 Faith from Hebrews chapter 11, and so I thought maybe a fitting conclusion to that series tonight might be to discuss from the Bible the nature of genuine saving faith and so we want to dig into God's word and take a look at that very important issue this evening, spend some time doing that and hopefully help us and edify us, stir us up by way of reminder with some of these things that are important and common to our shared faith together. And so let's do that, but let's begin first with prayer. Let's pray to the Lord and ask him to bless our time. Father in heaven, thank you for our time in your word. We're so grateful to you for your word, so grateful to you Lord for this sure and perfect guide and we want to be accurate and faithful with it Lord. Please help me as I preach. Please help us as we engage with the text to understand clearly what you're teaching to apply these truths to our heart and glorify you Lord in living them out in faithfulness to you. So we thank you for our time. Please bless it Lord. We need your spirit God to guide us into truth and we depend upon you for that. Trust you for it and pray Lord with the expectation of faith without doubting and you'll do just that for your glory God in Jesus name. Amen. All right, so we're going to talk about the nature of genuine saving faith, the nature of genuine saving faith and we have to ask the question and it's an important question, one of the most important questions that you can ask is what is saving faith? What is genuine saving faith? And that question, what is saving faith intimately connected with the most important question that you'll ever ask in this life and ever answer in this life is how can I a sinner be right with a holy God? How can I be right with God? We have sinned. We have fallen short of the glory of God. We've rebelled against him and how can we depraved sinners be right with a holy God? How can I have my sins forgiven? How can I have the righteousness that I need to be able to stand before God justified and how can I a sinner go to heaven when I die? If you will turn with me or in your Bibles do Ephesians chapter 2 Ephesians chapter 2 and let's take a couple of look take a look at a couple of texts on this particular issue as we discuss the nature of genuine saving faith. Ephesians chapter 2 I know that we're very familiar with this text beginning in verse 8 where Paul explains clearly for us in Ephesians chapter 2 beginning in verse 8 for by grace you have been saved through the vehicle or through the instrumentality of faith for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them So we're asking the question tonight What is the nature of that faith? Through which we are saved. It's a critical important question What is the nature of that saving genuine real faith through which we are saved if you look at verse 8? If the grace there grace being feminine The salvation have been saved is a masculine participle and Then faith through faith faith there being feminine It is the gift of God the it there is neuter and Essentially what that saying in verse 8 just to help you understand the grammar of this a little bit is that all of that is a gift of God So if the grace if the salvation if the faith by grace through faith If the salvation by grace through faith are all gifts of God not of yourselves lest anyone should boast And we want to ask what does the gift then of genuine saving faith look like? What is the gift of genuine saving faith look like a good way to think through verse 8 is like this? Let me give you an example to help us with the grammar, right? if Jill and Tom and Sally All go to the store Jill masculine or feminine? feminine right Tom masculine Sally Feminine what's going to be the case of the all referring to all three of them? It's going to be neuter. So if you look at verse 8, I know we're getting into a grammar lesson here for by grace Feminine you have been saved masculine participle through faith feminine That not of yourselves it referring to all of them Neuter okay, some would say that the grace is the gift But the faith is not a gift faith is something that a person exercised in and of themselves Or they'll say that the salvation is a gift But the faith is something that a person exercises in and of themselves But what this verse is saying verse 8 is it grace the salvation that is by grace through faith all of it Is the gift of God so faith is a gift of God? And if faith is a gift of God faith is given delivered to you by God And it's a gift of God then what does that gift consist of what does it look like if Jesus? Authors our faith and if Jesus finishes our faith The authors that in our hearts and he finishes that work in our hearts and what exactly is he producing? What's he doing through faith? What happens in us and through us? Through this gift of faith. What exactly is he producing? What does it do? How does it look right? This question is of life and death Importance it is heaven or hell and it's heaven or hell life or death because the Bible plainly and frequently Makes clear that there is a kind of faith that does not save There is a kind of faith. That's no faith at all It's a worthless faith a useless faith a counterfeit faith turn with me to John chapter 2 John chapter 2, let me give you a couple of examples of this and from texts that we're familiar with we've been working through the gospel of John on Sunday mornings, and I know John chapter 2 feels like a decade ago, but hopefully remember some of this text John chapter 2 This question. What is genuine saving faith? What is the nature of saving faith? It's important to ask because the Bible is really clear and Often teaches that there is a kind of faith that does not save feel good John chapter 2 look at verse 23 Jesus Christ is in Jerusalem And he's there during the Passover and it says in verse 23 that when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the feast many believed And that word is a word in the Greek that's used for exercising faith many believed in his name When they saw the signs which he did But Jesus did not commit himself to them Because he knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man for he knew what was in man Now what John is clearly communicating here in John chapter 2 verses 23 to 25 is that there is a faith which does not save There's a way in which a sense in which these people believed the Lord Jesus Christ and yet were not saved It's interesting to look at verse 23 Where John says that many believed And then look at verse 24 where it says that Jesus did not commit actually the same word Pistual in the Greek Jesus did not believe himself to them. It's the same Greek word did not commit himself to him Many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did But Jesus did not believe himself to them or commit himself to them and trust himself to them because he knew all men and Had no need that anyone should testify of man for he knew what was in man In other words that gift of genuine saving faith wasn't given to them Okay, look at John chapter 8 flip a few pages to the right John chapter 8 and again. We're asking the question What does the gift of genuine saving faith look like? What does it produce? What does it do? What is the nature of genuine saving faith and in John chapter 8 on in verse 31? You have others here That are said to have believed in verse 28 Jesus said to them when you lift up the son of man Then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing of myself But as my father taught me I speak these things and he who sent me is with me The father has not left me alone for I always do those things that please him as he spoke these words verse 30 Many believed in him So verse 31 and Jesus said to those Jews who believed him If you abide in my word you are much my disciples indeed in other words if your faith is genuine Then you're going to abide in my word If your faith is real and you're gonna abide in my word and if you abide in my word You are truly my disciples verse 32 and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free They answered him. We're Abraham's descendants. We've never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say you will be made free? So Jesus answered them in verse 34 most assuredly I say to you Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin and a slave does not abide in the house forever But a son abides forever Therefore if the son makes you free shall be free indeed. I Know Jesus says in verse 37. I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill me Because my word has no place in you. I Speak what I've seen with my father and you do what you've seen with your father They answered and said to him Abraham is our father Jesus said to them if you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham But now you seek to kill me a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father Then they said to him we are not born of fornication. It's a jab at the Lord Jesus Christ We have one father God Jesus said to them if God were your father You would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God nor have I come of myself But he sent me Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to my word You are of your father the devil and it is I remember he's talking to those who believed in him, right? You're ever your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do He was a murderer from the beginning does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaks a lie he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it But because I tell you the truth you do not believe me because I tell you the truth You do not believe me right same word Which of you convicts me of sin and if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me now? Remember when he opened this paragraph he spoke these words To those who are said in verse 30 to have believed in him now He's confronting them in their unbelief Which of you convicts me of sin verse 46 and if I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? He who is of God hears God's words therefore you do not hear because you are not of God Again faith is a gift of God Matthew chapter 7 verse 21 we're familiar with this text not everyone who says to me Lord Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven But he who does the will of my father in heaven Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in your name Cast out demons in your name done many wonders in your name, and I will declare to them I never knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness Right as long as texts like that are in the Bible as long as Matthew chapter 7 verses 21 to 23 is in the Bible Which will be forever His word stands forever as long as that text is in the Bible as long as John chapter 2 is in the Bible as long as John chapter 8 is in the Bible and Many other texts just like that right Matthew chapter 13 the parable of the sower and those who Believed initially and then fell away as long as there are texts like that in the Bible We must explain and understand and investigate and examine and assess saving faith we must explain genuine real Saving faith and expose false damnable counterfeit faith its life and death heaven or hell make sense as long as those texts are in the Bible we have to take time and Paul continuously exhorts us doesn't he to examine our faith To examine the fruits of faith the evidences of faith Many many many are mere temporary believers That believe for a time and then fall away proving that their faith was not real genuine saving faith to begin with so So we look at the Bible and look at the Bible's record of what genuine saving faith is what genuine saving faith looks like the Bible often shows us glorious Examples of the faith that saves by its actions by its fruits Now the Bible describes what saving faith is but often to see that faith to See its evidences to see its effects to see the efficacy of that faith It shows us glorious examples of faith and we see genuine saving faith by its effects by what saving faith does And let's look at one example from Hebrews chapter 11 We took a look at this briefly turn there with me Hebrews chapter 11 When we were going through the Hall of