Ascension Presbyterian Lord's Day Worship 11/19/2023

We're going to wait a couple of minutes.

The church is turning our folks away, even because the parking lot is full, so we have a couple of people trying to get in here, so let's just wait a couple more minutes.

We have a couple of people trying to get in here, so let's just wait a couple more minutes. We have a couple of people trying to get in here, so let's just wait a couple more minutes. We have a couple of people trying to get in here, so let's just wait a couple more minutes.

I don't know if this is familiar to us. I mean, I don't think it's in the Trinity Hymnal, the tune, at least. I might be wrong, but anyway, it is not a complicated tune. It does have a little bit of a faster tempo, so we'll just do kind of a quick call and response.

I'm going to go to the first, Your Love, O God, here on this first line, and then you'll see what I mean.

The way it starts out is, Within your temple we have thought upon your love, O God.

Do up to that point with me, so start with me on three. One, two, three.

Within your temple we have thought upon your love, O God. Good.

Moving on.

As is your name, O God, your praise is spread through earth abroad.

Sorry, start with me on three. One, two, three, that is. One, two, three.

As is your name, O God, your praise is spread through earth abroad.

Make sure you go up a little bit on that earth, particularly. And then it basically, well, it's not the exact tune, but the words repeat.

Going on.

As is your name, O God, your praise is spread through earth abroad.

Rather than starting right in the middle there, let's kind of just start at the beginning of the first line here, and kind of go all the way towards the end. So at the very beginning with me. One, two, three.

Within your temple we have thought upon your love, O God. As is your name, O God, your praise is spread through earth abroad. As is your name, O God, your praise is spread through earth abroad.

The second line with me real quick. Just kind of get it. I know because we're going really fast through this, and so do the second verse with me. On three. One, two, three. Oh, I'm sorry. The second, I mean, it's verse five.

I'm sorry. Let's just do verse one real quick again. So on three. One, two, three.

Within your temple we have thought of. As is your name, O God, your praise is spread through earth abroad. As is your name, O God, your praise is spread through earth.

I think that will be good enough to be going on with. Just remember, you know, those sixteenth notes, that sixteenth notes, and then the little notes with the dots by it to actually give them a little bit of an extra length there, particularly upon your love, O God.

So it's not just quarter note, quarter note.

We have thought upon your love, O God.

And so it has a little bit extension there. But other than that, I think we're good to go.

Call to Worship and Prayer for Joyful Corporate Worship

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome to the corporate worship of our God. Please stand. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and even forevermore.

What sweet promises and comfort it is to be a child of God. Come out now. Let us worship him. Please pray with me. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We come as a thankful and joyful people. Clinging to your precious promises.

Knowing that you will be our God and you have made us your people. This delights us, O Lord. And I pray that you would cause our hearts to swell within us. That we would be filled with joy and thanksgiving.

And that our worship, that we are few in number today and feeble, would be actually strong because our hearts are hot for you. I ask these things in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Please kneel for the corporate confession of sin. Let us join together in confessing our sins. Almighty and most merciful Father. We are thankful that your mercy is higher than the heavens. Wider than our wanderings.

Deeper than all our sin. Forgive our refusal to relieve the suffering of others. Our obsession with creating the life of constant pleasure. Our indifference to the treasures of heaven. Our neglect of your wise and gracious law.

Help us to change.

Love what you love and do what you command. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Please stand. In him we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins. According to the riches of his grace. Which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence. O people of God, take heart today.

If you be in Christ, your sins are forgiven.

Amen.

Please take up the hymnal and turn to number 715. The Trinity Hymnal. 715. Come ye thankful people, come. 715. Please take up the bulletin insert. We just practiced this with DJ. Let us sing heartily together Psalm 48C.

Please remain standing for the reading of the word from the book of Jude.

Contending for the Faith in Jude

Jude.

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James. To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ. Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation.

I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith. Which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed who long ago were marked out for this condemnation.

