The Roman Catholic Controversy Part 14

Well good morning beloved. Let's open in a word of prayer, jump into our study. Father we do come before you thankful for the teaching of thy word which informs us of our justification by faith in Jesus Christ.

Lord we thank you we approach you this morning knowing God that there's nothing that we can do nor add to thy perfect work of redemption which you've accomplished in Jesus Christ through his perfect obedience, through his sufferings, through his death on the cross, by his glorious resurrection from the dead, and also Lord through his intercession work as our mediator and high priest in heaven even now.

We thank you Lord that we can add nothing to that perfected once and for all work through the shed blood of your son Jesus Christ. We pray God that you would help us to continue to marvel in the majesty of thy grace, marvel in the majesty of the good work of salvation that you've accomplished in the hearts of your people.

We pray God that you would help us to come to a greater depth of understanding and of appreciation of this marvelous doctrine of justification as we continue to examine it under the light of scripture and also in light of the Roman Catholic controversy.

We ask these things in amen. Well beloved we want you to come to a deeper appreciation for this glorious doctrine of justification. We've been going through this and this this doctrine it kind of comes up almost on a weekly basis when we're talking about Roman Catholicism because it really is at the basis of our of our major distinction between Protestant and Catholic theology is the basis of our justification whether it be by works faith or a combination of such.

We want to help you continue to develop this idea this notion of of justification so we're going to stay on chapter 10 this week and continue going through this teaching and I want you to turn to page about 148.

Before we even go into it is there any items or anything that you found of interest or benefit in this chapter you'd like to share and we're in chapter 10 of the Roman Catholic controversy talking about justification.

That's how humans would assume that salvation was because we want to say that it can't be that easy right or that we could you know maybe do it or it's just it's so against human beings it says it is contrary to the natural religious impulses of all human beings to be so bereft of reasons for boasting you know and it just doesn't make sense to you that's right so divine and orange that's right.

You know I always talk I think I've mentioned this before but I was talking to a Roman Catholic several weeks ago now back in July and he's a friend actually I went to his I think maybe it's his niece's quinceanera yesterday and very very nice guy oh man just such a sweet guy Roman grew up Roman Catholic but I actually think he's an atheist he and I only know this because someone else who's close to him told me hey he's actually an atheist he's he just does the church stuff because he thinks it's good and he thinks like it's helpful but he doesn't really believe in God and and what's interesting of this individual is that he talking about faith and works and stuff and he really relies on his works for everything and he'll bring up instances where he'll ask me the question well which one is more just the person who at his who's lived a terrible life and has bedside you know makes a you know deathbed confession and then goes to heaven or the person who lived a good moral life his whole life and then ends up in hell like how how could that be just right.

And what an appropriate discussion when we're talking about justification. Okay which is just and I try to tell him well you know the Bible says and as soon as I say that he's no no no what do you say.

I said well I'm going to say what the Bible says and again and it becomes a question of authority. Okay. Well what's your what authority you're appealing to because our experiences are subjective. Right.

If you're going to ask me what I think well again I base what I think on God's word the Bible that's the basis of my authority. Where do you get your authority from. And again everyone has an intrinsic sense of right and wrong.

Everyone has an intrinsic sense of authority within oneself which is the error and sin of Israel in the Old Testament. You remember the times of judges before before you know the kings what was the sin of Israel was that everyone began to do what was right in their own eyes.

Okay that was their sin. Everyone began to do what was right in their own eyes and God's law was put to the wayside. And so this is the world that we're living in today. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes.

Another another word for it more modern term for it would be modern post-modernism or moral relativism. Okay where everyone does what's right in their own eyes that's literally moral relativism or post-modernism in which we are unfortunately in right now.

And so when it comes to the issue of justification so many individuals want to feel and feel that they have to contribute in some way shape or form because it is intrinsic in man to work. And that's a good thing.

Actually in the garden God created Adam and Eve and he put an intrinsic desire for work. If you've ever been unemployed uh you kind of you kind of know that feeling where at first first week is great because you get to sleep in second week you get a little antsy.

You start worrying more and more and you get this overwhelming feeling of you need to do something and and and it becomes overwhelming you. You have an intrinsic desire and and you are created for work.

