Faith, Righteousness, and the Exclusion of Boasting

Summary

In our exploration of the Apostle Paul's teachings, we delve into the profound truth that boasting is utterly excluded in the realm of salvation. The Jews, and indeed all of humanity, have struggled with the temptation to boast in their own righteousness. Paul confronts this by emphasizing that salvation is not achieved through the law of works but through the law of faith. This principle of faith is not a new law that replaces the old but a divine principle that excludes boasting entirely. Faith is not a work; it is the channel through which we receive the righteousness of Christ.

Paul's argument is that if faith were a work, it would allow for boasting, which is contrary to the gospel. The righteousness that saves us is not our own but Christ's, and faith is merely the instrument that connects us to His righteousness. This understanding is crucial because it prevents us from turning faith into a work and thus nullifying the grace of God.

Furthermore, we must consider the apparent contradiction between Paul and James. While Paul asserts that we are justified by faith apart from works, James emphasizes that faith without works is dead. The key to reconciling these teachings lies in understanding their different contexts. Paul addresses the misuse of the law, while James confronts a superficial faith that lacks evidence in action. True faith, as James illustrates, is alive and active, producing works as a natural outcome of genuine belief.

In conclusion, both Paul and James affirm that faith is central to our justification, but it is a faith that is alive, active, and inseparable from the righteousness of Christ. We must guard against boasting in our faith, recognizing that it is not the cause of our salvation but the means by which we receive the gift of grace.

Key Takeaways:

- Boasting is excluded in salvation because it is not by our works but by faith that we are justified. Faith is not a work but the channel through which we receive Christ's righteousness. [21:42]

- The principle of faith, as opposed to the law of works, is central to salvation. It is not a new law but a divine principle that excludes boasting and emphasizes grace. [24:24]

- Faith is not the cause of our salvation; it is the instrument that connects us to Christ's righteousness. Our salvation is entirely the work of Christ, and faith is the means by which we receive it. [34:24]

- The apparent contradiction between Paul and James is resolved by understanding their different contexts. Paul addresses the misuse of the law, while James emphasizes that true faith is evidenced by works. [39:07]

- True faith is alive and active, producing works as a natural outcome of genuine belief. It is not mere intellectual assent but involves trust, commitment, and abandonment to Christ. [45:06]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [21:42] - The Exclusion of Boasting
- [22:58] - The Principle of Faith
- [24:24] - Faith vs. Works
- [27:11] - Misunderstanding Faith
- [29:42] - The Role of Faith
- [31:09] - Justification by Faith
- [34:24] - Faith as an Instrument
- [36:35] - Addressing James' Perspective
- [39:07] - Contextual Understanding
- [41:23] - Faith and Works
- [44:09] - True Faith Defined
- [46:18] - Paul and James Reconciled
- [48:25] - The Evidence of Faith
- [51:06] - Prayer and Benediction

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 3:27-28
2. James 2:14-26
3. Ephesians 2:8-9

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Romans 3:27-28, what is excluded in the realm of salvation, and why is it excluded? [21:42]

2. How does James 2:14-26 describe the relationship between faith and works? What examples does James use to illustrate his point? [39:55]

3. In Ephesians 2:8-9, what is said about the role of grace and faith in salvation, and how does this relate to boasting? [51:06]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the potential misunderstanding of faith as a work? [28:35]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon reconcile the teachings of Paul and James regarding faith and works? What are the different contexts they address? [39:07]

2. Why is it important to understand faith as a channel rather than a work, according to the sermon? How does this understanding affect our view of salvation? [34:24]

3. What does the sermon suggest about the danger of boasting in one's faith? How can this lead to a misunderstanding of grace? [30:33]

4. How does the sermon explain the principle of faith as opposed to the law of works? What implications does this have for how we live out our faith? [24:24]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you might have been tempted to boast about your faith or spiritual achievements. How can you shift your focus to Christ's righteousness instead? [30:33]

2. In what ways can you ensure that your faith is "alive and active," as James describes? Identify one specific action you can take this week to demonstrate your faith through works. [45:06]

3. How can you guard against turning faith into a work in your own spiritual life? What practical steps can you take to maintain a focus on grace? [28:35]

4. Consider the apparent contradiction between Paul and James. How can understanding their different contexts help you navigate discussions about faith and works with others? [39:07]

5. Identify an area in your life where you might be relying on your own efforts rather than trusting in God's grace. What changes can you make to rely more on faith as a channel to Christ's righteousness? [34:24]

6. How can you encourage others in your small group or community to understand and live out the principle of faith as described in the sermon? What role can you play in fostering a deeper understanding of grace? [24:24]