Ungodly men who turned the grace of our God into lewdness and denied the only Lord God and our Lord, Jesus Christ. But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. As Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Likewise, also, these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke you.

But these speak evil of whatever they do not know, and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds. Late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up from the roots.

Raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame. Wandering stars, for whom is reserved a blackness of darkness forever. Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men, with ten thousand, also saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way.

And of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lust, and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. How they told you that there would be mockers in the last time, who would walk according to their own ungodly lust.

These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves upon the most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

And on some have compassion, making a distinction, but others, save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and presents you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.

Amen. The Word of the Lord.

Thank you, God.

Let us now confess our faith in the singing of the Apostles' Creed. Let's begin. I believe in God the Father.

Please take up the Trinity Hymnal and turn to number 521.

My hope is built on nothing less. Very familiar hymn to us, and we should be able to sing it with great confidence this morning. 521. Let us begin. Please kneel for the prayers of the people. We are low in number, so please jump on one of the Beatitudes if there is a longer pause.

What a great thing for us to pray through this morning. In seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up on a mountain. And when he was seated, his disciples came to him. Then he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

It is on you that we would study your law, and we would see more about who you are, and who you are to us.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.

Rejoice!

Amen.

Please stand and take up the insert again for the Psalm of the Month. You should be well acquainted with Psalm 67 by now. O God, show mercy to us. Psalm 67. Amen. May it be so, O Lord. Thank you. Please remain standing for the reading of the word from James 2.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

I'm going to begin reading in verse 14. James 2, beginning at verse 14. What is it, prophet, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can 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, O 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.

Please pray with me now. O Lord, we thank you for your inscripturated word. We know that it is holy and infallible, inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient. I pray that your people would be instructed and that they'd have even greater confidence in their salvation in Christ and in the truth of your word today as a result.

We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Please be seated. Thank you. For those of you who are needing an outline, I have four points for you. I'm not going to follow them very systematically, but your notes can be organized into those headings.

First, Abraham, an example of living faith. That's the first point I'd like you to consider. Abraham, an example of living faith. Second, faith and works in concert. Faith and works in concert. Harmony in the midst of a perceived contradiction.

Faith and works in concert. Third, Rahab, an example of living faith. And I believe she is going to get shortchanged a little in the message. I'm only going to say a couple of things about Rahab, but that will be the third point.

And we'll close again with a simple statement. Faith without works is dead. Faith without works is dead. One more time very quickly. Abraham, an example of living faith. Number two, faith and works in concert.

Three, Rahab, an example of living faith. That same language as the Abraham reference. Rahab, an example of living faith. And four, faith without works is dead. Faith without works is dead. Are James and Paul at odds over faith and justification?

That's the issue that we're going to really be diving into today. They both quote Genesis 15 .6. This is the controversial passage in James. Both say Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

But listen to the difference in their use of Genesis 15, this example of Abraham. James says, you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. James 2 .24. And Paul says, for if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about.

Romans 4 .2. Now, one lesson that has to be learned here is that we can't pluck individual verses out of Scripture and pit them against others. This is a very common practice. We build doctrines off of single verses.

We have to be careful not to do that. Some of the controversy and apparent contradiction is cleaned up and resolved when you put both of them back into their context. Is there a contradiction between James and Paul?

And if there's a contradiction between James and Paul, then we'd have to say that there's a contradiction in Scripture. I would say to you, James and Paul are not at odds and there is not a contradiction in Scripture.

The starting place of the people of God is one of implicit trust in the Word of God. If we find ourselves struggling with what we see as some kind of paradox or contradiction, we have to understand the deficiency is in our interpretation, not in the most holy Word of God.

We don't worship the Scripture, but we worship the God who authored it and preserved it and protects it for us. So we have great confidence. We don't have to dance around James 2 because we are Reformed and we're concerned that the Protestant Reformation is going to become unraveled by the exposition of a text of Scripture.

