 And the title of our sermon this morning is what is faith? What is faith? And once again, we're continuing our study of the essentials. So we're grateful that you're back here and it's a blessing to be able to continue through this series with you. We're working our way through the theology section and making good progress. I think we've got a few sermons left and we'll be moving on to the practice part of our study of the essentials. One sermon, one hour, one theological subject essential to the growth and maturity of the Christian. In this study now, we've been working through essentially the basics of systematic theology. That's what this study encompasses. We're working through the theology of our confession of faith, the London Baptist confession of faith of 1689. And I think the fruit of our time together among several has been in part to show that good theology is not merely an academic pursuit. Good theology is not merely for academics, intellectuals, scholars, Bible teachers, right? It's not merely an academic pursuit, but good sound theology is critical. It's essential to the life, health, thought, worship, walk, devotion, growth, maturity, wisdom, zeal, perseverance, holiness, sanctification, joy, hope, and the faith of the Christian. Good theology is inevitably, inexorably and intensely practical. Now think with me for a moment. One of the reasons that good theology is so intensely practical is because all theology is lived theology. What you believe, what you think fuels the heart, it fills the mind and how you live flows directly from what you believe and how you think. Just an unbreakable connection. There is a direct and inescapable connection between your life and your theology. Your theology will have a dramatic impact on your worship of God. And you and I were created to worship, were created to glorify God. Your theology will have a tremendous influence on your fellowship, on your friendships, on your evangelism. It'll have a tremendous influence on your commitment to church, on your commitment, your faithfulness to prayer. It'll have a tremendous influence on your understanding of and application of the gospel, on your fellowship with other believers. It'll have an impact on the job. It'll have an impact in the home. It'll have an impact in driving through I-4 traffic, right? Your theology impacts how you live, how you think, how you believe, how you work, even how you drive. That theology involves me as a pastor, but it also involves you as a schoolteacher. It involves you as an engineer. It involves you as a mom, you as a student, you as a father. The question isn't, are you a theologian? The question is, are you a good one? If you're not a good theologian, listen to me now, if you're not a good theologian, a student of God's word, filling your heart and mind with the word of God, and filling your heart and mind with sound theology, if you're not a good theologian, then the opposite is also true. And your life will begin to drive your theology. Your experience will begin to drive your theology. For example, your faith bears no fruit, and so you believe that fruits of faith now aren't necessary any longer. Somehow you're saved because of a profession of faith that you made, and your understanding of faith goes out the window. You aren't submitted to Jesus Christ as Lord, obeying Him as Lord, and so you believe that we don't need to be concerned about submitting to Jesus Christ as Lord. It's good to obey Him, but listen, we're all sinners. And then, carnal Christian theology pops up into the church. Don't tell me how to live my life, right? You're just being judgmental. You're being legalistic. So either bad theology or no theology is a recipe for disaster. We need good, sound, biblical, God-honoring, Christ-exalting theology. We need to understand what the Bible teaches. And either bad theology or no theology will deceive you along a broad road that leads to destruction. Now, if you're a Christian, you've been delivered to a specific content of your faith. You've been delivered to a revelation, a revelation of God, that we are called as followers of Christ to believe. Jude calls it the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. That's the content of what we are to believe. And so central to Christianity is that content of what we're to believe that we often refer to Christianity as the Christian faith, right? It's central to what we believe, what we profess as Christians. In other words, what you believe matters. What you believe matters. Big and small. We'll talk to people. And I'm sure if you've been out witnessing, you're out talking to people. And we have differences in theology. People want to smooth those overs or smooth those over or discount them as not being that important. We're just talking about semantics. No, no, no. We're not talking about just semantics here. And these things are incredibly important. Theology is intensely practical and theology is exceedingly important. What you believe matters. However, in the Bible, faith does not only consist in what you believe, but faith consists in whom you believe. There is a personal trust involved. Biblical faith does not simply consist of what the scholars call notitia or knowledge. Biblical faith does not simply consist of knowledge or of understanding. Biblical faith does not simply consist of a census or intellectual assent, an affirmation of that knowledge to be true. Biblical faith also consists of fiducia, a fidelity, a trust in, a commitment to, the object of our faith who is the Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, faith, true Biblical faith points beyond itself to that which we believe and Biblical faith points beyond itself to the one in whom we believe. In the New Testament, the New Testament frequently speaks of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Frequently makes reference to what