Faith on Trial

Now you see everything at our name in his name, but life doesn't bear witness to that and so we gotta make sure that there's real Christian thing behind the profession of faith. If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you faith on trial in this Wednesday edition of Destin for victory.

Thanks for stopping by. It's a fascinating question one. We all need to answer to our lives demonstrate to others that we put our faith in Christ. How can we prove beyond all reasonable doubt that we are his followers.

What would it look like if we did, these are some of the questions Pastor Paul Sheppard answers today as we continue our journey through the book of James stay with us here or visit Pastor Paul.net to listen to Destin for victory on demand can also download the podcasting Google or wherever you enjoy your special Paul. Today's message faith on trial if some people are indicted for being Christ there would be enough evidence to convict him. And so I want to make sure by the end of this message that you understand that if you are one who names the name of Christ. James says there's gotta be something besides what you say that bears witness to the fact that you know the Lord, and if that was true in the first century that there were people who had a spoken faith, but it had no evidence behind it that were true.

Already in the early decades of the church. How much more is it true now when you look at the church world. Now you see a little bit everything and haul a lot of folks are naming his name, but their life doesn't bear witness to that fact. And so we gotta make sure that there's real Christian thing behind the profession of faith. So basically I want to look at this passage and make three basic points that are couched in the words of the apostle James I point is this true faith goals beyond words.

True faith goals beyond words at the first of three point someone may jump that down to faith goals beyond words, and I want to look at verses 14 through 18. James chapter 2 is what he says. What 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 wealth.

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 these show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do because right there.

James is suggesting in this passage that true faith goals beyond word you really know Jesus, then it will be evident beyond the fact that you say I know the Lord or I got saved. One day or I'm born again. James and I have to be more than words and not only your testimony have the bear witness by the lifestyle, but he makes a simple point that there needs to be action that needs to be and what you actually do not just in what you say to give a very practical example, he says you see your brother or sister without clothes and daily food.

You can walk up to him and say, be warmed and well fed. What do James says that have to be action that goes along with what you want to see happen. Gotta make it happen and in the same way he says faith by itself, is that so that's an analogy, but his point is faith without works is dead and means nothing for you to say you know Jesus. If Jesus doesn't get in your actions that get in your lifestyle. If Jesus priorities are shown by the priorities you set or change in your life. Then he says your faith is empty because it's mere words. So the first point is that true faith had to go beyond working alliance James bringing this up.

Well, it's because in the early church there were two misunderstandings regarding the issue of the works or what you do. There were two prominent misunderstandings. The first misunderstanding was that works lead to salvation, and the second misunderstanding in the early church was that works don't matter at all.

James is addressing the second one that works doesn't matter at all.

He wants to let us know know works are very important indication of what Christ is doing in your life, but both really had to be addressed now. The first one was very well addressed by the apostle Paul, the apostle Paul in his writing says repeatedly in different books in different letters that he wrote that we are saved up from our works.

What is that mean that means Paul was trying to help us understand you can't be good enough to save yourself or you can you and I cannot be good enough for God to look at us and say okay your righteous and therefore I accept you as my child. That's not possible, we are born in sin shaped in iniquity. We have a whole life of sin that was in sin and the only way we could get out of it was we had to trust that what Jesus did when he came and hung on the cross that he did that to pay the penalty for your sins. The only way our sins could be covered is if somebody righteous seamless hate and died for us a mess exactly what Jesus came to do so. Paul addressed that misunderstanding in his writings he did in Galatians and Romans, and he expressly does it in Ephesians where he says in Ephesians 2 verses eight and nine for it is by grace you have been saved through faith and not of your selves. It is the gift of God wants this not of works, so that no one can boast.

He says we been saved by grace what is grace grace is God's unmerited favor. You couldn't earn it. You couldn't deserve it by grace through faith. In other words, faith is the vehicle that grace rides into our lives.