James and Paul seem to be in contradiction, but they're not. The unbelieving skeptics believe that the Scripture is full of contradictions. We do not. Both of these authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are zealous that their audiences would be genuinely united to Christ by faith and live accordingly.

So let's dig into it. Historically, there have been two ways of reconciling James and Paul, and I'm going to offer the third, more simple option at the end, which is my final conclusion of this. Most of this is taken from William Pemble, a Puritan.

The first, he does a good job of concisely stating the arguments. This is supported through Calvin and other places. So this is a good place for us to consider. I've taken his works with some modification, but he's the original source of these.

How are Paul and James reconciled? How do they both, quote, Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness, saying what appears to be very different things? These are the two most common answers to this, and I believe these are supported by Scripture as well.

The first way of reconciling James and Paul is by distinguishing the word justification. And this may be taken either for the absolution of a sinner and God's judgment on the one hand, or for the declaration of man's righteousness before men.

When reformed people see justified, they see capital J doctrine of justification. They put that in everywhere that it says the word justified is, and that is not always appropriate to do. There is a systematic theological principle of justification which cannot be denied.

But in every instance, the word justified doesn't mean, in total, the doctrine of justification. Does that make sense? There are two options here. The absolution of a sinner in God's judgment or the declaration of a man's righteousness before men.

This is going to be very important in James, I believe. We're going to see more of that in just a moment. This distinction, this author claims, is certain and has its ground in Scripture, which uses the word justify in both ways.

For the acquitting of us in God's sight and for the manifestation of our innocence before man against accusation or suspicion of fault. They apply this distinction to reconcile the two apostles in this way.

Paul speaks of justification in the forum of God. James speaks of justification in the forum of man. For Paul, in God's sight, a man obtains remission of sins and is reputed to be just only for his faith in Christ, not for his work's sake.

And we say hallelujah, amen, reformation, doctrine, right? For James, a man is justified by works and not faith only. In man's sight, we are declared to be just by our good works. Inward and invisible graces are made visible to man in the good works.

The good works that they see us perform. Now, that's a general overview of the first position. The text in James supports this. In our section in chapter two, verse 18, James says, show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works.

The true Christian calls out the hypocrite, the hypocritical professor, by a real proof and not just a verbal profession. In the James text, Abraham is said to be justified when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar, James 2, 21.

It's scripturally evident that Abraham was justified in God's sight long before, at least 25 years, Genesis 15. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. He started walking after God in faith.

Years later, he is put to the test and he is called by God to offer his son Isaac on the altar. And Abraham's belief was testified to by his actions, his obedience to God. Therefore, in his offering Isaac, his son, he was declared before all the world to be a just man and a true believer.

And it seems for this purpose that God tested Abraham in this great trial of faith that all believers might see a rare pattern of lively and justifying faith and see that Abraham was called the father of the faithful.

Abraham's faith produced works which made his faith complete. That language of perfect, we've already touched on it in James. It's where we get the idea of teleological. It comes to its end, its completion, its purpose.

So Abraham could make great declarations about God, but it really is evidenced in his actions. It's true for us, isn't it? We can say we really love Christ, but if we live like pagans, it really betrays our declaration that we love in Christ.

And last week we learned that the kind of faith is very important in this discussion. The qualitative nature, do we really have a genuine faith in Christ? And if we do, it is our salvation. And if we do have this, it's also going to be our transformation.

We're not going to live as the worldly live. Well, that's the first one. There's a second. It's really dealing with the language and use of justification in the first one. The second one is the use of faith.

The second way of reconciling these passages is by distinguishing the word faith, which is taken in a double sense. It is first taken for that faith which is true and living. Faith which works through love and is fruitful in all manner of obedience.

Second, it is taken for that faith which is false and dead. And this is what James is talking about. The man professes, I have faith. And James says, your faith looks like dead faith because there are no corresponding works that flow out of your faith.

