“Declarative Justification” (James 2:21-24)

Introduction to Declarative Justification and Context

0:01 This sermon was preached on Sunday evening, June 9th, 1991, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now please turn with me in your Bibles to the book of James, chapter 2.

0:19 Epistle of James, chapter 2. Now the focus of the ministry of the word tonight will be upon verses 21 through 24. And in order to set this in its context at the outset, I will read beginning in verse 14. James chapter 2, beginning in verse 14.

0:52 What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you say to them, go in peace, be warmed and filled, and yet you give them not the things needful to the body, what does it profit? even so faith if it have not works is dead in itself yea a man will say thou hast faith and I have works show me thy faith apart from thy works

1:37 and I by my works will show thee my faith thou believest that God is one thou doest well the demons also believe and shudder. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought with his works and by works was faith made perfect.

2:24 And the scripture was fulfilled which says and Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God. You see that by works a man is justified and not only by faith and in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works in that she received the messengers and sent them out another way for as the body apart from the spirit is dead even so faith apart from works

3:10 is dead now let us pray for the Lord's blessing upon the ministry of his holy word our father as we study your holy word tonight we are aware as we sit and stand here of our need of grace and help we come with thankfulness in our hearts that in times past you have had mercy upon us and blessed us and guided us but we feel a special sense of need for help tonight Lord as we deal with something which has such potential

3:58 to be abused and misunderstood and wrongly applied and used in a manner that could be delusive and harmful to our souls Therefore we cry out to you That we may be kept from error On the right hand and on the left That we may be guided by the Holy Spirit And that your spirit would be pleased To take this portion of the truth And write it upon our hearts That the needful lessons in it may be taken to heart That the blessings found in it May be applied to your people by your spirit That the warnings contained in it may be taken to heart and may be effective to keep us from deluding ourselves and ruining our own

4:44 souls. Be pleased then, O God, to come in grace and in power by the Holy Spirit and to bless your word to our hearts tonight. For we ask this in Christ's name. Amen.

Two Aspects of Divine Vindication: Ungodly vs. Godly

4:58 Now tonight, it is my intention to continue our study of the blessings which God graciously brings to his people in the Christian life. In our previous study, we considered the divine vindication of ungodly men. that God justifies the ungodly on the basis of the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ received by faith alone.

5:46 And we saw that this was the foundational expression of divine grace and blessing to be found within that category of legal blessings which are bestowed upon God's people in the courtroom of God. And tonight, having considered the divine vindication of ungodly sinners who believe at their conversion, we now move to consider the blessing of the divine vindication, not of ungodly sinners who believe at their conversion, but the divine vindication of godly men,

6:38 which occurs in the Christian life. Now, under this category of God justifying the righteous, or God vindicating the godly, we can consider it under two major headings. There are two major aspects of this blessing, and it is not possible to deal with both of them this evening. The first aspect is God vindicating or justifying righteous and godly men in this life.

7:12 It is a blessing experienced as part of the Christian life on earth and we will consider that God willing tonight and then God willing next time we will consider God vindicating righteous men not in this life but in the world to come on the day of judgment the vindication by God of the righteous takes place not only here and now as part of the blessings of the Christian life, but it also will occur in the future. On the day of judgment, God will vindicate righteous men. He will justify the godly. And God willing, we will consider that

8:03 future vindication and blessing of the godly in our next opportunity. Now, a primary passage in the word of God, which speaks concerning God vindicating righteous men, though by far it is not the only passage, but a primary passage in the word of God is the passage before us tonight speaks of God justifying not the ungodly, but God justifying a righteous man, God justifying Abraham. And it is in fulfillment of this principle which is articulated in verse 24. You see that by works a man is justified and not only by faith was not Abraham our father justified

The Evident Difficulties: James vs. Paul

8:57 by works in that he offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar. Now, in considering this subject of the divine vindication of godly men on earth as a blessing of the Christian life, I have determined this evening to consider it under three headings. First of all, we will consider together the evident difficulties associated with the divine vindication of godly men. Secondly, we will consider the predominant features of the divine vindication of godly men.

9:40 And thirdly, we will consider the practical lessons derived from divine vindication of godly men. first of all then the evident difficulties the evident difficulties I am quite sure that you are aware that there appears to be a contradiction and the very surface of the text between the teaching of the Apostle James in James 2 21 to 24 and the teaching which we considered last time of the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 4 But just first of all, under this heading of the evident difficulties, let me underscore the great weight of these difficulties.

10:31 And compare if you would feel the full weight of the apparent contradiction. Compare this statement of James in verses 21 to 24 with what the Apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 3 and verse 20. Let me read you several passages in the book of Romans. he says in Romans chapter 3 in verse 20 the following statement because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for through the law comes the knowledge of sin and then Romans chapter 3 in verse 28

11:17 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith Apart from the works of the law Then we read in Romans chapter 4 and verse 2 For if Abraham was justified by works He has whereof to glory but not toward God For what says the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness. Verse 5, but to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.

12:08 Now notice then in verse 9, he asked the question, When, at what period of Abraham's life can we say that he was justified by faith? Before or after he was circumcised. Now look at what the apostle says in verse 9. Is this blessing then pronounced upon the circumcision?

