You are listening to Radical with David Platt , a weekly podcast with sermons and messages from pastor , author and teacher David Platt . What good is it if we claim to have faith in this world but have no deeds ? Such faith really save us ? Faith is not accompanied by action . It's dead . God , we pray that you would bring faith to life and us . We pray that we would not settle for dead faith that is useless in this world and useless in our eternity . We pray , god , that our faith might be active , that our faith would be to great effect in the world today , that it might be said of us that our faith caused us to care for the brother or sister without clothes and daily food . Pray this in Jesus' name , amen .
Speaker 1If you have a Bible , and I hope you do , I invite you to open with me to James , chapter two . We have quite a night before us In the word . We are about to tackle one of the most difficult passages in all of the New Testament about salvation and at the same time , we are going to talk about how we , as a faith family , are going to absolutely change the world . So that's what the next few moments are going to unfold Verse , chapter two . And while you're turning to James chapter two , let me also encourage you to find Romans , chapter three . James chapter two , verse 14, . Romans , chapter three , verse 28 . What I want to do is I want to show you two passages of Scripture side by side tonight in order to help us understand James chapter two , specifically verses 20 through 24 . We're going to start in verse 14 in James chapter two , or recap what we have read from last week , and then go from verses 20 to 24 , which is what we're going to camp out on tonight . So , james chapter two , verse 14 , find and hold your place in Romans , chapter three , verse 28 . James two , 14 .
Speaker 1What good is it , my brothers , if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds ? Can such faith save him ? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food . If one of you says to him go , I wish you well , keep warm and well fed , but does nothing about his physical needs , what good is it ? In the same way , faith by itself , if it is not accompanied by action , is dead . But someone will say you have faith , I have deeds . Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do . You believe that there is one God Good . Even the demons believe that . And shudder you , foolish man . Do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ? Was not our ancestor , abraham , considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar ? You see that his faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did and the scripture was fulfilled . That says Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness and he was called God's friend . You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone .
Speaker 1Now camp out for a second on that last verse , james 2 , 24 . You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone . Now consider that with Romans , chapter 3 , verse 28 . Paul is writing and Paul says we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law . Okay , put those side by side , paul . A man is justified by faith apart from observing the law . James , a man is justified by what he does and not by faith . What do you do with that ?
Speaker 1And this is where this passage in James has caused all kinds of discussion and debate about salvation . What is James saying here , martin Luther . That's why he called this book a right-strawey epistle , and even said at one point that sometimes he wants to throw Jimmy into the stove . Nice line . How do we understand salvation when James two says this and Romans three says this ? And here's what I pray . By God's grace we'll see tonight .
Speaker 1This is why I picture it . I want to show you a picture not of Paul and James standing toe to toe with one another , contradicting one another on the gospel . Instead , I want to show you a picture of Paul and James standing back to back with one another , both defending the exact same gospel but attacking different enemies of that same gospel . What you've got is Paul viciously attacking the idea that we can work in order to earn favor before God . It's legalism undercuts the gospel . Paul was fighting against it . On the other hand , you've got James fighting against an easy believism that was reducing faith to intellectual ascent that was no higher than what demons have when it comes to faith . James is fighting that . Paul's fighting this . Both of them , though , defending the same gospel , makes me wonder which one are we fighting ? And I think the answer is both Sure .
Speaker 1There are many people in this room tonight who , whether you would admit it or not , still think that what you do can earn you favor before God . And as your shepherd , I want to fight with everything in me against that idea . And there are others maybe in this room who have faith . That is the same level as demons . You believe that God exists , you believe that Jesus died on a cross , but this makes little difference in your life . You equate that with faith , or even salvation , and as your shepherd , I want to fight against that with everything in me . And I want to show you how James and Paul are both defending a glorious gospel of grace and faith and works . How do they come together ? That's what I want us to see . I want us to see this in James . You know what's interesting ? James here uses Abraham as his model of faith . When you go over to Paul , guess who ? He uses Abraham . They both point to Abraham , which helps to see there's a unity here . We're looking at one man's life . We're seeing a picture of faith from two different perspectives addressing two different contexts . Now here's the deal .