we believe and who we believe in. Often that word translated as believing, as believing. John 6, verse 35, Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. That's a call to salvation. In chapter 11, verse 25, Jesus said to Mary, Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. Acts chapter 16, verse 31, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Romans chapter 10, verse 9, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. The New Testament frequently, consistently refers to faith in Jesus Christ as the sole instrumental cause of our justification, of our salvation, our right standing with God. Faith alone, in Christ alone, is the instrumentality through which God justifies or saves the sinner. The Spirit of God applies the benefits of Christ's saving work, and he does that through your faith, by faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Now listen and consider very carefully with me. At the very same time that the Bible speaks of a faith through which God saves sinners, the Bible also introduces a false faith that does not save sinners. Hear what I said, right? And think with me. The Bible speaks of a faith, a true and genuine and saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that leads to salvation. It's a faith through which God saves the sinner by applying the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. But at the same time, the Bible also says that faith can be spurious. Faith can be counterfeit. Faith can be fake. Your faith can be a sham. There is a faith which saves and there is a faith which damns. This is exceedingly important. Exceedingly important because what we're talking about is heaven or hell. What we're talking about is the state or condition of your soul. Whether you die and you spend eternity with Christ or whether you die and you pay for your own sin in torment, in hell for all eternity. It can't be anything more important than that. The state of your own soul hangs in the balance, do you see? We're talking about genuine faith versus counterfeit faith and the Bible says don't be deceived. There is a false kind of faith which does not save. That truth is seldom rarely ever heard in pulpits and churches and books and sermons today. And much to the detriment of people, lost people, who need to be saved, who need to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. It's according to the deceitful work of our enemy, the adversary, who has cultivated this wicked and deplorable deception by which countless, countless millions have been lost. What's most often heard in pulpits today is actually an error that cultivates that false counterfeit sham, fake faith. Theology matters. What you believe matters. Who you believe matters. Listen to the familiar words of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 7 verses 21 to 23. Listen carefully. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven. Do you profess Jesus Christ to be Lord of your life this morning? Do you profess him to be Lord? If you profess him to be Lord, hear this text. Not everyone who says to him, not everyone who professes him to be Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven, many, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Have we not preached in your name? Have we not cast out demons in your name? Have we not done many wonders in your name? Then I will declare to them, this is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking, I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. There are people who will perish eternally in hell, who profess Jesus Christ as Lord in this life. That is a stagging, astonishing, and frankly it's a terrifying thought, isn't it? They profess Jesus Christ as Lord in this life, they profess Him as Lord. These aren't pagans, these aren't Buddhists, these aren't Hare Krishna's, these aren't Hindus, these are professing Christians. They say that Jesus Christ is Lord, they profess Him as Lord in this life, and they will perish eternally in hell. Jesus Christ saying to them, depart from me, I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness. They're confident in this life that they are secure in Christ, that they've made a profession of faith, and only death reveals the false hope. They close their eyes in this life believing a lie, and they open their eyes in torment. How large is the group? The Lord Jesus Christ says many, many, many, many who profess to submit to Jesus Christ as Lord in their life, calling Him Lord, they even do mighty works in His name, they preach in His name, casting out demons in His name, doing many wonders in His name. And the profession that they made, the profession of Jesus Christ as Lord, endures to the very end, it endures to the day of judgment. That means all of their lives, as long as they lived, they professed Jesus Christ as Lord and believed that He was Lord, believed themselves to be saved until the day that they closed their eyes in death, and until the day that they stand before the Lord Jesus Christ in judgment. Their faith, their faith, you see, is found to be a damning false faith. They built their foundation on sand, their lives built on a foundation of sand. Lord as I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Using lawlessness is, by the way, incidentally, a fruit of unbelief. It's a fruit of faithlessness. Disobedience is a fruit of unbelief. Oftentimes in Scripture, the Bible uses words meaning unbelief and disobedience synonymously. John Bunyan describes an entranceway to hell even from the gates of heaven. A door, he says, in the side of a hill. A door from where you can hear the cries of the tormented. You can smell the burnings of brimstone. It's a door that the hypocrites go in at. Those that have made a long show of faith, but at the end of the day, they are only pretenders. For an example of this, turn with me to John chapter two, John chapter