Oct 18, 2020 Sunday Morning Worship Service

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Back to Bible Basics  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  34:25
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Faith & Works (part 2)

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That song I'll just cheer you up. Okay to feel real good about that song.

MN I just want to recognize David and Kayden for the work. They do here young men and they're doing a great job and leading us serving us reading the scripture and the work that they do in picking up the the cups that we use and they bring them back and of course doing the collection and so were thankful for them and and appreciate them very much and work that they do here. we continue in our series of lessons this morning about Back to Basics and we're dealing with the topic of faith and works which is fundamental to To the Bible do its instructions to us and as we consider those things about the basics.

I got to catch up to your brother.

I think yeah, there you go. I think your might have to do some kicking yourself. So we're talking about faith and works the last week. We were talking about the basics of how they work. And we read from the book of James James chapter 2. And there we were James tells us that we are Justified just as Abraham was by works. coincidentally in Romans chapter for the Bible tells us Paul writes in Romans chapter 4 verse 3 that a man is not justified by works but by say so there's a seeming contradiction there that people take hold of and it's kind of like people on a hold to Romans if they believe one way and they want to hold a James if they believe the other way, but you got a harmonizer to because God doesn't lie and God cannot contradict himself. So therefore we have to understand that there has to be a harmonizing of the tooth that were justified by faith and we're justified by works. I think one of the underlying problems or issues and interpreting the passages understanding the meaning of works. We have to understand everything in its context that's true for every topic every word. So, you know, you've if you watched any of the hearings last week for the Supreme Court nomination. They described the judge that was the candidate as being an originalist. adoptionist One who was a constructionist? now all those words that they were describing net the same thing. But it's how you use them in a context that changes or at least provides another Nuance of meaning. So for instance, if we're not justified by works and James tells us that we are not justified by works that we need to consider what works are being contemplated because there are works of God. There are works of the law. There are works that man does with his hands. And there are good works. And so we need to determine from the context what works are under consideration. So as we think about faith and works.

Leslie think about faith and works. I want us to consider this passage from John chapter 6 beginning of verse 28 Then I said to him what shall we do that we may work the works of God. And so the Pharisees and the Jews had come to Jesus. What do we need to do? What works do we need to work? So Jesus answered and said to them this is the work of God that you believe in him whom he said. So Jesus says I haven't work for you to do this. Is it believe on him? Whom he said so here we fun faith belief doesn't work. It's a work it's something that God gives us to do. So when we look at the illustration of Abraham because Abraham is lifted up even by Jesus. He's lifted up as the great example of faith. But he's also lifted up as a great example of one who was justified by works. So what works?

What that make? What works did he do? Did he perform that justified him? Well in Paul's account. We're going to get there just shortly Paul is talking in context about the word the law of Moses.

Abraham lived long before Moses came along and Burnham lived long before the Ten Commandments Abraham live before the lawn mower. And so the works that he was doing where the works God gave him to do. Now the works that God gave the juice if you came through Moses we call that the law of Moses and so the works of the law. are not the works that Abraham did and the work that we do today, the things that God has provided us to do which is love our neighbor as ourselves. To do good unto all men to do those things. All those things that God asks us to do. Those are works. And he says those works we are to do those are good works. Those are works of God and one universal work. That we see here is faith. And so even the Patriarchs the Jews and now us as Christians have that one work as well. Not only work but that work called faith. We believe we have to believe Ford is impossible to please God without faith. So this is important for us to understand and as weak as we look at this is not John 6:28. This is Revelation chapter 2 verse 19 Again, the work of the secretary is is lacking here, and we need to think of so. There in Revelation 2:19. It says I know your works. Your Love your service your fake your patience and ask for your works the last for more than the first and other words. Ask for you works you have done more then when you begin. You groan? That's what he say. It's become greater. And notice he says I know your works. In English, we put a a colon there or some colon and we say I know your works. Your Love Your Service your faith your patience those are works That's what he's talking about. Their soul of is a word service to man to one. Another to God Is War Belize safe again is work patients going to be go back to all the virtues that we are to do to to demonstrating Our Lives. We call them the virtues of Grace we could call them the fruit of the spirit almost think we are to produce those are works. That works of the law but things God wants us to have in our lab to produce and so that we grow now the idea of thing is also defined for us and Romans chapter 1 and Romans chapter 16 Romans chapter 1 verse 5 Romans chapter 16 verse 26 the exact same expression here Obedience of faith that tells us something about faith. You know a lot of people like to think that I'm saved by thing. That is I'm saved because I believe in Jesus Christ.