It's it's good it's part of the created order. Now we're we're good. Where work becomes bad is when we think that we can work for God's approval or we can work for God's blessing. Where we can work for salvation.

And why why why that shift. Why is it why. Why are works good in one sense but then bad once it gets on that end of the spectrum. Why. Why does it become bad. Because work is good according to creation.

Right. The creation mandate. That's a huge one. Right. Because when you work for something what do you feel. You feel like proud. I mean i did this i accomplished this. Right. And there are a few things in which we cannot take ownership or pride over one is creation itself.

We can only take pride in so much as we contain it not so much as we have added to it. We didn't create. God created all things which is why ultimately he gets all the glory as the creator. And and the Lord also gets all the glory in all things of life but in particular in creation and in salvation.

Because these are things that he has exclusively done. You know God is so jealous over his works that he says in isaiah 44 verse 24 he says i'm Yahweh that is my name and i created the heavens the earth i stretched them out with my own hands.

And he asked the question who was with me. Okay. And so he say i'm the creator. And this is in contrast to the false gods that the israelites were flirting with at the time. And he says i made the heavens here.

If i stretch out the earth in the heavens i did it by myself who was with me. You know he says elsewhere in isaiah 42a he says i am Jehovah that is my name. And i will not give my glory. I will not share my glory of another nor my praise with graven images.

It's just how jealous God is over creation the fact that he made everything. But he's also jealous over salvation because he alone accomplishes it. He alone doesn't. No one else can add contribute to those things.

And so God is jealous over these things. And this is a godly jealousy. You know we tend to think as jealous especially in especially in today's world. We think of jealousy as something that's bad. Right.

So if you're jealous you're toxic. Right. Don't you want your husband or wife to be jealous over you. It means that they care that they love you they desire you that they want an exclusivity with you.

And God is jealous in that same way. God desires exclusivity in his devotion in his worship and his praise. And and so this is a good thing. So God is jealous over creation. He's jealous over his name.

He's jealous over salvation because he alone accomplishes it. And he alone is exclusive and being able to do it and accomplish it. So it is a good thing that God is jealous over these things in the same way.

Then we have to understand that when we talk about justification and and works God gets all the glory because he alone accomplishes it. You have nothing to add to it other than being a grateful recipient.

Just like you are a grateful recipient of creation. God puts you on this beautiful earth and he's giving you now a creation mandate. So also when we are born again we receive this spiritual new life. And now there's a spiritual mandate to a life of gospel obedience.

But it's not the root of salvation. So you didn't you didn't you didn't earn it. But by God's grace you can continue to receive the the blessings and benefits of it. Any questions so far. Any thoughts or comments.

That's right. That's right. All right. Let's look at the again page 148 in the roman uh roman catholic controversy in this subheading of works and faith it quotes galatians 2 16. I want to read that verse.

It says. Nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in christ jesus. Even we have uh even we have believed in christ jesus so that we may be justified by faith in christ and not by works of the law.

Since by the works of the law no flesh will be justified. And so here you have a clear contrast clear statement between justification by works and justification by faith. Now what are some of the things that maybe roman catholics mormons and jehovah's witnesses would say in rebuttal to this this text of scripture.

Correct. So they say that's absolutely right. So a jehovah's witness a catholic a mormon would say well that's talking exclusively about the mosaic law. No quote. They'll look at a scripture maybe like in galatians this is galatians chapter 2.

They'll probably look at galatians chapter 6 and there's there's a statement there about the law of christ. And so say well the mosaic law is what's being tossed out but in it. But we still have to follow the law of christ in order to have a share of that justification.

And then they'll likely point to another scripture. You know what scripture they'll likely point to. Come on guys it's an easy one. James what. James chapter 2. Let's go there for a moment. Now let's do some apologetics here starting verse 22.

Actually let's start in verse 21 james chapter 2. Verse 21 was not abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son isaac on the altar. You see that faith was active along with his works and faith was completed by his works and the scripture was fulfilled.

That says abraham believed god and it was counted to him as righteousness and he was called a friend of god. This is almost in clear contrast to what paul says in romans chapter 4. Where in romans chapter 4 paul's making the other side of the argument quoting the same text of scripture uh in regard to abraham where abraham believed and it was counted him as righteousness.

