What is a Reformed Baptist..

Welcome to Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church. Thank you for using and sharing our resources. What you're about to hear is God's Word from one of our teaching elders. We trust that God's Word will inspire, instruct, and bless you. For further teachings or information on our ministry, please visit us on our website at cornerstonerbc.

com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. So this evening, we're going to continue with our Bible studies and addressing this evening, we're going to be addressing the third Sola of the Reformation, that is Sola Fide. Something that we really want you to have in your mind is the main purpose of the Bible studies, that we are addressing the question of what is a Reformed Baptist Church.

And when we set the framework on how are we going to answer that question, we said that we're going to have four different layers or four different levels And we're going to be making our way through all of those levels. We said there's an evangelical level that is attached to the five solids of the Reformation, which is the one that we're doing at the moment. Then we have the Calvinistic level, which is the second layer. On top of that, we have the Reformed layer. And then in the end, we have the Reformed Baptist layer of level.

What we're trying to do is just walk our way through each one of those levels. to see how the answer to that question, what is a reformed Baptist church, it is built upon each one of those doctrines that we're teaching by the grace of God and through the help and the ministry of the Holy Spirit every time that we come together as a church, as a family, as a congregation. The first level that we're addressing is the evangelical church. And her brother has taught us already the five different levels that we have within that particular level. And that is very important, because even though we have four layers or four different levels, the evangelical, the Calvinistic, the Reformed, and the Reformed Baptist, each one of the elements within those levels also builds upon the other.

So that's why we started with sola scriptura. Sola scriptura is the foundation for the solas. Then we moved on to sola gratia, or by grace alone, that comes from scripture. Now we're going to be addressing sola fide, or by faith alone, and they will do solus Christus and soli Deo gloria. Those are the five solas of the Reformation that each one of them build upon the other.

This evening, our task is to address by faith alone, or sola which is the one that is in between. It is after Sola Scriptura and after Sola Gratia, now we arrive to Sola Fide. And the passage that we have here in front of us, which is in Romans 4, in verse 4 and 5, is perhaps the passage of the scripture that the Reformers went to and addressed, and not only the Reformers, but theologians, quote, when we are defending the doctrine of Sola Fide, or by faith, alone. So let's just read that. It says, this is Romans 4, verse 4 and 5, and it says, Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as his due.

And to the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. Amen, right? Now, beloved, I said something very important to you. We're trying to build upon the layers in order to answer that question of what is a Reformed Baptist Church. And I said to you also that within those levels, each one of these doctrines built upon the other.

And that's exactly what happened during the Reformation. These five solas of the Reformation were addressed in that particular time of church history based on two different principles. If you want to have or if you want to know something about the Reformation is that the Reformation was based on those particular principles or the theologians will cause the causes of the Reformation. One is the formal cause of the Reformation which our brother has already mentioned. The formal reason or the formal principle or the formal cause of the Reformation and that is the doctrine of Sola Scriptura.

It's called formal because that is foundational. Okay? It is the foundational reason why the Reformation happened. But from that formula, from that substantial foundation of the Reformation, there is a material cause, or there is a material principle that is derived. And it's material because it's a doctrine which is applied.

And that is the doctrine of Sola Fide, the one that we are addressing today. If we wanted to put it in only one question, What the controversy was all about, the controversy of Sola Fide, that question would be something like this. What is the instrument by which a person is justified? Each one of the words of that question is very important. And I repeat it again.

what is the instrument, what is the means, what is the instrument by which a person, a human being, is justified or is made righteous? The answer to that question defines if we are an evangelical church or if we are not an evangelical church. Now the answer that the Catholic Church and those who are not evangelical gave to that question is that the means or the instrument by which we are justified or by which we are made righteous, it is faith plus works. So if you go to the catechism of the Catholic Church, they divide the catechism in different paragraphs, and each one of those paragraphs has a different number. And in the section that goes from paragraph 1987 to 1994, that is like 7 or 10 different chapters, that address the doctrine of justification, the Catholic Church would say that the doctrine of justification, it is applied by the sacrament of faith.