two. Consider the condition of your own soul. Consider the state of your own faith. There is true and genuine faith. There is false, spurious, counterfeit faith. One saves, one dams. In John chapter two, crowds have packed into Jerusalem for Passover. And Jesus is among them, teaching and preaching in the temple. He's just cleared out the temple of the money changers, flipping over tables, driving them out with a whip of cords, and he's been performing miracles there. Signs and wonders. Signs intended to point to who Jesus Christ is, so that people might believe upon him to everlasting life. There's signs meant to point to who he is. And none of this, none of this preaching, none of this teaching, none of the signs, none of the miracles escapes the masses, the people who've gathered for Passover. Word has gotten around. And many, many of the Bible says have come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the anointed one of God, as the Christ. Look at verse 23. Now when he, Jesus, was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast, many, there's that word again, right? Many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did. Now notice in verse 23, that as a result of the miracles they believed in his name. You can imagine, that's not far-fetched. If the Lord Jesus Christ showed up here to do miracles, there'd be many who would see the wonders that he did, would see the signs that he performed, and would believe that he was sent from God because of the miracles, the signs that he did. The same language we saw recently in John chapter 1 verse 12, right? To as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name. Here in verse 23, many believed in his name. Same language. Verse 24 begins, however, with a very ominous butt. It's the kind of butt that signals a transition to bad news. I thought about it as the kind of butt that comes on the last day of your new job where it seems, the boss says, it seems like you've done a good job, but, right? That girl that you're interested in, she thinks you're nice, but, right? It's the butt that precedes bad news. Verse 24, but, Jesus did not commit himself to them because he knew all men. He knew all men. The Lord saw something that was deficient in their profession of faith. Many believed in him. Many believed in him, but the Lord saw something deficient in their faith, in their profession of faith. Notice, verse 23, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did, but verse 24, Jesus did not, literally the word is believe. It's the same word. Jesus did not believe in them. In other words, verse 24, Jesus did not believe in their supposed believing. He did not believe them. He didn't believe them. Now, if you're used to hearing that you can believe any time you want, any way that you want, anywhere that you want, I'll just listen. I'm going to go on my death bed. I'm going to live how I want to live. I can settle this later, and I can settle this at some other time. I'll believe when I'm good and ready to believe. I'll make that commitment when I'm good and ready to make that commitment. If you're used to hearing that, it may come as a bit of a shock to you, that Jesus has something to say about the nature and character and validity and authenticity and veracity of your faith. The Lord Jesus Christ knows your heart. He is the one who will judge the acceptability of faith, the validity of faith, the veracity of faith. He's the one who knows whether your faith is genuine or fake, do you see? Many in Jerusalem saw the signs, and so they believed that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. He was the Christ, the anointed one of God. And although they professed to believe in Him because of the miracles, the Lord was not willing to believe them. He wasn't willing to commit Himself to them. He didn't believe their believing. And the reason that John gives is because, verse 24, the Lord knew all men. He knew what was in man, verse 25. And the Lord knew their supposed faith in Him is false, do you see? It isn't wrought by the Spirit of God. It's not saving two kinds of faith, genuine saving faith, false, counterfeit, fake, damning faith, do you see? Verse 25, Jesus had no need that anyone should testify of man, for he knew what was in man. Bible says that man looks on the outward appearance, but God is the one who looks on the heart. You can't hide behind a fake facade with God. You can't hide. A mere profession of faith does not mean the actual possession of faith, and your soul matters. Your soul hangs in the balances. Where's your faith this morning? A mere profession of faith does not mean the actual possession of faith. When the Lord looks at the hearts of men, what does He see? Romans chapter 3, verse 10. When the Lord looks at the hearts of men, He sees that there is none righteous, no not one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks after God. They've all turned aside. They've together become unprofitable. There is none who does good, no not one. Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they practice deceit. The poison of serpents asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they've not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. And now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and that all the world may become guilty before God. Think with me about Romans chapter 3, and notice the all-encompassing nature of those words, words without distinction, words without exception. The Lord Jesus Christ knows all men. He knows the wicked heart of man. All of us alike, fallen in Adam are conceived in iniquity and born in sin. All of us alike in the sight of God, guilty, condemned under the just sentence of His holy just and good law. The searing light of God's holy law, exposing the guilty stains upon every thought, every word, every deed, every attitude, every desire of your heart and your