But they leave off The Obedience of say they don't do what Jesus asked to do ask them to do. Remember what Jesus said why call me Lord and do not the things I say. so we find your that it's imperative that we do the things that Jesus says which is faith faith demonstrates itself. Through Works through obedience. And that's the same idea doing the works of God is obeying God. That's what it comes down to it as we consider the what was just read. That came to the fine job with the ones to look at this. And analyze it just a bit. So Romans Chapter 2 beginning of Hurst Ford he says or do you despise The Riches of his goodness that work goodness. There is really the stem word for the word grace. Kris Grace, he despises Grace forbearance is long-suffering not knowing that the goodness grace of God leads you to repentance.

And that's another thing he's noticed. He says doesn't the goodness of God leads you to repentance. Doesn't it make you want to change your life to be more like God to be more like the way God wants us to be show the goodness of God leads us in that direction to do that. He says but in accordance with the hardness of your impenitent heart now, we have to understand who is the audience Paul's address in here. The Romans he's not addressing Caesar. He's not addressing the government Court. He's addressing Christians who happen to be Roman citizens in Rome in the city of Rome know the church in Rome is comprised the both Jew and Gentile Jew and Gentile Christians those Jewish Christians left Judaism. They left the followings and teachings of Moses and began following the the teachings of Christ. It became followers of Christ Christians. That's the meaning of the word Christian sending with the Gentiles. They left their pagan gods. And it was a multiplicity of pagan dogs and they began to worship their one God. How much Jesus is part of the godhead that one God? And so he's talking to Christians here in the Church of Rome and he saying here. That they're some of you that they should. You know that the goodness of God leads you to repentance but not as he says but in accordance with your harness and you're a penitent heart, some of them were acting this way. Some of them were behaving this way and other words. I didn't do anything wrong and even if I did I'm not going to repent That's the right attitude. That's the intended heart. He says you're storing up wrath in the day of Wrath and revelation of the righteousness of the righteous Judgment of God who will run into each one. According to his deeds. I left sometimes when I see these words in the English a lot of times, they'll do some translations that will not translate the word work. They won't put works there but they're put D or things you do, right, but they do it because he wanted to Skies.

Because a lot of people say we're not saved by works. We're not justified by works. And so here the translators came along and said, let's put Deeds there. He says will render to each one according to his works. It's the same word Works. You're gone works.

Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good also doing good now works is part of the process of salvation. Right because we're going to he's going to render to each one. According to what they doing good and notice he says seek for Glory. Sick for Glory other words were seeking to be with Jesus. We're seeking to be in heaven. We're seeking to be with the family of God. We're taking the glory in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Water and immortality are also things that we look for that we long for 4 that we hope for but to those who are self-seeking now. I think the religious world has it backwards. They say if you're looking for honor and Glory. And immortality then your self-seeking.

No, I'm looking for Glory and Honor and immortality that Jesus provides me.

Now here's the self-seeking part. Those who are still seeking or who? Those who do not obey the truth, but obey on righteousness indignation rough tribulations anguished other words, self-seeking is about following what I want to do. That's so freaking What if I want to be saved by the way, God wants me to be saved and I follow that I'm relying upon God not myself. Therefore. It cannot be defined of self-seeking.