12:37 or upon the uncircumcision also. For we say to Abraham, his faith was reckoned for righteousness. How then was it reckoned? When he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision?

12:54 In other words, when was faith reckoned to Abraham for righteousness? Before or after he was circumcised? You see the question? Let's see the answer.

13:05 Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. In other words, Abraham was justified by faith before he was circumcised. Isn't that clear from the text? And notice, and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision.

13:44 He had faith, and he had the righteousness of faith while he was uncircumcised, and to him his circumcision was a sign and seal of that righteousness which he already possessed by means of faith before he was circumcised. Now that's clearly what the Apostle Paul teaches in the book of Romans. Now if you look at what James says, it appears to contradict it. There is evidently a difficulty.

Timing of Abraham's Justification and Circumcision

14:21 Notice verse 21. was not Abraham our father justified by works in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? When did he offer up Isaac his son upon the altar? Genesis 22, the passage that we read in our scripture reading tonight describes Abraham offering Isaac on the altar.

14:53 Let me ask a question. When did that happen in Abraham's life? Did that happen before or after he was circumcised?

15:07 Which is the case?

15:09 Do you know?

15:13 You look at me like you don't know.

15:18 Is it before or after? It's very important that you know the answer to this question. So I look, I know you may not you may not emote in such a manner that you feel like getting into this kind of stuff tonight, but we're into it. So accept it, folks.

15:33 Here we are. Now, the question is this. Was he.

15:39 Was he circumcised before or after he offered up Isaac on the altar? It's very important.

15:48 Which came first?

15:51 Circumcision, right? Isn't that right? He was circumcised. Genesis chapter 17.

15:58 He was circumcised before. He was circumcised before. Now we have to turn to it because I could see the foggy looks on some faces anyway. So we've got to turn to Genesis 17.

16:12 It may take a little longer than I thought, but so be it.

16:20 Genesis 17. Okay, Genesis 17 and verse 1. And Abraham was 90 years old and 9. How old was he? 99.

16:44 Very good. And God said to him, I am God Almighty. Very well. And then he says this.

16:55 Verse 9. After he speaks of the covenant and changes his name to Abraham.

17:02 He says, verse 9 and 10. This is the covenant that you shall keep. This is my covenant, which you shall keep. Verse 10.

17:11 Between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. Now there's circumcision. and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of a covenant between me and you, etc.

17:29 And now notice what God says in this context. And God said to Abraham, as for Sarah, your wife, Sarah, your wife, now he says, I'm paraphrasing, you're going to call her Sarah and because she's going to be a mother. And Abraham fell on his face and laughed.

17:53 And then verse 19. And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name Isaac.

18:08 And then verse 22. And he left off talking with him. And God went up from Abraham And then you find that they were all circumcised. Verse 26, the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised and Ishmael his son and all the men that were born in the house.

18:27 When Abraham was circumcised, Isaac had not even yet been born.

18:35 Follow that? now Paul says he was justified by faith before he was circumcised and James says he was justified by works after he was circumcised after Isaac was born when he offered up Isaac upon the altar now that is the evident difficulty which we face And some have so felt the weight of this as actually to question whether James was inspired. But we must have none of such things. But now having considered the great weight of this difficulty,

Proper Approach to Difficulties and Orthodox Resolution

19:22 consider secondly under this first heading of the evident difficulty the proper approach to these difficulties What are we to say then with this difficulty in the text Are we left helpless Or worse, must we go it alone? Or do we think that we have the exclusive answer that no one else has ever found? No, no, no. And thankfully, we are met tonight with the benefit of the careful focus upon this difficulty for over 400 years by the people of God since the time of the Reformation.

20:07 And very little that I will say tonight in attempting to resolve this is original with me. Very, very little. And what is said tonight is drawn mainly from the insights of three men. John Calvin, James Buchanan, and J. Gresham Machen.

20:30 Now, I know this isn't a theological lecture, and I don't generally bring theological books into the pulpit or quote from them, but because of the peculiar nature of this difficulty, some of you may wish to study this in greater detail. so I'm going to hold up a theological book which is a textbook in the academy and this is by James Buchanan it's published by Baker it's called The Doctrine of Justification it's a classic reformed work on the subject and he I think if you want to study this in greater detail you look on pages 239 and following and pages 353 to 364 and I think you will find all the detail of what Buchanan says very helpful. Or you may wish to look at Calvin's commentary on James, pages 285 and 286.

21:22 Or for those of you who have Machen's notes on Galatians, page 220 and 221. Now, I say that, as I say, a little interjection, now we go back.

21:36 Now, what then is the proper approach to this difficulty? Well, the first thing is the analogy of scripture, we must recognize that there is in fact and in reality no contradiction between James and Paul. There is no contradiction. That's the first thing. The scripture cannot contradict itself. So we rest on that. Secondly is the context. We must be sensitive to the context of any passage in attempting to understand it. What is Paul talking about? Paul's talking about the gospel and he's talking about conversion and he's talking about the justification of sinners.

22:19 What is James talking about? James is talking about people who make a profession of religion whose life does not measure up to their lip. He's talking about the issue of hypocrisy and phoniness in religion and people whose religion is all in their mouth and in their head and never finds its way to their feet and to their life. Now those are two completely separate issues.

