Let's pray. Father,
what a wonderful day
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that this has been.
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We've felt Your presence, and we
know that Your presence will be
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with us today as we study
this very important subject
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about the faith of Jesus.
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We ask, Father, that
You will instruct us.
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Help us to understand the
balance between the commandments
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of God, and faith in Jesus.
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And we thank You
Father, for hearing our prayer,
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for we ask it in the
precious name of Jesus, Amen.
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I'd like to begin by
reading Revelation 14:12.
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This is the concluding verse
of the third angel's message,
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and it says this:
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We already studied the
patience of the saints.
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Which was the last
subject that we studied.
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Now I need to tell you that
that final phrase of the third
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angel's message is translated
differently in the diverse
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versions of the Bible.
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There are some versions that
translate, who have the faith of
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Jesus, and there are
others who translate,
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those who have faith in Jesus.
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In fact, if you looked at
the number of Bible versions
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that are available today,
you would find that they're
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about equally
divided, as far as the correct
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translation is concerned: faith
of Jesus, or faith in Jesus.
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I personally believe, as we
study along, that the proper
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way of translating this
phrase is faith in Jesus.
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Here are those who keep
the commandments of God,
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and have faith in Jesus.
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You see, we're going to find
that there is a balance between
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keeping the commandments of God,
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and having
faith in Jesus Christ.
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Now if you were actually driving
down a road, and it was snowing
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very, very hard, and the road
was slippery, and on both sides
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of the road you had very
deep ditches, which of those two
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ditches would
you rather fall into?
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Would it be the left ditch,
or would it be the right ditch?
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I'm sure you're thinking,
we wouldn't want to fall into
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either the left
or the right ditch.
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Well, it's not any better
to fall in the right ditch
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or the left ditch, or vice
versa, because in both cases
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you're off the main road.
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And in the same way, we're going
to notice in our study today,
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that there are those who
emphasize the commandments of
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God, but they don't
emphasize faith in Jesus.
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And there are those who
emphasize faith in Jesus,
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but they want to
discard the commandments of God.
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But Revelation 14:12
has a perfect balance:
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a balance between faith
and works, a perfect balance
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between law and grace.
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And, by the way, I must
say that the Greek construction
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of the expression, the faith
of Jesus, or the faith in Jesus,
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is actually written
in such a way that either
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translation is allowable.
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grammatically either
translation is allowable.
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But once again, I believe
that the correct translation is,
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those who have faith in Jesus.
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You see, we're going to
find that there are two dangers
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that Christians face: One
danger is to emphasize faith
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to the exclusion of works, and
the other danger is to emphasize
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grace at the expense of law.
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Actually, both
need to go together,
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and that's why the third
angel's message mentions both.
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They keep the
commandments of God,
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and they have faith in Jesus.
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Now there are two ditches that
we need to be careful about.
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The first ditch, which we
will call the right ditch,
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is what is called legalism.
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It's the idea that you
can be saved by keeping
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the commandments of God.
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That you can be
saved by your works.
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Now we find several examples
of this very dangerous ditch
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on the right hand side
of the road in Scripture.
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The first example that I would
like us to notice is the story
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of a rich young ruler.
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This story is
found in Matthew 19.
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I'm not going to
read the whole story.
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I'm going to tell
you the first part of it.
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A rich young ruler comes to
Jesus and says, What do I need
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to do to have eternal life?
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This young man
wants eternal life.
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And I want you to notice
what Jesus had to say to him.
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Matthew 19,
beginning with verse 17.
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What kind of life was Jesus
talking about when He said,
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If you want to enter
into life? eternal life.
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Because the young man said
that he wanted eternal life.
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So Jesus says, If
you want eternal life,
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what do you need to do?
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You need to keep the
commandments, verse 18.
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By the way, that one is
not one of the last six.
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Instead of the one that
says, Thou shalt not covet,
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Jesus puts in, You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.
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Because loving your neighbor
is the opposite of covetousness.
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It's the positive way of putting
the commandment that says,
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Thou shalt not covet.
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Now when the young man
hears this he's pretty excited.
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Notice what we find in verse 20.
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The young man said to
Him, All these things I have
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kept from my youth.
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In other words, I am
a commandment keeper.
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I'm ready to
receive eternal life.
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But he says,
What do I still lack?
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That, by the
way, means complete.