heart's disposition that is not in perfect conformity to that holy, just, perfect, good and righteous law. All of us alike under the verdict there is none righteous, no, not one. Do you think of yourself in those terms? Do you see, as Paul did, that nothing good dwells in you, that is, in your flesh? One said, not only is everyone corrupt, but they are all over-corrupt in every power, every faculty, every principle, every part is depraved. And not only is every part corrupt, but exceedingly corrupt, being possessed with dreadful principles of corruption, horribly evil dispositions and principles of sin that he may be represented by the poison of asps, which makes men like vipers and devils. You may say to yourself, that's not that big of a deal. What's he going on about? That's exactly what I'm talking about. You don't see it. That's your deceitful heart talking. That's your self-justifying, self-righteous heart talking. Jesus had no need that anyone should testify of man, for he knew it was in the heart of man. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The sword of divine justice in the sentence of the law has been drawn. It hangs over the head of the wicked. The law of God, which promises death for sin, has passed a sentence of condemnation on all. And this sentence, so authoritative, so unwavering, unflinching, that all are executed. All are executed with only one exception. Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved. All are executed under a sentence of condemnation, resigned to an eternity in torment, save one, the one who believes upon the Lord Jesus Christ in faith. He who believes will be saved. The one who puts saving faith in Jesus Christ will live. It's from that place, from the brink of the pit that man are called to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, where we stand, all alike, condemned as guilty sinners under a holy law. We are called there to Calvary, to the holy ground of Golgotha, where Jesus Christ hangs suspended between heaven and earth, where the incarnate Son of God slain for sinners to the place where the Lamb of God who knew no sin, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, takes upon himself the sins of a vast innumerable host, which no man can number out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation, and charged with the guilt of their sin, legally liable in the court of heaven, with the punishment that they justly deserved, the undiluted wrath of Almighty God poured out upon him in their place. And through his perfect righteousness, through his work, the Lord Jesus Christ makes a way for a righteous, holy God to be just in pardoning and forgiving unrighteous sinners through faith, faith in him who died for them and rose again, all men alike condemned in sin, all men alike in need of his saving work to be reconciled to a holy God. All men alike, if they are to be saved, must now turn from their sin in repentance toward God and place true and genuine saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. It's not faith in a concept. It's not faith in a philosophy, it's not faith in an idea, it's not faith in a notion, it's not faith in a good example, it's faith in a person, in faith alone, in Christ alone. Biblical theologians, scholars through the centuries have acknowledged three essential components, three essential aspects of genuine saving faith, noticia which is knowledge, a census, ascent, or fiducia, fidelity, trust and commitment. First, the first component of genuine saving faith, noticia refers to the content of our faith, refers to what we believe, the revelation that has been given to us by God and the revelation of God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our knowledge, our understanding of that which we are to believe, we must believe what God has revealed and we must believe in the one in whom he has revealed himself. Some say it doesn't matter what you believe. As long as you believe in Jesus, right, it doesn't matter what you believe. That's a lie. As long as you believe in Jesus, as long as you believe that God is love, love always wins. But there is a content to our faith that we are called by God to believe. Jesus says, if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. It matters what we believe. That content of our faith, that knowledge, that understanding involves the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must know him and we must know what he has done in order to put our faith and trust in him. There are many who will say, I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Have no earthly idea what he's done. No earthly idea who they are, their condition outside of Christ. No idea what the gospel involves. Noticia refers to the content of our faith. Second aspect of genuine saving faith is a census. It's an intellectual assent. It's a mental affirmation that what has been revealed by God is true. It's our conviction that the content of our faith is true. Not just we know what, not just that we understand it, but that it's true. We're persuaded to believe, to affirm what the Bible teaches. We believe what it reveals there about the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in who he is. I believe in what he's done. I believe that he was raised from the dead. I believe that he was born of the virgin. I believe that he was raised bodily. I believe that he seated at the right hand of the Father at the majesty on high. I believe that he's coming back and I believe that we'll be raised together with him. I'm persuaded. I'm convinced. I'm convicted that these things are true. A census, assent affirmation. However, knowing the content of our faith is not enough. Understanding the content of our faith is not enough. James says that even the demons believe and tremble. I think with me for a moment. The demons believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They've