22:47 And God in his grace and wisdom has used the word justify in his inspired address of both of those issues. He's used it to describe through his servant Paul how a sinner is accepted with God. and he's used it through his inspired servant James to address the question of how we can tell whether a person's religion is real or not.

23:15 And so the context is vital in understanding this. The third thing that is very important is caution. We must beware of any novel approaches to old difficulties. we must beware of anyone who uses obscure and difficult texts to propound new or pet doctrines.

23:39 There are many times when we can say with affirmation well, I can't tell you absolutely what it does mean but I can tell you absolutely what it doesn't mean and what it can't mean. and we must therefore be cautious when we approach a passage like this. And then the next thing is honesty. In approaching a difficulty like this we must be honest with the meaning of words and honest with their usage in a given context and we must not distort something simply because we cannot readily explain it.

24:21 And then the fifth thing is always keep in mind when you try to resolve a difficulty in the word of God and an apparent contradiction that God has not just thrown these things at us to confuse us or to give us a hard time but God has a purpose and that purpose has to do with making us holy it has an experimental experimental, moral, practical application. And if you can't find anything even close to an experimental, moral, practical application in your proposed solution, it cannot be right. So with those things guiding us, then let me then, thirdly, under this heading of the difficulties, I've tried to show you the great weight of the difficulties and the proper approach to the

25:11 difficulties associated with this passage. And now let me set out before you briefly the orthodox attempt, by no means original with me, to resolve the difficulties associated with this passage. Firstly, and this comes mostly from Machen and Calvin. Machen says, the faith which Paul commends is not the faith which James condemns.

25:42 The faith which Paul commends is not the faith which James condemns.

25:52 You see, what is that faith which James is condemning in the passage? He's condemning a faith that cannot save. You mean there's such a thing as a faith which can't save you? That's right, there is.

26:11 He calls it in the text, the faith of demons.

26:16 See how it is put. What does it profit, my brethren, if a man say he has faith but have not works? Can that faith save him? that faith which consists of a knowledge of religious truth as revealed in the gospel and a bare assent to and confession of that orthodox religious truth, can that faith, if it be not coupled with a personal trust in the Lord Jesus Christ which manifests itself in a life of evangelical obedience, can that faith of professed adherence to gospel truth, Can that faith save?

27:01 The answer is no. That is not saving faith. Saving faith involves knowledge, yes. And it involves assent or conviction, yes.

27:12 But it also involves trust. It involves a personal reliance upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation. As he is revealed in the gospel, a personal reliance upon an attachment to Christ which always invariably manifests itself in a transformed life which consists of evangelical holiness. You see, there's another element in saving faith that goes beyond the faith of demons.

27:45 Now, the Bible's not so fastidious that it refuses to call this faith of demons faith. It calls it faith. It uses the word faith and believing to describe it.

27:56 Because it has something in it that's like the faith of the true people of God. But it's not a saving faith.

28:08 The demons have this faith. They also believe and shudder. They also know orthodox religious truth and assent to orthodox religious truth. but they do not have a personal attachment to the Lord which relies upon him alone as their only hope and deliverance.

28:32 In fact, their hearts are set adamantly against him, not humbly bowed in reliance upon him. See, there's another element in true saving faith, the element of personal trust. And you see, it's that faith, it is the true saving faith which the Apostle Paul commends in Romans. It is that faith, knowledge, assent, and trust, which is the instrument of true conversion.

29:04 And that is not the faith which James condemns. But the faith which he condemns is the faith of demons. It is a profession of religion which is only orthodox and merely in the head and mouth and which does not find its way into expression in a transformed life of evangelical obedience. See that in the text?

29:37 But then there's a second issue too. A second distinction. Because you see, it's not enough simply to say what Machen says. It's true as far as it goes.

29:49 But Buchanan and Calvin put their finger on another issue, which is also important, another very important distinction here in the text. And that is not only that they are speaking about faith in two different senses, one about the faith of demons and the other about the true saving faith of the saints. But also, but also furthermore, they are speaking about a different a different act of vindication they are speaking about a different divine act of vindication and the whole issue cannot be explained

30:34 without opening up that reality you see because Paul is saying that this act of divine vindication occurred in Abraham's life before he was circumcised. That's what he's talking about. It occurred once for all. Way back then.

30:54 And James is talking about an act which occurred in Abraham's life after he was circumcised and after he offered up Isaac. They are not speaking about the same divine action. the word justification is being used by Paul to describe one divine action that happened at conversion and it's being used by James to describe another divine action another legal action which occurred in the Christian life in a period of testing and proving when Abraham was called upon to sacrifice his only son many many years later after he had walked with the Lord for many years and after he had been justified by faith for many years And you cannot explain it unless you recognize that not merely is the word faith in this context being used in a different sense than Paul's using it.

31:48 But also he's speaking about two different actions. Paul is speaking about one act that occurred at conversion. And James is speaking about another act that occurred many years later. Now, as I say, you read Buchanan if you wish.

32:05 Pages 239 to 241. And what Buchanan has provided for us is a name. And names are always helpful. The theologians have given us a name for these two different acts of justification.

32:20 The one Paul is speaking about, he calls actual justification. It is justification by faith on the basis of the righteousness of Christ alone. and the one James is talking about he calls declarative justification. It is justification not of an ungodly man but of a godly man and it's not based on the righteousness of Christ.