7. Reflect on the role of grace in your salvation. How does this understanding impact your daily life and interactions with others? What specific changes can you make to live more fully in the light of God's grace? [51:06]

Devotional

Day 1: Boasting is Excluded in Salvation
Faith is the channel through which we receive Christ's righteousness, and it excludes any form of boasting. Salvation is not a result of our works or efforts but is a gift from God, received through faith. This faith is not a work in itself but a means by which we are connected to the righteousness of Christ. By understanding that our salvation is entirely the work of Christ, we are reminded to remain humble and grateful, recognizing that we have no grounds for boasting. This perspective shifts our focus from self-reliance to reliance on God's grace. [21:42]

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself tempted to boast? How can you shift your focus to gratitude for God's grace today?

Day 2: The Principle of Faith
The principle of faith stands in contrast to the law of works, emphasizing grace and excluding boasting. This divine principle is not a new law but a transformative understanding that salvation is not earned but received. Faith is the means by which we accept the righteousness of Christ, and it is central to our salvation. By embracing this principle, we acknowledge that our efforts are insufficient and that it is only through faith that we can be justified. This understanding encourages us to live a life of humility and dependence on God's grace. [24:24]

"For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law." (Romans 3:28, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding faith as a principle of grace change your approach to daily challenges and decisions?

Day 3: Faith as an Instrument
Faith is not the cause of our salvation but the instrument that connects us to Christ's righteousness. Our salvation is entirely the work of Christ, and faith is the means by which we receive it. This understanding prevents us from turning faith into a work and nullifying the grace of God. By recognizing faith as an instrument, we are reminded that our role is to trust and receive, not to earn or achieve. This perspective encourages us to rest in the finished work of Christ and to live in the freedom that comes from His grace. [34:24]

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively trust in Christ's righteousness today, rather than relying on your own efforts?

Day 4: Contextual Understanding of Paul and James
The apparent contradiction between Paul and James is resolved by understanding their different contexts. Paul addresses the misuse of the law, emphasizing justification by faith apart from works, while James highlights that true faith is evidenced by works. True faith is alive and active, producing works as a natural outcome of genuine belief. By understanding these contexts, we can appreciate that both apostles affirm the centrality of faith in our justification, while also recognizing the importance of works as evidence of a living faith. [39:07]

"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." (James 2:17, ESV)

Reflection: How can you demonstrate your faith through actions today, ensuring that your faith is alive and active?

Day 5: True Faith Defined
True faith is not mere intellectual assent but involves trust, commitment, and abandonment to Christ. It is alive and active, producing works as a natural outcome of genuine belief. This understanding of faith calls us to a deeper relationship with Christ, where our trust in Him is reflected in our actions and decisions. By embracing true faith, we are invited to live a life of commitment and surrender, allowing Christ's righteousness to be evident in all that we do. [45:06]

"But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18, ESV)

Reflection: What specific actions can you take today to demonstrate your trust and commitment to Christ in your daily life?

Quotes

"boasting it was the Central trouble with the Jews and it is still the central trouble with unregenerate men so the Apostle you see has to take it up and he makes this bold statement he says now then I've just been describing to you God's way of Salvation I've been holding you face to face with the cross and the death of the Son of God are you still bursting are you still holding on to something is there a vestage of anything left is there anything you're Clinging On to can you in the light of that he had already you see in his exposition of the law shown quite clearly that the law in the way that it condemns us removes any possibility of bursting there is no difference all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God there is none righteous know not one the whole world lith guilty before for God that's one way of doing it but here's another in the more glorious way where is boasting then it is excluded it's turned out of court once and forever it must never put in an appearance again there is no room for it in this way of salvation" [00:21:26]

"by what law is this removed by what law is bursting turned out bag and baggage swept out of the house and the door slammed behind it how's it happened you see he's not content with just saying it he knows the people he's dealing with he knows human nature in sin he knows this Jewish Prejudice this religious moral Prejudice that follows us and follows us even into the Christian Life and keeps on coming back you drive it out to the front door it's come in again Suddenly by the back door it's always there and you always have to be sweeping it out so he takes it up again by what law now this is as often confused people because he says by what law is it the law of Works no he says but by the law of Faith now what does he mean here by law well obviously he doesn't mean the Jewish law the the law that God gave to the Jews via mes because you see he uses the same expression with regard to Faith No what he means by law here is principle on what principle has it gone out is it the principle of works that a man does no he says it is the principle of Faith so la here stands for principle or system you'll find that he uses law in that kind of way many times in this great epistle we shall have further examples of it later on but here is one of them straight away law here means principle on what principle do you say that boasting is excluded is it the principle of works that a in no no it's the principle of Faith" [00:23:02]