Speaker 1When I was in Germany a few weeks ago , I was around some guys and they were talking about wanting to play a pickup game of football and I thought , man , it's been a long time . I was playing flag football for a while and haven't done it in a long time . So I thought , yeah , and they asked me would you wanna play ? I said I'm in , and so we're walking down to the field , and we get down to the field to play football and to my surprise , I do not see two goal posts and a brown ball . Instead , I see two goals with nets in them and a white and black checkered ball . And I realized that these Western Europeans have a very different understanding of football than I do . They don't know it , but what they're playing is called soccer . I really wasn't that interested in playing a soccer game that day , wanting to play football .
Speaker 1Same word , different meetings attached to that word . This is true in all of life , our communication , and it's true in Scripture . There are words that , in different contexts , mean different things . So what I want us to do is come to this passage in James and I want us to go verse by verse , and I want us to pause at every verse and see key words and step back for a second and ask what does this word mean in all of Scripture , and what does James mean when he uses this word ? And we'll see . In some cases James and Paul use words exactly the same . In other cases they use words differently , and so that's what I want us to do , starting in verse 20 .
Speaker 1You foolish man , do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ? We'll stop here . First key term faith . I want to show you two pictures of faith . Remember , we're not gonna camp out here long , because we were here last week .
Speaker 1But what James is doing in this passage , he is not contrasting mature faith and immature faith . He's not contrasting dynamic faith and lukewarm , cold faith . He is contrasting faith and that which claims to be faith but is not faith at all . It's dead , it's useless , it's empty . Literally , when he says you foolish man , he's saying you empty man , you hollow man . He's talking to this imaginary person he's having a dialogue with who claims to have faith but has no deeds , and he says over and over again your faith is dead , it's empty , it's useless , does nothing .
Speaker 1What James is contrasting is faith with so-called faith . That's not really faith at all , and so I want you to see two pictures of faith here . First , dead faith , which does not save . Dead faith , the kind of faith the demons have . It's just really not faith at all . But he's using this imaginary person who claims that this is faith and he's saying no , it's not , it's dead . Intellectual ascent to belief in God even the demons have that this is dead faith and it does not save . And he's contrasting that with living faith , which does save .
Speaker 1And it's interesting , outside of this passage where James has this dialogue with this imaginary person , all the other places in James where we see faith mentioned , it's referring to this living faith . It's a faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ , james 2.1 . It's faith that perseveres under trial in James , chapter 1 . It's faith that not just listens to the word but obeys the word . It's faith that is not friends with the world but it's friends of God . That's the picture of faith we've got throughout the book of James , same kind of picture we have faith in Paul . Would Paul ever say demons have faith ? No , for Paul , faith is a living , breathing trust in the Lordship of Jesus Christ . Dead faith and living faith . Now , this is really important , especially when we get down to verse 24 and a little while , to keep in mind James and Paul are both saying that faith that claims to be faith but has no deeds , mere intellectual ascension , it's really not faith at all . It's nothing , it's dead faith . Living faith is breathing , active trust in the Lord Jesus Christ . Two pictures of faith . That leads to verse 21 .
Speaker 1Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar ? Second key word righteous . Two pictures of righteousness . Now we're gonna brush this with a broad stroke as well , because this word righteous , righteousness and Old Testament , new Testament is multifaceted and I wanted to show you two pictures . They're not the only pictures , but two pictures of righteousness in scripture , particularly when it comes to salvation and what James and Paul are talking about .
Speaker 1Number one , first picture , is positional righteousness how we stand before God . This is what happens at the initial point of salvation , when you trust in Christ for salvation . At that moment , by God's grace , you are made right before God . It's a great word here imputation , where God literally imputes the righteousness of Christ . He clothes you in the righteousness of Christ . When you trust in Christ , think of this . You , a sinner , by trusting in Christ , immediately are declared right before a holy God and the clothes and the very righteousness of Jesus Christ . That's good , that's really good . We have positional righteousness , how we stand before God , righteous clothes and the righteousness of Jesus Christ , we have peace with God . Second picture of righteousness it's practical righteousness how we live before God . Once we're declared right , does that mean we're perfect and righteous in every single thing we do ? No , we're growing in righteousness , we are pursuing righteousness . Paul talks about that 2 Timothy 2 , 22 . We pursue righteousness and we demonstrate righteousness in the way we live . Now they're not totally disconnected . The fact that we're clothed in the righteousness of Christ is manifested in the way we live . We live differently as a result of the righteousness of Christ that clothes us . What we need to see is that sometimes scripture refers to righteousness as positional righteousness , how we stand before God , which happens at the moment of our salvation . Then practical righteousness is how we grow in righteousness , how we live before God . Two pictures of faith , two pictures of righteousness . Now verse 22 . You see that his faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did .