32:50 The declaration is made upon the occasion of Abraham's own evangelical obedience. Two different actions. Two different names. Actual justification and declarative justification.

33:12 So what James is talking about has been called, and there's no reason to throw the term out, declarative justification. Abraham's declarative justification, and that is what we are considering this evening. Now, having said that, I know heavy going. I appreciate your efforts to gird up the loins of your mind and concentrate on those things.

Predominant Features of Declarative Justification: When, What, How

33:37 Having considered the difficulties associated with the text, had come through that to see that James is speaking about declarative justification. He's not even speaking about the same divine act that Paul was speaking about. Now, let us open up this divine vindication of godly men. We come to our second point.

33:59 We've considered the evident difficulties associated with the teaching. Now let us consider then the predominant features of the divine vindication of godly men. The predominant features. And the predominant features are three.

34:15 There are three predominant features of God's declarative vindication of Abraham and of his people. and these three features can be addressed by asking and then answering three questions. First of all, the question of when, when did God vindicate Abraham as a godly man? And then secondly, the question of what, what exactly did God do?

34:44 What did he declare in this vindication of Abraham as a godly man? And thirdly, how did God do it? What did God consider? What evidence did God consider in reaching his verdict and in vindicating Abraham as a godly man?

The Occasion and Substance of Declarative Justification

35:08 Now, those are the three questions, and let us attempt to answer them from the text. First of all, the question of when. Consider the occasion, the occasion of the divine vindication of godly men. When did it happen? Look at verse 21.

35:24 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when or after he had? I know it's translated the ASV in that, but it could be translated literally after he had offered, or it could even be translated because he had offered. Either one of those translations would be correct grammatically. After he offered or because he offered or when he had offered up Isaac his son upon the altar.

36:03 This justification occurred in space and in time after Isaac was offered. Not prior to circumcision, as Paul speaks about, but at a different occasion in his life. And upon this occasion, God was proving Abraham. Genesis 22.1.

36:26 He was testing him to see whether he was the genuine article. Well, that brings to the second question. And here we park a while. The first question, when did it happen?

36:36 Upon the occasion of offering Isaac. Now notice, it says, was not Abraham justified by works? Now what exactly did God do? What did God do?

36:51 Let us turn back to Genesis chapter 22 for a moment. To answer the question, what did God do when he vindicated Abraham upon this occasion? now perhaps you remember some things about the word to justify that we saw in our last study things of which I'll just remind you briefly now justification is something which takes place not in an operating room or a moral change in the heart it doesn't have to do with a moral change in the heart remember the publicans and sinners justified God they didn't change God's heart but it is to make a pronouncement. You shall not justify the wicked, remember?

37:38 That means, it doesn't mean you shall not change the heart of the wicked. It means you shall not pronounce, declare the wicked to be righteous. You shall not reach a verdict that this wicked man is righteous and pronounce him such. That's an abomination to the Lord.

37:54 The one that justifies the wicked and the one that condemns the righteous, Both alike are an abomination to the Lord. And the Lord says, I will not justify the wicked. And Solomon said, Lord, look down upon your servants and justify the righteous according to his righteousness and condemn the wicked. You remember all those passages we looked at?

38:15 So justify does not have to do with change the heart. It has to do with make a pronouncement. reach a verdict and a pronouncement concerning someone, whether they're righteous or wicked. And the one that is to be justified is the righteous, the one who was done righteously.

38:35 Now, that's according to all those passages. Now, therefore, is there some pronouncement found in Genesis 22? In Genesis 22, did God reach a verdict concerning Abraham? Did God make a pronouncement concerning Abraham?

38:51 Did God say anything or declare anything based upon what Abraham had done in offering up his son Isaac on the altar Did God do anything like that Did he find and declare Abraham to be something? Well, let's look in the text. I see you shaking your head yes. I'm pleased to see it.

39:12 It means at least you're not lost yet. It's most of you. I hope not. Now look at Genesis chapter 22 at verse 12.

39:26 Beginning in verse 11. The angel of the Lord called to Abraham out of heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham, and he said, here am I. And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him for. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.

40:03 There's a pronouncement from the mouth of God. There's a divine verdict in that phrase. There's a divine declaration. And the declaration is that Abraham is a God-fearing man.

40:18 God says, I've reached a verdict. Here is my pronouncement, Abraham. Now I know that you fear God.

40:32 Now I know that you fear God. And in that pronouncement, Abraham is vindicated. That is the very substance, the very essence of declarative justification. God declares, he pronounces that Abraham is a truly righteous man.

40:58 Now, how can I illustrate this to you? God has pronounced his verdict. He has found and declared Abraham to be a truly godly, God-fearing man. Now I know that you fear God.

41:12 See what he said about him? That's a divine pronouncement. That's a justification. That's a vindication of Abraham.

41:22 Now, let us illustrate it this way. Consider that long ago, Abraham, the ungodly believer, who for that moment in his life was an ungodly believer, was pronounced righteous by God. He was justified. He was in God's courtroom long ago.

41:47 At the time of his conversion, Abraham, the former idolater, entered the courtroom of God. And the issue on the docket of God's courtroom in that day, The day of his conversion was this. This ungodly man who now believes, what shall we do about his sin? How can his sin be pardoned and the penalty paid?