Guess which sacrament is that? Baptism. So they say that the sacrament of faith, or the sacrament of justification, is baptism. That a person, it is justified not only by the faith in the finished and completed work of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also by the application of the sacrament of faith, or the sacrament of justification, which is baptism. In that same section, the Catholic Church says that this doctrine of justification, it is accomplished with cooperation between men and God.

that there is a cooperation in this grace, and then man is justified. They will also say that in this doctrine of justification, it's not only the remission of sin, it's not only a person being made righteous or just, but also there is a natural or ontological removing of sin. That means that the person is also sanctified upon believing. So they say when a person believes and then the person is baptized, that person is justified and inserted into the covenant or the membership of the Catholic Church. But because justification is not only that person being made just or righteous, but also that person is sanctified, works are necessary to preserve and to keep that justice and that sanctification.

So then they will have and they will come up with different types of sins. They will have like mortal sins and the other ones that I don't know how to pronounce, what are they called? Venial? Venial sins, right? They will have different type of sins.

So there are some types of sins that you can just go and repent and confess before the priest, but there's some other sins that are mortal sins and those ones will make you lose your salvation. That's the answer that they gave to the question of what is the instrument by which we are justified. Okay, that's the answer of the Catholic Church. Those are churches were not evangelical. Now, what is the question that Scripture gives to that question?

What is the answer that Scripture gives to that question? And what is the answer that we give to that particular question? And that is found here. Let's just read it again. It says, Now to the one who works his wages.

To the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift, but as his due. Pay attention what Apostle is doing here, because he's using the analogy of someone who actually works. You know, when you go and work, you deserve your wages. So when you go and work, the wages that you deserve, they are not a gift, but it's something that is due because you have already worked. You deserve that.

You have done something, and then you deserve the retribution for the thing that you've done. And then he compares that in verse 5, and he says, And to the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. The Apostle Paul is comparing the one who works and therefore the wages he's due to that person. He's comparing to the person who believes. And then he says that this person does not work.

And then just by believing the righteousness of God, it is accounted to that person. So that means that faith is the instrument by which the righteousness of God or the righteousness of Christ, it is given to that person. Just in the same way that when a person goes and works, and then works is the mean by which he or she receives the wages or the salary or the payment, the means by which a person receives the righteousness of God is called faith. Something very important here that denies completely and entirely the doctrine of the Catholic Church. Because here the apostle says, but the one who does not work.

So it is only faith that becomes the instrument by which the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is given, it is imputed to the person. We're going to see two things, because the substance of the controversy is not only the answer to that question, beloved. the core of the controversy, it is in two other questions. It is, what is faith? What is the nature of faith?

That is the first question that we're going to answer tonight. And the other one is, what does faith do? What is that which faith does? So what is the nature of faith? What is it, from the Bible, from our perspective, from our understanding of the scripture, what is faith?

And then the second part of it, it is what does faith do? What is that thing that faith does in the life of the Christian? If we understand those two things, we are going to be able to understand why the Catholic Church gives a completely different answer to that particular question of what is the instrument by which a person receives the righteousness of God. And beyond that, because we don't want to only understand them, we want to understand why we say that we are made righteous. in Christ by faith.

Now, if you see the text, the apostle is giving us a clue. He says something very important here. He says, unto the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, then he changes beliefs by faith. He says, his faith is counted as righteousness. so faith is attached to belief of course you know that faith it is attached to belief to the action of believing on something so if we are going to define the nature of faith we're going to answer that question of what is faith then we have to answer the question of what is belief and this is what it gets a little bit difficult to actually to address this with clarity from scripture.

Scripture is clear, it's clear. Scripture is sufficient for us to comprehend and understand everything, but scripture requires that we go deep into it and then set the framework of what the Lord is actually trying to teach us through his word. That's why there are many denominations because they come with different frameworks of interpretation. So faith is attached to the concept of belief. The Reformers came up with a way of communicating this nature of belief that is very helpful.

But I'm not going to teach you that from what the Reformers taught. I'm going to teach you that from what they saw it in Scripture, because Scripture is our highest and ultimate source of authority. Let's go to Romans 10. Romans 10. Mikey, if you can help me reading, please, brother.

Verse 14, 17, nice and slowly, and let's pay attention to a sequence of actions that precede faith. Let's pay attention in this passage a sequence of actions or events that precede faith, because I'm saying that faith is the instrument by which the righteousness of God is given to a person. That faith alone is the means by which we are justified. So I want you to see some elements and actions that happen before faith so we can understand the nature of belief, Mikey. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. But they have not all obeyed the gospel.