Next key word is works or actions . It's translated actions here . Same word oftentimes translated to the works actions or deeds . Ergon in the New Testament translated those different ways at different times Works , actions or deeds . Two pictures of works . Now this is where we step back and we look at how , particularly , james and Paul use works , and what I wanna show you is that sometimes works are used negatively in Scripture when it comes to salvation , and sometimes works are used positively . Let's start with the negative , negative picture of works .
Speaker 1Scripture speaks sometimes of works fueled by the flesh which do not honor God , works that are fueled by the flesh , which do not honor God . This is the way Paul often talks about works . When he talks about works of the law , when he talks about thinklations , he's saying you're doing these works , you're being circumcised , following these rituals and standing from these foods . He talks about it at different points these works of the law that you are doing , fueled by the flesh , in order to earn favor before God , fueled by your pride that you actually think there is something you can do to earn favor before a holy God . This does not bring honor to God . It's legalism and we must guard against it with everything in us working in order to earn favor before God .
Speaker 1Works fueled by the flesh which do not honor God . But this is not how James refers to works . James uses this word works , actions , deeds 15 different times in this book and every single time he uses it . He uses it positively , not negatively , not as a bad thing , but as a good thing . What we see is Scripture sometimes speaks of works fueled by the flesh which do not honor God . Other times , and when James talks about works , he's talking about works that are the fruit of faith , which bring great glory to God , works that are the fruit of faith , which bring great glory to God . When James talks about works , he's talking about God-glorifying obedience , mercy to the poor , care for the impoverished , love for the needy . These are good things that flow from faith and a merciful God . Faith in a loving , compassionate God produces that kind of work toward others and it's good . It brings great glory to God .
Speaker 1Paul talks about works like this sometimes as well . Romans , chapter one , verse five . He talks about the obedience of faith . First Thessalonians , chapter one , paul talks about works that are prompted by faith . Second Thessalonians , he talks about works that are produced by faith . Even in Galatians , the letter Paul writes to confront legalism , galatians , chapter five , verse six , he talks about . He says what counts Is faith expressing itself through love . It's faith working itself out through love , demonstrating itself through love . So the picture is scripture sometimes talks about works that are the fruit of faith which bring great glory to God . So here's what we need to realize when James talks about works , he is not advocating works done in the flesh to earn favor before God , and when Paul speaks against works , he's not speaking against works through the fruit of faith which bring great glory to God . This is key . Both of them see faith and works in a healthy way working together , these kind of works that are the fruit of the faith . They bring great glory to God and both of them use Abraham as example . Now , how does this work ?
Speaker 1I wish we had time to really dive in depth into Genesis , but we're not gonna have time to turn back there . Just write down two main passages Genesis 15 and Genesis 22 . Genesis 15 and 22, . And let me summarize what happens , because James quotes here from Genesis 15 , which Paul also quotes from all over Romans , and then he references Genesis 22 .
Speaker 1Genesis 15 , what happens is God enters into covenant with Abraham , brings Abraham , who had no seed , no air between him and Sarah , no air coming from his line . He brings Abraham outside , tells him to look up in the sky at all the stars and says social art , your offspring be , your descendants are gonna be like the stars of the sky . Abraham had no air . When we find out in the days to come , it looked for a long time like he was going to have no air . But Genesis , chapter 15 , verse six , says Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness . It's what James quotes from here . Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness . Now time passes between Genesis 15 and Genesis 22 . Some say up to 30 years .
Speaker 1What happens is God gives Abraham a son in Isaac , and then one day God says to Abraham take your son , the son of promise , and go up on the mountain and sacrifice him . What does Abraham do ? He does exactly what God told him to do . He obeyed God . He takes his son , the son of promise , his only son , up onto Mount Moriah , raises the knife to sacrifice him and at that moment God , through an angel , says no . Now I know . I see you said at the very beginning of the chapter God did this to test Abraham's faith . Now I see that you fear me . You obey God , even when it means it's great cost , even when it may not make sense , and God provides a substitute sacrifice in Genesis , chapter 22, . So Isaac does not die . Now here's the question Did Abraham's faith begin at Genesis , chapter 22 ?