seen him. They know the Bible likely better than you. They walked this earth. They're fallen with Lucifer from heaven. And the demons know these things. And the Bible says they tremble. They tremble under the thought of their coming judgment. They know that it's true. What differentiates? What distinguishes your faith from that of a demon? Even the demons believe and they tremble. There's some sarcasm in that, isn't there? Why aren't you trembling? Right? The third aspect, the third essential component of genuine saving faith must be is fiducia. All are necessary. Noticia, knowledge, a census or assent and fiducia. A believing, embracing, trusting in these things as true for me. That Jesus Christ died for me. That he is forgiven me of my sins. And I am trusting him alone to save me in that day. I am committing myself to following him as Lord. I'm committing myself to obeying him that he might, through his spirit, sanctify me and grow me and mature me and conform me into the image of his son. Many, many are willing to have Christ as priest, as savior from sin, but not willing to have Christ instruct them, correct them or rebuke them as profit. Many are willing to have Christ as priest, but not willing for the Lord Jesus Christ to legislate for them as king. They're not willing to submit themselves to him as Lord. Fiducia is an entrusting. It's a fidelity. It's a commitment. True, genuine saving faith is characterized by knowing the truth. True, genuine saving faith is characterized by believing and affirming the truth. And all true, genuine saving faith is characterized by trusting in, committing ourselves to, living for and obeying the truth. That's fiducia. Fiducia is an entrustment of yourself in all things to him as the Christ, the anointed one, prophet, priest and king. It's a living, loving, hoping, rejoicing, following, obeying, believing faith, yielding myself to his authority, submitting myself to his rule, following him as Lord. As much as genuine saving faith is a turning to someone, genuine saving faith is also a turning away from someone. And that's where fiducia comes in as well. Genuine saving faith is not only turning to the Lord Jesus Christ. Genuine saving faith is a turning away from sin and self in him, denying yourself, taking up your cross daily and following him as Lord. It's easy, easy to get the content of faith into your head. It's another matter altogether to get that faith into your heart. Amen. We can't change our own hearts. We're incapable of that kind of transformation. We're incapable out of the heart of sinful wretched men to produce saving genuine faith. The problem is that our fallen hearts are incapable of genuine faith. We're simply not able. We're simply not willing. We are by nature children of wrath. Romans chapter 8 verse 7, the carnal mind which is every mind outside of Lord Jesus Christ, outside of new birth, outside of regeneration, the carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. I was having lunch with a brother yesterday and we were talking about the hopelessness of trying to live for the Lord Jesus Christ apart from the work of his spirit. Apart from his spirit in you, empowering you, enabling you to obey. It's impossible, impossible. We simply can't obey. The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be. You may watch the outside of the cup. You may get yourself looking fine with a nice shine in front of everyone else. But the Lord is the one who looks on the heart and he knows the condition of your heart. The carnal mind is enmity against God. You know, someone says, well, I'm not an enemy against God. I love the law of God. Yeah, so when you're presented with nine commandments that the Lord God gives in his word that you're obeying, you feel pretty good about yourself. But the moment someone confronts you with that tenth one, hostility rises to the surface. Who are you to judge me? Now you're just being legalistic, right? Reveals the heart. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. The only way we can please God is in faith. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The heart disposition of all men alike is enmity against God. Rebellion against God. That's why there's no interest in God's word. That's why you're at best, the way that you perceive it, apathetic or indifferent toward the word of God. Apathetic or indifferent toward the preaching of God's word. Apathetic or indifferent toward fellowship with God's people, toward loving and serving them in the church, while you're apathetic or indifferent toward evangelism without any burden for lost people. There's no interest in God's word, no room for the Lord in your affections. It's why you go day after day without a care in the world for your soul. It's because you don't see it. The carnal mind is enmity against God. How is it that men in this condition are to truly believe? This is what the Lord Jesus Christ saw in the hearts of those people in Jerusalem that profess to believe in him from John chapter 2. This is what he saw in their heart. No one had to testify the Lord Jesus Christ of the nature of man. He knew all men. He didn't believe they're believing. Your faith, Jesus says, is a sham faith. Well, it's interesting that that text, John chapter 2, provides the context for the conversation that the Lord then has immediately following with Nicodemus in John chapter 3, where the Lord explains that the remedy for man's destitute condition is that he must be born again. Chapter 2, verse 25 ends. He knew what was in man. John chapter 3, verse 1 begins with, there was a man, right? The connection is clear. Nicodemus is representative of all of those at the temple that day who believed in him because they saw the signs. But Jesus Christ himself didn't believe they're believing. And here we have Nicodemus. John chapter 3, verse 1. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know we believe. He says, right? We believe that you are a teacher. Come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. He was one of those who believed in him because of the signs that Jesus had been doing. Jesus answered and said to him, most assuredly, I say to you, Nicodemus, I don't believe you're believing. I know what's in your heart. Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus represents those who profess to believe in the Lord, but it's far, far, far from saving faith. It's not a faith that is born from above. Jesus doesn't believe is believing. The Lord says to Nicodemus, you must be born again. The faith that saves is a fruit of regeneration. The faith that saves is a fruit of God's effectual calling. That effectual calling, that effectual grace, produces a living, thriving, healthy, growing, maturing, fruit-producing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Man puts his faith in the things that he can see. He puts his faith in the things that he can see. The Lord tells us that man cannot see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. Unless you're born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God. Faith, then, Hebrews 11 verse 1, is the substance of that hope. It's the substance of things hoped for. It's the evidence of things not seen. We don't see him, and yet we love him. That's faith. We don't see these heavenly realities, but we believe them. We believe him. It's the grace of faith. Otherwise, we are incapable of that, apart from the work of God's spirit, incapable of that. London Baptist Confession of Faith, chapter 14, in the chapter concerning saving faith, paragraph 1. Confession says this. The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to believe, to the saving of their souls, is the work of the spirit of Christ in their hearts and is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the Word. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, right? But notice that. They are enabled to believe by the grace of faith. It's a gift of God. Believers are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls. That faith is the work of the spirit of Christ in their hearts. Now listen. If the spirit of God does that work in your heart, then that faith, which the spirit wrought in you, will produce the fruits of the spirit's work. Do you see? Millions today say, I've got faith, I believe. And they've entirely divorced the faith that they say they have from the power of God's spirit at work through that faith. They have a form of knowledge, but they deny its power. You see? There's a disconnection. The grace that has appeared to all men, bringing salvation, is grace that teaches us to deny ungodly lust. It's a working grace, an effectual grace. There's a power at work through faith to produce fruits in the life of a genuine believer. These are the fruits of faith. When a person is brought to life in new birth, when he's brought to life in regeneration, that person undergoes a conversion, a conversion. We'll talk about that next week in the sermon in Sermons to Come. Their life is transformed. They become a new creation in Christ. Before you have no affection for the Lord, now your heart is overwhelmed with affection for the Lord Jesus Christ. Before you had no faith, now you'll follow him to the gates of hell if he asked you to. Now you do, right? Now you do have affection for him. Now you love his word. Now you hunger and thirst for righteousness. Now you hate your sin. Your life is turned around. Do you see? It's a conversion. Conversion is repentance toward God, a turning toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. This and faith flip sides of the same coin, you could say. Both go together, distinguished, but married together. Let not man attempt to separate those. Genuine faith, genuine faith bears the fruit of obedience. That's why John can say, this is not a salvation by works. We're not saved by our works. This is a salvation that works such that John can say, he who says, I know him, I've got my faith in him. I believe in him. He who says, I know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth isn't in him. He's going to hell when he dies. Why? Because his faith isn't producing the good works, the keeping of the commandments, which the Bible says, God says, is the fruit of faith, you say? Do you see? It's not that we're saved by our works, but we are saved to a faith that works that produces the fruit of obedience. The fruit of good works. Listen to our confession again, chapter 14, paragraph 2. By this faith, by a saving faith, a Christian believes to be true whatsoever is revealed in the Word for the authority of God himself, and also apprehends an excellency therein above all other writings and all things in the world, as it bears forth the glory of God in his attributes, the excellency of Christ in his nature, in his offices, in the power and fullness of the Holy Spirit, in his workings and operations. And so, through this faith, is enabled to cast his soul upon the truth thus believed. The sinner abandons himself to Christ, casts himself upon the truth that is thus believed, and also acts differently upon that which each particular passage thereof contains. He yields obedience to the commands. He trembles at the threatenings. He embraces the promises of God for this life and for the life which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith have immediate relation to the Lord Jesus Christ accepting, receiving, and resting upon him alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of the covenant of grace. Faith produces fruits. You see, it produces effects. And listen, if you believe the godless theology that is preached in most churches today, that it's entirely up to you when and how, what manner, what time, what place you believe, then you divorce your profession of