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If you want to be
complete, or perfect,
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Let me ask you, Was
this young man really keeping
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the commandments of God?
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No, he was
externally keeping them.
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He was keeping them according
to the letter, but his service
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was a service that
did not come out of love.
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In other words, it did not
have the motivation of faith.
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It did not have
the motivation of love.
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Therefore his commandment
keeping was only external.
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Question: Will
external commandment keeping
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give you eternal life?
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The Bible says no.
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This young man did not receive
eternal life, because he did not
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love his neighbor as himself.
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Externally he kept
the commandments of God,
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but those commandments were
not kept through a motivation
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of faith in the heart.
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Let's notice another story that
illustrates the idea that you
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can be saved by your works.
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Notice the story of the
Pharisee and the publican
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in Luke 18:9-14, Luke 18:9-14.
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Did these people feel like
they were really law keepers?
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They most certainly did.
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They felt pretty righteous.
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Notice what it continues saying.
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Here Jesus is
going to tell the story.
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Interesting, he didn't pray
to God, he prayed with himself.
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In other words, I thank You
that I'm a commandment keeper,
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and I don't break the
commandments like these.
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Notice the contrast.
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By the say, that means forgiven.
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Were these individuals
really commandment keepers? No.
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Did they keep the
commandments externally?
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Did they appear
to have good works?
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Were they keeping the
Sabbath, and were they tithing,
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and were they fasting,
and not eating certain things?
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Most certainly! But that was
not true commandment keeping,
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because it did not
come from a changed heart.
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It did not come
as a result of faith.
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So external keeping of the
commandments will not do it
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unless the inward
motivation of faith is there.
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We have another story.
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The story of the prodigal son.
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Do you remember the
story of the prodigal son?
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We usually emphasize the son
that left home and came back,
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but there was an
older son in that story.
00:11:05.26\00:11:07.83
You know, when his brother
came back smelling like swine,
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because he
worked among the swine?
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His father called a party,
and killed the fatted calf,
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and called all the friends and
relatives together to celebrate
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the return of the son.
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And the older son hears
that his brother has come back,
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and he's filled with anger.
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And notice what he says
to his father in Luke 15,
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beginning with verse 29.
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Did he claim to be a law keeper?
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Why did he keep
his father's law?
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Because he loved his father,
or because he wanted to earn
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the favor of his father?
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It's because he wanted
to earn his father's favor.
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It was not an
obedience to the commandments
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that came from the
heart. And so he says:
00:12:05.15\00:12:08.02
He doesn't even say
my brother. He says:
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Are you catching the
spirit of what it means to claim
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to keep the commandments of God,
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but with the wrong motivation?
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not with faith,
works without faith?
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Trying to justify yourself
by your works without the
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motivation of faith
and love from your heart.
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I want you to notice also
another parable that Jesus told.
00:12:48.00\00:12:51.63
The famous parable
of the vineyard workers.
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It's found in
Matthew 20, Matthew 20.
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The Bible says that the owner
of the vineyard went out several
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times during the day.
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He went out at 6 in the
morning, then he went back at 9,
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and then at noon, then he
went at 3 in the afternoon,
00:13:07.05\00:13:09.98
5 in the afternoon, to
find workers, because he needed
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all the time more
workers for his vineyard.
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Finally, at 6
o'clock pay time came.
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There were some individuals
who had worked twelve hours.
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There were others
who had worked nine.
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Some had worked six,
some had worked three,
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and some had only worked one.
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And when pay time came,
the owner of the vineyard
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paid them all the same.
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And those who worked
more, notice what they
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said in Matthew 20:10.
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So they worked in order to
get what? in order to get more,
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Not because they wanted
simply to work out of grace,
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they were working because
they felt that if they worked
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they deserved
more. And so it says:
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So you'll notice that working
in God's vineyard does not earn
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more for some than for others.
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They're all paid salvation
by God's grace, not by the work
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that they performed,
not by what they earned.
00:14:59.56\00:15:02.83
Now it's interesting to notice
the motivation that led the
00:15:02.86\00:15:06.84
Pharisees to obey
God and to keep His law.
00:15:06.87\00:15:10.61
Notice Matthew 6:1,
2, 5, Matthew 6:1, 2, 5.
