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welcome to everyone you can turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 22 for our call to worship Genesis chapter 22 will come up later in our study in James chapter 2 so I thought it would be good for us to read it as our call to worship beginning in chapter 22 at verse 1 now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham and said to him Abraham and he said Here I am then he said take now your son your only son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you so Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son and he split the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off and Abraham said to his young men stay here with the donkey the lad and I will go yonder and worship and we will come back to you so Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering laid it on Isaac his son and he took the fire in his hand and a knife and the two of them went together but Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said My father and he said Here I am my son then he said look the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for a burnt offering and Abraham said my God my son God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering so the two of them went together then they came to the place of which God had told him and Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood and Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son but the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said Abraham Abraham so he said Here I am and he said do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him for now I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son your only son from me then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns so Abraham went and took the RAM and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son and Abraham called the name of the place the Lord will provide as it is said to this day in the mount of the Lord it shall be provided then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven and said by myself I have sworn says the Lord because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son your only son blessing I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice so Abraham returned to his young men and they arose and went together to bear Sheba and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba Amen well please turn in your Trinity hymnal to him number 489 489 will use a familiar tune please stand [Music] you [Music] you [Music] [Music] [Music] a man will let us pray Our Blessed God and our Holy Father we thank you for the Sabbath rest that you give us we thank you for this day that you have made and you've called us out of the world to worship you in spirit and in truth and our desire is to come to the Father through the mediation of the son by the power of the Holy Spirit that God would be exalted that God would be glorified that God would be all in all in this place we worship you and we praise you and we acknowledge that you are most I that you are the lofty one the one who inhabits eternity and the one who dwells with those who are humble of and of a contrite spirit and how we praise you for your grace that taught our hearts to fear how we praise you for your grace that humbled us under your mighty hand how we praise you for your grace that enabled us to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to call upon him in whom there is forgiveness and and all the blessings of the covenant of grace how we give praise to you this day Most High God and ask that you would just be pleased to look with favor upon this congregation grant us help now as we approach you cause us to have that reverence that that right fear of God that acknowledgement that you are holy holy holy and that we as your creatures standing in awe before you as well God flood our hearts with joy and with Thanksgiving as we celebrate as we have rehearsed the redemptive benefits secured for us by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross as Paul says in him we have been blessed with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ and we give praise and glory and honor unto you we ask now that you would look with favor upon each and every one here you would forgive us for our sins as we consider your righteousness and holiness we see our our wayward nests as we sang this morning we are prone to wander and prone to leave the god that we love so we confess those transgressions and iniquities now and we plead the merit in the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ thanking you that there is fountain open for sin and uncleanness so wash us and purify us even now we ask our Father for any and all who have come here tonight that are outside of Christ we pray that this would be the day of salvation we know father it doesn't ultimately depend upon men upon their will or pet upon their ability to run but upon God who shows mercy so we appeal to you and your sovereignty that you would do that work which is impossible with men cause sinners to see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and caused them to be drawn called out of darkness into marvellous light we asked you would bless this congregation with reference to temporal needs there are many prayer requests over this past week many persons are struggling with illness and and physical challenge and trial we think in particular tonight of young Daniel we just commit Daniel roars now into your hand Lord God we pray that you would just heal him of this infection we pray our Father that you would grant grace to his parents and comfort and strengthen them caused them to walk in absolute dependence upon you and for others God for this this lady in gone for Melanie's uncle and aunt we also pray for Shirley crow and and the several others most high that are that are suffering with physical trials and challenges and illnesses we thank you for your mercies we thank you for your answers to prayer we thank you that JL was here again this morning and God certainly we rejoice in your kindness and in your goodness to us you are a God who hears the prayers of the upright and we don't claim uprightness in and of ourselves but we claim the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord we ask our Father for all of the others in our midst known to you intimately God we just commit them to you into the word of your grace and pray that you would sustain and bless and encourage each one we also ask our Father that you would bless the study and Sri God we have a great hope in this work and Lord we don't want to run unsent and we don't want to do things that are not pleasing to a god to the God of heaven and earth so we pray that you would bless these efforts we thank you that Mike and Jessica are returning we just pray for this final week for them in California that it would go well that this graduation would be a truly a celebration a time to praise the Living God we pray not only for Mike but for other graduates that you would bless these young men jesus said that the harvest truly is plenteous are few so take these laborers and send them out into the harvest field to be missionaries and church planters God we know that the gospel is the the power of God unto salvation so we pray that you would send forth preachers to call sinners to repentance into faith we