Faith and the sermon that Pastor Rick preached last Sunday evening Hebrews chapter 11 Sort of the theme of Hebrews chapter 11 is summarized for us beginning in verse 30 through the end of the chapter Just gives us an overview of the Effects of genuine saving faith genuine saving faith in action what it looks like what it does We have these representative examples here beginning in verse 30 Where our author begins by faith? The walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days by faith The harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe when she had received the spies with peace What more shall I say for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and barrack and Samson and Jephthah Also of David and Samuel and the prophets who through faith What did their faith do what do they do through faith they subdued kingdoms they worked righteousness obtained promises Stopped the mouths of lions they quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness They were made strong became valiant in battle turned to flight the armies of the aliens women received their dead raised the life again Others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings Yes, and of chains and imprisonment They were stoned. They were sawn into were tempted were slain with a sword They wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthy They wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves to the earth in other words They endured persecution they endured trial and difficulty But all these having obtained a good testimony through their faith Did not receive the promise and God having provided something better for us. They should not be made perfect apart from us So as we consider genuine saving faith together, I want to spend our remaining time this evening drawing a distinction in Genuine saving faith in two ways one What saving faith is and then let's take a look at what saving faith does I want to draw distinction In genuine saving faith between what saving faith is and what saving faith does and then focus sometimes Specifically on what saving faith does first. Let's talk about what saving faith is saving faith is first saving faith is trust and Reliance upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Saving genuine saving faith is trust and reliance upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ in other words It's not a nebulous concept. It's not ethereal or mystical Your faith has a real Historical object the person the Lord Jesus Christ the second person of the Trinity who lives and reigns Right is seated at the right hand of the father the sinner embraces loves Trusts relies upon depends upon believes in submits to Christ And those are real Verbal actions that the the sinner does in genuine saving faith Not merely believing facts about Jesus Christ you entrust yourself to Christ in all things Not merely admitting your sinner admitting your sinner is not enough Admitting your sinners not enough acknowledging that he died for sinners is not enough Not enough to merely recite some prayer believe some mantra walk, and I'll do some religious thing You must embrace submit to believe upon rely upon trust depend Obey the Lord Jesus Christ we were witnessing to a woman yesterday myself and a dear brother from this church and we were talking to her and She came to the understanding that she was lost and said that she was concerned about that and fearful that she would go to hell and And she knew and she confessed that it if she were to die that she would go to hell And I asked her well Do you want to turn to Christ? Does that concern you enough that you're willing to follow Christ? And she said yes, but then almost immediately said that she couldn't go to church because she worked on Sundays So I said well here is just using this as an example for her, right? What is trust in Christ look like made the comment to her that this is an opportunity to exercise faith Opportunity to exercise faith. What can you do? You can go and you can talk to your boss Not that she's gonna quit her job necessarily But you can go and you can talk to your boss and see if you can have Sundays off in order to follow Christ Now if you think about that a small step But an important step of faith trusting Christ if she's gonna turn from her sin and trust Christ And she said she couldn't do it. She was too fearful that she would lose her job if she even brought the subject up Um Genuine saving faith trusts the Lord genuine saving faith Depends upon the Lord relies upon the Lord believes on the Lord submits to the Lord depends upon the Lord second Saving faith is trust and reliance upon the work of the Lord Jesus Christ One saving faith is trust and reliance upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly saving faith is trust and reliance upon the work of the Lord Jesus Christ the sinner trusts in rests upon hopes in depends upon and embraces the all sufficient Substitutionary atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ and that work and that person alone The sinner trusts in rests upon embraces hopes in depends upon embraces the all sufficient Substitutionary atoning work of Christ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us For it is written curses everyone who hangs on a tree and so that the sinner trusts Christ for the work that he has completed for the sinner thirdly Saving faith is trust in reliance upon the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ Trust and reliance upon the promises of Lord Jesus Christ The Lord promises you in scripture The sin will not have dominion over you. So what do you do you exercise faith and you trust Christ as you battle your sin? He said sin will not have dominion over you. You will make progress. You will conquer it You will be victorious by grace through faith and the Lord promises that that will happen So trust him obey him follow him battle your sin and while you battle your sin depend upon him for strength Depend upon him for help. He's promised the sin will not have dominion over you Lord promises that you can overcome you can overcome sin By grace