For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what we, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Amen. Now, beloved, pay attention to this, because there are at least three levels there, or three layers, that take us to a saving faith. The apostle says here, how then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

There is a calling and then there is a believing. Now he says, and how are they to believe in him of whom they have not what heard? And then he says, and how how are they to hear without someone preaching? And then later in the verse, he says that this preaching, it is by the word of God. Now pay attention, beloved here, because supposedly saying that there is a preaching of the word of God.

that there is a hearing of that Word of God, that there is a believing of that Word of God, and then the result of all of that is a calling upon the name of the Lord. This is what happens when a person actually has faith that saves that person and imputes the righteousness of God to that person. Three things that a faith that saves should have. The first thing is, imagine this, imagine that there is a person who is preaching the gospel. This is the way that I understand, and I probably will help you just to remember how all of this happens.

The message comes from the lips of the person who is preaching the gospel, comes into the mind of the person, or hears and comes into the mind of the person. But it's not only to be in the mind of the person, it's also to understand and to approve, to acknowledge and to accept that which was heard. But beyond that, it's not only about putting, hearing and receiving it in your mind and also understanding it and approving it and acknowledge it, but also put it down here in your heart. These are the three levels of faith. The first one is that faith or this belief is a belief that requires understanding or that requires knowing.

A person will not come to faith if they do not understand what they are listening. If the person does not understand, if the person does not know, that means that that person will simply not see Jesus Christ and understand the gospel. So that means that faith, that it is a saving faith, requires knowledge and understanding. But not only that, because if you only have knowledge and understanding, this is not going to be sufficient enough for you to be saved. You know, James 2 says that even the demons believe and they tremble, right?

So that means that they know, that they have a belief that knows, but probably does not, not probably, does not have the other levels. So the first thing is that faith that is a saving faith that imputes to us the righteousness of God, it is a faith that knows, that understands that particular message. But then we go deeper than that. It's not only a faith that knows, but it's also a faith that approves or a faith that acknowledge. It's a faith that approves that message that they understand.

Think about this. Remember Nicodemus in chapter 3 in John? Nicodemus comes in night time to the Lord Jesus Christ and he said he knows who he is. He knows who he is. But not only that, he acknowledges that Jesus Christ is sent a teacher of God.

He says, I know, Master or Rabbi, that you come from God because of the signs that you have done. Nobody does the signs that you have done because those are signs of God, right? That's what he says. So he knows, and he also acknowledges something. So faith is not only a faith that knows and a faith that acknowledges.

It has to go beyond that. It is a faith that actually apprehends. It is a faith that trust entirely in the person of Jesus Christ. Faith, saving faith, it goes beyond your mind. It goes beyond your ability to understand or to comprehend something.

It goes beyond your ability to assess that that something is truth. It goes deep into your heart. This is what John in chapter 1 of the Gospel of John says when he says of those who receive the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he's going to equate that receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ with being born of the will of God. Go to John.

Let's see with our eyes. John chapter 1. Our brother is going to explain this probably in a couple of years. John chapter 1. This is verse 12.

So faith, beloved, faith is not only a faith that knows, a belief that knows, a belief that acknowledges or approves, but it's a faith, a belief that receives, it says. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, He gave the right to become children of God. And then he's going to connect this with the idea that they were born of God, who were born not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, not of the will of men, but of God. These are the three levels explained in a limited way, what the reformers The Reformers saw in the doctrine of faith alone. This faith is a supernatural faith that goes beyond the mind and goes deep into the heart of the person.

This faith is the instrument by which the righteousness of God is given and is imputed. Now, I'm saying to you, beloved, that it's only this faith, the instrument by which a person is justified. It is this faith, the means or instrument by which a person receives the righteousness of God, not only in the New Testament, but it was also in the Old Testament. Let's go to Genesis 15. Jeez, brother, if you can help me reading Genesis 15 from verse 1 to verse 6.

Here we have Abraham, or Abram, Abraham. So after these things, the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. Fear not, Abraham. I am your shield. Your reward shall be very great.

But Abraham said, O Lord God, what will you give me? For I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus." And Abram said, Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, This man shall not be your heir, your very own son shall be your heir. And he brought him outside and said, Look, look toward the heaven, and number the stars if you are able to.