00:15:10.64\00:15:18.95
Here Jesus says: Take heed that
you do not do your charitable
00:15:18.98\00:15:24.39
deeds before men with
what motivation? to be what?
00:15:24.42\00:15:29.79
to be seen by them.
00:15:29.82\00:15:32.33
Why did the Pharisees
do their works? to be what?
00:15:32.36\00:15:35.36
to be seen by them.
00:15:35.40\00:15:37.73
Otherwise you have no reward,
from your Father in heaven.
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.90
Verse 2: Therefore when you do
a charitable deed, do not sound
00:15:41.77\00:15:46.94
a trumpet before you as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues
00:15:46.98\00:15:52.01
and in the streets, that they
may what? have glory from men.
00:15:52.05\00:15:57.25
Assuredly, I say to
you, They have their reward.
00:15:57.29\00:16:01.32
Notice verse 5: And when you
pray, you shall not be like the
00:16:01.36\00:16:05.46
hypocrites, for they love to
pray standing in the synagogues
00:16:05.49\00:16:10.17
and on the corners of
the streets, that they
00:16:10.20\00:16:13.00
may be seen by men.
00:16:13.03\00:16:15.20
Assuredly, I say to
you, They have their reward.
00:16:15.24\00:16:19.31
Why did the
Pharisees perform their works?
00:16:19.34\00:16:21.61
Why did they keep the law?
00:16:21.64\00:16:22.98
Was it because it
came from their hearts,
00:16:23.01\00:16:26.31
because they loved God?
00:16:26.35\00:16:27.75
Because they had faith
in God? Absolutely not.
00:16:27.78\00:16:30.62
They kept the commandments
externally because they wanted
00:16:30.69\00:16:34.36
to be seen by men, and they
wanted God to recognize them,
00:16:34.39\00:16:38.76
and save them,
because they were keeping
00:16:38.79\00:16:41.13
the commandments of God.
00:16:41.16\00:16:42.80
That is what is called legalism.
00:16:42.83\00:16:45.17
So if you emphasize
only the commandments of God,
00:16:45.20\00:16:48.20
to the exclusion of faith, you
have what? you have legalism.
00:16:48.24\00:16:53.11
And, by the way, do you
know that Jesus says that we're
00:16:53.14\00:16:55.98
supposed to do good
works to be seen by men?
00:16:56.01\00:16:58.68
You say, Well
now, wait a minute!
00:16:58.71\00:17:00.85
Didn't we just
read that the Pharisees
00:17:00.88\00:17:02.95
stood in public places?
00:17:02.98\00:17:04.32
They blew the trumpet
so that they could be seen;
00:17:04.35\00:17:06.55
their works could
be seen by men? Yes.
00:17:06.59\00:17:08.86
But Jesus said that our
works should be seen by men.
00:17:08.89\00:17:11.79
But I want you to
notice the difference.
00:17:11.83\00:17:13.83
Matthew 5:16, Matthew 5:16.
00:17:13.86\00:17:20.14
Let your light so shine
before men, that they may what?
00:17:20.17\00:17:26.68
see your good works...
00:17:26.71\00:17:29.88
That's the same as
what the Pharisees.
00:17:29.91\00:17:33.42
You know, they wanted
their good works to be seen.
00:17:33.45\00:17:36.25
But Jesus says that they may
see your good works and what?
00:17:36.28\00:17:40.36
and glorify your
Father in heaven.
00:17:40.39\00:17:44.33
There's the difference.
00:17:44.36\00:17:45.69
You see the Pharisees kept
the law because they wanted
00:17:45.73\00:17:48.56
to be seen by men, because they
wanted to earn God's salvation
00:17:48.60\00:17:52.63
by showing how good they were.
00:17:52.67\00:17:54.00
Jesus says, You cannot be saved
by keeping the commandments.
00:17:54.04\00:17:58.34
You cannot be saved
simply because you follow
00:17:58.37\00:18:02.11
externally a list of rules.
00:18:02.14\00:18:05.18
I want you to
notice Matthew 23: 25-28.
00:18:05.21\00:18:11.05
We're still dealing
with the first ditch,
00:18:11.09\00:18:12.75
the right hand ditch.
00:18:12.79\00:18:14.12
The ditch that has to do
with the idea that you can keep
00:18:14.19\00:18:16.96
God's law, God will save you,
and human beings will recognize
00:18:16.99\00:18:21.40
your greatness because of all
of the good things that you do.