And paul's argument paul's saying no it was by faith by which he was counted as righteous. James is saying well no it was faith along with works. Which almost seems to be contradictory so much so that as you probably know famously you know martin luther you know wanted to throw out the book of james because it seemed to contradict the doctrine of justification by faith.

So where's where's the harmony here between what paul says and what james is saying. Is there a clear contradiction. Let's read a little bit more verse. Uh verse 24 of james 2 you see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Wait a second. Wait a second. Don't we believe you know faith alone. Isn't that one of the the mantras of uh of our of our faith by by faith alone. And james here saying not by faithful. It's a pretty scary statement.

It seems flat out contradictory to what our creed is. And so okay verse 25 in the same way was not also rahab the president justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way.

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead so also faith apart from works is dead. How do we harmonize these two things. Oh man this is a silent bunch of baptists right now trying to figure this out.

Let's let's let's let's just stop for a real quick second let's acknowledge that this is kind of hard. It's not so easy. I mean you've got some statements here that that really uh need some uh some exegesis and really need some some harmonization here.

So all right brother give it your shot. Yeah you know what's interesting is that james and paul are probably writing around the same time. People don't realize this. They're writing like they are writing probably exactly the same time.

So galatians written around 49 a .d. Uh this was written probably around that same time. And so this conversation was very fluid in the early life of the church. But a little difference is that that is that james is is is more of a pastor than paul.

Paul's more of a missionary church planner. He's going all over the place. Uh james was more so in the local church in jerusalem. And there's a difference between someone who's a missionary and someone who's a pastor and one of let me just give you some insight as a pastor.

Uh like james is like one of the best pastoral books because it expresses the heart of every pastor for his congregation. And it starts really in chapter one. I want you to look at verse 22 in chapter one.

And this is really the heart of every pastor for his congregation. Be doers of the word and not hearers only. So now we begin to see the heartbeat uh of what he's going to be later saying in chapter two.

Okay so he says don't just be hearers of the word. Church is filled with hearers people the whole structure the way we we even do church is conducive for hearing not always doing. And so we have a building we have pews.

You sit down and you listen. Okay that's good. We need to listen for instruction. But church is not always conducive for doing because you hear. But are you actually doing right. And and james gets this.

And james is talking to an audience of hearers who people who he knows are hearing god's word. But they're not always doing it right. So he says be hearers of the word and not uh and be doers of the word not only hearers deceiving yourselves.

So if you only hear the word but you don't do the word you're actually deceiving yourself. Man that that that like pastors like we love this text because it expresses the truth and the reality of preaching.

Preaching isn't only just for your edification. So you feel good. You walk out the doors but so that you put it into practice. And that's what james is saying here you have to not just hear god's word.

You have to put it into practice. And so that's that's that's the heart behind chapter two. Okay so i want you to keep this in mind. This is the heartbeat uh behind this chapter two. Then he goes off to to to list the sin of partiality.

He says listen. Some of you guys are not getting what church is about. Some of you guys are acting towards favoritism towards the rich. Uh you know you're you're putting aside the poor. You don't. Really you're not really getting what it means to be christian not really getting what it means to follow christ.

And then he begins to say listen in verse 14 of chapter 2 what good is it my brothers. If someone says he has faith but does not have works can that faith save him. Then he begins to give us a kind of a laundry list of examples of of where i think he's literally saying where the church is falling short.

So he's talking about his particular church in general here if a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food and one of you says to them go in peace be warm and filled without giving them the things needed for the body.

What good is that. So again james is like a he's a he's a good pastor. Like he gets it's like listen there's there's needs in the church there's needs among god's people. And you're not fulfilling those obligations.

Like what good is it to say that person hey be warm be filled you know hope you have a great day. And then you don't help them in their daily needs in their daily walk. Like you're missing the point of christianity here it's not just about saying it's not just hearing.

It's also about doing okay. So at the heart of what james is getting at is saying listen ultimately don't just be hearers. But you have to be doers. Because by being a doer you're demonstrating that that faith is authentic.