Number them. Then he said to him, so shall your offspring be. And he believed the Lord, and it was counted to him as righteousness. We have here Abraham or Abram believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. and the faith or the belief that he had in what the Lord said and in God himself, these were the means by which righteousness was imputed to him.

Apart from works, there were no works that Abraham performed in order to receive this righteousness. Let's go to Galatians 2. Samuel, if you can help me with Galatians 2. verse 15-16 please brother We are Jews by birth, and not Gentiles since. And yet because we know that person is not justified by the works of the Lord, but by faith in Jesus Christ, Even we ourselves have believed in Jesus Christ.

This is so that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. Because by the works of the law, no human being will be justified. By works, no one will be justified. Let's just give one more and then we move on to the next point. Brother Arthur, if you can help me with Romans 3.

Let's go to Romans 3. Romans 3, 23 to 28. Yes to 28. In his forbearance, God has passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Whereas boasting, then, is excluded by what law?

Of what? No, by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Now, thank you very much. This we know.

We are evangelical. Yes, we are trying to give information and to prove that Reformed Baptist Church is a church that in the first level is an evangelical church, but this is something that we know. Now pay attention to this, beloved, because I've given you what faith is. I've given you the three different levels of three layers of what faith is. I said the faith, the faith is a belief that knows, but it's not only a belief that knows, it's also a belief that acknowledge or approves.

And beyond that is a belief. that apprehends or calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. What that faith does, the first thing that that faith does is that justifies that person. That faith becomes the instrument by which we receive the righteousness of Christ that we do not deserve. In us the only thing that we have is unrighteousness and because of that we deserve the righteous judgment of God.

By believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, not only knowing and approving, but apprehending the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, we are recipients of his righteousness and therefore we're made just before God. But the controversy and the misunderstanding of this whole thing, not only between evangelicals and Protestants against Catholics, It is not only those two things that I mentioned, but even among us, the misunderstanding is in the second aspect that I'm going to give you just right now. Because faith, this saving faith, is not only a saving faith that justifies us, but there's something more powerful and beautiful that this faith does. When you debate, or not when you debate, but when you speak about this topic of what faith does in a person, you might heard or you might have heard that people say that this faith produces works, right? You've heard that.

That the view of our or the way for instance that we explain how works are connected to faith is that faith produces works and there's truth in that. But there is something that goes beyond this statement that I have just made. The answer that we're or the question that we're going to answer right now is what is the relationship of works to faith because a person who knows, acknowledges, and apprehends the Lord Jesus Christ and receives the righteousness of Christ is not only a person that remains in a static state and just remains like this. It's a person that grows in conformity to Jesus Christ. It is a person that performs good works.

So if we want to understand our doctrine of justification, we have to understand what is the relationship then of works to this faith. And in order to answer that, I'm going to say that what also faith produces is not only justifying the sinner, but the beautiful concept that we are vitally united to Jesus Christ by faith. That we are, pay attention to this, that we are vitally, and when I say vitally, this word comes from the Latin vital or vida in Spanish, which is life. that we are united to the life of Jesus Christ, and that our good works are not derived ultimately from our faith, but from our union to Jesus Christ. So it's not our faith that produces good works.

It is what faith does in us, the transforming work that faith does in us, the life that is given to us by being united to Christ, what produces the new person. Let's just see first of all how faith unites us to Jesus Christ. So let's go to 2 Corinthians 5 2 Corinthians 5 Verse 21 And remember that for the Apostle Paul, this concept of Christian, he doesn't have any of his vocabulary. Every time that he refers to Christians or to believers, he always uses the word or the two words, in Christ. He says that those who are in Christ.

And then he says in verse 21, Verse 21, for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, that is Jesus Christ. He made Jesus Christ, the one who knew no sin, he made it sin so that in him, that in Jesus Christ, we might become the righteousness of God. It is by being in Jesus Christ that we become the righteousness of God. Let's go to Galatians 3. Galatians 3, verse 23.

Here the apostle is comparing the promise and the law or the salvation that comes from the justification that comes from the law and the justification that comes from the promise or faith. Chapter 3, 23. Now, before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then the law was our guardian until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ, Jesus, you are all sons of God through faith.

Faith is the means by which we are united to Jesus Christ. Faith, when once we believe, we're vitally united to the person of Jesus Christ. Let's go to Philippians. 3, 9. Let's just read from verse 8.