Only a bare acknowledgement of the truth of all the articles of religion accompanied with an outward formality of profession. It's yet destitute of a sincere obedience. Even the demons believe and have some kind of faith and tremble.

But they don't have that kind of faith. They don't have saving faith. When Paul affirms that we are justified by faith only, he speaks of that faith, which is true and living, working by love. When James denies that a man is justified by faith only, he disputes against that faith, which is false and dead.

And without power to bring forth any good works. Here, there is not a contradiction because Paul teaches that we are justified by a true faith. And James affirms that we are not justified by a false faith.

Are you thoroughly confused yet? Let's go back to the book of Romans really quickly. I hope to bring some clarity to you and help you understand this. I'm going to give it to you now so that it comes up a couple of times.

Paul and James are refuting two different errors. That's why they sound different. They both esteem and treasure genuine faith in Christ, but they have a different problem that they're addressing in each of these books.

That's why plucking those verses out and causing a contradiction is unwise because it doesn't take into account the circumstances of which the authors are speaking. Paul says clearly we are not justified by works.

James emphatically says we are justified by works. James understands works to be a working faith. We learned that in the last couple of weeks. A faith that produces something in us in opposition to the idol and dead faith of the hypocrite.

That empty profession that James seems to be fighting against. Paul says we are not justified by works. James says we are justified by a working faith. There's almost a positive and negative doctrine in each, both Paul and in James.

Paul severs works from our justification, but not from our faith. We say that again. Paul severs works from our justification, but not from our faith. James joins works to our faith, but not our justification.

It's interesting. It's two sides of the same coin. Two very different angles arriving at the same place. The supremacy and preeminence of Christ in union with him and faith in him. And an outward way of living that's reflective of an inward reality of faith in Christ.

Let's look at our text here. I think I'm going to help set the stage for us. For understanding this a little bit better. First off, there is a discussion about the Jews and the Greeks. Turn back to chapter three of Romans.

I'm going to cite a couple of these for you. And then it's going to help us, I believe. Romans chapter three. What advantage? This is verse one. Then has the Jew or what is the profit of circumcision?

Much in every way. Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God for what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? The argument, the question here is the Jews have the oracles.

They have the covenant signs. Does the unbelieving Jew render the promises of God of no effect? The answer is no. Certainly not. Indeed, let God be true. But every man a liar as it is written that you may be justified in your words.

And may overcome when you are judged. It should be noted. This is not James. This is Paul from chapter two. For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God. But the doers of the law will be justified.

That's Paul in chapter two. That sounds a lot like James, doesn't it? The Gentiles who do not have the law by nature do the things in the law. These not having the law are a lot to themselves who show the work of the law written in their hearts.

Their conscience also bearing witness in between themselves, their thoughts accusing or else excusing them. Indeed, you are called a Jew, verse 17 of chapter two and rest on the law and make your boast in God and know his will and approve the things that are excellent.

And are confident that you yourselves are guides to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the babes. You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?

You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say do not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? Do you make your boast in the law? Do you dishonor God through the breaking of his law for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you as it is written?

Now, it's important to see that what Paul is combating is certainly a works law righteousness. In context, he's going to even invoke the circumcision of Abraham. He's going to say, you guys are putting your confidence in your circumcision, your law keeping and your works, but you have missed the more central, more crucial matter, and that is faith in Christ.

In James, the hypocrite says, oh, I have faith in Christ. His life betrays it. He has no concept of obedience. Both of them fail to have genuine faith in Christ and to walk in his ways. Paul confines all Jews and Greeks under sin.

So if you've got a works righteousness, Paul is going to shatter it. He says, verse nine of chapter three, are we better than they? No, not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.

As it is written, there is none righteous. No, not one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have all together become unprofitable. There is none who does good.

No, not one. Their throat is an open tomb with their tongues. They have practiced to see the poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood.

Destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law.

That every mouth may be stopped. And all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. Skipping down to verse 28 of chapter three.

Again, is there a contradiction? Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. The Gentiles also, since there is one God who will be justified, is circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.