All it takes faith to acknowledge I am a sinner. I can never please God in my own flesh, but I can trust that what Jesus did on the cross covers my sin that completely missing you know you need to praise God every moment of every day because Jesus paid for your sins, past, present and future. Jesus died for us and you having to manage it better.

Begin happy close I'll send them your soul for all eternity.

But Jesus said no. So I gave my son live so that you would never have the penalty of our sins on a matter making promises. He knows you may God promises that he knows you. You could fulfill the promise Jesus want to say happen became because the code are earned by our own righteousness gift of eternal life. Don't ever make. God promises you just make him laugh are not.

I promise you, you know you've done it a few times already in your life.

God you get me out of this coming November want to raise your hand if you get me out of this mess. I have met.

I will never do it again and I will send you the rest of my days and God in heaven cracked up Google makes a promise to God as resolution God in his mercy off the road. By the way we prayed in desperation and all Lord please bail me out commercially bailed you out buddy when bailing you out based on your from coming up next. The rest of today's message faith on trial with pastor Paul Sheppard, senior pastor, destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California. If you've never stop by our website pastor Paul.net. I invite you to do so today to find all of pastor Paul's recent messages on demand plus a host of great resources. Our online store, including books and DVD messages from Pastor Paul. Learn more about the ministry and about all the great things friends like you are doing through your prayers and financial support. Go to pastor Paul.net and be sure to watch selected video clips by subscribing to pastor Paul and YouTube for more details and links to all the social media sure to visit pastor Paul.net now for the book of James as we join pastor Paul Sheppard for the rest of today's message faith on trial so understanding the church was that works lead to salvation credit issue. I used to be a credit agency collector coming out right out of college before I was in Minnesota at one of the jobs I worked was working for finance company that handles finance company's general finance and household finance.

I don't know I worked in that arena to help a company that had loan somebody money get their money back and I was one the guys would call and push for people to make good on their program and they made promises day and night. People can make you some promises no teeth I'm going I'm getting paid tomorrow so I will put it I will put in it in the mail to an online but thankfully I get paid based on how they lived up to their word. I just had to have a track record of having contacted these people when I did documentary contacted all that stuff and course back in those days I was young and dumb and I would even call some folks.

I hate to take a look of the company would push money in your hand if you know the line when dictating. How about I drop by your house and pick it up.

That was one of the procedures back in that day: talking back in the day is coming over here again the money.

I know we sign the docs I know. We promise to pay this loan back on this payment schedule. But no, I'm not doing and I'll never get one man I Toyota story before but I want to get on that one man who when I called him he said. After I got the loan things went wrong in my life. I went to jail and he said you not getting any money for me I'm back out, but I'm not giving you and heal whatever you told I told him what you owe and no I'm not paying y'all back give me a little something to indicate that you're willing to do with it what he meant to be a large check. He said no I'm not doing it and don't know he's as though the company unilaterally, the somebody's house and try said that would be a good idea, so he told me he said. In fact, if you show up on my door.

I promise you I will blow you into the street and call me when you don't want to do that you want to get in trouble.

He said I been in troubled ethical problem was trouble to jail. I'll shoot you if you come out here. Yes, I'll go back and not only will I not come to your house, you will never see my face on earth you will see me you will know what I look like the finished making God promises you the brilliance of what Jesus did is that he knew no sin became sin for us, so that all of our sins were paid for. You need to understand that Miss understanding needs to get out of your mind just like you need to get out of mind of early church people that you don't work your way into salvation and the misunderstanding that now that I'm say another matter how I live I will have to change a thing about my life. That's what James is addressing. Look at how James wants to address it. He wants you to understand.

According to this first point that your fate had to go beyond that little prayer you bring all Lord and I realize I'm a sinner and nominee to salvation.

I repent has to come in my life and save me all right does a good prayer but salvation. James wants to make the point that works follow Paul make the same points just like he said the reason they did nine was saved by grace through faith that not of ourselves is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. The very next buyers he says for we are God's workmanship. Ephesians 210.