Speaker 1Clearly not . His faith started here when he believed God in Genesis , chapter 15 . What James is saying , the reason he did what he did in Genesis , chapter 22 , is because he believed God in Genesis , chapter 15 . So I want you to see the relationship here .
Speaker 1First , faith creates works . Why did Abraham take his son to sacrifice him on a mountain ? Because he believed God . His faith created that work , a sacrificial work , an obedient work . His faith created that . Why else would Abraham take his son to offer him as a sacrifice ? The only way he would do that is if he trusted God . Faith created that work and then beauty , here in James 2 , 22, . His faith was made complete by what he did . Faith creates works and works . Complete faith . That word complete literally means to bring to maturity , to grow up , to bring to its intended goal , and the picture is works are showing the goal of faith .
Speaker 1Good works , fruit of faith , created by faith , done to bring glory to God . Complete faith . This makes sense practically , doesn't it in our lives , when the more we trust God , the more we obey God . We realize this every time you or I disobey God , it is because of a lack of trust in God . Every time , every time we sin , it goes back to lack of faith , lack of trust in God . We think we know what is better for our lives , so we disregard what he has said . We do what we desire , what we think is best . The more we trust in God , the more we obey God . Faith creates our works and then the more we obey God . Isn't it a reality that the more we obey God , the more our faith matures ? The more we grow to trust God , the longer we walk with him and see his faithfulness to us , the more we trust him and works mature or complete faith . Now this is the good picture of works . How works are really really good thing . That can be bad thing over here .
Speaker 1Works fueled by the flesh do not bring honor to God , but they can be a great thing , works that are the fruit of faith , which bring great glory to God . Think about it in some of the most basic of Christian actions , you coming here tonight , you gathering together in a worship gathering with the church , this Christian work that you have done tonight , if you have done it , if you have come here to earn favor before God , to put on a face before man . The flesh has fueled you coming here and you think that by doing this you are checking off a box that is going to earn favor before God , then , no matter how zealously you sing , your work does not bring honor to God . Honor to God . On the other hand , if what drove you here was the fact that you believe God and you love God and you trust God when he says do not forsake gathering together with the brothers and sisters , go and sing spiritual songs and study , listen to my word taught and fellowship with other believers , because you know that in doing that , it's the fruit of your faith that drives you here . And in doing these things tonight , your faith , your works will complete , your faith will mature , your faith and your faith will grow as a result .
Speaker 1Think about quiet time , concentrated time in prayer and Bible study . Bad thing or good thing ? Bad thing if you think that by doing this religious exercise you are earning favor before God . If , in your pride , you think this is making a mark for you before God . Bad thing work done in the flesh does not honor God . But a great thing if , in your heart and faith , you love God and you delight in God and you want to be with God in prayer , in the prayer closet , and to be in this word because you're delighted and listening to him , because you know that everything else in this world cannot compare with his beauty and his greatness and his grandeur , and you want to experience him day after day after day . Now , quiet time is a really , really , really good work .
Speaker 1Caring for the poor , like we are talking about , whether it is bringing foster children into your home , whether it is radical experiment that we are talking about . If we do these things as a church in order to earn favor before God , fueled by the flesh , that does not honor God . But if we simply believe God when he says , this is religion that I accept as pure and faultless and I call my people to spin themselves on behalf of the hungry and the poor and the needy . Isaiah , chapter 58 . When we trust in God and as a result of our trust , we go , we out of our way to sacrifice and spend our lives for the sake of needs that are important to the heart of God , and that is a great work that brings great glory to God . I love what Luther says here . It's ironic because Luther sounds like he's James here Talking
about faith .
Speaker 1He says oh , it is a living , busy , active , mighty thing , this faith . It is impossible for it not to be doing good things incessantly . It does not ask whether good works are to be done , but before the question is asked , it has already done them and it's constantly doing them . God , take this faith , take this faith , family , and bring about great work for the glory of your name , radical work for the glory of your name . That is the fruit of faith . Faith that creates the work , that completes the faith . Good work done to the glory of God . That's what James is talking about when he talks about works . Good thing , two pictures of faith , two pictures of righteousness , two pictures of works .
Speaker 1Okay , this leads us to verse 24 , where things get rough . We'll start from the back and move our way forward . You see , the person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone . Let's start from the end of that verse . You see that a person is justified not by faith alone . What does James mean here ? Now let's think back for a second . This picture's a faith .