through faith. So what do you do? You trust Christ You call upon him for grace and mercy in time of need and you battle as you battle you depend upon him You trust in his promise that you will overcome by grace through faith He promises to preserve you in the faith to the end that you might be saved He promises never to cast you out that nothing will separate you from the love of God Which is in Christ Jesus our Lord and so what do you do you trust him? You embrace those promises you hope in him you put your faith in him You rely upon those promises and you battle you rely upon those promises and you persevere you hang in there You don't throw in the towel you keep going So even as we consider now what genuine saving faith is It's impossible We can see in those examples. It's impossible to divorce What genuine saving faith is from what genuine saving faith does this can't be Separated it can't be divorced if you trust his promises you pursue his promises you rest upon his promises you act in Accord with his promises if you embrace Trust depend upon the work of the Lord Jesus Christ Then you live your life in the reality that that work that all sufficient work applies to you and has power and efficacy in your Christian life if you trust and rely upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Then you cry out to him for help in time of need when you have need when you're facing trials when you're facing difficult difficulty It's impossible to divorce What genuine saving faith is from what genuine saving faith does so let's spend some time talking then about that What does genuine saving faith do? What does it look like? Saving faith saving faith follows Christ Saving faith obeys Christ saving faith learns from Christ Matthew chapter 11 The Lord says in verse 28 come to me and that's synonymous with believe upon me Trust in me rely on me and trust yourself to me. He says in verse 28 come to me All you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest I'll give you rest But then after saying that he will give you rest he tells you in verse 29 to take up his yoke Take up his work Take up his burden which is light but take it up right take my yoke upon you And what do you do learn from me? Why because I'm gentle lowly in heart you will find rest for your souls my yoke is easy and my burden is light And the Christian would say that his commands are not burdensome, right? Jesus says my sheep hear my voice and what do they do? They follow me. What does genuine saving faith do genuine saving faith? follows Christ Follows Christ turn with me to James chapter 2 just a few pages of the right there from Hebrews James chapter 2 James makes this argument here for us in James chapter 2 beginning in verse 14 and James and making this argument beginning in verse 14 sets up a Conversation with an imaginary objector And those often happen in scripture. We see that in Paul don't we through the book of Romans other places We have an imaginary objector here and James is having a conversation with him making a point making an argument So we want to trace James argument as we look at James chapter 2 verses 14 to 26 James begins in verse 14 with a question He asks what does it profit by brethren? If someone says he has faith But does not have works Can such faith or can that kind of faith right can such faith Save him Answer the question expects a no answer Expects a no answer And he gives an illustration beginning in 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 and filled But you do not give them the things which are needed for the body What does it that kind of faith profit? That question expects a nothing answer that profits you nothing Thus also verse 17 faith By itself If it does not have works is dead Is useless is worthless But now someone will say verse 18 this imaginary objector Someone will say you have faith And I have works Show me make new me in the greek. It's prove demonstrate right Show me your faith without your works And I'll show you my faith by my works You believe that there is one god you do well Even the demons believe and tremble But do you want to know when he calls his imaginary objector here? Oh foolish man Do you want to know you foolish man that faith without works is dead? Was not abraham our father justified by works when he offered isaacus son on the altar Do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect The scripture was fulfilled which says that abraham believed god and it was accounted to him for righteousness And he was called a friend of god You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only we'll talk about what that means Likewise Was not rehab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also So now james we think about this paragraph james begins the paragraph by asking an extremely important question about the nature of genuine saving faith It's the question we're considering tonight If someone says he has faith, but does not have works Can such a faith save him? This is life and death. Do you see life and death heaven and hell The question his question deals directly with a specific kind of faith. It's a faith that someone Professes to possess They claim to possess it It's a faith by which they believe themselves to be saved And yet that faith they claim to possess is unaccompanied By faithfulness in good works. It has no works hand in hand with it. Do you see it's a faith without without action It's a faith. It doesn't do Right. It's a faith. It doesn't work So what james here is not doing we want to be clear what james is not doing Is he's not arguing that works must be added To faith. Do you see the distinction? The difference between those two things james is not arguing that that works must be added to faith James is arguing that genuine saving faith is marked by Evidence by demonstrated by seen by characterized by good works. That's the argument that james is making That's the argument that we have to remind ourselves of and we need to understand clearly as we take a look at our own faith Right. So james begins a conversation then with an imaginary objector Here's