It says, indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I might gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in who? in Christ. Let's go to Colossians 2. Colossians 2 11.

This is again the apostle saying In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made with our hands by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. Paul also in Romans 6 says that we're buried with him in baptism, that we're baptized into Jesus Christ. Beloved, the faith that imputes us the righteousness of Jesus Christ is not only a legal instrument, it is a legal instrument that imputes us the righteousness of Jesus Christ, but it also brings the reality of our union with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now pay attention to this, because the Puritans will call this, you know, like the doctrine of the union with Christ. We are united with Christ in eternity past.

The Lord Jesus Christ comes into this world and he accomplishes our redemption on the cross. But once we believe we are vitally united to him, and then we will be united in the consummation once things are finished. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, Jesus Christ, to be the firstborn among many brothers. Look at me. Those whom he foreknew, He predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, Jesus Christ, who is the firstborn among many brothers, right?

And those whom he predestined here in the past, those whom he foreknew, he predestined, he also what? He called. And those whom he called, he justified. And those whom he justified, he glorified. We have justification here.

Faith is the instrument that unites me to this aspect of my redemption, which is justification. But this faith is actually bringing me into the story of redemption that was from eternity past until the eternity that is coming in the future. So my good works are not the result of a legal standing. but rather good works as the result of the life that has been given to me because of my union with Christ. Blessed be the God and Father, Ephesians 1, the one that we quoted for our sermon on Sunday.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, in whom? In Christ. In him, he chose us, before the foundation of the world, to what? To be holy and blameless. The choosing in Christ Jesus is with the purpose of being removed entirely of unrighteousness.

And then we have justification here as a step of this story of redemption, and faith becomes the instrument that I'm justified, but beyond that, I'm united vitally to Jesus Christ. Now let's go to Ephesians 2. Ephesians 2. We always read this verse to speak about faith being by grace through faith, right? I want you to pay attention to everything that I've said in the context of what the Apostle Paul says here, the whole context from verse 1 to verse 10.

Now it says, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins. in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God being rich in mercy because of the great love with which he loved us, and that is the only reason why he did this, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, pay attention to this, made us alive together with who? with Jesus Christ. He gave us life with Jesus Christ.

And then he says, by grace you have been saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. Now pay attention to this. Because here we have the answer to the means or the instrument by which we receive justification, and then also we receive the answer to the source of our good works. He says, for by grace you have been saved through faith. Salvation, it is by grace through faith.

And this, what is this? Salvation by grace through faith. And this salvation is not your own doing. It is the gift of God. And then he says, not a result of works.

So justification by faith, by grace through faith is not of works so that no one may boast. But please pay attention then to what it comes. He says, for we are his workmanship, created in who? Created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. It is our eternal union with Jesus Christ, that it is applied in the moment of our conversion when we have faith and we are united to Jesus Christ, the one that produces our good works.

Yes, faith produces good works in the sense that faith has given us life in Jesus Christ. It is by being in Christ, it is by abiding in Jesus Christ that we give fruit. John 15, right? that if you abide in me and my words abide in you, whatever you ask, you shall ask that will be given to you. And in this God, my father is glorified that you bear much fruit and that you prove to be my disciples."

And then he speaks of love and commandment and the joy being full. It is because our good works are derived entirely by our union with the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Paul says in Galatians that in Jesus Christ, Galatians 5, 6, circumcision and uncircumcision avails for nothing. What it really matters in Jesus Christ, it is faith working, works, works, faith working through love. Galatians 5, 6.

The Apostle Jesus Christ says that in our union with Christ, being Gentile or Jew, keeping the law or not keeping the law avails nothing. What it matters, it is a faith in Christ. What it matters is a faith that works. It's a faith that works, that produces works, but through love. The love that the Father had for us in eternity passed to be in Jesus Christ and to choose us.

And the work that it has been poured into our hearts, Romans 5. that gives us hope and the one that we use not only to love him with all our might and all our strength, but to love others as we love ourselves. This is very important, beloved, because sometimes we end up having faith in our own faith. Sometimes we have faith in our evangelical performance. We have faith in our evangelical or Christian doings.

And we try to perform and do works that are derived from our faith or from our belief. But our good works are sourced and originated in Jesus Christ himself. How are we justified? Look unto Jesus Christ. How are we sanctified?