Speaker 1James , throughout this passage here James 2 , 14 through 26 , is contrasting dead faith with living faith . He's contrasting faith that is living , breathing , active , trusting in God through Christ and dead faith that claims to be faith , but it's really no faith at all . It's intellectual belief . That kind of faith does not save . So when he says a person is justified not by faith alone , which kind of faith do you think James is talking about ? Clearly he is talking about the dead faith that he's been confronting all throughout this passage .
Speaker 1He's saying nothing different in verse 24 that he's not already said in the verses that preceded it . He's saying this faith cold , intellectual , demonic belief in God is not justifying faith . That does not justify this faith that you claim is alone apart from deeds . It's dead , it's empty , it's not justified . It's empty , it's useless and it doesn't save . It's the same thing Paul would say . Paul would say demons justified for their faith ? Absolutely not .
Speaker 1What James is saying is what he said all throughout this passage . When he says faith alone , he's not referring to living , breathing trust , wholehearted trust in God through Christ . He's talking about this imaginary , so-called faith . That's really no faith at all . So that helps clear things up a little bit .
Speaker 1But we've still got a problem at the beginning of the verse Verse 24 , when he says you see that a person is justified by what he does , and in some sense here it seems that James is saying works play into our justification , and that leads us to two pictures of justification . Now , this is not in your notes , but just real . Simply to be justified is to be declared right . To be declared right when it comes to salvation , to be justified is to be declared right before God . So the question is how can you and I be declared right before God ? That's ultimate question . How can you and I be declared right before God by faith or by works ? And how you answer that question is eternally important , because the gospel hinges on the answer to this question how can we be made right before God ? This is where I want us to think about how James refers to Abraham and how Paul refers to Abraham . We don't have time to go back and look all throughout Romans chapter four .
Speaker 1But what Paul does in Romans chapter four , when he talks about justification in Abraham , he is focusing on the initial point of Abraham's belief in God . His focus is on Genesis , chapter 15 , verse six . Abraham believed God and was credited to him as righteousness , and his whole point is he's trying to show these people that are trying to earn favor before God he's trying to show Abraham was declared righteous before God before he did anything . This is before he was circumcised . This is before he had Isaac , much less went to offer his son Isaac on the altar . He had done nothing but believe God and it was credited to him as righteousness . That's what Paul is trying to emphasize for us here . James , on the other hand , it's not supremely focused with this initial point here in Abraham's life James is looking at , the whole picture spans over years leading up to Genesis , chapter 22 . And what Abraham did as a result of faith , that created works , just like we've seen .
Speaker 1So James is looking at Abraham's life focusing on a totally different perspective than Paul is by what he focuses on in Romans , chapter four . And in this picture I want you to see two pictures of justification , two pictures of justification . Number one this is often what we see in Paul . It's certainly what we see Paul focusing on in Romans , chapter four initial justification , the inception or the beginning of the Christian's life . This is Paul's whole argument in Romans , chapter four . When , by faith , you turn from your sin and yourself and you trust in Christ for your salvation , at that moment you are declared righteous before God . God clothes you in his righteousness . It's why he says right at the beginning of the next chapter , romans , chapter five since we have been justified it's something that has happened to us we have been justified at this point in time . So , since we have been justified , we have peace with God now because we have been justified as it's happened . It's an initial point of justification and Paul is emphasizing this because of the danger he wants us to avoid .
Speaker 1Paul wants us to avoid thinking that works are a necessary basis or means of our salvation . To people who are thinking either their works are the reason why they could be justified before God or their works are how they attain righteousness before God , paul says no , believe God . Believe God , not in the sense that demons do James is talking about it here but believe God , trust in him as the sovereign Lord and King of the universe , who has paid the price for your sins and risen from the grave . That's what Paul means when , in Romans , chapter three , he talks about being justified by faith alone , justified by trusting in God . The moment we trust in God to Christ , we're declared right before God .
Speaker 1But James is not talking about justification . In exactly the same way , definitely related , but remember , james is looking at a much bigger picture . His focus is not on this initial point . James is focusing on a much broader picture , including his obedience and his actions in Genesis , chapter 22 . And this is a picture that we see oftentimes in scripture when it comes to justification , we see in Old Testament and New Testament . We see even in the teachings of Jesus a picture of justification that in some sense follow with me here , in some sense takes works into account .
Speaker 1Now we're gonna see how , but when you go to Matthew , chapter 12 , verse 37 , this is a verse that I quoted two weeks ago and Jesus says by your words you will be acquitted , by your words you will be condemned . That word acquitted literally means justified . By your words you will be justified . And there's a picture there that at the coming day of judgment , by your words you will be justified , acquitted , or by your words you will be condemned . And this is what James is focusing on . We've already seen him how he leans on the teachings of Jesus . But even in this chapter , right here in verse 12 and 13 , james is fixing our eyes on coming judgment . Live as those who are going to be judged one day and at the judgment it's going to be shown whether or not your faith was real or this dead , cold , demonic faith . If your dead faith was living , it'll be evident the judgment day . So what James is emphasizing is not as much this initial justification , the point in time when we were justified before God . Instead , what James is focusing on is more on final justification , and this is key . As opposed to talking about the inception of the Christian's life , james is talking about the confirmation of the Christian's life on the final day , when what was declared initially will be declared openly .
Speaker 1What James is confronting here is very different than what Paul was confronting back in Romans , chapter four . James is confronting he wants us to avoid thinking that works are not necessary as evidence of our salvation . You follow with me here . James wants us to avoid thinking that works are unnecessary as evidence of our salvation . Key word there being evidence . James is not saying that works are the basis for justification , that when we stand before God in heaven , the ultimate question will be what did you do ? And if you did enough , you're in . Instead , what he's saying is what he has said throughout this passage Faith creates works , and works on the day of judgment will be evidence that faith was real .
Speaker 1Think about Abraham , genesis 15, . He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness . How do we know Abraham had living faith ? How do we know it wasn't just intellectual ascent ? How do we know he had faith ? And James says we know when we look at Genesis , chapter 22 , and he was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God . This work can only be the fruit of faith in God . His faith was made complete by what he did and he is justified in that sense by what he does , not as the basis for his justification , but as evidence of the faith that created radical work , radical obedience to God , final justification . James wants us to avoid thinking okay , well , I believe , so my works don't matter at all . They do matter because works help us see , for faith is real . The reality that James is saying is there is coming a day when you and I will stand before God , hold the God at the day of judgment , and on that day , the question here that James is asking is there any evidence of faith in your life ? Is there any evidence of your faith in your life on that day ? How do you know if your faith has been real ? Was there any fruit ? And if there was no fruit , and was there really faith , because faith always bears fruit . We saw that last week . So here's the deal .
Speaker 1When Paul says follow with me here . When Paul says a man is justified by faith , apart from observing the law , what he is saying is take these words into account . What he is saying is a man is justified by wholehearted trust in Jesus Christ for his salvation and not by works that he does in order to earn favor before God . And James is in the background saying amen . When James says a man is justified by what he does and not by faith alone , he is saying a man is not justified by cold , intellectual belief in Jesus that rises nowhere above the level of what demons have . That does not save him . He is saved by faith that produces radical obedience , like Abraham and Genesis , chapter 22 . And Paul is in the background saying amen to that . Now I'm guessing it's quite possible that somewhere in this whole picture I have lost a couple of people , and I realized that totally . So if you got lost a few words back then , here's where I wanna bring it
all together .
Speaker 1Two truths to remember .
Speaker 1If okay , what did you just say ? Okay , two truths to remember . Just walk away with these two truths based on all that we've just seen . First truth salvation is by faith . We do not come to salvation by works done to earn favor before God . We come to salvation by faith , by initial faith in Christ . We are made right before God the Father . If you were to ask James or Paul , how can I be made right before God ? The answer from both of them would be the same . First Christ is the basis of our salvation .
Speaker 1James 2 , 1 , believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ . Christ is the basis of our salvation , the basis , the ground . Christ has done the work . He has conquered sin . He has risen from the grave . He is exalted on high . You have nothing , no work in you to add to the greatness of what he has already done . Christ , his person and work . He is the basis of our salvation . Well , if Christ did this on the cross and his resurrection , then how is it applied to my life ?
Speaker 1Second faith is the means of our salvation . Trust in what Christ has done . This is how you're saved . Turn from yourself and trust in him , a savior of your sins and Lord of your life , and you will be made right before God the Father . Oh , brothers and sisters , this gives us radical confidence when , like James , chapter one says God gives you birth through the word of truth . You don't ever have to fear a thing in this life anymore . You do not have to fear death itself . You have been made right before God . What can this world do to you ? Nothing , by faith . You have been made right for God the Father . This gives us great confidence . Salvation is by faith . First truth . Second truth faith works . Faith works when Christ gives you birth . He gives you life . You're alive to Christ . You walk with Christ and your life bears the fruit of Christ . Look at Abraham . Yes , by initial faith , he was made right before God the Father . But there's more to it . This is the beginning of a journey where he walked with God as friend . Catch this . By faith in Christ , brothers and sisters , you are made right before God the Father . By continual faith in Christ , you walk with God as friend , as friend . What an incredible picture . A friend of God . Oh God , help us to see this .
Speaker 1There is an easy believism rampant in so-called contemporary Christianity that assumes you can be made right before God the Father by praying this prayer , but then you have no need to live with God as friend thereafter . And it's not gospel . How could you be made right before God , the Father , by what Christ has done on the cross from you and then turn away from God as friend . It's impossible . You walk with God as friend . You enjoy God as Father and as friend . This is faith . He's our Father and our friend . That's good . Stop . God , our Father and our friend . And so this results in radical obedience .
Speaker 1This kind of faith , when your faith is in God as Father and God as friend , then you have nothing to be afraid of when it comes to his commands . When your faith is in God as Father and as friend , you have no need to fear obeying his commands . They're good and you can delight in them and run in them and work by the faith in you , work to the glory of your God . Why ? Because we trust him wholeheartedly . This is why Abraham sacrificed his son because he trusted God . Oh , people of faith , trust God . Trust him , even when he says things that make no sense to us or to the world around us , or even to the church world around us . Trust him . We trust him wholeheartedly and we follow God sacrificially . We sacrifice it all in obedience
to his commands .
Speaker 1One person said faith is not believing in spite of evidence . Faith is obeying in spite of consequence . Why else would this room before we gathered in here at six ? Why else at four o'clock would this room be filled with families considering bringing children , who are walking through very difficult times , into their homes , not knowing what will happen ? Why would families do that ? Because they trust God wholeheartedly and they are following him sacrificially . Why would we say , as a church , let's sacrifice it all , all the stuff that our church culture says is important ? Why do we sacrifice it all in order to spend ourselves for those who are in need ? We do it because we trust God wholeheartedly and we are following God sacrificially . And sacrifice makes sense when you follow this God . Sacrifice makes sense when you follow the God who has shown himself worthy of trust by providing his one and only son .
Speaker 1Now , last week we said what if we took a year as a church and as individuals and families in this church , and we said we are going to sacrifice our money radically to spend our lives and his church on urgent spiritual and physical need around the world . And I told you that I was going to come back this week with a proposal for what this might look like for us as a faith family , and I wanted to share that with you in a moment . But before we do that , I want us to reflect on the basis of our salvation in Christ and what it means for you and I to have faith in him , a living faith at this moment in him , just a moment . We are going to take the Lord's supper together and the ultimate question in this room is do you have faith ?
Speaker 1Do you have faith , not intellectual belief , not ideas that make no difference in your life ?
Speaker 1Do you have trust in God as your savior and Lord and King in a way that radically changes everything about your life ?
Speaker 1Do you have faith in him ?
Speaker 1Have you trusted in Christ for your salvation ?
Speaker 1It's a given new life and if you have , then in a moment I want to invite you to fix your mind and your heart in a focused way on the cross of Christ , symbolized in these elements body and the blood of Christ and the bread and the cup and consider any , every area of your life where you are not , at this moment , trusting God wholeheartedly , where you are not following God sacrificially , where your heart is not yielded to him . Confess your desire to trust him . Confess your sin and let faith create that work in you tonight If you have never trusted in Christ coming in here tonight . I want to urge you to let this be the holy moment in your eternity where you are made right before God by trusting in Christ , by saying tonight in your heart I cannot do it , I cannot earn my way to you .
Speaker 1God , I need Christ to do the work for me through what he did on the cross and in his resurrection , and tonight I trust in him . Give me birth , give me life through the word of truth that I might be declared right before you . And he does it . God does it by his grace , through faith , and it radically changes everything . I invite you to trust in him tonight and then to let this be your first celebration of new life in Christ . We hope you've enjoyed this week's episode of Radical with David Platt . For more resources from David Platt , we invite you to visit radicalnet .