42:17 How can he be accepted and given title to heaven? That's the issue on the docket in the divine courtroom at the day of Abraham's conversion. He's in court. and God justifies the ungodly Abraham the moment he believes not on the basis of anything he ever did that is Abraham anything he ever would do or anything he ever would be or could be but on the basis of what Jesus did imputed to Abraham by means of faith alone the satisfaction made to the justice of God on the cross of Christ

43:03 is put to Abraham's account and God is propitiated and his wrath appeased and he has no more wrath against Abraham for his sin and the righteous life perfectly lived by Jesus Christ is put to Abraham's account and Abraham is accepted on that basis and then Abraham is declared to be a righteous man fully pardoned and accepted on the basis of what Jesus did and received by faith alone. Now that happened long, long ago in Abraham's life. And now, years later, decades later, Abraham is back in court.

43:48 What's the issue on the docket today? For the divine court to decide. There's a different issue in court today. Now it's decades later.

44:01 What's the issue in court today concerning Abraham? The issue is this. Does Abraham truly fear me?

44:14 Is Abraham's religion real?

44:19 Is Abraham a godly and righteous man? Is he a true saint? Is his faith genuine saving faith? That's the issue in court.

44:34 And the divine judge looks at the evidence. And looking at the evidence, he makes his pronouncement. Abraham's religion is real. Abraham is a true God-fearer.

44:51 Abraham is not a hypocrite. Abraham is a true saint. His faith is not the faith of demons. It is true saving faith.

45:01 It is not mere knowledge and assent. It also involves a living trust in me. His faith is real. He really fears me.

45:11 Now I know that you fear God, seeing as how you have not withheld your only son from me. Abraham, you're the real McCoy. I find it, I pronounce it, and thereby I justify and vindicate you. That's God's pronouncement.

45:32 You see, it's a different pronouncement. It's still made by God. It's still a vindication. It's still a judicial verdict and finding.

45:42 and it's still made in the divine courtroom. But it's a different issue in court. There's a different case respecting Abraham. You see, you could go back into court, into the same courtroom various times in your life for different issues and different cases to be tried and found.

46:02 So also is the case in the divine courtroom. The sinner goes into the courtroom at his conversion. The ungodly believer at that moment of his conversion and is pronounced righteous, accepted, pardoned, forgiven on the basis of Jesus Christ's obedience and blood alone, received by means of faith alone. But then the saint goes into the courtroom.

46:29 Different issue. The issue now, is his religion real?

46:37 And this is declarative justification. when God in his courtroom finds that the religion of his people is true religion and finds that the faith of his people is true saving faith and pronounces them to be the real McCoy.

46:59 See, that's the issue. Now I know that you fear God. That is the substance of what God did. the occasion he did it when Abraham offered Isaac in the period of testing and trial which God brought into his life in his providence the substance he declared him to be a truly righteous man and thereby vindicated him as far as the issue of genuineness or hypocrisy is concerned And thirdly, the third question is, by what method did God do this?

The Method and Evidence of Declarative Justification

47:34 How did God reach this verdict concerning Abraham? How did God reach this verdict that Abraham was a true God-fearing man? What evidence did God look at? Let's put it that way.

47:52 Now the judge has to consider the evidence in the divine court system. It is not the jury. It is the judge who considers the evidence, finds the verdict. But that's okay because the judge is the infallible and living God.

48:07 Now what evidence did our God consider? See how it is put in the text of Genesis chapter 22. See how it's put. He says, now notice.

48:19 For now I know that thou fearest God Seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me What was the evidence that he looked at?

48:33 Notice, the evidence was not Now I know that you fear God Seeing Christ lived and died for thee No, not in the text now I know that thou fearest God seeing as how you have made an orthodox profession of faith in me now I know that you fear God because you made a decision because you made a profession now I know you fear no it's not in the text is it it's not there what evidence did the judge consider in reaching the verdict that Abraham was a true God-fearing man. See the evidence.

49:19 Now I know that you fear God, seeing as how you have not withheld your only son from me. It was not the work of Christ.

49:35 And it was not the profession of Abraham. it was Abraham's life of evangelical obedience to the will and word of God the word of God came to him and said go and offer your son and Abraham obeyed the voice of God he didn't obey it perfectly did he obey it sinlessly you think so you think Abraham did that sinlessly Of course not, it's ridiculous. But he did it really and truly. God didn't say, now I know that you fear God because Christ died.

50:18 He didn't look at the life of Christ to come. And he didn't say, now I know that you fear God because of something you said. He didn't look at his profession. He looked at his life.

50:29 And he said, I know that your religion is real because I mean more to you than even your own son. That's how I know that you fear God. It was his works.

50:43 You see, wasn't that work? Offering his son in obedience to God? Wasn't that evangelical obedience on the part of Abraham? Isn't that what God looked at when he reached the verdict that Abraham was a true God-fearing man?

50:59 Of course it is.

51:01 Now I know that you fear God. Here's the evidence. You love me more than Isaac. And here's the proof.

51:09 When I told you to sacrifice him and to kill him, you were willing to do it just because I said it. You were willing to obey my word because your loyalty, your love, and your attachment is more to me than it is even to your only and beloved son Isaac. And that's how I know, Abraham, that you really fear me. A. Was not Abraham justified, that is pronounced to be a true God-fearing man by works, when he offered up Isaac on the altar?

51:47 Wasn't that what God found as used as the evidence to reach the verdict? Yes, God reached the verdict. True God-fearer. What was the evidence?

52:02 Practical godliness. at a great personal cost in a time of testing and proving.

52:17 You say, well, all right, those are my three things. When did it happen? When was he vindicated by God? When did this declarative justification occur?

52:29 It occurred when he offered Isaac on the altar in the season of testing in the Christian life. Not at conversion, but in the Christian life. What was the substance of this declarative justification? God pronounced him to be a true God-fearer.

52:43 And what was the evidence which formed the basis, the method by which God reached this verdict? It was looking at Abraham's godly life and willing to pay the price.

52:55 And what's the conclusion of this? Those are the predominant features of it. That's what happened. And I say that's a blessing of the Christian life, which I'll open up in a minute why that's a blessing of the Christian life.

53:06 That's how God vindicates us as righteous men. But you see, here's the thing. It may seem like a strange thing, but the point is, why did God prove Abraham? I mean, didn't God know that Abraham truly feared him?

53:21 I mean, is God not omniscient? Didn't God already know that? Well, why would the Lord say something like, Now I know! you mean he didn't know before for sure he knew but what does he mean now it now I see in action what I always knew to be there but God wants to see it in action it isn't enough for God just to know in his mind and heart that he's done a real work of grace in the souls of his people but God is determined to order the circumstances of our lives so that he gets to see that grace in action.

54:04 That's what he wants. He wants to see it in action. And he's going to set up life so that that grace works. And so that he sees it in action.

54:16 And then he's prepared, when he sees it in action, to say, okay, now I've seen it in action. Now I know that you're the real thing.

Practical Lesson 1: Warning Against Easy Believism

54:28 Why does God do that? I don't know. But that's the way God is. And that's what God does.

54:36 Now let me then, in closing here, open up two practical lessons to be derived from this.

54:46 This has an experimental application to us. We've considered the difficulties associated with the divine vindication of godly men. we've considered the three predominant features its occasion, its substance and its method or grounds of the divine vindication of godly men and now third and finally I want to underscore what are the practical lessons to be derived from the divine vindication of godly men and I would like to focus in because our time is quickly going I want to focus in upon two practical lessons if I may And the first practical lesson is this. This truth of the divine vindication of godly men is taught by James in James chapter 2

55:35 and is illustrated by the life of Abraham on Mount Moriah. This truth issues a solemn warning against the presumption that a mere orthodox profession of faith is a guarantee that you will go to heaven.

55:59 Now, there's a name for this in our day. It's called easy believism.

56:05 And this error is grave. It is dangerous. And to some poor souls, it is a damning error.

56:16 There are some that have the conviction that God exists and that Christ is the Messiah. And they confess it and they believe it in their mind. They hold the conviction that they're a sinner and that Christ is their only hope. And they've made a decision.

56:37 They've made a profession. And that's very well. There's nothing in and of itself wrong with that. But the lesson from this is beware of presumption that this profession alone is a guarantee of heaven.

56:57 Or beware of the presumption that all professed faith is true saving faith. True saving faith goes beyond knowledge and assent. It also involves a personal trust and attachment to the Lord Jesus Christ, which places love to Christ above every other loyalty, relation and love. And this is made manifest not by your mouth.

57:28 It is made manifest by your life. And the Lord Jesus Christ teaches this himself. This is what he's teaching in Luke chapter 14, verses 25 to 35, when he says, if anybody wants to come after me and be my disciple, he has to hate father and mother and brother and sister and wife, and he has to forsake all that he has.

57:57 And whoever he be of you that does not forsake all that he has, he cannot be my disciple. And that's the reason, brethren, why we're not all excited about the upcoming campaign in our area of a world-famous evangelist. Not all excited about it. Because some have seen in the past with their own eyes members of this church I know and I not exaggerating have seen in the past with their own eyes the tragic fruits and the delusions that come from the decisionism method and the decisionist message.

58:38 There are some who have had the unenviable task of following up on those so-called decisions. and it is not exaggerating to say that their sad experience has been maybe one out of a hundred or two out of a hundred that when they come to follow up can even be found in the way of continuing in profession of faith let alone living a life that would warrant having a genuine hope that they've been converted. That's nothing to get all excited about. That's something to be grieved about.

59:17 It's something not to pray for, but to pray that God would be pleased to spare many from the delusions of it. And we mustn't be embarrassed when people pressure us. Why aren't you participating in this big, well-known evangelistic campaign? Why aren't you participating in it?

59:35 What's the matter with you? Are you against evangelism? Don't you care about people being saved? What's wrong with you people anyway?

59:42 you say no one would ever pressure you like that oh yes they would oh yes well look you don't have to be feisty about it you don't have to be nasty and pugnacious about it but don't forget this principle dear people we don't have to be embarrassed or ashamed for every person who may have some good done for him there may be 99 such people who are being deluded and thinking that they're on their way to heaven when in reality they're more confirmed in their life of sin than they were before and more deluded and thinking that all is well with their soul when all is far from well with their soul. And if we really care about people,

60:30 we certainly don't want to see them put into a position like that, do we? Therefore, we don't need to be intimidated by the arm-twisting pressure that will make us feel somehow like second-class Christians or some kind of guilt if we don't go ahead and participate in this thing with the pretended hope that it's going to do all this great good to this area.

60:53 If the present is anything like the past, it's not going to do all this great good. It's going to do far more harm than good. And it's going to delude far more than it helps. so dear people let us pray to that end and let us not be carried away with this business and let us not be ashamed of the hope that is in us let us be prepared to give answer and the other thing too is if this is true and it is if what this text teaches is true and it is then we ought not to be quick to try to elicit a verbal decision out of our minor children and then pronounce them

61:39 on the way to heaven because they have made at a tender age an orthodox profession of their faith.

61:49 That's a very dangerous thing to do. That's not in the best interest of the souls of our children. Look, I have children of my own, and I love my children like you love your children. And it's precisely because I love my children that I won't do it to them.

62:10 And I trust it's precisely because you love your children that you won't do it to them. I'm not saying to discourage them and to let them think that Christ is thousands of miles away from them and can never be reached. No, children, he's near, he's near. come to the Savior and everyone who comes to him with their hearts open will know no eyes be cast out I say this not to discourage you or to set up a roadblock to keep you from Christ but I say it as a warning lest any thinking to do well to their children's souls in reality become an instrument of deluding them you wouldn't want that either would you and that's how this cuts it cuts in this direction it cuts in the direction of issuing us a warning against presumption and against easy believism

63:00 and against thinking that just because someone makes a verbal profession of faith or a decision in christ that automatically means that they're on their way to heaven it automatically means no such thing but the evidence is not in the mouth the evidence is in the life now i know that you fear God, not because of your mouth, but because of what you did on that altar on that mountain. You see the point?

63:28 Now I know, Abraham, that you don't have the faith of demons because you're willing to pay the price.

Practical Lesson 2: God Proves and Vindicates All True Saints

63:37 Now then there's a second application as well, a second lesson, which I also want to drive home in closing here. Second lesson or second application is this.

63:49 This teaching of God vindicating the godly men, it not only issues us a warning against presumption and easy believism, but it also illustrates the principle of the word of God and the Christian life. The principle that God proves and vindicates all, each and every one of his true saints. God proves and vindicates each and every one of his true saints because you see the writer James does not simply say well this was true of Abraham and he was exception he says this is a general principle of God's dealings with his people in verse 24 he says and you see that by works

64:35 a man is justified and not alone by faith you see it is by if I may put this now it is by a life of evangelical obedience that a man is declared and found by God to be a truly righteous God-fearing man and not a hypocrite who has nothing but the faith of demons. That's what that text means. You see that? And that's not something that was merely true of Abraham.

65:06 That articulates Abraham's life illustrates a general principle Well, which is true of God's dealings with everyone who comes into the orbit of His grace.

65:17 God proves us, brethren. He tests us. He brings the saints to their own personal Mount Moriah.

65:30 It's not always soon. Many decades after conversion, Abraham went to Moriah. and it's not necessarily only once some of God's choice of saints are sent on the trek to Mount Moriah time and time again and when they go up Mount Moriah and they pay the price of their profession of faith God vindicates them not with a voice out of heaven now I know that you fear God but with the word of God and by the testimony of the spirit of God bearing witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. The testimony of a good conscience through the work of the Holy Spirit,

66:19 applying the principles of the Word of God. No special revelation, no voices from heaven, but the principles of Scripture applied by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, enabled to be discerned by the illumination of the Holy Spirit and applied so that we have the testimony of a good conscience. It's in that way that we, quote, by faith, hear the voice saying, now I know that you fear God. We know it by the principles of the word and the testimony of a good conscience and the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit to give us that assurance.

67:02 see how it works when you go up Mount Moriah and you know Lord not by me but by your grace I paid the price my religion is real and no man takes that away from me you do what you want to me you can't take that away I know Mount Moriah I know where it is I've been there by the grace of God I've climbed it not by any good thing in me but by the grace of God not I but the grace of God that works in me I've been up Mount Moriah I've paid the price and no man can take that away from you child of God it's the testimony of the word of God

67:48 and the spirit of God with your conscience that you are real and genuine that's it that's a great blessing and that's the blessing of divine vindication of the godly.

68:08 Now you see, how is it that God puts us to the test? Well, what did He use with Abraham? Used His only son, didn't He?

68:21 Used His only son. Sometimes God uses our children to put us to the test. God puts us in a situation where the issue is going to be decided. Who means more to you?

68:36 God or your children? God's going to put you there. Maybe it won't be your children. Maybe you won't hear a voice.

68:45 No, you won't hear a voice saying, go take a knife and sacrifice. You're not going to hear a voice saying that if you do, there's something wrong with you. You're not going to hear that.

68:53 But you will be put in a situation as a Christian where sooner or later, if it's not your kids, it'll be your job. If it's not your job, it'll be your house. If it's not your house, it'll be your money. If it's not your money, it'll be your car, your career.

69:10 Or maybe it'll be your romantic relationships. But it'll be something.

69:17 And God will say to you, All right, here we go. Now I want to see my grace in action. Which means more to you? Me or your kids?

69:30 Me or your house? Me or your money? Me or this romance you're involved in? Me or those things?

69:42 Or those people? What means more? That's Mount Moriah.