faith from any of the power that is married to the possession of faith. And we have people running around in droves. Listen, churches are jam-packed with them who say, I believe, just like those in the temple that day. And Jesus doesn't believe they're believing. Why? Because it isn't producing fruit in the power of the spirit. It's not a faith that is wrought by the working of his spirit. Now listen to me, if you think to yourself right now, if you're sitting here, that's not me. I haven't seen that kind of power at work in my life. I've pretty much lived, I'm a moral person, right? And I believe these things to be true. But I don't see a work of God by a spirit upon my heart. That's the grace of God to you. Ask for him to reveal to you the destitute condition of your heart. Ask for him to reveal to you the treasure that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Ask him to open your eyes, to unstop your ears. Take steps now to believe upon him in faith. Treasure his word. Treasure his commands. Get yourself to obeying him, to living for him, to following him as Lord. Read his word. Pray. Let me ask you, if you say this morning that you have saving faith, then where is your proof? Turn with me to James chapter 2, the text read earlier in your hearing. If you say this morning that you have saving faith, then where is your proof? And listen, that's not mean spirited of me to ask you that question. It's the most loving thing I can ask you during a sermon like this. Because I care about your soul. The people here care about your soul. They care about where you go when you die. If you say you have faith, then where is your proof? James chapter 2, look at verse 14. I want you to consider that question for yourself. Is there evidence of a work of God's spirit, a work of God's grace in your heart? Or has your faith to this point been a sham? And do you need to turn from sin and to trust him alone? Verse 14, James chapter 2 verse 14, what does it profit, my brethren? What does it profit? If someone says he has faith, but does not have works. Are you understanding the question? What does it profit? If someone says if he claims to have faith, I have faith. What does that profit you? If you don't also have works, it's a rhetorical question, it doesn't. There is no profit, right? He may believe all the right things, but what he says he believes is not the point. Do you see? Those in the temple, John chapter 2, they believed in Christ because they saw the signs which he did, but what they said was not the issue. The issue is here in verse 14 that he has no works to give evidence that his faith is genuine. What's meant by works there? No particular works are mentioned. The works of saving faith conform to the Word of God. In other words, the works of saving faith are obedience to his commands. Those good works which are pleasing and acceptable to God. God gives us clear commands in his word, doesn't he? Do you labor? Do you in the power of the Spirit delight in obeying his commands? There are countless, countless numbers of people who don the doors of a church once a week on Sunday, and they believe that that is what constitutes a Christian, that the Christian life is going to church for an hour, in this case two hours on a Sunday morning. What proof do you have that you have saving faith? What profit? What is it profit, my brother? If someone says he has faith, and he claims to have faith, but does not have works, James asks him, can faith, can that kind of faith save him? Not meant to assert here that faith does not save, but meant to assert that not every kind of faith saves. There is a faith which saves, and there is a faith which dams. There is a faith which deceives. The question is rhetorical. That kind of work-less and therefore worthless faith cannot save. A profession of faith that does not bear the fruit of faith filled good works is not genuine saving faith. That needs to be clearly stated everywhere. A profession of faith, a profession of faith, a profession of faith that does not bear the fruit of faith filled good works is not saving true, genuine faith. This is not a salvation by works, this is a salvation that works. We need the faith that God authors in us by his spirit, do you see? Words are empty. Words are worthless if they are not followed up by genuineness. Your profession of faith is a sham if it does not produce the fruits of the spirit. James uses an example of this very thing of some who says one thing, a person who says one thing and does another. Look at verse 15, words don't matter if they're not followed up. Verse 15, if a brother or sister is naked, destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed, be filled. But you do not give them the things which are needed for the body. What does it profit? Profits nothing. They're empty words, do you see? Thus also verse 17, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead, it's worthless. Faith without works is like words of compassion without actual compassion. Without works of compassion, dead faith is often accompanied by little more than words. Dead faith accompanied by often, by showing up at church, dead faith often accompanied by praying, dead faith often accompanied by reading your Bible, dead faith often accompanied by morality, but it makes you a hypocrite, do you see? Verse 18, what someone will say, you have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works. And again, that's a little sarcastic, isn't it? And to make a point, show me your faith without your works, you can't do it, impossible. Faith is unseen, we see the evidences of it, do you see? Faith is evidenced by good works. Verse 19, you believe that there's one God you do well, even the demons believe and tremble. That's why it's so important to understand that a memory of an experience, thinking back to a time when you walked an aisle, said a prayer, gave