ask our Father that you would bless the study on Tuesday night give grace to Pastor Porter as he leads if grace to Mike as he returns and father as we move this into a public venue we just pray your blessing upon it give us wisdom in terms of advertising in terms of seeking to to call the the people of God to biblical churchmen ship and to call the sinners to faith and repentance in our Lord Jesus Christ we pray God that in your timing and under your blessing a church plant would be established in that community father we just pray for your wisdom we pray for your guidance we pray for your spirit to lead and to direct us in this endeavor we also ask that you would bless missionaries we thank you that the gospel is going forth throughout the earth we thank you for the promise and the Psalms and prophets that Christ will have dominion from sea to sea so God we pray that you would bless those who are in the service of Christ in the proclamation of truth in foreign lands may you use them for your glory may you send forth your word conquering and to conquer and may you indeed save from every tribe and tongue and people and nation and may you get glory for your great name through the proclamation of truth in those lands our Father blessed the churches here in Chilliwack we thank you that we're not alone and we pray for the other churches that do preach the gospel she would bless them and prosper them and throughout this nation we pray that your Holy Spirit would come upon the people of God that you would revive and cause us to be a people committed to the truth as it is in Jesus caused us to be a people committed to prayer to seeking the face of God Almighty privately and in families and us churches and our God we pray that you would awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins we know we live in a debauched and a very unrighteous age so much in terms of sin and lawlessness and wickedness is not only condoned in many respects it's it's subsidized at a federal level thought it truly is an abomination we cry out to you that in your wrath you would remember mercy and send forth your glorious gospel continue with us now bless us with your presence and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please turn with me and her Trinity hymnals to him number 453 hymn number 453 again we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Applause] [Music] Oh Oh [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to Daniel chapter 1 Daniel chapter 1 Daniel is set in a unique historical context just prior to the utter destruction of Jerusalem in the temple in 586 Daniel or the beginning of chapter 1 verse 1 takes us to the date of about 606 BC the final destruction of the ultimate destruction took place in 586 but prior to that there were incursions made by Nebuchadnezzar and there were deportations of Israelites into Babylon and Daniel was probably among the first of the deportees that went to Babylon so I'll just begin reading here in Chapter 1 at verse 1 in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it and the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand with some of the articles of the house of God which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his God and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his God then the king instructed ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the Kings descendants in some of the nobles young men in whom there was no blemish but good-looking gifted on in all wisdom possessing knowledge and quick to understand who had ability to serve in the king's palace and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans and the King appointed for them a daily provision of the Kings delicacies and of the wine which he drank and three years of training for them so that at the end of the time at the end of that time they might serve before the king now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah to them the chief of the eunuchs gave names he gave Daniel the name Belshazzar to Hananiah Shadrach to Mishael Meshach and Azariah Edna go but Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings delicacies nor with the wine which he drank therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself now God had brought Daniel into the favour and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel I fear my lord the king who has appointed your food and drink for why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age then you would endanger my head before the king so Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had said over Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah please test your servants for 10 days and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink then let our appearance be examined before you and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the Kings delicacies and as you see fit so deal with your servants so he consented with them in this matter and tested them 10 days and at the end of 10 days their features appeared better and fatter and flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the Kings delicacies thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink and gave them vegetables as for these four young men God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams now at the end of the days when the King had said that they should be brought in the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar then the King interviewed them and among them all none was found like Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah therefore they served before the king and in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the King examined them he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus a man let us pray our Father we thank you for the written word and for the fact that it is given by inspiration of God and that its profitable to us for all things we would ask that you would help us not only as we gather as a church in our study of Scripture help us on a daily basis to hide your word in our hearts that we might not sin against you and may we be that blessed man of Psalm one who finds the law of God is his blessed meditation day and night we ask that you would just bless our time together now and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you can turn to Psalm or excuse me number one 446 which is Psalm 1 number 446 will stand as we sing together [Music] Oh [Music] Oh [Music] you [Music] we can turn in your Bibles to James chapter 2 James chapter 2 we're going to try and finish up that section in verses 14 to 26 last week we looked at verses 14 to 17 so God willing this evening we'll finish up 18 to 26 I'll just begin reading in James 2 at verse 14 what does it profit my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works can that faith save him if a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you says to them depart in peace be warmed and filled but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body what does it profit thus also faith by itself if it does not have works is dead but someone will say you have faith and I have works show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works you believe that there is one God you do well even the demons believe and tremble but do you want to know a foolish man that faith without works is dead was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect and the scripture was fulfilled which says abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only likewise was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way for as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also amen well let us seek God's help father we thank you for this passage of Scripture we just pray for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit to help us to understand help us to appropriate what James is speaking to here and help us to see he is not putting forth an alternate way of salvation he is not victory to the Apostle Paul it caused us to reflect upon the unity of scripture the blest harmony that we find in the writers of Scripture we would ask that you would just forgive us again for our sins and our transgressions help us to take away from this study James's point that if we profess faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the only saving faith is that which is accompanied with all other saving graces that faith must be lead to and produce good works help us in this god help us to engage in the almsgiving that jesus speaks to in matthew 6 help us to put into practice the pure and undefiled religion that James speaks to in Chapter 1 grant us grace Lord God not to just be empty professors but to be those who indeed have a saving faith in our Lord Jesus that flushes itself out in the way that we conduct ourselves and we would pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen last week I introduced the sermon basically highlighting the various difficulties that persons have run into with reference to this particular passage of Scripture the Apostle Paul of course insisting that we are justified by faith only and then James says in verse 24 you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only a cited Martin Luther where he said the Epistle of James gives us much trouble for the Papists embrace it alone and leave out all the rest if they will not admit my interpretations then I shall also make rubble of it I almost feel like throwing Jimmy into the stove I would suggest that Martin Luther didn't have a good understanding of James I suggest that he did not harmonize the two brothers adequately that's kind of a funny thing I want to throw Jimmy into the stove that's really a bad thing for Luther to say but he was quite a colorful figure in the way that he said certain things certainly brings a smile to one's face but that idea that we should labor and I think it's the task of preaching it's the task of systematic theology to harmonize and to show the consistency of Scripture I think John Owen is on the right track when he says for his James whole inquiry in 14 to 26 is after the nature of that faith whereby we are justified so James is not telling us that what Paul is saying is wrong James is simply emphasizing based on his particular context the necessity of saving faith saving faith as our confession States is always accompanied with all other saving grace so it's not a dead faith but it worked if through love and that is the emphasis of James in this particular sachet we're ago we rehearsed a few items last week in terms of some hermeneutical helps or interpretive helps in harmonizing James and Paul a Paul in the first place the unity of the scripture the Holy Spirit's not going to have Paul write one thing and James write another thing there is a unity of scripture as well James's doctrine of salvation is exactly Paul II it is precisely Paul's doctrine of salvation notice in James 1:18 he says of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures that is sovereign grace that is election that is effectual call that is the power of God to bring sinners out of Darkness to use a Peter a Petrine expression into marvelous light so Peter James Paul they're all consistent that salvation is by God's grace alone and as well it is through faith alone James emphasizes that and James 2:1 my brethren do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with partiality one of the arguments as to why we ought not to show partiality is because of God's grace demonstrated to the poor notice in 2:5 has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom God did not choose them because they were rich in faith God chose them so that they would be rich in faith again it sounds very similar to we have in Ephesians chapter 1 Paul talks about sovereign election he talks about the graces of faith and repentance and James certainly agrees as well we ought to consider the immediate context James is dealing with what appears to be a people that had professed saving faith in Christ but were not bridling their tongues they had professed saving faith in Christ but they were not visiting orphans and widows in their distress they had professed saving faith in Christ but they were not keeping themselves unspotted from the world they had professed faith in Christ but they were showing partiality in the corporate gatherings of God's people James's point is obvious he is dealing with deadbeat professors Paul is dealing with this idea that we are saved by grace or we are say rather by faith plus works he's saying no it's by grace alone through faith alone James is dealing with the people who say they have that faith and yet they are empty professors the difference in terms of audience ought to be appreciated and then I asked you to keep in mind our confessional statement concerning faith it says faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness is the alone instrument of justification yet it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by love this Galvin says with reference to their different purposes or focus Calvin says Paul means by it justification the gratuitous imputation of righteousness before the tribunal of God and James the manifestation of righteousness by the conduct and that before men said Paul deals with our justification before God which is grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone James uses the word justification in a different sense it is the manifestation the declaration the evidence that we have beat on the christ that we have indeed believe the gospel John Owen says James doth not at all inquire or determine how a sinner is justified before God but how professors of the gospel can prove or demonstrate that they are so and that they do not deceive themselves by trusting unto a lifeless and barren faith and John Gill the Apostle Paul speaks of justification before God and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits unto men I think if you keep those helps in your mind and in your heart James 2:14 - 26 makes perfect sense and there ought never to be a temptation for any of us to throw Jimmy into the stove but to hold on to it to pray it in and deceit by the grace of God to apply it as I said last week we don't want to blunt James's sword the emphasis in 1720 2426 is that if you profess faith in Christ that faith that is indeed saving will always result in good works now there are certain exceptions John Gill highlights elect infants dying in infancy the thief on the cross certainly there are exceptions there were not instances or opportunities for those persons to do good works not so for us we have professed the saving faith so it is our duty to bridle the tongue just to use the examples in the context it is our duty to visit orphans and widows in their