Do they?

We then make void the law through faith. Certainly not. On the contrary, we establish the law. I appreciate your patience. Continue down into chapter four. 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. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. The same text that James quotes.

Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works.

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. And here's a very important part of this discussion. The Jews are going to say Abraham is our father and we followed after him.

We've had circumcision and we're pretty good at keeping the law. Therefore, we should be accepted in the sight of God. Look and see how Abraham is perfectly able to represent both the Jew and the Gentile as a father of faith.

Look at verse nine and following. It says, does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted?

This is very important. Was he declared to be righteous while he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, Paul writes, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had while still uncircumcised.

Paul is combating and even in Romans, just like Galatians, this Judaizing tendency to cling to circumcision and law keeping and works apart from sincere and genuine faith in Christ. He smashes their argument here.

Abraham didn't have to be circumcised in order to be called right in his standing with God. God declared him to be righteous in that standing before circumcision, but enter James. But in his faithfulness, he was circumcised.

And he lives 25 to 35 years as a faithful man following God. And God puts him to the test and he says, take your son, your only son, and offer him on the mountain. And Abraham says, yes, sir. And he goes and he begins to do it.

He received the sign of circumcision, the seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had while still uncircumcised. That he might be the father of all those who believe. Though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also.

Paul invokes the Jew and Gentile salvation issue here, and he uses Abraham exquisitely to show that God is not respecting persons. He's not prequalifying them on the basis of circumcision or uncircumcision, that faith is the real issue.

Verse 12, the father of circumcision to those who are not only of the circumcision, but who also walks in the steps of which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. So there is a very strong interplay in Paul between faith and works and justification, just like we have in James.

For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect. Because the law brings about wrath, for there is no law, there is no transgression. Let's go back to the book of James.

Thank you for your patience and going through that with me. We're going to get back into the language of our text in James 2. We're not going to go and read Genesis 22, it's very familiar to us as a church.

If you have some questions about that, please go back and reread this afternoon Genesis 22. But the declaration of Abraham as a righteous man is made long before Genesis 22. That's very important in our text.

Genesis 22 reveals the sincerity and the genuineness of Abraham's faith and his obedience. The hypocrite that James is confronting in his book here, he would not be found faithful 20-something years later.

Because he had an empty, hollow faith, a mere profession of faith. I'd like to offer an additional solution. I think it's pretty basic, but I think it could be helpful to you. To this perceived problem, the contradiction between Paul and James.

Paul, as we saw, was preaching faith in Christ alone and combating that law and works righteousness. He was refuting that circumcision, law keeping, and works were sufficient to save. The reality is, Paul's hearers and the error that he is refuting is they didn't have faith and were not believing on Christ.

They were trusting on other things. And James is rebuking the opposite. James is combating a faith profession that is devoid of fruit, a work, and it has no works of righteousness. It's very different things.

The professor in Paul's argumentation says, I'm a child of Abraham. I've been circumcised. I keep the law. I have good works. I'm accepted by God. And Paul says, no, you need to put all of your faith in Christ.

James has a guy who's saying, I have all of this faith in Christ. And he has nothing to show for it. He says, your faith is dead. Both of these errors are resolved by a genuine faith in Christ, which is transformative in the heart and life of a believer, causing them to perform good works.

It's interesting, isn't it? Let's look at our text again. Was not Abraham our father justified? That word means to make or render righteous. But it also means to show or exhibit or evidence that you are righteous.

So we have the doctrine of justification where God declares a man to be righteous. And we have a man who does things that show that he has been declared to be righteous because he walks in righteousness.

Abraham, our father, was justified by works. When he offered Isaac, his son, on the altar. This verse is very important. Verse 22. Do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect?

Abraham's faith was shown to be complete because he walked with God and he obeyed him. Brothers and sisters. Is that true of you? Everyone here would make a bold profession of their faith in Christ. But do the works adorn your profession?