You're demonstrating that that faith is real. You're demonstrating that you're actually one who is justified by faith. And this is where we begin. Okay having the discussion of faith and works. What paul is not saying i mean what what what uh james is not saying is that he he's not pitting faith and works uh you know against each other in this way theologically.

Which we would we would we would think of it today as we look at theological debates between catholics and protestants or jehovah's witnesses mormons and and protestants. Uh he's he's really coming at it from a pastoral perspective.

He's looking at real life issues in the church. And he's saying what good is it if you say you have faith but you're not doing what faith requires. Right. So ultimately what he's pointing to is the authenticity of faith.

How do we know that faith is authentic. Because anyone can say they have faith. Which is what he goes on to say even the demons believe the demons believe. Okay they have a level of faith yet they're hell bound yet they are they are they are bound to destruction.

What sets apart true saving faith is a life of doing the word not just hearing it. That's what sets a person apart is someone who has a life of of obedience. Not that that obedience wins them salvation but rather it's it is it's a which is why he would go on to say um in verse 24 or in verse 22 see that faith was active along with his works and faith was completed by his work.

Which is to say that the faith that that the works were was a demonstration of that person's authentic faith. Okay you know what good is it to say you know uh you know to your to your partner i love you.

But then you do things contrary to such. Right. Are you demonstrating love. You can say you love the person. But are you demonstrating love for that person. Uh in the same way that we would in the church today if you if someone has a a real need you know what good is to say okay be blessed be well but then if there's something that i can do to help you uh and i don't do that that i'm failing in my walk i'm demonstrating that maybe i don't actually care for you the way that i my words just communicated.

Right. And so this is at the heart of what james is getting at. He says your talk and your walk should match. Let's simply put this is simply what this is pointing to. Okay uh you know i i think we maybe over theolog uh over analyze this theologically and we are making it bigger than it needs to be in that sense this is really a pastor's heart towards his people.

And so and as a pastor i read this and i totally get it like i don't i don't see the conflict whatsoever like i totally get it. Um and so hopefully now you begin to see that as well. Does that kind of satisfy some of the tension here again.

So a christian you know uh a duck naturally quacks a dog naturally barks. A christian naturally does good works. It's the overflow of his salvation and his justifications. That's right. Absolutely yeah that's right.

You know i i think about this often i'm i'm always trying to rehearse what am i going to say when i'm when i meet when i meet jehovah you know when i stand before that great and terrible throne and uh and really is as nothing to the altar i bring only to the cross i cling.

You know i i bring nothing. I'm destitute i'm a sinner i'm naked before you you see me for all that i am and all that i've done. And yet the only thing that i can cling to on that great day is the cross of jesus.

Right. That's the that's my only that's my only crying plea is the blood of jesus. And so man that's deep stuff when you think about it any thoughts or questions so far on this. Yes that's right. Correct.

There's actually like four meanings to the word justified. But yeah yeah can someone are you asking for can someone explain it. Okay. So so there's actually about four ways we can understand justification according to the original greek word.

And so justification is is primarily a legal term right. So it's primarily uh connotates you know kind of uh you're in a court you've been justified which means that you've been proven in a court of law to uh to have not committed a crime or to be right in right standing with the court right.

So there's there's that just straight legal definition. There's also a uh a more colloquial term that's that it could be understood as uh more so as as works you know i i am i and we use it today as well right.

So uh um you hear a police officer maybe he has to uh pull trigger on someone he'll say i was justified by in my actions because i was in danger i was justified means i was i was proven correct in taking the action that i did taking doing the work that i did right.

Uh so that's one way of understanding it is is is taking you know kind of personal accountability uh and in the greek there's two there's two other ways you kind of understand justification as well. I think those are the two primary ones.

Um and so when we look at what how james is using this i i'm i'm almost certain that he's using it in terms of saying uh this is this is a demonstration of my of my faith and so i i'm justified not by faith alone.

I'm justified in in in my actions demonstrating my faith right. Yeah. Well are you asking how does a roman catholic view this term is to demonstrate and and and so and i think that's how it's being used here.

Is that this is a demonstration you had your hand up. Yes yeah demonstration it's it's like okay i mean he he used the term here in the greek actually uh let's see where i'm not sure where i have to bring up my my poor emmanuel's not here so i can't ask him to pull up his greek lexicon.

