not 
good works. They're good in the sense of 
mankind. They're good in the sense of a general benevolence. 
But when the Bible uses the phrase, good works, it is clearly defined. It is good because God, by His 
grace, has saved that person. They, walking by faith, are doing 
those things that are pleasing to the Lord. I think Clark's 
emphasis here is good. What passes so apparently as 
good works are not good unless preceded by justification. You 
can't do a good work if you're not justified. Then what he says following is 
actually very beneficial too. And if a claimed justification 
does not inevitably produce good works, it simply was not justification. You see, there's the other side 
to the coin. You say, I believed, I'm justified. But there's no good works. There's 
no evidences. There's no fruit. There's no 
apples hanging on the apple tree. You don't conclude it's an apple 
tree, do you? Absolutely not! Christians... These good works manifest. These good works demonstrate. These good works highlight that 
there is a lively faith operative. Secondly, I mentioned this in 
passing, but I want to visit it again. The need for clarity 
on this particular issue. You might meet somebody that 
says, yeah, you know, I believe in faith, I believe in grace, 
what's a little bit of works and vies, not a bad thing. Listen 
to what Spurgeon said, when will all professors and especially 
all professed ministers of Christ learn the difference between 
the law and the gospel? Most of them make a mingle-mangle 
and serve out deadly portions of potions to the people, often 
containing but one ounce of gospel to a pound of law. Whereas, but 
even a grain of law is enough to spoil the whole thing." You 
see what happens when you mix law and gospel for salvation? You end up with neither. You 
end up with neither. And then desperately need gospel 
in order to be saved. And then thirdly, we've got the 
necessity of good works. Not in the necessity, we've got 
to qualify and nuance our phrase there. Necessity not in terms 
of our salvation, but necessity in the sense that if we profess 
the true religion, if God has done a work in our hearts, then 
good works will inevitably follow from our having been justified 
freely by his grace, and then the blessing ultimately of free 
grace. Let's turn to Philippians 3 where 
we'll close our study tonight. Notice how Paul highlights free 
grace, how Paul highlights and celebrates the glorious work 
of God Most High in saving him, not because of his works, but 
in spite of his works, unto good works. Notice in chapter 3 verse 
7, but what things were gained to me these I have counted loss 
for Christ yet indeed I also count all things lost for the 
excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom 
I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish 
that I may gain Christ and be found in him not having my own 
righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through 
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. Can you say, verse 9, Can you 
identify with verse 9? Can you own Christ the way that 
Paul does in Philippians 3.9? Do you know what it is to be 
found in Him? Not having your own righteousness, 
which is from the law, but having that righteousness which is through 
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God, imputed to 
the elect by faith alone. If you do not have that righteousness, 
you need to look unto the Lord Jesus, you need to believe the 
Gospel, and you ought not to lay your head down until this 
is a reality. Because God's wrath is sure, 
Jesus will come in the glory of His Father, taking vengeance 
on all those who do not know God and on all those who do not 
obey the gospel. There is a real hell, there is 
real judgment, there is real anger on the other side of judgment 
for those outside of Christ. This text tells us there's a 
refuge. This text tells us there's a 
place to hide. This text tells us There is one 
in whom we find safety, and it's Jesus Christ and Him alone. Well, 
let us pray. Our Father, we thank You for 
Your Word, and we thank You again for the blessing of being able 
to gather twice on the Sabbath. We thank You for the privilege 
of knowing You and knowing Your people, God. It's a most excellent 
thing to come in out of the world. and to gather with the Saints 
of Christ on the Lord's Day. As David said, I was glad when 
they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord. Well, 
Father, help us to continue with you in this week. May you be 
near to us, and may you help us to read our Bibles, help us 
to pray, help us to be earnest in terms of serving and glorifying 
you, and may good works truly evidence that lively faith that 
you have planted in our hearts. And we ask these things through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.