distress it is our duty to pursue internal sanctity thus keep oneself unspotted from the world it is our duty to not be partial in the worship of God not to show that partiality even not in the worship of God we ought to be no respecter of persons so we profess true and saving faith there ought to be effects there ought to be consequences in short there ought to be fruit that's James's point a point elsewhere made by the Apostle Paul in his epistles but let's go back to our tax notice just by way of reminder verse 14 James introduces here the very the specifics of his argument says what does it profit my brethren if someone says has faith but does not have works so James is dealing with a particular type of particular species a particular kind of faith it is a profession of faith but there are no corresponding works or rather resulting works and that's why he says at the end of verse 14 and it is literally can that faith save him that species that type that particular kind certainly we know that faith does save we are saved by grace through faith according to Ephesians 2:8 210 but James is not dealing here with that kind of faith he is dealing with this profession of the faith that does not have works that controls the entirety of his discussion here you've got to keep that into MA in mind so that when we get to say verse 18 and he says someone will say you have faith and I have works the and I have works there is not a works versus faith in the context the works here are those works that result from faith so when he says you have faith he is talking about the 14 a type of faith that profession but there is no consequent good works as a result so we need to understand that so let's look at first the challenge posed to those with false faith in verses 18 to 20 and then the appeal to Old Testament examples concerning true faith in verses 21 to 26 but note first the challenge presented in verse 18 now this someone is very hard to identify this someone is very hard to nail down some have you know alleged that it was Paul some of allege that it's James just making someone up I think it's a rhetorical device where in James are showing that those who possess genuine faith are now asking those who have a faith without works to show or to or to produce the the evidence or the result that's the someone in the passage again very difficult to understand or to identify who this someone is most likely a true believer challenging one with false faith the idea is that someone says you have faith and I have works in context as I said this isn't faith versus works but false faith the non accompanied with all other saving graces type verse 14 a versus true faith you see the the essence of the argument the true believer says to the false professor you have faith and I have works again not I have worked as a means by which I'm going to enter into heaven I have works that are the result of the consequence of the effect of my faith you have faith I have works now note show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works the someone here asks to see a demonstration of the person's faith without works and essentially says you can't do it this all fits in with the larger context the point being very simply that true saving faith is always accompanied with all other saving graces that when a man a woman a boy or girl believes the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ good works will always result now they won't be the good works a of a you know the Apostle Paul or of James himself James was noted to be a very godly and a righteous man but they ought to be on sort of an up way upward trajectory we ought to be pursuing these things doesn't Jesus emphasize this several times in the Gospel of Matthew let your light so shine before men that they see what did they see your good works and give glory to God the whole emphasis in Matthew 25 at the end he who has done these things for the least of these my brethren has done them unto me and in the context it's good works clothing those who are naked visiting those who are in prison visiting those who are sick ministering to the needs of God's people the least of these my brethren so the the person here says you have faith I have work showing your faith without your works I will show you my faith by my works that's the reality in the context it is works that demonstrate highlight validate confirm the existence of faith now the reverse is not necessarily somebody can have good works and not have good or true faith we want to make sure we don't invert this just because somebody goes out and does a nice thing doesn't necessarily mean they're believing in fact at times unbelievers show us up in terms of practical sort of good deeds now we'd have to go back and define what a true good work is a good work ultimately is for the glory of God for his honor and for his name but there are persons out in this world that do nice things they good do good deeds it doesn't mean that they necessarily have faith but when we have faith the argument of James and the argument of Paul in Ephesians 2:10 is that good works necessarily follow as a result john gill says though works may deceive and do not infallibly prove the truth of faith yet it is certain that where they are not the persons live in a continued course of sinning there cannot be true faith Matthew Poole says the Apostles meaning only is that wherever true faith is their good works will certainly be that's the essence of the above the challenge posed by the believer to those with a false faith or untrue faith now notice the the reproof in verse 19 still under the head the challenge posed to those with false faith verses 18 to 20 we see the challenge presented verse 18 the reproof given in verse 19 he says you believe that there is one God you do well now brethren in the context this commendation has to be ironic because in verse 20 he's going to say foolish man empty-headed man vain man so when he says you believe that God there is one God you do well sort of a tongue-in-cheek ironic statement sort of a thing to say well you know you make this profession that there is one god some commentator says that say that entails the entire articles of the Christian faith you know I don't know specifically what all is involved here it seems to have in the backdrop the Shema and Deuteronomy 6:4 hear o Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength but with to this particular section James is saying the the ones posing the challenge is saying you believe that there is one god you do well now notice he recognizes recognizes demon faith he says even the demons believe and tremble again what is it that the demons believe is that all the articles of faith is a just monotheism is it whatever the case is the bottom line that James is highlighting is this the demons make a profession well I don't think they make a profession but they entertain notionally the same sort of thing that James's audience does at least the demons tremble I think that's the point in other words you make a profession of faith that there is this one God you make a profession of faith that Christ is the way to this one God you make a profession of faith that that the Christian religion is in fact true but it doesn't affect you one day not only are you not bridling the tongue not only are you not visiting orphans and widows in their distress and keeping yourself unspotted from the world not only are you not holding the faith with impartiality do you would even tremble at the thought of this God at least the demons have this going for them in the context it is to underscore and highlight the emptiness and the futility of the verse 14 a tight faith someone says he has faith but he does not have works you are no better than a demon you are no better in terms of your status before God than those diabolical wretches of the underworld you are along the same lines and yet they at least tremble at the thought of this one God John Gill or Kelvin rather says the devil trembles he says at the mention of God's name because when he acknowledges his own judge he is filled with fear of hem he then who despises and acknowledged God is much worse Calvin says you're worse than the demons if you don't tremble you don't bridle the tongue you know visit orphans and widows in their distress you hold the same faith that there is this one God but it doesn't move you it doesn't affect you it is not accompanied with all other saving graces he's not saying demons go to heaven he's not saying demons sing praises to God he's not saying that demons are solved us I've enjoyed salvation he's saying that based on the information they have it at least evokes a trembling from them but James's audience doesn't even tremble and I think we can bring that home to our own generation into our own day and age there's almost of people it's a way yeah I'm a Christian in fact I think if you hold the group's in Canada we would probably be considered a Christian nation you've probably heard that before we're a Christian nation or the United States is a Christian nation how in the world did a Christian nation engage in a million abortions a year how the world could a Christian nation again engage in a thousand abortions a hundred thousand abortions a year here in Canada how in the world could a Christian nation authorize euthanasia how in the world could a Christian nation openly promote sodomy you see we have a whole host of 14a type people surrounding us we have faith we've said Jesus we walk denial we signed a card when every eye was closed and every head was bowed we shot up our hand but you don't have works you don't have fruit you don't bridle your tongue you gossip you lie you slander you cheat you don't visit orphans and widows in their distress you don't keep yourself unspotted from the world you look just like everybody else in the world you don't engage in the worship of God with impartiality your churches are cliquish people peel off together and instead of having one sort of body of Christ we got these guys we got these guys we got these guys that are not to be brethren if one 2:13 tells us anything in James chapter 2 we ought not to have white churches or black churches or rich churches or poor churches we to have churches and in those churches we ought to love each other not just those in our particular peer group not just those who relate to us in a way that we enjoy but we ought to go out of our way to engage in a harmony of the body a unity of the body you see James is dealing with a very similar situation that we are dealing with today you get people who go to church you get people who say yes I'm a Christian you get people who agree that that Christianity is the right or true religion there's no works there's no fruit there's no demonstrable evidence James says at least the demons who acknowledge these things tremble at the thought of God the judge we got a whole host of people they don't even tremble in fact the idea that the conception of the fear of God is not we're not supposed to fear God he's our big buddy he's our big pal I mean Daniel 1 has been put into service as a weight-loss program by Rick Warren I mean that's the lengths to which we have devolved if you get Daniel 1 as a means by which you ought to go out and lose weight you're miss reading Daniel 1 now by all means go out and lose weight but don't justify it based on Daniels diet plan we live in a dark age as much as there are good things in terms of reformed theology in terms of great expositional preaching we still live in a context very similar to what James is dealing with we got people who profess the true religion they not only don't fear but they're pretty much being told that to fear God is an old testament antiquated concept it's intriguing because in Hebrews chapter 12 we are told to fear God because God is a consuming fire that's James's point the demons understand these things and they tremble gill says wherefore it follows that a bear historical faith will not profit and cannot save any a man may have all faith of this kind and be damned and therefore it is not to be boasted of nor trust did too now no the assertion in verse 20 it's very similar to what you see in verse 17 again here in verse 20 verse 24 and verse 26 this is the constant refrain said in a bit of a different way each time but the emphasis and the point is the same notice in 17 thus also faith by itself if it does not have works as debt versed wine but you want to know a foolish man that faith without works is dead verse 24 you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only verse 26 for as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also that's James's point the type the species the kind the variety of faith is the 14a faith he's dealing with someone says he has faith but he doesn't have works that's dead it's false it's fake it's not genuine it is not legitimate true saving faith is always accompanied with all other saving graces it's not a dead faith it worketh by love Galatians 5:6 a Pauline passage you see the harmony and the unity between these two brothers notice that assertion indicates the same sort of thing in this passage that we have seen throughout and he uses pretty sharp words but do you want to know oh foolish man empty-headed man vain man we're not supposed to commend people who say well I'm a believer but I don't have any words I'm a believer but I don't have any fruit I'm a believer but I don't you know really did into all that sort of practical stuff I'm a believer and I you know I don't I don't need to go to church or I'm a believer but I don't need to you know help people in the church I'm a believer but you know I don't need to give money I'm a believer but I don't need to do all that sort of thing we don't kind of fought on them and say well good thing you're a believer let's just be one of those carnal sorts and you know that's okay they're fools see it's a foolish thing to imbibe the idea that somehow saving faith is just this this ascent in the sense that there is no faith that is accompanied with all other saving graces this notional this idea this this sort of a nod toward Christianity and somehow think that's what is in view I'm not suggesting there's more to faith in terms of I've got to go out and climb a mountain or I've got to go out and you know shimmy up a pole or I've got to go out and live in the wilderness I'm not suggesting that faith truth saving faith is to believe the propositions the truth of the gospel when that saving faith is present however it will always be accompanied with all other saving graces and those who do not have all those other saving graces have not true faith and instead of coddling them and instead of creating a category for them perhaps we should say to them you're a foolish man you actually think that the type of faith that you profess is the legitimate article the genuine article you actually think that Jesus was kidding when he emphasized good works you actually think that James was kidding when he emphasized good works do you think that the prophets when they came to sue Israel for their wicked of violations of the Decalogue were kidding do you think they just you know really didn't mean that they should not commit adultery they should not commit murder they should not steal no the scriptures throughout tell us that when a man believes the truth as it is in Jesus that affects him it flushes itself out there's this head heart hand contact that we find in the scripture and James is condemning that variety that does not have works again one more quote from Owen the reason I'm quoting these guys is just so you don't think I've come to make you know made this up and there's some tricky stuff and kids you you may not get all the satisfactory answers that you want when we're done tonight because it's tricky not tricky in terms of what does it mean I think it's crystal clear but some of the grammar and some of the things and some of the way that James writes or says certain things it takes better men than I to get in and unravel all of all of the intricacies but I love what own writes here he says he does not direct any how they may be justified before God but convinces some that they are not justified by trusting unto such a dead faith that's his point he's not telling here he this isn't an evangelistic plea okay here's how you get right with God this is a pastoral rebuke you see the difference evangelistic appeal when a preacher is conscious that there's a whole host of sinners out there was he do he makes an evangelistic appeal he preaches the gospel he sets forth cries he emphasizes grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone he says come to the Savior be reconciled unto God but in a pastoral rebuke James is dealing with a people that have made a profession but there is no consequent good works there is no effective effects or fruits as a fact and so Owen goes on to say he declares the only way whereby any man may really evidence and manifest that he is so justified in deed and here's what I love about this particular quote the this design of his talking about James's point in the context this design of his is so plain as nothing can be more evident I agree with Owen there Luther was wrong absolutely positively wrong for ever having the idea to throw Jimmy into the stove he should have never said such a thing no I know this a bit of Monday morning quarterbacking but I'd say to him if you were right here don't yell at me and smack me around or something like that he was a colorful sort of fellow as Truman said he was the Donald Trump of the 15th century this design of his is so plain as nothing I'm sorry 16th century this design of his is so plain as nothing can be more evident and they miss the whole scope of the apostle who observe it not in their expositions of the context if you learn anything in our exposition of twenty fourteen to twenty six at all learn context is king context is paramount if you wrench James 2:24 out of the context and set it next to Romans 3:28 say see there are contradictions in the Bible you will never make advances as an exegete you've got to deal with it in its context you got to see what his scope is you got to understand who the audience is you gotta see what he's doing so that's the challenge posed to those with false faith let's look finally quickly at the appeal to Old Testament examples concerning true faith I'm sorry that might have been a lie that quickly it's not going to be longer than a half hour but it's probably not going to be shorter than five minutes so stick with me verses 21 to 26 the appeal to Old Testament examples concerning true faith in the first instance we have the example of Abraham in verses 21 to 24 and then we have the example of Rahab in verse 25 but again I think this shows harmony with Paul Paul's use of Abraham in Romans chapter 4 and in Galatians chapter 3 and then if Paul wrote Hebrews which many of us are convinced that he did Paul's use of Rahab in Hebrews 11 verse 31 and that great hall of faith would be pretty odd for two men that are at odds to use the same two examples I mean that would just be crazy the fact that they use the same examples indicates their the approach to and their appreciation of both Abraham and Rahab in redemptive history but note in the first place with reference to Abraham justification by works verse 21 was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar now Paul the teaches or Paul deals with justification of Abraham before God remember the scope of the whole is that Paul is dealing with how a sinner is just before God James is dealing with how a believer is validated or confirmed or approved or evidenced before men so the justification of Abraham before God Paul t sheet teaches in Romans 4 Galatians chapter 3 when James says that he is justified by works he is using justification there in a sense different than Paul and I've said this so many times that I hope it doesn't make you yawn because again justification in Paul is our state before God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ justification as used here by James are those who have faith demonstrating affirming confirming validating showing forth the proof that they have faith that's the justification by works that is in view here specifically with James now know very specifically what he says verse 21 was not Abraham our Father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar now we read that in Genesis chapter 22 it's an amazing passage isn't it had the privilege to teach the older Sunday school group this morning and that passage came up somebody mentioned Genesis chapter 22 that it was a bit of a tough passage it is a tough passage but if you look at the passage and you see what's happening and you see how James utilizes it here it's perfect in the context not that James needs me to applaud him or to you know pat him on the back for his use of Abraham but look at what Abraham is told he is told to take his son his only son you hear echoes of New Testament in that statement the son whom you love if Abraham and Isaac aren't a picture of the father in Christ I don't know who is Abraham had other sons but it was his only son the son whom he loved he was to take to Mount Moriah for those who have read the rest of the Old Testament what's the significance of Mount Moriah that's where the temple would be built that's where Solomon would construct the temple and more animal sacrifices would be offered so Abraham takes Isaac Guinea and he takes the fire and he takes the wood and note the expression of Abraham's faith you see this is what is on display in Genesis chapter 22 and you'll see how it functions in James's argument here evidence of Abraham's faith is communicated to us all throughout Genesis chapter 22 when he says to his servants I want you to stay here the lad and I will go and worship and we will return that's faith brethren God has told Abraham to take his son his only son the son whom he loves up to Mount Moriah to take a knife and to bury it in that son you see Abraham doesn't have the privilege of Genesis 22 verse 1 we the reader do but Abraham did it in Genesis 22:1 we are told that God did this to test Abraham now there's all sorts of what's called improper predication going on concerning God God always knew that Abraham would stand the test God always knew that Abraham was indeed a faithful man God always knew that Abraham was indeed his friend but the text is written to accommodate us he is testing Abraham so that when this all transpires in 22:12 God can say now I know that you fear me again it's not as if God learned something God came to grips with something new it is confirmatory it is evidentiary it is demonstrable it is for the sake and the benefit of us ultimately but that expression that he says to the servants me and the lad will go worship yonder and we will return what's the significance of that he thought as far as he knew that he was going to end Isaac's life that day what his Hebrews 11 tell us about that he was confident and he believed that God was able to raise the dead that's what I am says to the servants I'm going to take my son up there I am going to kill him and I trust that God is all able to raise him from the dead you see there's great faith on display with reference to Abraham there in Genesis chapter 22 it's a beautiful display of Abraham's faith another thing that we see as they're traveling to Mount Moriah Isaac wasn't five he wasn't three he wasn't - he was probably you know 17 or 18 is that accurate and that that framework so Isaac wasn't a dim bull I'm not suggesting that five-year-olds and three-year-olds are dim bulbs but in this instance Isaac knew enough to identify we've got the wood we've got the flame we've got everything necessary for sacrifice father Abraham but where's the sacrifice what's Abraham say the Lord will provide do you hear the theology of Abraham in Genesis 22 it oozes New Testament theology so Abraham then goes about this particular date he ties Isaac to the altar he raises the knife the angel of Yahweh comes and stops him and then what is the next scene they see a ram caught in the thicket by its horns and then the text is conspicuous in case we miss it it is crystal clear that he sacrifices the RAM instead of Isaac substitutionary atonement is going on in Genesis 22 it's tip illogical it's pointing forward to a father that doesn't stop in bringing the knife down to bear upon his son the Lord God Most High takes his son his only son the son whom he loves and delivers him up for us all according to Romans 8:32 so that's the work that James holds up as a demonstration of the faith that Abraham had now that gets us really right back to the context because James says in verse 23 in chapter 2 do you see that the scripture was fulfilled that sad abraham believed God and it was reckoned on to him or it was imputed unto him or it was accounted to him for righteousness now just go back to Genesis chapter 22 follow James's logic when did this scripture be fulfilled or become fulfilled I think the idea being is that James is giving us this snapshot Genesis 22 is the demonstration the consequent effect of Abraham's previous faith in other words the faith that Abraham had in Genesis 15:6 was not a 14 a type faith Abraham didn't say I have faith but had no words Abraham had faith and works followed there's about a 30 year gap between Genesis chapter 15 and Genesis chapter 22 James's point is simple in Genesis 15:6 Abraham was justified in the Pauline sense before God remember the context in Genesis 15 God tells Abraham you're going to have a whole host of children now Abraham was no spring chicken and neither was Sarah this was probably a difficult sort of thing to wrap one's mind around but abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him as righteousness justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone now as Abraham there in chapter 15 continues on he asks the Lord well how do I know that this is indeed going to happen and that leads to that ratification ceremony where Abraham is told to cut the animals and to pieces wherein the two parties walk between the animals basically saying that if we break covenant then what happened to these animals happens to us it is very intriguing that the only party that walks between those two animals is not God and it's not God and Abraham it's God alone the surety of the Covenant is upon y'all very specifically but James's point brethren the scripture was fulfilled which says abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God you see it in James's argument he believes the gospel Genesis 15 he is justified before God works follow works flow works are the consequence works are the result of that faith it is the type of faith that is true faith it is a faith accompanied with all other saving graces that's why James invokes Abraham specifically Gill says the sense is that here by his faith was or this specifically notice on verse 20 22 let's skip right over that it's a bit of a difficult thing here do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect that word perfect can throw us off a bit can almost seem like in Genesis 15 he sort of started and then in Genesis 22 30 years later the faith was completed the faith was perfected no I think it's conditioned by the context it was legitimized it was confirmed it was evidenced it was manifested it was demonstrated James is not suggesting that works complete faith the whole context argues against that James is suggesting that works evidence faith and in that sense it completes it or it perfects it Gill says the sense is that here by his faith was declared to be sincere unfeigned true and genuine just as love is said to be perfected in 1st John 4:17 Poole says faith is the cause and works of the effects but the cause is not perfected by the effect only its perfection is demonstrated by it as good fruit does not make a tree good but shows that it is so and that's the relationship that we ought to appreciate in this particular section and that brings James to another one of his implications again same sort of thing that was in 17 20 and 26 you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only that passage should give us absolutely no true whatsoever we understand the contact justification as James uses it is that manifestation that confirmation that approval before men now let's look finally at Rahab likewise was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way she hid the messengers didn't she and think about what she did in that particular section now I know that the question is often asked well she lied she lied and there's a whole host to ink written on how to you know sort of explain that and deal with that you know what I have to say James to Hebrews 11 show her as a hero sure as a hero they don't devolve into a discussion on ethics and when it's right or okay to lie she's a hero of the faith let's not miss that in her particular instance though that lie was also an act of treason why were the spies or as James calls them messengers angels Anglos why did the spies come to Jericho were they there to check their internet speed were they there to see if there were you know gas stations and you know a Costco no they were there on a reconnaissance mission to bring back Intel to General Joshua because the city was going to be destroyed by General Joshua and the troops so when those spines were on that particular mission to give them harbor to give them quarter to give them safe space was an act of treason against the city of Jericho now I think the contrast that James develops here is striking remember back in verses 15 and 16 he says if a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you says to that depart in peace be warmed and fill but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body what does it profit James is saying there you deadbeats profess faith in Christ and a believer comes to your door and he's cold and he's hungry you don't even give a ham or hotdog enough and a shirt or a jacket you don't do anything for him look at Rahab rehab at risk to her own life Rahab at risk to her own status Rahab at risk to everything give safe haven to these foreign spies that have come to survey the land so they can return word to Joshua who is going to destroy Jericho you see Rahab's faith here is demonstrated by her work the fact that she hides the spies gives us manifest proof that she has genuine faith in the living in the true God you can see that even in the context as she rehearses to these men concerning God in other words she hides them and then she tells them of her faith she knew of God's promise to give Israel the land Joshua 2:9 she knew of God's power Joshua 2:10 she confessed God's majesty Joshua 2:11 she cast herself on God's mercy Joshua 2 12 and 13 a mercy not only in terms of salvation that she received but a mercy in terms of temporality that she received you see when you get to Joshua chapter 6 guess who you find with the covenant people Rahab the porn a Rahab the harlot as well Ruth for 2222 Sulman begat Boaz by Rahab you know who tells us that Matthew chapter 1 verse 5 that places Rahab the harlot in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ whom Davis calls the Shady Lady of Jericho finds herself in the device in the geology geology of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so the hiding of the spies the hiding of the messengers was the work that demonstrated that Rahab indeed had true faith now if we ask the question and we are coming to a close if we ask the question why Rahab like why I mean we get Abraham right he's the father of the faithful we call him you know father Abraham he was the friend of God he was this man distinguished by by having these sort of insurmountable things but but who contrary to hope in hope believe but why Rahab well first the the specimen of her faith is magnificent that she hid these spies was a great risk to her own life to her own family but as well she is a Gentile as well she is a wretch that Abraham wasn't a wretch you know what Abraham was doing before he got out of her the Chaldeans he was an idolaters ship the same idols that his father Tara did you see this in Joshua chapter 24 Abraham wasn't brought up in the church Abraham didn't have you know Reformed Baptist well it used to be cassettes we'd keep in our pockets whatever happened to cassettes now they're all on phones he didn't have you know podcasts of James White that just wasn't his story he was converted out of paganism but Rahab the harlot is a beautiful display of God's grace in the life of this woman gill says this instance Rahab is produced with the other Abraham to show that wherever there is true faith whether in Jew or Gentile and man or woman and greater or lesser believers or in such who have been greater or lesser sinners there will be good works that's the point germane to James's dealing Manton has this beautiful observation believers no notice the New Testament authors still call her Rahab the porn a don't believe that means she continued to be a porn a a harlot after her conversion but it's a way of identifying her it's a way of of remembering not for her shame see when I think of Rahab the harlot as a believer don't think oh that Rahab the harlot I think praise God from whom all blessings flow praise God that Rahab the harlot is going to sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb praise God that this woman who was a poor nay has been washed in the blood of Jesus that's what Manton says believers though they justify their profession are still monuments of free grace it is Rahab the harlot justified by works the scars and marks of old sins remain not to our dishonor but to God's glory so James's point whether you're a patriarch or a prostitute true and saving faith will always be accompanied with all other saving races in Genesis 15 abraham believed God it was accounted n't to him for righteousness Genesis 22 he's ready to obey God - even killing his son Isaac that is the demonstration the justification by works and of course in Rahab situation she hid those spies and then the conclusion of the whole is a fitting summary again consistent with 24 20 and 17 for as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also no it's a bit of an interesting thing he's got faith corresponding with body he'd almost think that faith would correspond with spirit as the animating principle but I don't think we're supposed to parse it out into those details James's point is simple if you book if you profess faith in Jesus and you don't bridle the tongue again in context you don't visit widows and orphans or orphans and widows in their distress you don't keep yourself unspotted from the world your faith is a dead body it's a dead carcass got flies buzzing around it pastor Porter referred to two Lazarus I think earlier today very specifically in that idea that Lazarus was called to come forth remember the report when Jesus says roll away the stone what did they say the old King James has it well behold he stinketh behold he stinketh what are they saying you don't roll away a stone from a tomb and call a dead body forth well James's point in verse 26 as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also so let us ponder that refrain let us ponder that consideration let us not blunt James's sword let us see the harmony between James and Paul they both insist upon sovereign grace they both insist upon faith in Jesus Christ as that alone instrument of justification and they both insist that that faith is not alone but is ever accompanied with all other saving races and it is no dead faith but it worked if by love let us indeed imbibe that let us appropriate it and let us by the grace of God put our money where our mouth is we have professed the true religion we have professed faith in Christ let us go therefore and live like it well let us pray our Father we thank you for Abraham they're the examples of Abraham and Rahab we thank you for James's argument in this passage of Scripture give us Grace and wisdom to see the the blessed harmony and unity with James and Paul and let us see the emphasis in James and in Paul that we are saved unto good works we are saved we were for this cause God has saved us so that we would walk in good works those things he has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them give us grace and these things Lord God and give us a desire to obey your law not for salvation but because we have been saved go with us now watch over us watch over the church bless pastor Porter in the coming weeks as he preaches the Word of God give all the Brethren ears to hear and hearts to receive and may Christ ever be glorified and praised and exalted in this local body and we ask in Jesus name Amen well will remain