Correct. Right. You know the words show that this person is righteous. Correct.

That's right. No it would be the same. It's the same word. It's the same word uh but uh you know there there i and i'm pretty sure somewhere in here i think the greek term it's not it's not reflective here in the english translation but it's i think one of the one of the phrases here is prove to be righteous or demonstrate to be righteous.

And so uh by by works. And so there again it's it's a it's it's a demonstration. So my works are a demonstration of the declarative act of god upon my life of being made righteous. Right. And so um yeah that that that that would help with that is that is that gonna get to the heart of your question.

Or or or where. Okay. Anyone else have any thoughts or questions. And so this is pretty important stuff here as we look at it. Um and again we're kind of examining um uh works in faith here i want to if you can't turn to page 149 in your book if you have it.

And he quotes from from romans chapter 3 at the bottom and i'm going to read that text for us and it says. But now apart from the law the righteousness of god has been manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

Even the righteousness of god through faith in jesus christ for all those who believe. For there is no distinction for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of god being justified as a gift by his grace through the redemption that is in christ jesus whom god displayed publicly as a propitiation his blood through faith.

This was to demonstrate his righteousness because in the forbearance of god he passed over the sins previously committed. So here paul asserts that we are justified freely by grace. Here in romans chapter 3 and again in titus 3 is paul contradicting himself by saying that we were justified by grace.

And uh that we were justified by grace and that we were justified by faith. Is there a contradiction there. Because he says in one breath is where we are say we are justified by grace. And another one we're justified by faith.

So which one is it correct. And this is this is where the heart of it is right. So we believe that faith is not a possession of all men according to the scriptures faith is also a gift that is imparted upon the elect person.

Right. So faith is not a possession of every person. Okay. And romans chapter 3 makes that pretty clear. Right. There is none righteous. No not even one. There's no one who seeks for god. You know the world's belief is that well people are all seekers.

We're all seeking. Uh no the bible does not teach that. The bible does not teach that men are seekers. Rather we are seekers. But we're seekers for our own pleasure. We're seekers of our own of our own gods made in our own images.

But we're not seekers of the one true god yahweh. Uh rather uh you know as uh you know theologians have long put it you know our we long after the idols of our hearts. That's what. That's what. That's what we long for.

That's what we we seek after. Um but that is true faith. And and grace are our gifts imparted to the elect. Does that make sense. So um now what's what's what's interesting is is that uh he'll go on to um he in the in the paragraph here in page 150 he says for salvation to be of grace it cannot possibly be of works.

Can't possibly. So here here we have to a strong um we have to make some strong definitions here. Because as paul says in romans 11 6 anyone know what romans 11 6 says. If you're if you're reformed and if you believed you know in the doctrines of grace you have to memorize this text.

And it's a really short text. Let's go there. Romans 11 this is probably one of the best verses you can use roman catholics or with jehovah's witnesses or mormons. Uh this is this is probably like this is man this is like the the sniper shot to the heart in terms of this issue.

And it's so short and it's so sweet. Romans 11 6. But if it is by grace and this is actually in the context of election and salvation if it is by grace it is no longer on the basis of works. Otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Okay so here we have some strong definitions. Okay grace undeserved unmerited favor. If it's if if you can merit it in any way shape or form it cancels it out. It's no longer grace. It's something else.

Right. So when the scripture says the justification the act of being declared righteous is by faith and grace then it can't possibly be of anything else. Because then it would cancel it out if it's by works.

So again if it is by grace it's no longer in the basis of works. There's no basis of works that by which you can be justified otherwise grace will no longer be grace. Always. That's literally the definition.

Right. So it's kind of like how uh you know in our church how we view baptism. So you have the word and the word has a definition. So words have definitions. Therefore words matter. Okay so anything that has a definition matters.

So if if baptism is defined literally as you know baptism being dunked then anything that isn't that isn't baptism. Okay. In the same way that if it's anything that is merited versus unmerited then it's something different.

Right. Grace is unmerited favor. If you can merit it by some way shape or form then it's no longer grace. We're talking about something totally different now right. So you can't divorce the meaning of the word from the theological uh importance that is displayed in scripture and that's simply that's just simply put and you haven't anyone have any thoughts or questions so.

