GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #467
Justification By Works
Pastor
Don Fortner
Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road
Danville,
Kentucky 40422-9438
There is a sense in which God’s
elect are justified by works, not before God, but before men. We justify our
profession of faith in Christ by our works. Believers do not show their faith
by creeds, confessions, and catechisms, but by their conduct. This is what
James teaches us in James 2.
(James
2:14-26) "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a
man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? {15} If a brother or sister be naked,
and destitute of daily food, {16} And
one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things
which are needful to the body; what doth
it profit? {17} Even so faith, if
it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
{18} Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy
faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. {19} Thou believest that there is one
God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. {20} But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is
dead? {21} Was not Abraham our father
justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? {22} Seest thou how faith wrought with
his works, and by works was faith made perfect? {23} And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed
God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the
Friend of God. {24} Ye see then how
that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. {25} Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,
when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? {26} For
as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead
also."
James and Paul are not
opposed to each other. In Romans Paul shows us the accomplishment of
justification. James show us the evidence of justification. If a man is a true
believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, he will justify his faith and prove its
reality by works of righteous obedience to God, even as Abraham did. Any faith
which does not produce obedience to God is a false faith, a demonic delusion.
It is not the faith of God’s elect.
Free grace is not opposed to
good works. Free grace promotes good works! The Holy Spirit does not leave us
to guess what kind of works they are which demonstrate the reality of faith.
Religion makes good works to be acts of asceticism by which men and women show
off before one another. The Word of God always makes good works, works of
godliness to be works of kindness and brotherly love.
Those good works by which
believers justify their professed faith in Christ before men are works of…
Patient submission to the
will of God (Jams 1:2-3). Believers
rejoice to submit all things to the will of God and the rule of his providence.
Faith simply trusts God. Trials make manifest what we are. If we believe God,
our trials will make that obvious. If we do not believe God, our trials will
make that obvious as well.
Love toward the people of
God
(James 1:26-27; 2:15-16). If we love each other, we bear one another’s burdens,
weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. We provide for,
care for, protect, and forgive those who are the objects of our love. That
faith which God gives always works by love; and love causes men and women to
bridle their tongues. Faith harnesses its energies to do good for people, not
to hurt and destroy them.
Faithful obedience to the
Word of God (James 2:21-23). Believers bow to the will of God in providence and
obey the revealed will of God in Scripture. Justified sinners, loving Christ,
surrender to his dominion. We bow to his doctrine, obey his precepts, submit to
his ordinances, and seek to worship him in the manner prescribed by him.
Self-denial and sacrifice
for the glory of God (James 2:23-25). True faith
is much more than a profession of Christianity, or the acknowledgement of a
creed. Faith in Christ causes people to be truly gracious. Believers willingly
hazard their lives for one another, as did Rahab.
That faith which knows
nothing about submission to the will of God, love for the saints of God,
obedience to the Word of God, self-denial and self-sacrifice for the glory of
God is nothing but an empty, meaningless show of hypocrisy. Do you justify your
profession of faith by your works?