but seeking God Self-seeking is to disobey and to not honor what God has asked us to do. So, he says tribulation and anguish on every soul man who does evil eye of the Jew first and also for the Greek so there's no bias. And if there's no Prejudice prejudiced Prejudice here with God no partiality. He says but glory honor and peace to everyone who's the other one June June Gentile or Jew and Greek who works? What is good? Who works what is good that is what God has asked him to do to the Jew first and also for the Greek or the Gentile for there is no partiality with God. We have to understand Paul here saying you got to do good you got to do those works that God wants us to do. And then we come to Romans chapter 40 says a man is not justified by works, but by faith and we'll get to that in just a second, but I want us to now look at Hebrews chapter 11. We began here who actually were ended the lesson last week here at this particular Passage. Just now Faith is the substance the Hupa stasis that is that the undergarden the support of things hoped for so your faith supports support all those things that God talks about in his word. We call that the promises of God. I'm Standing on the Promises of God, right? My face says those those promises are true and they will come to fruition when Jesus comes again. He says that faith and that's the substance faith is the substance that holds all those things that we hope for and hope is the one hope that we read about in Romans chapter 8 verse 24 the hope of Salvation and it's not something that we wish for. That's not hope it's something that we expect. Hope is an expectation. Not a wish. There's a difference. So he says now Faith is the support the undergirding of the things hoped for. And that's the one hope that we read about in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 4. He says there's one spirit and one body just as you were called in one. Hope of your calling the one hope. the hope of salvation the evidence of Things Not Seen evidence, you know, I haven't seen God. I haven't seen Moses. I've never seen the the lands of Egypt in the lands of Israel. Maybe song by pictures or on movies. But I know they exist. Just like we're talking about last week. I never met Abraham Lincoln and I never met George Washington and yet I know they exist. He'll the very same way that you know, they exist and that is through history through their writings. Didn't have pictures of George Washington had paintings but then technology advanced and when we got was got the camera we got pictures. So we do have pictures of Abraham Lincoln. But even still we know that they exist because history tells us they exist. So there's evidence evidence of Things Not Seen. Evidence of Things Not Seen there's evidence for by it the elders obtained a good testimony. So there in lies what this chapter is about. Paul or the Hebrews writers going to talk about things that he says it's necessary. It's the necessary ingredient for salvation because by faith We produce works and if we don't produce works then we have a dead faith. Then what good is our faith? What good is our belief in Jesus? If we don't act upon what Jesus tells us to do right so notice. How this chapter begins to unveil Itself by faith belief Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice to go by belief in God and because he believed in God and trusted in God and was devoted to God and was love to God. He did what God Said. That's what is under contemplation here by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice because that's what God told him to do. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So I told him what he wanted and by faith Abel offered that which God expected a more excellent sacrifice than Cain through which he obtained witness that he was righteous. There you go that demonstrates that he was righteous and demonstrates that he was justified before God because of his faith Exercise Works by faith Enoch was taken away so he did not see death Because he please God that is he did what God wanted him to do any was such a good good good garlic to God and to his fellow man that God bless him by taking him out of yours. And taking him to the realm of the unknown. Wright Hyundai didn't die in a car accident. He didn't get eaten by Jaws. He didn't get shot in the war. He didn't have a heart attack. He didn't catch pneumonia. He didn't do it anything like that got took him out of one side.

and then we coming to

A little ways down here in for 6, it's just but without faith. It is impossible to please him for he who comes to God must believe that he is you must believe that he exists. First of all, that's what you saying You must believe that he is is a present tense. He exists he exists and to say that in the present tense means he's at he has always existed. He has always existed esta. That's the significance of that phrase. I am. I am that I am that's what God said. That's what Jesus said eight times about himself. He says I am. And the Jews wanted to kill him because he said those things I am because by saying I am he was declaring himself to be God because only God the Father could say such a thing and since they did not believe in Jesus the son of God. They thought that he was blaspheming God and so they sought to kill him. But Jesus said I am I am God. I have always existed. That's what John says in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the word the log has the Word was God. So Jesus is the word. He's the law guys. He was with God and he is God. So again, but without faith, it is impossible to please him for you comes to God must believe that he is and now and so you have to believe in his existence. And therefore you have to believe in his work. Why you can't believe that he exists and that he has no part in your life or no part in the universe. But he exists and he has created and he has provided us that way back to him. So he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. So we have to believe in his existence and understand that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. That goes back to what Paul said in Romans Chapter 2 that we just read for we seek for Glory and Honor. Write we speak for those things and that's because we know God is rewarder. And because God said he would reward those who do such things. That's the beauty of it. So he is a rewarder of those who diligently

notice their diligently not he put a word there before the word seek diligently seek him some seek him. Others diligently seek him. Others diligently seek Him diligently seek Him and how do we do it really see Kim Colossians chapter 3 verse 16 tells us to let the word of Christ dwell in you. Richly we seek God we see Christ through his word and we let it rule Our Lives rich and now we come to that passes. We were talking about books. We've come to that passes the Romans chapter 4 and James chapter 2. I don't know if you can read that but I'll read it for you ever have believed God. This is Romans Chapter 4 verses 3 through 5 or righteousness. So a lot of people look at that verse and I say see he just believe in God and God made a matches. That's all that's all that matters. You don't have to do any works works or bad obedience is bad. You're relying upon yourself. If you do those things, you just have to believe in God. That's all you need to do. So they continued now to him who works. The wages are not counted as Grace but as debt but to him who does not work. There you go, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness. So they take that verse as the verse above all versus and they say see you just have to believe you don't have to work. You don't have to do anything and even if you did something you did sinful works like kill somebody or kill many people or do all sorts of heinous crimes in your life and never repent. You're still going to heaven. Because God Justified you already and you don't need to do good works. You don't have to do that works, but if you don't don't worry about that's the point. But James comes along. And he says what's not Amber him our father justified by works.

And the scripture was fulfilled with says now he's going to cut the exact same verse that he didn't in Romans 4:3 ever have 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. So what you talkin? How do we how do we merge those two things together facing a contrary to one another but they're not in Romans chapter 4 the whole context. He's dealing with the Jews who are forcing circumcision upon the Gentiles that is they were forcing the law of Moses. apocalypse that cause that the works of the law works of the law Show me coming to chapter 4. And he's talking about those very same work is not talking about all works of any kind talking about the works of the context. And hear the works. Where that rumor rely upon the works a lot Moses trying to claim that their justified by their circumcision. And if you read verse 12 and I would ask you read that today you go home and read Romans 4 and James chapter 2 the whole chapters. You read those two chapters in verse 12, he starts talking about circumcision and uncircumcision. So there we go. The context is referring to the works of the law of Moses before and after we have to read the context. So the works here are the works of the law and he says those who do not work in other words like Abraham Abraham did not work the works of the law of Moses, but he did work works you'll pay and that's what James tells us. But that's where James is picking up the point. He sang Abraham was justified by works. Works a lot Moses. What works that God gave him to do long before Moses and so he was justified. I don't is the summary here. He says Abraham believed God. This is James to Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness the exact same verse quoted in Romans 4:3 and he was called a friend of God. So then he continues you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith. Only a man is justified by works and not by faith full me that gets back to the definition of believe Abraham believed God. How did he believe By The Works he did. That's belief. That's Bible faith. That's The Obedience that we read in Romans chapter 1 of a poopy di it's a thing you can't separate works of obedience from Faith. Otherwise if you do you have a dead thing You just have I believe in Jesus and that's all I need to do. But Jesus again tells us not everyone who says Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven.

He who does the will of my Father in heaven? So why call me Lord? If you do not the things I say. That's a Faith is doing what he has to do. All right, all religious world are religious friends in our community. We'll come over here and I'll say that post guy. He's a false teacher. He sang that were saved by works were justified by works and I'm saying the only verse in the Bible that says we're not saved by faith only is found in James where he says were justified by works and not only You see that claim to be justified by faith always. But yet the Bible tells of piling we're not justified by faith only but by works that is the worst at Faith produces and it's not the works of the law, but the works of Jesus Christ in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10. He says for you were created in Christ. Jesus unto good works.

Were created in Christ Jesus to perform. These good works as opposed to the works of the law or any other for that matter. So it's imperative to understand the context that faith and works stand as a fundamental premise to our Salvation. So when it says we're saved by grace through faith. It means a faith that is active. It means the faith that is active that James tells us needs to be try as we consider faith.

What must I do to be saved? What must I do to be saved Jesus said he that believes and is baptized shall be saved. He that believes faith. And is baptized Works something that is produced something that Jesus requires something that these demands of us. He that believes and is baptized shall be safe back its back to we are saved by grace through faith and Faith always obeys if you want to be safe today by faith. Then Jesus says you need to be baptized which means you need to be understand that he's commanding you to be immersed in water for the Forgiveness of your sins. If you desire to do that today, you can and you can know for a fact that you're safe today. You are a right relationship with Jesus Christ because he's added you to his church. If you've done that and you've had an imperative Heart come upon you that is you you've walked the wrong ways. You live the wrong kind of life. Then as we read Romans Chapter 2 weeks that's all you need to do is repent come back. If you need to do one of those two things this morning do it by faith as we stand together and sing.

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