Look unto Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the source of our justification. Jesus Christ is the source of our sanctification. Now, this faith that is the means by which we are justified, the confession of faith puts it beautifully, is the alone instrument by which we are justified, but it is not alone. It comes always together with all the graces.

And I will add to that, with the chief of divine graces, which is union with Christ. Now, having that in mind, let's go back to Romans 4. Romans 4, it says, now pay attention to the story, not to the doctrine that we put on the table. Pay attention to the story that is being given here from the apostle, okay? So it says, what then shall we say?

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? Who is the person that example is given here from? Abraham, right? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say?

Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. Paul is saying here that if Abraham was justified by works, he would have something to boast about. That he was justified by faith alone. Okay? Have that in your mind.

Now let's just go to James 2. James 2, verse 21. Look what it says. If you have clear in your mind what Paul said in Romans 4, what we are going to read here should cause a little bit of discomfort in your ears. Paul said that Abraham was made righteous by faith alone.

only by faith. And then he said here, James says, Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Esau and Isaac on the altar? Then he said in verse 22, You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works. 23. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God it was accounted to him as righteousness, and he was called a friend of God."

Now, this verse is... This is the one that counts here, verse 24. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone? What do we do with that? James is saying something that seems to be opposite, right?

It seems to be opposite to what Paul said in Romans 4. Paul said in Romans 4 that this Abraham is the same character, the same Abraham that he was justified by faith, that he believed and that was accounted to him as righteousness. And then we have here James and he's saying, and the scripture was fulfilled that says Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. And he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Beloved, I've said that this faith that justifies us, it is a faith that is the instrument by which the righteousness of Jesus Christ, it is imputed to us. But beyond that is a faith that unites us to Christ. And our good works are produced, yes, from our faith, but ultimately in our union with Jesus Christ. Now, when I sent our brother Jesus to read the passage of Abraham, I sent him to read that from Genesis 15. It's in Genesis 15 that Abraham believed the promise of God, and then this was accounted to him as righteousness.

The works that were performed that are quoted here, which is the sacrifice of Isaac, this is what James is quoting here, right? This happens in Genesis 22. This is like 30 years after he believed and that belief was a kind to him as righteousness. The works that Abraham were doing that were active with his faith, as James says here, were a qualifier of the faith that had united him to Christ. Christ was not here yet, but the second person of the Trinity.

because the promise of the new covenant had been given in Genesis 3.15. So those believers of the Old Testament were saved on the grounds of the promise of that new covenant of the Messiah that was going to come, of the covenant that was going to be established on the cross. Beloved, our good works are not the result alone of a legal standing. This is the mistake that our brothers the Lutherans make.

They say that our good works or our sanctification is the result of our justification. We are sanctified and conformed to the image of Jesus Christ because of the life that has been given to us, because of the new heart that we have. And then we can stand and say that salvation or better that justification It is by faith alone, a faith that is not alone, but it always comes with divine graces. And the chief of those divine graces is that we are united to Jesus Christ and we are given his life. In Adam, we were given mortal life.

In Jesus Christ, we are given eternal life. And that eternal life, it comes from eternity past to eternity future. And justification is just one element. Now pay attention to this, please. I mentioned this during the sermon last Sunday.

I think it was the one before. But pay attention to this. The gospel of Jesus Christ is initially judicial. It is illegal. When I say judicial, I mean legal.

You see, a sin is a transgression of the law, right? This is a crime. It's a legal aspect. So the gospel, when it starts, it is judicial. We go and preach the gospel and say, if you do not believe in Jesus Christ, you go to hell, because in hell, you will repay the debt, the judicial debt that you have against God.

But substantially, the gospel is relational. God has chosen us before the foundation of the world. He has vitally united in time through faith into his son. We have been made heirs and sons through the blood of Jesus Christ. And we are going to be partakers of the divine nature.

As Peter says, we're going to be united to him. We're going to be made holy and blameless. How are we going to be like Jesus Christ? Not only by being justified and putting our eyes in Jesus Christ, but by being like Him, holy and blameless, Ephesians 1. And this we do by putting our eyes in Jesus Christ.

This is the way that we understand how good works are produced. So good works do not contribute to our justification, are a result of the new standing that the person has because of justification in Jesus Christ. Amen.