Far. Yes sir. Yeah that's right you know. And i again when we when we understand that james.

Is a contemporary of paul and that paul and james probably wrote galatians and james around the same time. Ephesians comes after uh galatians. Galatians probably like the first uh letter by paul. Um and and and ephesians comes after the fact.

And i think uh paul probably knowing some of the controversy between uh uh james statement i think he then comes up with with his famous text of scripture in ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 through 10 which says for by grace you've been saved through faith.

And that is not of yourselves it is the gift of god as a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his worksmanship created in christ jesus for good works. That's the key. Right. And this is how james and and paul don't contradict each other.

Okay they are and they are adding to one another he says we are saved for good works not by good works. Very important distinction which god prepared beforehand so that we should walk in them. Okay. Uh so we are saved for good works not by good works.

Big difference. Right. And that's exactly what james is saying is that you are saved for good works. So if you say you have faith but you don't demonstrate it. Are you actually saved. Right. Are you actually justified.

Have you been declared righteous by the creator. Okay. And so i again there's no contradiction between paul and james. Uh this is uh just again part of the the marvelous outworking of salvation and the consistency of scripture is is clearly shown here.

And and when you kind of know these little smaller details about like the timeline of the writing of these letters it becomes all the more clear. So any questions on that so far. So it's clear you know salvation is a gift of god not just the uh bear plan god or even just the bare grace of god that promises to move toward god.

Uh but all the salvations of god. It's like the roman catholic would say well this is just the initial phase. And um and i don't disagree that there's phases to salvation. So the roman catholic will will really hone in on that concept and they'll say that salvation is a process.

And i don't disagree with that whatsoever. I just disagree with them what the process is. Right. And so the the christian understanding of the process of salvation is is really it's it's quite simple.

Uh you know it starts with justification sanctification future glorification. Right. That's that's what the scripture gives us as as the process of salvation. Which is why paul can write to the corinthians saying you are saved and being saved.

Right. So there's a process you are saved you've been declared righteous. Now there's the outworking of that uh of that salvation that christ is accomplishing in you. That's leading you to a perfect image of christ where you ultimately receive that perfect image completely uh at uh at your glorification where you where it says uh for we shall be like him.

Right. So we shall see him as he is and we shall be like him. Yeah um but it's a one-time event. Or is that justification. Well so so again it's both you are you are saving one point in time matter of fact.

Actually you know so we all have a birthday we all have a spiritual birthday. Um but where where where does where does salvation actually start. That's right in eternity past ephesians 1 he chose us before the foundation of the world that we should be blameless and walk uh blamelessly in his sight.

So that's that starts in eternity past. So in eternity past god had already chosen his elect chosen his people for salvation had appointed christ as the redeemer of the world the heir of all things. And then the outworking of that is what we see in history in biblical history.

And then what we see is of course uh that personally applied to us in real time and space when we experience it ourselves. And so we were saved in eternity past. Really okay that's where that's where it starts.

It's obviously then happens in real space and time in the redemptive work of christ and then also when it's personally applied to us upon a belief and so you are saved and you're being saved. So that's that's the biblical uh you know word on that you were saved in one point in time really started in the eternity past.

But then you you experienced it at a moment in time and it will carry you into eternity uh when you will uh eventually be glorified and raised from the dead and be like him. So pretty cool stuff. Yeah salvation is is eschatological you know it starts in the past.

There's a present aspect to it and there's a future aspect to it. And that's and that's the uh and that's the beauty of it all. Any other thoughts or questions so far. Good stuff. Good stuff here i want to also point out to the uh the fact that uh this issue is sola fide.

Right. So sola fide you know we we we believe in. You know what does that mean. Sola fide. What's that faith alone. Right. Solo fide. Very simple concept. And again uh we looked at james where it says not by solo fide.

So it's like oh man how do we harmonize that. So i think we we've done a good job harmonizing that and looking at what the scripture says you know not pitting james against paul but looking at james as the pastor that he is and looking at the issues at hand which led him to make that statement in the first place uh and then harm and then seeing how how paul comes into the picture and says okay now let me make a declarative theological statement we're not saved by works.