00:18:21.43\00:18:24.00
What's a hypocrite?
00:18:31.14\00:18:33.14
It's someone who appears to be
one thing, when inside they are
00:18:33.17\00:18:38.38
what? they're
another. So He says:
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.95
The what? There it is:
00:18:44.62\00:18:46.86
So what was the
problem of the Pharisees,
00:19:32.87\00:19:35.04
the problem of the Jews?
00:19:35.07\00:19:36.40
They claimed to keep God's
law, to keep God's commandments,
00:19:36.44\00:19:41.81
but they did not have love.
00:19:41.84\00:19:43.95
They did not have faith.
00:19:43.98\00:19:45.78
They had the wrong motivation.
00:19:45.81\00:19:47.88
They wanted
glory for themselves.
00:19:47.92\00:19:50.19
They wanted God to save them
because of the good works that
00:19:50.22\00:19:55.46
they were performing.
00:19:55.49\00:19:56.83
But folks,
there's another ditch.
00:19:56.86\00:19:58.83
It's the left hand ditch.
00:19:58.86\00:20:01.16
It's called antinomianism.
00:20:01.20\00:20:04.40
You say, What is antinomianism?
00:20:04.43\00:20:06.30
It's the idea that you can
be saved, and you don't have to
00:20:06.33\00:20:10.51
keep the commandments.
00:20:10.57\00:20:11.91
In other words, one side of
the ditch is where people say,
00:20:11.94\00:20:15.71
I'm saved by my
works, and the motivation
00:20:15.74\00:20:18.85
of faith is not there.
00:20:18.88\00:20:20.22
On the other side you have those
who say, I'm saved by grace,
00:20:20.28\00:20:24.05
through faith, and my
works don't matter at all.
00:20:24.09\00:20:27.42
Keeping the law is unnecessary,
because Jesus kept the law
00:20:27.46\00:20:31.59
for me, or because the
law was nailed to the cross,
00:20:31.63\00:20:34.30
or because the law
was meant for the Jews.
00:20:34.36\00:20:37.90
Are you understanding the
other side of the spectrum?
00:20:37.93\00:20:40.17
And there are texts, primarily
from the writings of the apostle
00:20:40.20\00:20:44.37
Paul, that
antinomians love to use.
00:20:44.41\00:20:47.61
For example,
Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:16.
00:20:47.64\00:20:55.38
Here the apostle Paul says:
00:20:55.42\00:20:57.69
This is important.
00:21:01.19\00:21:02.52
So the apostle Paul says,
By the works of the law no one
00:21:28.88\00:21:32.39
will be what? no
one will be justified.
00:21:32.42\00:21:35.02
And so some Christians say,
See, you don't need to have any
00:21:35.06\00:21:38.26
works, because the apostle
Paul says that you're not
00:21:38.29\00:21:40.76
justified by works.
00:21:40.80\00:21:42.10
But we need to read carefully
what the apostle Paul is saying.
00:21:42.13\00:21:45.90
He's not saying that
good works are not necessary,
00:21:45.93\00:21:48.77
he's saying that we
cannot be justified,
00:21:48.80\00:21:51.07
or saved by those good works.
00:21:51.11\00:21:53.61
He's not talking about
works that come as a result of
00:21:53.64\00:21:57.68
salvation, he's talking
about works that are performed
00:21:57.71\00:22:01.45
with the
intention of God saving us.
00:22:01.48\00:22:04.32
In fact another favorite text is
Galatians 5:4, where the apostle
00:22:04.35\00:22:10.13
Paul says to the Galatians,
00:22:10.16\00:22:11.53
So some people, they say, See,
the apostle Paul says that we
00:22:25.34\00:22:28.64
don't have to have good works.
00:22:28.68\00:22:30.01
We don't have to keep the law.
00:22:30.05\00:22:31.38
All that we have to
do is believe in Jesus.
00:22:31.41\00:22:33.42
All we have to do is have
faith and we're justified;
00:22:33.48\00:22:37.29
no works necessary.
00:22:37.35\00:22:39.39
But what they don't
do is continue reading
00:22:39.42\00:22:41.72
there in Galatians 5.