We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to go.

That's a brilliant passage in two verses eight and nine. He says you're not say because anything you did. That's apart from your work.

You came by grace through faith has none to do with you would have newer Christ, he said, but now that you are say God is in your life. We are God's handiwork.

God is working in us and we were created to do good works. So how's we understand this business works. Then we can be saved by works, but he says because we are say there will be an indication by the fact that we are doing the good works which he prepared in advance for us to do when you get say God wants to do some good works through you. When you and we cooperate with that and it changes our lives, so do not say I am saying but I'm going to steeple and live in the exact same way I did before got say okay because God is at work in you now is that working you now and his spirits design is the changes God loves us like we are.

But he loves us too much to leave us like we are. We are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, and I love this, which God prepared in advance what God wasn't doing your life. He prepared that in eternity past, you are the creature of the vine planning.

You are the result of a divine strategy. God has plans for your life. I want to tell you if you are thinking about given up your life you been going through some hard times on just thing about Unity and I really am just me about negative don't even take that thought to the next step.

Why, because God is at work and he has prepared good things good works good things are in store for you I see you through the lens of Scripture I see you in your future and you look a lot better than to do right now you need understand that and so God is not going let you enjoy life. He is at work in you. Someone came to this church in recent weeks. I got the letter days ago and they said pastor.

Thank you that your churches is set up the way it is and he said couple weeks ago I came to the church he said and nobody knew it but I was thinking about ending my life so but I said let me go to church and walked into this church, and before God and had to hear the word of God.

A greeter spoke to him and said something encouraging face and he said something encouraging, and he said God spoke to me through a greeter and said I'm not finished with you and he gave me the greeter's name and he told me pastor, would you please tell that greeter I see it, think going through hell you going to hell what you do you keep the moment we all been there long time than necessary because 23 said that Valium help, and when you come out because you you want to help keep the ball moving metal table which enemies watching God bless your life is all depressed and obese watching you. Whatever you think is an enemy now you in the presence of your enemies when you see what other people or circumstances. The presidency nominally showing up showing up of God given right to sit down at the table you know you ushers and greeters and you just bring somebody door meet and greet, then God wants to use you to be up here. When asked the man of God that God use me to teach and believe God, and not me you let me do it now. Jim Albert, thank you on behalf of that man you know none but being human is all you would know Jimmy got remember when you go way back on the people to be a church and he showed up with Leo became blessedly okay to make sure I kept praying. Leo don't know about these with the Lord now but these two men showed up when I had this little pitiful church and he been under my ministry and learning and become a leader in discipling all that submitted to my leadership and God using me just on the door, but a mass anomaly today, because God got to be more than the action action. It changes our lives. You can stay the way you are living raggedy like you are God's work in you. You want to be a trophy so it is no way no no more lifestyle, no I'm not going to happen make some changes.

We just got to figure it out came the changes and so we must surrender to him. When God comes into your spiritual house. He's not looking to slap on a new coat of paint and rearrange the furniture he's there to rebuild the foundation to fix the plumbing and the internal wiring he's after renovation decoration.

Not an easy process. It can be quite painful. But when we allow God to change us from the inside out to transform us into the image of his son will be better equipped to be his ambassadors on earth and will be infused with the joy that exceeds anything we could ever imagine.

In Psalm 107. King David writes then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. If you need prayer today.

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We have a great resource to share with you today a DVD from Pastor Paul called get your hopes up, and hope in English often conveys doubt. I hope my team wins or I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow but biblical hope has its foundation in God, in whom there is never any doubt learn more about biblical hope in this video message on DVD from Pastor Paul.

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Once again our address is Destin for victory. Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 goes beyond belief that you believe something if you don't live according to lease him in your head. It's another thing about belief in your everyday life. What can a tight rope walker teach us about faith. Find out tomorrow and pastor Paul Sheppard shares his message faith on trial until then. Remember he who began a good working you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory