False Faith (Part 2 of 2)

Setting up you wouldn't singing worship song doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a flower bed makes you arose so how can each of us be sure we have genuine saving faith will look at the entry to that question today on Truth for Life. As Alistair Begged teachers from chapter 2 in the book of James were looking at verses 14 through 17 you see why it's so dangerous to be in the place where the Bible is taught. Why is so dangerous to be in a church where the pastors make an honest endeavor to teach the gospel to explain that who Jesus is and what he has done is the basis of forgiveness and our only hope of heaven and to press upon men and women need to trust in that Jesus do realize that there is less significance in the opposition of a pagan then there is in the lawlessness of a false professor who has just a little something resembling the real thing.

This is not a unique and pressing contemporary problem is been true in every generation. The presence of people within the framework of the external church who profess to be believers, but who are not genuine believers in here in the United States. We have vast numbers of individuals in inflated church memberships, claiming that because they had some point in their lives, raise their hand or walked on island trusted Christ, they are genuinely in Christ. They have no interest in the Bible, no zeal for their unsaved friends and neighbors no call to holy life. In fact, they are indiscriminately the same as they are non-Christian friends. What does the Bible say about love resembled the right of the Hebrews is very clear.

He says that God disciplines his children and he says if you are not disciplined, then your illegitimate children are not true children who the right thing to he's writing to the framework of the church and he saying to them, you better make sure where you stand in relationship to these things and James have a listen so clearly to his brother Jesus on so many occasions.

Initially without being a believer comes to the same issue himself, but I think our contemporary circumstances at a little touch of lying to this one. When you think about what we are confronted with on a daily basis in the media. The need. We are told for everybody to have equal respect for every quotes faith community and a preparedness to listen often without reservation to each person tell us about their faith journey. Note in one sense, there is no reason for alarm in relationship to the phraseology, but in every realistic sense. If you listen carefully to what underlies it is the notion that somehow or another. Even the use of the word faith, whatever that faith might be faith in whom faith and walked faith in faith itself. In other words, everything is validated on the basis of the notion of faith per se that is not what the Bible is talking about concerning faith here what James is talking about is saving faith.

It is faith in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the faith which brings a man or a woman into the confidence that although I have no basis upon which to stand before God that because of what God has done in Jesus and because I have come by his grace to entrust myself to Jesus that it is this then which forms the basis of my acceptance with God and it is in my lifestyle that I gave evidence of the basis for my faith when we study the end of acts and we look to Paul constantly defending the faith and finally going up before Agrippa in the presence of Festus and I as it does your heart good just to reread Paul defending the faith in all of these things before Festus and Agrippa and Felix and so on and is in acts 26 in case you want to read it for homework. Paul is right in the in the midst of his expression of our faith and in Jesus and at this point. Luke says Festus interrupted Paul's defense, you're out of your mind Paul. He shouted your great learning is driving you insane. I'm not insane, most excellent Festus all replied what I'm saying is true, and reasonable, and then he draws the king and he says the king probably pointing to them to Agrippa.

The king is familiar with these things and I can speak freely to him and I was Festus you don't want to listen to this. That's okay, but I'm sure the king wants to listen to this I can speak freely to him. I'm convinced that none of this has escape his notice.

You know you may not be getting a Festus, but I'm sure Agrippa is coming right along with because none of it is being done in a corner and then he addresses the king directly and he says King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets, I know you do. And the king says do you think that in such a short time, you can persuade me to become a Christian seat.

Agrippa understood exactly what Paul was saying.

Paul was not sick. Do you believe the prophets do have some kind of faith that's terrific.

That's terrific when you could take some faith-based initiatives in your kingdom. Maybe you can describe your faith journey to a few people at a garden party or sonic made. Maybe you could establish a little faith community. No, no, Agrippa gets it clear I know we are trying to do.

Paul you are trying to get me to believe in this Jesus of Nazareth and poses is exactly what I'm trying to do.

Why because there is no saving faith outside of Jesus of Nazareth seat is entirely logical given the thesis and that's why James recognizes if I write to these people and they believe that simply because they're saying the same words singing the same songs doing the same things that somehow or another they are in the faith, and they're not, I will answer to God on the day of judgment and their blood will be on my hands out of the prophets in the Old Testament reset is it when we get to the conclusion introductions going on forever. Well soon, but we have to address. We have to make very very clear. The nature of faith itself. Don't because what is the primary act of faith. What is it mean to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you what it isn't.