"this God first of all gave to mankind the law of Works he gave it particularly to the Jews he gave them that La he said now if you do those things you shall be saved but they say they didn't do them nobody could do them everybody failed to keep that law so what did God do well they said God brought in a new law he put aside that first law which men couldn't keep and now he comes to Mankind and he says this he says in my love I'm going to offer you something that is easier I am no longer going to ask you to keep the law that I gave through Moses you couldn't nobody could very well I want to show my great love to you I'm now going to ask you to do something that is within your competence all I asking you to do now is to believe on my son and if you believe on my son you shall be saved now I'm not imagining this I say that is something that is actually being taught that the that the way of Salvation in Christ is simply this that God is now asking us to do something that we can do it's just believing it's no longer asking us for Works which we couldn't do it is now asking us to believe they say he calls it the law of Faith the law of Works no longer applies it is now a question of keeping the law of faith and this is easier it is something we can do but my dear friends that is a sheer impossibility and let me show you why it's an impossibility It Is tragically wrong the 31st verse alone is enough in and of itself to show how terribly wrong that is he asks the question do we then make void the law through faith there he's referring to the law given through Moses and he answers he said God forbid far be it from you out with a suggestion far from making the law void or making the law nothing or n nullifying the law this way of Salvation establishes the law" [00:25:27]

"if you say that the difference between the old and the new is this before I was asked to do certain works now I'm simply asked to believe and if I believe I'm saved well very well then you've turned Works into you've turned faith into Works haven't you you're saying it was Works in practice before do not commit adultery do not steal do not kill and so on works now it's simply believe yes but thereby you're turning faith and belief into a workx and therefore if I believe I've got something to boast of I've believed the other men hasn't believed my believing saves me very well then my work of faith has saved me so that you see for those two reasons that is the most terribly false thing to teach it doesn't exclude the bursting and it doesn't establish the law twice over in this bit of argumentation the Apostle goes out of his way to say that that is absolutely wrong and yet people are teaching it and they say this is a marvelous gospel God has reduced the standard he's put before us now something that is within our competence and by believing we save ourselves and thus all the boasting comes back and the law of God has been made V and swept aside and has been replaced by another law all the importance of argumentation thank God that the Apostle went on after his great climax in verse 26 thank God that he came down to our level and to the level of our stupidity and pulled it out before us and showed us how easily we can go wrong and has placed it so clearly before our eyes you see my friends we must not boast even of faith and if you are View of faith is one that makes you burst about it it's wrong bursting is excluded in every shape and form if if you in any way are proud of the fact that you believe you don't believe you're in the position of this religious men that the Apostle is denouncing bursting is excluded" [00:28:31]

"therefore he says we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the Deeds of the law now then what does this mean well of course this is one of these great verses that has played such a great part in the history of the church the great Martin Luther translated that like this he says therefore we include that conclude that a man is justified by faith only without the Deeds of the law and a great argument began between him and the whole of the Roman Catholic Church over the word only now what is the position well the position is this that the word only is not in the Greek text it's not in the original text well then why did you said you ask why did Luther say justified by faith only well he was perfectly right he was doing the same thing as Paul was doing he was preaching at that point what the message teaches is that it is by faith only and that was the thing that Luther was anxious to emphasize though it isn't strictly accurate as a translation it is Justified from the standpoint of teaching what is the Apostle saying then well he's saying this I we conclude therefore he says that a man is justified by faith only without the Deeds of the law he means this that our works your works and mine in response to the demands of the law do not come in at all all that has gone we could not keep the law and we didn't keep the law very well God's way of Salvation is one which no longer demands that of us because it's impossible it makes the demand but God has provided a way where why whereby we can be saved though we don't keep the works of the law and though we don't do them that's what he's saying that's what he means by apart from the works of the law as far as you and I are concerned the works of the law do not come into our salvation because as far as we are concerned as we've seen at Great length in chapters 2 and three The Works of the law simply condemn us but God's way in Christ has delivered us from that very well but we must be careful again about our definition of faith and what faith does and where faith comes in faith is nothing but the instrument of our Salvation it is not the cause of our salvation nowhere in scripture will you find that we are Justified because of our faith nowhere in the scripture will you find that we are Justified on account of our faith now you see that's where that teaching that I've just been denouncing goes wrong it says that we are Justified because of our faith it says we are Justified on account of our faith the scripture never says that the scripture says that we are justified by faith or through faith faith is nothing but the instrument or the channel by which this righteousness of God in Christ becomes ours it isn't faith that saves us what saves us the Lord Jesus Christ and his perfect work it is the death of Christ upon calvary's cross that saves us it is his perfect life that saves us it is his appearing in our behalf in the presence of God that saves us his is the righteousness that saves faith is but the channel and the instrument by which his righteousness becomes mine the righteousness is entirely Christ's my faith is not my righteousness and I must never Define or think of Faith as a righteousness faith is nothing but that which links us to the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ or to it in other language we must never think of Faith as something in and of itself faith is never something isolated or alone you must never divorce Faith from its object faith is always linked to the object what is the object the object is the Lord Jesus Christ and his perfect work and his perfect righteousness and as long as you always remember that you can never go wrong so you see we must not burst of our faith it isn't Faith as such that saves us faith is merely that channel that instrument that link that connects us with the righteousness of Christ which saves us that propitiation that blood of his that perfect Obedience of his active and passive that's the righteousness that saves and Faith simp simply brings it to us so it isn't faith that saves it is his righteousness that saves Us by faith through faith" [00:31:01]

"well now at this point of course we've got of necessity haven't we to consider the Apostle James this is all very well says someone but as Evangelical Christians we believe in the inspiration of the whole of the scriptures and we believe in the inherency of the scriptures and there you are you've been impressing this truth upon us we conclude that a man is justified by faith only apart from the Deeds of the law and yet you see here is James saying something like this in the second chapter in verse 24 did you notice it you see then how that by works a man is Justified and not by faith only put them up over against one another Romans 3:28 we conclude that a man is justified by faith only apart from the Deeds of the law James 2:24 you see then how that by works of men is Justified and not by faith only what about our Bible now and we better all at once become higher critics and say that the scriptures contradict themselves and that James and Paul are in blank contradiction to one another a very important question isn't it I've already quoted Martin Luther alas even he fell into this trap and said that the Epistle of James was an Epistle of straw he shouldn't have fallen into it is there a contradiction between James and Paul now then let's see again how to approach our study of the scriptures the danger of course is to pull out verses as I have done deliberately in order to show you what not to do you pull out Romans 3:28 you pull out James 2:24 there you are you say but to do that is to be unfair both to Paul and to James every statement in the scripture must always be taken in its context and in its setting furthermore you must always read the whole and and discover what it is the man is setting out to do and there's the key to this problem James and Paul while believing the same thing were setting out to do two different things they had a different immediate objective Paul is concerned to show that our works under the law don't come in at all in Salvation James is concerned to do something very different indeed it's almost the exact opposite the problem James had to confront was this that there were a number of people in the early church who were talking about faith in an utterly wrong way he puts it in verse 14 in that second chapter what does it profit my brethren though men say that he hath faith and have not works James was dealing with the kind of people who said ah yes I have fa I am a believer and they went on to say James doesn't tell us that fully they went on to say that because they said they had faith and that they were Believers it didn't matter what they did that what saves the man is that he says that he's a Believer you see they had the problem of believism in the early church James is dealing only with the sort of men who says I have faith there are men who use the word faith and they mean nothing by it but intellectual Ascent they mean belief only now let me show you how James deals with this and how this is really what he's saying look at his illustrations verses 15 and 16 if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them depart in peace be warmed and filled and notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful for the body WTH it profit now James says you don't help that poor person who's naked or destitute or starving by just saying well good luck to you carry on go along that doesn't help them mere talk is of no value if you really want to help in addition to saying something you've got to do something if you want to help them that's his context that's his argument then he applies that in verse 17 even so in that same way exactly faith if it hath not works is dead being alone then he goes on with his argument in verse 19 he says Thou believest that there is one God thou doest well that's very good you say I believe that there is one God excellent but you know says James the Devils also believe and tremble the Devils say in the same way we believe there is one God but you see that's valueless merely to say that you believe that there is one God is of no value if you don't submit to that one God if you don't obey that one God if you don't love and worship that one God but the Devils don't so they're saying that they believe is useless that's the sort of person that James has got in his mind and he gives the proof of it in verse 20 but wil thou know oh vain men that faith without works is dead he's talking about this vain person this man who says I believe and therefore because I believe all is well simply believing that all vain men says James you don't realize what you're saying then he goes on in verse 24 you remember ye see then that by works a man is Justified and not by faith only why does he say that well that's his conclusion and the result of what he's just been saying about Abraham was not Abraham Our Father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar seest thou how Faith wrought with his works and by works was Faith made perfect and the scripture was fulfilled which sayth Abram believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God now then here's the case Abram believed God how' you know was it merely a statement not at all he took his son Isaac and put him there and was on the the point of striking him and killing him and offering him as a sacrifice it wasn't mere talk he did it that's his argument you see Abraham is one of his proofs that it isn't merely a case of saying as a vain men that you believe something Abraham in practice proves that he has true faith not this thing that is without works which is dead but the living thing and the real thing in other words Faith doesn't mean the kind of belief that the Devils have faith indeed doesn't just mean believing certain things in faith there is always