69:49 That's God proving His people. And God proves every one of us, doesn't He? You know what I'm talking about? You know what I'm talking about, don't you?

70:00 And then you pay the price. In the way that it has to be done, according to the principles of the Word of God, and as many people as there are, there are many different circumstances, and you know you have to do whatever it is you have to do.

70:16 Whether it's refuse to work on Sunday, or sell this, or give that, or do this, or refuse the children that, or punish them for this, or throw them out of the house, you don't know what it might be but there's going to be something that you have to do where you have to pay the price of true religion it'll be there and that's not a curse God does that to us not to curse us because he hates us that's the blessing you see it's on that mountain that the voice says now I know you fear God that's the only place you can hear it is on that mountain it's a long walk up the mountain

71:02 with a knife in your hand and no lamb in sight but that's the only place you hear that voice on the top of the mountain there's no other place to hear it you know I'm speaking figuratively you understand that's the divine vindication you see this is the difference between the truly godly man and the hypocrite the hypocrite never goes to Mount Moriah he's got the same religion in his mouth but he knows not the whereabouts of that mountain and when God calls him to go there He won't go.

71:49 And you know, the same God who says to Abraham, Now I know that you fear God. That same God says to the hypocrite, Now I know that you don't fear God. Your children mean more to you than I do. And your money means more to you than I do.

72:04 And your career means more to you than I do. And your house and your car mean more to you than I do. And your reputation and your this and that means more to you than I do. And now I know it.

72:15 I've seen it. cuts two ways doesn't it and that's the difference between the true God fear and the hypocrite now I know for the sensitive conscience it's a struggle to go up that mountain isn't it hard it's not easy it's not easy to take the knife in your hand when you can't see that lamb and walk up that mountain that's a very hard thing to do perhaps there's no more difficult act of obedience in the Christian life than going up Mount Moriah and sometimes we go up slowly sometimes we go up haltingly sometimes at first we're afraid to go we won't go for a while sometimes we say I can't I can't anything but that but sooner or later

73:03 though we go imperfectly and with much sin and haltingly at times sooner or later the true child of God finds his way up that mountain not by his own strength but by the grace of God. And then he hears the voice. Now I know that you fear God in the testimony of his good conscience through the principles of the word of God.

Comfort and Encouragement in Times of Proving

73:30 Well, therefore, dear child of God, I mean this to be a comfort to your soul tonight if you're in a place of proving and testing. Don't be shocked that you're there. Don't be discouraged. Don't be bitter.

73:45 Don't be disillusioned. Don't think that this is an evidence that God is against you. It's not true. This is a blessing of the Christian life.

73:55 You see, that proving and that call to go up that mountain is a call to hear the voice saying, Now I know that you fear God. Don't be discouraged. God calls you by God's grace. Whatever it is, pay the price.

74:16 That you may receive the blessing of the divine vindication of godly men. Well, those are the applications I wanted to bring. May the Lord be pleased to take His holy word, to write it upon our hearts. For His glory and our good.

Closing Prayer

74:37 Let us pray.

74:42 O God, how we bless you that you are a God of such grace and mercy. Father, we know that Abraham could never have gone up that mountain in his own strength except you gave him the grace to take the knife and to go up to slay his son at your word. And Father, we confess before you we have halting feet, hands that are slow to take the knife. afraid, O God, to pay the price.

75:14 How fearful we are, how small our faith, we confess it before you. Lord, give us the grace that you may receive all the glory, that it may be evident that you are at work in us, your people, that you would enable us to pay whatever price you ask. Father, we give ourselves away. What else can we do?

75:35 Take all that we have. We offer it before you. Our silver, our gold, our intellect, our will, our powers, our strength. All we have.

75:51 All of our relations, Lord, here. Take it. What else can we give? Drops of grief can ne'er repay the debt of love we owe.

76:00 We give ourselves away. It is all that we can do. Help us, O Father, that we may be consistent. not simply to do this with our mouths but to do it with our lives and that you would give us the grace to do it.

76:16 Now, Father, we pray in those seasons where you have brought your choice saints up that mountain with a knife in their hands and have given them grace to pay the price. Oh, Lord, let them not be discouraged. Let them not be downcast or embittered or think that you have turned against them but grant them grace, oh, Lord God, that they may see in it your mercy and your blessing and that they may bless you and praise you that it may be evident that that mountain is still unto us a mountain in which you provide that we may have boldness and a good conscience and grace to serve you all of our days and our father we pray for those who may be deluded and we pray concerning those who may yet be deluded in the future

77:04 and this main opportunity that's coming in the future where there will be this preaching of decisionism. Lord God, be pleased to have mercy upon their souls that they be not deluded and damned. Will you not have pity, O God? Will you not look down in mercy and prevent this from coming to pass that it may be yet worked out to the deliverance of those who would otherwise be deluded in their sin and led off to a Christless eternity, thinking that they're on their way to heaven while they live a wicked life.

77:40 Oh, may it not be so. And Father, if there be anyone in this place tonight in that condition, oh, bring them up short, arrest them, show them their true state, and grant that before the night is over they may get right with you, truly right with you, and may turn from sin, and may exercise a true and saving faith in Jesus Christ. Hear our prayers, O Lord. and seal your holy word to our hearts.

78:07 For we ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.