It is not the acceptance intellectually of certain propositions about Jesus. It includes the acceptance of those propositions about Jesus, but the propositions about Jesus in and of themselves responded to intellectually do not equal saving faith saving faith is essentially the entrustment the entrustment of our life's to Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is not the belief that we have been saved, nor is it even the belief that Christ died for us, but it is the commitment of ourselves to Christ as unsaved lost helpless and undone in order that we may see the all that we bring to our salvation is the sin from which we need to be forgiven. We bring nothing in our hands. We commonly Satan lost, helpless, undone and in need of a Savior in the 60s. They had those big beanbag chairs are probably resurrected by now you get the small ones, depending on your size or for your girlfriend or not, and you get the larger ones edit what they they were very inviting. You can trust yourself to the it is fall back into I didn't ever see anybody make peculiar examinations of the physical properties of them, but they just entrusted themselves to and what James is referencing here is this that when a man or woman entrust themselves to the Lord Jesus. When a man or woman offloads their sin and discovers the forgiveness that Jesus brings not only does Jesus forgive their sin, but he provides the Holy Spirit to live in our life's so the grace of God. Titus to the bring salvation teaches us to say no to all ungodliness and teaches us how to live life in a way that is pleasing to him. And so what James is saying his sins around these two dimensions to what good is it if somebody just walks around saying I have faith IFA and there is no evidence in their life cannot faith save is very difficult. You know, for people in this kind of area to become Christians. It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle in for a rich man or a rich woman to enter the kingdom of God because those of us who are rich have a hard time admitting that we are lost that were undone that were helpless and we have no I we have provided for ourselves. He said and said as clearly as I can. Do not mistake some general acknowledgment of God's existence or even the uniqueness of Jesus as being evidence of saving faith because if you look down at verse 19 which will come another day. Even the demons believe there is one God.

They do that and it makes them shudder.

Know what you need to be doing is not simply assenting to the truth about Jesus, but is also consenting to take Christ member in Sunday school we learned it forsaken all, I take him or forsaken all, I trust him F a I TH forsaken all, I trust him.

That's it that's it forsaken all, all my good deeds. All my best attempts all my everything, forsaken all of that I trusted and when it happens, we look back on our lives and we realize that verse 18 of chapter 1 summarizes it wonderfully for us.

He chose to give us birth, that's God's initiative through the word of truth. That's his instrument that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. That's his intention and where this faith is real.

There will be evidence, there will be evidence were not talking here about thoughtlessness were not talking here about perfection, not talking here necessarily about all of the plants in full bloom. We are talking here about the indication that there is life and the life reveals itself much outside Jesus for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves is by their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles. Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit of bad tree bears bad fruit.

Good tree can't bear bad fruit, a bad tree can't bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Thus by their fruit you will recognize them and it is then that he says the verse with which we began and not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. This came from Colorado and it's a very very nice piece of wood and this is actually my wife's.

I have given it to her yet but I have I have a larger I have a larger one for myself. It came Mark Mark 68 where Jesus says don't take your purse with you just take only a staff when you go out and so you can you can look for some of the mall shooters. We walk around with this non-known as Tabora credit cards. You simply have this whether you see me because I have oneness about the size it was made for Goliath. I think and is going have to be cut down by the ring when I saw it as it is a perfect illustration. It actually had a rubber band around it with something attached to it at budget but deliver any fruit on this is a profitless exercise right. This is dead is no good.

There are cherries on my kitchen counter.

I could've brought some of then and find a way to tie them on and said unit is a wonderful these cherries grew on this and you would say probably medication is not been working as well as you all.

But if our life look like there's no matter what we say Jesus is either stored in the fire as a Jesus who died on the cross for people's lives are so messed up that they needed a Savior cannot. You can have in one way or the other half have it both ways. The judgment of God is executed upon sin.

It will be punished. The mercy of God is revealed in Jesus and he has borne the punishment of sin and James comes and says if your life looks like this on care what you say man or woman claims to have faith and yet our life looks like this can such faith save is why say this is the great danger in the world danger in the world is not terrorism danger in the world is that you and I would die and go to hell.

That is the only thing you really need to fear and that let not fear drive you to Jesus and Jesus will fill you with his spirit and enable you to become the person he wants you to be seen. James is not saying if you will have a compassionate heart if you will have a controlled tongue, if you will have a clean life than on the basis of that you can make yourself acceptable to God what he saying is that when God comes to live within you.

He will could heal clean up your life he'll control your tongue he will produce compassion within these will be the evidences. What is the basis of our acceptance. What Jesus has done the evidence of our acceptance in these things. You see the problem that James addresses is not the problem of open opposition is the problem of false profession in many ways open opposition is a lot easier to handle. Regardless of the charge. I couldn't stand. Charge the Bible. I don't want to read the Bible, Jesus, I don't hear a thing about Jesus what Lisa got clarity differently simply have a conversation about this, but was most dangerous is the person sitting and there's a lawyer charge for me absolutely all of the questions he asks two questions. What good is it if a man claims of faith and has no deeds answer no good. Can such faith save answer no illustration what is illustration while he says imagine that somebody is cold and hungry and one of you says I will be have a great day. Keep warm and stay well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is that the little as patently obvious as words in and of themselves cannot address hunger or the cold and so the logical conclusion in verse 17, a conclusion which is about to return here we end he says in the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. Professions of faith unaccompanied by the life that God produces in our lives is absolutely useless is very blunt isn't shocking and unavoidable challenge is my profession of faith real, for it is, says Paul, by grace, that we are saved through faith and that not of ourselves is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, for which God prepared which God prepared in advance for us to do were not saved by them were saved for the or is Luther's booted is faith alone that saves, but the faith that saves is not alone. I urge you today. If you are in any doubt about these things, throw yourself back on Jesus cast yourself on his mercy and asking to produce fruit in your life he'll do it. He promised that mere knowledge of this fact will not bring about the change.

Take your medicine has become, or have you taken your medicine has become a routine phrase around my house, and Susan is invited advanced in various ways for me to know where I am or I haven't can turn bottles upside down when I've taken it so when I come back in the bathroom on though that I've taken it except when I come back in the bathroom. I can remember whether it was upside down because I was close of day or whatever works in size with regular sit in the bathroom and look at it and believe it. I believe that this will do this.

Otherwise, I trust the physician.

He told me that there would be there.

There would be a lasting benefit if I would take this, but until I take all of my intellectual assent unmatched by the entrustment of myself to the prescription will not bring about any change. I don't bring this word to this morning because I believe that our site is full of false professors.

I bring it to you because it's the next four versus James chapter 2 where faith is real. There will be evidence were not saved by our works, but our works are proof of God's Spirit at work in us your listing to Truth for Life with Alastair big Alastair will be back in just a minute Alastair explained today that false faith is so dangerous because the consequences are eternal.

That's why it's so important for us to correctly understand the Bible limits why our mission the Truth for Life is to teach only the Bible verse by verse. We strive to teach the Bible with clarity in a way that's relevant to daily life in our prayer is that unbelievers will become committed followers of Jesus. Believers will grow in their faith and local churches will be strengthened if that mission resonates with you.

We'd love to have you join with your fellow listers who we call truth partners partners come alongside us through their prayers and their monthly giving and when you sign up to become a true partner your joining the vital team that makes Alistair's teaching available for free all around the world. We often talk about truth partners because they are so essential to this ministry, but true partners also enjoy exclusive benefits when you sign up will send you a welcome package that includes the Truth for Life daily devotional will also receive online access to the message of the month special teaching from Alastair that has not been heard on the daily program and when you commit to $20 or more in monthly giving, you can request both of the books we feature each month at no additional cost. It's easy to enroll, you can simply visit Truth for Life.org/true partner or call 888-588-7884 and when you do, be sure to request your copy of the current book were talking about on Truth for Life. It's called little pilgrims big journey part two this children's story was adapted from a classic book, the Pilgrim's progress. Part two attracts the journey of Christiana and her brothers on their way to the eternal city. Each chapter and little pilgrims big journey. Part two contains important lessons about being faithful throughout the Christian life.

Christiana may be especially encouraging to young girls.

This is a terrific book for you to read a short chapter at a time to your children or grandchildren may be to a Sunday school class little pilgrims big journey part two can also be requested with a one time donation go to Truth for Life.org/donate to find out more or give us a call at 888-588-7884. Now here's Alastair with the closing prayer. Father, we thank you for the Bible and we pray that we might become people of the Bible that we might search the Scriptures to see if these things are so when I become a congregation that is grateful as we are for those who teach us that we might listen to the words very carefully and pour them through the sieve of holy Scripture so that we become those who are obedient to your word and not just because someone said so.

I pray for those who are uncertain about faith in Jesus that they might come to trust in him as Savior and Lord King. For those of us who are rattled by these things because our light is dimming and our attitudes are fading. These might be a spurned a glow to follow hard after Christ asked him to forgive us and to enable us to let our light so shine before men, that they might see our good deeds and glorify you are father in heaven. Thank you that all of our acceptance with you is an account of what Christ has accomplished me the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God our father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit rest upon and remain with each of us now and forever more men about the pain. Thanks for listing.

I hope you can join us tomorrow. Alastair will take a deeper look at the distinctions between deeds done for salvation and deeds done as a result of selfish Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life where the learning is prolific