sort of the argument that james is making if you look at verse 14 In verse 14 james is saying faith without works is unprofitable It is useless. It cannot save That's the point of verse 14 In verses 15 and 16 then james making that point That faith without works cannot save he provides an illustration of this In verses 15 and 16 One of you with that kind of faith Your words Are making a covering so to speak for a lack of action. You're all talk no action. Mr. talkative, right? And what james is saying is what good is that kind of faith For brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food. One of you says to them Depart in peace be warm be filled But you don't give them the things which are necessary for the body. What does it profit it profits nothing That kind of faith verse 17 if it doesn't have the works doesn't have the actions to go along with it Is a dead and worthless Faith it's no good at all so if that all talk no action Characterizes your faith You have a worthless dead counterfeit damnable faith understand and you can Insert your own illustration there in the same way that james does james uses this illustration of someone who is destitute of food And that one with that so-called faith doesn't do anything for them But you can insert any kind of illustration here. I'm a christian, but I never read my bible Can that kind of faith save you? I'm a christian, but I don't pray can that kind of faith save a person I'm a christian, and I don't bear witness to christ. I'm not an event. I don't evangelize Can that kind of faith save someone right? Insert your own illustration Now james goes on in verse 17 then therefore he says If faith if your professed faith if your claimed faith is unaccompanied by action By works by obedience deeds done in faith Then that faith that you claim to have is dead. It's useless. It's worthless So verse 18 then someone objects They object and they believe that saving faith and good works are independent of one another You can have safe saving faith and good works separately from one another And that's the objection that's raised by the person in verse 18 So in verse 18 the end of verse 18 into verse 19 James's argument is that it's only possible. It's only possible to evidence or demonstrate Genuine saving faith by action Now james is making the point That it's only possible to evidence genuine saving faith by action. Then what should we what should we do? What should you and I do if we profess faith in christ? Should pursue action in accordance with our faith, right? If we trust him then let's go out and obey him Let's do those works that are necessary to genuine saving faith that are characteristic of genuine saving faith Otherwise james makes the point at the end of verse 18 in verse 19. Otherwise Your so-called faith is indistinguishable From the faith the so-called faith of demons One commentator said that it's a good thing to possess an accurate theology But it is unsatisfied unsatisfactory unless that good theology also possesses us In other words, we act in accord with it. We live in accord with it Now the demons the demons of verse 19 illustrate The damning deficiency Of a verbal profession The demons attest to The damning deficiency Of a verbal profession alone. There are many people who believe they're saved because they made a verbal profession of faith, right? I believe They say they believe they say a little prayer recite a little mantra rub a little b They walk a little isle and they believe themselves to be saved, but the demons here also believe in god The demons also believe in jesus christ And they know enough about god To shudder and to tremble and to fear his judgment And considering that their faith has no works considering that their faith is devoid of anything good They should tremble and fear god's judgment And so ought you if your faith is not followed by action, right? If our faith is not accompanied by works that characterize good Saving faith right characterized genuine saving faith if our faith is not accompanied by action Then we also like the demons should tremble in fear god's judgment It's not followed with action. It's dead. It's worthless. It's useless. It's damning So he repeats in verse 20 making his point the faith without accompanying actions and evidence is a worthless and useless faith Verse 21 Abraham's faith was evidenced by his work of trusting god in verses 22 and 23 Abraham's faith was affirmed By his action to remember the example in Hebrews chapter 2 if you just go Back a few pages to Hebrews chapter 2 We looked at this passage Not long ago on sunday morning Where it says in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 10 That it was fitting for him for whom are all things and by whom are all things and bringing many sons to glory To make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings Alluding you might get the implied sense that jesus christ was made perfect by his sufferings with jesus christ Is perfect Is lacking nothing in his perfections. He is perfect. So what does the text mean then? His perfections were affirmed and confirmed By his obedience and his submission through suffering In other words that our understanding of those things the revelation of those things was made perfect He was perfected in that sense through his submission through his obedience in trial in difficulty. So when we get to James chapter 2 in verse 24 Abraham's faith Was affirmed Shown to be right Shown to be in that sense justified Shown to be vindicated Right shown to be acquitted of any fault His faith was perfected shown to be right Through his works justification Which is salvation justification requires If our justification is by grace through faith then justification requires a faith that works requires a faith that Involves action, right Justify their meaning demonstrating to be right Vindicated if you think about Matthew chapter 11 This is a good example of a Of an illustration of this to help us understand it. Matthew chapter 11 19 says that wisdom Is justified By her children Now, what is it saying? It's the same use of that word justify in