00:22:41.76\00:22:43.09
You see, after the apostle Paul
says these words that I just
00:22:43.12\00:22:46.23
read in Galatians 5:4, You have
become estranged from Christ,
00:22:46.26\00:22:50.83
you who attempt to
be justified by law;
00:22:50.90\00:22:53.80
you have fallen from grace.
00:22:53.87\00:22:55.40
The apostle Paul continues in
the same chapter talking about
00:22:55.44\00:22:58.81
the fruit of the Spirit.
00:22:58.84\00:23:00.28
Those are not works that
we perform for God to save us,
00:23:00.31\00:23:05.21
those are works that are
performed once God has saved us.
00:23:05.25\00:23:09.02
They are the fruit of salvation.
00:23:09.05\00:23:11.45
They are the result of
having faith in Jesus Christ.
00:23:11.49\00:23:15.29
They don't save us, but
they show that we're saved.
00:23:15.32\00:23:18.79
In fact, notice
Galatians 5: 16-26.
00:23:18.83\00:23:22.60
The apostle Paul says,
00:23:22.63\00:23:24.13
Does the law condemn those who
are guided by the Holy Spirit?
00:23:47.92\00:23:51.26
Absolutely not.
Now notice verse 19.
00:23:51.29\00:23:54.96
Does the apostle Paul have a
lot of bad things to say about
00:24:20.29\00:24:22.96
all this list of sins?
00:24:22.99\00:24:24.66
Those who commit these sins,
are they led by the Holy Spirit?
00:24:24.69\00:24:27.76
Is the apostle Paul saying
that those who have been saved
00:24:27.83\00:24:31.23
should be led by the Spirit,
and they should no longer
00:24:31.27\00:24:33.50
practice these things?
00:24:33.54\00:24:34.87
In Galatians 5,
the very same chapter,
00:24:34.90\00:24:37.17
notice what he continues saying
here at the end of this verse.
00:24:37.21\00:24:41.81
He continues saying, verse 21:
00:24:41.84\00:24:43.75
Does God expect a
change in the life?
00:25:00.16\00:25:04.50
Does he expect us
to forsake these sins?
00:25:04.53\00:25:07.74
In the same chapter where he
says that if you think that you
00:25:07.77\00:25:10.91
can be justified by law,
you've fallen from grace.
00:25:10.94\00:25:14.51
Then he says, but if
you've been justified by grace,
00:25:14.54\00:25:17.68
you will produce in your
life the fruit of the Spirit,
00:25:17.71\00:25:20.52
and you will not
continue to practice these sins.
00:25:20.55\00:25:24.19
Is he balanced in his view?
00:25:24.22\00:25:26.35
He most certainly is.
00:25:26.39\00:25:27.72
He believes in the
commandments of God.
00:25:27.76\00:25:29.66
He also believes in
what? faith in Jesus.
00:25:29.69\00:25:33.73
Now notice what he
continues saying in verse 22.
00:25:33.80\00:25:36.63
Let me ask you, Have you
ever seen a law against peace?
00:25:52.08\00:25:55.05
Anybody ever seen
a law against love?
00:25:55.08\00:25:59.12
Anybody ever seen a
law against kindness,
00:25:59.15\00:26:03.49
or a law against
self-control? Absolutely not.
00:26:03.56\00:26:08.36
You see, those who live
according to the Spirit,
00:26:08.40\00:26:11.50
there is no law
that condemns them.
00:26:11.53\00:26:13.77
Those who practice the list
of sins that we noticed here
00:26:13.84\00:26:17.71
will not inherit eternal
life because they do not have
00:26:17.74\00:26:22.08
the fruit of the
Spirit that flows from their
00:26:22.11\00:26:24.51
conversion
experience. Notice verse 24:
00:26:24.55\00:26:27.35
Including all of the
works that we read...
00:26:31.89\00:26:34.09
Did the apostle Paul
believe in good works?
00:26:44.27\00:26:46.47
Did he believe in
keeping the law of God? Yes.
00:26:46.50\00:26:48.90
But as the fruit of salvation,
not as the cause of salvation.
00:26:48.94\00:26:54.24
Now there's some other texts
that people who are against
00:26:54.28\00:26:56.91
the law use; people who
say, Ah, it's only grace.
00:26:56.95\00:26:59.55
It's only faith. You
don't have to worry about works.
00:26:59.58\00:27:02.32
You don't have to
worry about the law.