your heart to Christ. All of that, that past experience is no proof of salvation. The proof is how you've lived your life since your profession, right? The evidence is the good works of faith produced in you by the Spirit of God. Works done in faith, works done in love for Christ, works done in joy, works done in hope, works done since your profession. Verse 20, but do you want to know, oh foolish man, that word for foolish there means useless? Oh foolish, worthless man, that faith without works is dead. The one who says, I'll show you my faith without my works is a foolish man. Do you see? Do you want to know, oh foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? He was not justified by works before God, before God were justified by faith alone in Christ alone, but Abraham is justified before men. Those who are looking at the evidence of Abraham's faith, men who see the evidence of our faith through works, there's two meanings of the term justified. One refers to acquittal, the other to affirmation. The Lord Jesus Christ who is sinless has no need to be acquitted of anything, but the Bible says that he was justified by the Lord. Two meanings of the term, one mean to acquit, the other to affirm here, Abraham is affirmed. His faith is affirmed to be genuine in the sight of men based upon Abraham's works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar. A good example of this is the statement that wisdom is justified by our children. Abraham is affirmed by the fruits of wisdom. Here Abraham affirmed by the works of faith. Verse 22, do you see then that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect, was made affirmed, was seen to be complete? And the scripture was fulfilled which says Abraham believed God saving faith. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called a friend of God. We'll talk about in a sermon very soon justification, Abraham here justified by faith. So verse 24, you see then that a man is justified, affirmed as genuine, by works and not by faith only, likewise was not Rahab the harlot also affirmed or justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out the other way. Rahab is in the hall of faith for her faith works for her works of faith as the body without the spirit. Verse 26 is dead so faith without works is dead also. Spurgeon had a really helpful way of illustrating this. I want you to listen to this from the Prince of Preachers. Spurgeon said this, there is a vessel drifting, that vessel is you. Put yourself into the story. There is a vessel drifting, she will soon be on the rocks. But a pilot has come on board and he's standing on the deck of the vessel and he says to the captain and crew, I promise and undertake that if you will solely and alone trust me, I will save the vessel. He asked the crew, do you promise it? Do you believe in me? Well they profess to believe in him, they profess to believe the captain. And they trust the vessel implicitly to his care. And as the ship is tossed about on the waves, the pilot shouts, you at the helm there. And he does not stir. At the helm there, can't you hear? And he does not stir. He does not stir. And the shout comes, haven't you any confidence in the pilot? Oh yes, oh yes, I have faith in him, he says. I have faith that he will save the vessel. If I have faith in him, don't you hear the pilot as he says have faith in him and won't you touch the helm? You won't lift a finger to do anything. Now you aloft there, wreath that sail and he does not stir, but he lets the wind still blow into the sail and drift the vessel onto the coast. Now then the pilot cries, some of you look alive, that wreath, that sail, but they do not stir. Why captain, what shall I do? These fellows won't stir or move a peg. But oh says the captain, I have every confidence in you pilot. I believe that you will save the vessel. Then why don't you attend to the tiller and all that? Oh no, says he, I have great confidence in you, I don't mean to do anything. How foolish, how absurd, how stupid, how stupid, how unbiblical, right? Now when that ship goes down amid the boiling surges and each man sinks to his doom, I will ask you. Did they have faith in the pilot? If they had faith in the pilot, what would they have done? They would have done everything the pilot told them to do. Do you see? Do they not have a mimicking and mocking sort of faith and only that? For if they had been really anxious to have the vessel rescued and if they really trusted in the pilot, it would be the pilot that had saved them and they could never have been saved without him. They would have proved their faith by their works. Their faith would have been made perfect. It would have been affirmed and the vessel would have been secured. James says, what use is it brothers? If a man says he has faith but he has no works, can that kind of faith save him? There is an absurd, foolish and fruitless faith that will cast your ship upon the rocks and send you to your doom. Whereas genuine believers believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the captain of their salvation to the saving of their soul. Our confession, this faith, although it be different in degrees and may be weak or may be strong, yet it is in the least degree of it different in the kind or nature of it as is all other saving grace from the faith and common grace of temporary believers, fruitless believers, hopeless believers. And therefore though it may be many times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory in the end, growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ who is both the author and the finisher of our faith. And we say, praise the Lord. Lord do that work in our hearts. For you here this morning, God please do that work in your heart, cry out to him to do that work, to work within you the faith that saves in our glorious Redeemer, the captain of our salvation. Amen.