Matthew chapter 11 It's the same way that james uses the word justify here in james chapter 2 verse 14 What does it mean that wisdom is justified by our children what it means that the validity And the value of wisdom is proven by the actions that arise from it, right? Makes sense the value of that wisdom the validity of that wisdom is proven in other words is justified By her children by the actions that arise in wisdom. So what does it mean here in verse 24 that Man is justified by works and not by faith only means that that faith is proven the man This faith genuine saving faith is validated Is shown to be of genuine value Because of or through the works that accompany the faith if that makes sense Just encourage you to meditate on that and understand that what's not being said there We're not we know this from the rest of biblical testimony. There's not going to be any contradictions in scripture We know that james is not here adding works to faith for salvation This is a faith that works a salvation that works not a salvation by works Then we see in verse 25 he uses again the example of rahab And he ties it up in verse 26 that faith Without the accompanying works evidence as evidence is in fruits is a worthless faith that faith that will not Profit you there's no mystery if we look at james chapter 2 no mystery what his argument is all about verse 17 faith without action is dead verse 20 Faith without works is useless. It's dead. It's worthless verse 26 Faith without accompanying works faith without evidence faith without fruits is worthless. It will not profit you right? No mystery as to what james's argument here is all about So in what way we consider the the argument that james is making here in what way is that kind of faith worthless And what way is it dead? It's dead It's worthless in the sense that it does not accomplish That what you want it to accomplish which is salvation right faith in christ Is intended to be the vehicle through which we are saved we're saved by grace Through faith and so if faith is going to be efficacious if faith is going to be profitable to you right if it's going to be genuine Then it saves in what way is it dead and what way is it worthless apart from works? It's dead and worthless in the sense that it does not save in verse 14 It does not save in verse 24 does not justify This then Faith in works the works of faith the fruits of faith This then becomes a test it becomes a marker doesn't it becomes a test by which we can determine if our faith is genuine A marker a characteristic of whether or not our faith is real and saving apart from that We can be assured that our faith is false Our faith is counterfeit that our faith is damnable that our faith is dead Genuine saving faith will produce works of obedience works of faithfulness As we trust christ and we put our faith and trust in his person Our reliance and trust and faith in his work And we rest and hope and trust and rely upon his promises We pursue works of faith in his name and the strength of the spirit of god And pursuing those works those obedience is we give affirmation we give affirmation that our faith is Real that it's genuine that it's saving james here incidentally isn't Contrasting two different options for faith in christ right he's He's not contrasting two different kinds of faith that are both different paths up the mountain so to speak What he's contrasting he's contrasting a faith which is defective and damning Because it doesn't produce works right We understand that He's contrasting a faith which is defective a faith which is damning because it doesn't produce works And he's contrasting that with a faith that is genuine and a faith that is saving because it Leads to action Because it leads to obedience leads to faithfulness Amen, so the question then in light of that is that we have to ask ourselves is what does my faith look like What does my faith do? those examples in hebra's 11 That we've been studying for the last many weeks in our heroes of the faith series Those challenge us to examine our faith, right? There's a sense in which they encourage us. I want faith like that I want to pursue obedience to the lord like they did knowing that they're they're a man Moses is a man with a nature like me Like you right rehab a nature like you the nature like mine And look at what the lord accomplished through their faith Look at what the lord did in them through the vehicle of faith by his grace to them through faith um, I want to pursue faith that way and We can ask the question here honestly from the text of scripture What does my faith look like is it producing works that are commensurate that are that characterize genuine saving faith? and that's the Point here that james is making james after two for us. Amen Let's do that. Let's pray a father in heaven Help us lord to biblically and faithfully consider our faith We know that faith is a gift from you and our faith is not in and of ourselves And we exercise faith because lord, you've authored it in us and you Having authored it in us are At work in us and through us according to your will and good pleasure By grace through faith and we know lord that in that work that you've begun You will complete it for your glory for our good and we trust you for that So help us lord as we Look to christ the object of our faith as we look to you put our faith and trust in you Help us lord to Rely upon you as we obey Rely upon you as we follow rely upon you trust in you as we learn Rely upon you and trust in you and depend upon you as we love one another depend upon you and trust in you and put our faith in you as we serve in the body as we Love our spouse as we raise our kids as we read our bibles as we pray Help us lord to live this christian life by faith It's no longer we who live and we've been bought we've been purchased we have died in christ And now it's no longer we who live but christ lives in us in the life which we now live We live by faith in him and lord help us to do that Strengthen us to do that for your glory god for our eternal good And we pray these things in his name. Amen