the element of trust the element of committal the element of abandoning yourself to what you believe now James was concerned I say about that and finally you see he puts it in the clearest statement of all in the last verse which is verse 26 as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also so that when James is here arguing about faith and again you notice it's an argument he is arguing about belief which is distinct from from Faith he's concerned with these people who separate these elements in faith faith I say is not just intellectual Ascent a man can give an intellectual Ascent to the teaching of the whole Bible and go straight to Hell faith means first of all that you're aware of the truth it means secondly that you believe it and accept it it means thirdly that you commit yourself to it and abandon yourself to it and what James is saying is this if you separate these things what you call Faith is worthless it's exactly like taking the spirit out of the body the body is dead and it's lifeless and it's useless there must never be a wedge between belief and committal belief and trust and so you see this is of very great importance there is no contradiction at all between Paul and James Paul is asserting that this great thing faith has nothing to do with Works under the law James is asserting that faith is a very great thing and doesn't merely mean intellectual Ascent merely saying I believe they're both saying the same things but they're looking at it from different angles and you see my friends where it becomes so urgently important for us you see why some of us don't believe in rushing people into decisions in Evangelistic meetings you can rush them man to say all right I do believe it you take him through the scriptures said do you believe that I I believe it and then the tendency is to say to them man very well you're saved you're Ed I remember a man years ago telling me about his own conversion and he said it happened like this he was in an Evangelistic meeting he wasn't quite clear about things he went to the inquiry room at the end and there he was dealt with and he said the man spoke to him and his friend and he just put these facts before him he was the man was waiting for something more but the but the man dealing with him said no no you don't want that here are the plain statements do you believe this and he said yes I believe it ah he said you're in where am I in said the men you're in the kingdom of God he said if you say you believe those things you're in the kingdom of God he shouldn't have said that a man can say that he believes that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God and he may yet be outside the kingdom there are many people in the world tonight who are not Christians but they do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God that doesn't influence their lives at all they go on living as they did before he's not the Lord of their lives they know nothing about the atonement they may ridicule this doctrine of blood but they give an Ascent to his person the Devils can do that sort of thing the Devils did recognize him as the Son of God you remember so merely to believe a number of propositions isn't faith and that doesn't save and that doesn't mean of necessity that we're in the Kingdom I would not venture to say that any man is in the kingdom of God until he gives a manifestation of the fruits of the spirit until he shows certain signs that he has a living faith that he is rarely in Christ he may be without my knowing it I say I would not dare to say that he is I cannot say that I nor anybody else am a Christian merely because I say yes to a number of intellectual propositions that is not Faith James is here asserting that once and forever and Paul asserts it in his own way the whole of chapter six of this great epistle to the Romans is RAR designed just to say that that's Paul's way of saying what James says in Chapter 2 very well then we have to leave it at that for this evening so the Apostle you see makes this first great Point boasting is excluded in every shape and form you mustn't boast of your faith even boast of nothing faith is but the instrument and the channel by means of which and through which the righteousness of Jesus Christ becomes ours and we can conclude with Paul and James that a man is justified by Faith only apart from the Deeds of the law let us pray oh Lord Our God we thank thee more than ever for Thy word we see how easy it is to go astray and to put our own interpretations upon these Grand statements oh Lord we thank thee that by thy Spirit thou did lead thy servant Paul of old not to stop at verse 26 but to go on to verses 27 and 28 and right on to the end of the chapter oh God we thank thee for thy condescension to our ignorance and to our Frailty and to our weakness we bless thy name we thank thee for everything we realize that our Salvation is entirely thine that we have nothing whereof to boast that we are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God we bless thy name that we are thy workmanship from beginning to end we thank thee Oh God for it for we see so clearly that if any part of it depended upon us we would Mar and r in it all so we ascribe unto thee all the praise and the honor and the glory forbid it Lord that I should boast save in the death of Christ my god oh Lord receive our unworthy prayers as we offer it in his beloved name and now May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship and the communion of the Holy Spirit abide and continue with us now this night throughout the remainder of our life in this passing world and until we shall see him as he is face to face in glory amen" [00:36:35]

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