00:27:02.35\00:27:04.05
Let's notice some of those
verses, and then also notice
00:27:04.12\00:27:07.42
the context that we
find immediately after those
00:27:07.49\00:27:10.89
declarations by
Paul. Romans 3:28.
00:27:10.96\00:27:14.73
So man is what? justified
by what? by faith apart from
00:27:22.74\00:27:28.41
the deeds of the law.
00:27:28.44\00:27:29.78
So some Christians conclude;
they say, See, we don't need
00:27:29.81\00:27:32.55
the law anymore, because it
says we're justified by faith
00:27:32.58\00:27:35.62
apart from the deeds of the law.
00:27:35.65\00:27:37.39
Unfortunately, they don't read
just three verses farther down.
00:27:37.42\00:27:40.59
Notice verse 31:
00:27:40.66\00:27:42.22
Let me ask you, Is there
room for faith and the law?
00:27:51.83\00:27:55.70
According to Paul, yes.
00:27:55.74\00:27:57.41
He says, We don't do
away with the law by faith,
00:27:57.47\00:28:00.51
we establish the law.
00:28:00.54\00:28:02.11
Even though we're
not justified by the law,
00:28:02.14\00:28:04.48
we establish the law by faith.
00:28:04.51\00:28:07.45
Another favorite passage by
those who say that you don't
00:28:07.48\00:28:10.22
have to keep the law; you
don't need works. Romans 5:20.
00:28:10.25\00:28:13.79
So some people say, See,
where there's lots of sin,
00:28:23.97\00:28:27.90
there's lots of grace.
00:28:27.94\00:28:29.30
So lets sin a lot so
that there's lots of grace.
00:28:29.34\00:28:32.37
Unfortunately, they don't read
Romans 6:1, 2 right below that.
00:28:32.41\00:28:38.78
The apostle Paul knew
that they were going to use
00:28:38.81\00:28:41.12
this verse in this way.
00:28:41.15\00:28:42.88
And so he says in
verse 1 of chapter 6:
00:28:42.92\00:28:46.32
What shall we say then?
00:28:46.35\00:28:48.29
Shall we continue in
sin that grace may abound?
00:28:48.32\00:28:53.03
Did he know somebody was
going misuse that statement,
00:28:53.06\00:28:56.33
that where sin abounded,
grace would much more abound?
00:28:56.36\00:29:00.37
He sure knew that that
was going to be misused.
00:29:00.40\00:29:02.67
So he says, What
shall we say then?
00:29:02.70\00:29:04.47
Shall we continue in sin that
grace may abound? Certainly not!
00:29:04.51\00:29:08.34
How shall we, who died to
sin, live any longer in it?
00:29:08.38\00:29:14.18
Is that clear? Another favorite
text, and this is the all time
00:29:14.25\00:29:18.25
favorite, is Romans
6:14. It says there:
00:29:18.29\00:29:23.19
And so people say, See, you
Adventists, you're under the law
00:29:31.10\00:29:34.97
because you think you
have to keep the commandments.
00:29:35.00\00:29:36.94
But we are under grace.
00:29:37.01\00:29:39.87
Unfortunately, they
don't read the next verse.
00:29:39.91\00:29:42.71
Notice what the
apostle Paul says:
00:29:42.74\00:29:45.21
Let me ask you, Being
under grace, does that excuse us
00:30:07.87\00:30:12.54
trampling upon God's holy law?
00:30:12.57\00:30:14.98
Does that excuse us from sin?
00:30:15.01\00:30:17.65
Of course it doesn't, according
to the apostle Paul himself.
00:30:17.68\00:30:20.88
So when Paul give a
controversial statement,
00:30:20.92\00:30:24.52
immediately he balances it
off, and he says, Listen, just
00:30:24.55\00:30:28.12
because you're under
grace doesn't mean that you can
00:30:28.16\00:30:30.39
trample upon the law.
00:30:30.43\00:30:31.76
Just because where sin abounded,
grace abounds all the more,
00:30:31.79\00:30:35.10
doesn't mean that you
can disobey God's law.
00:30:35.13\00:30:37.43
Just because you're justified
by faith without works of law,
00:30:37.50\00:30:40.40
doesn't mean that you get rid of
the law, you establish the law.
00:30:40.47\00:30:43.97
is what the
apostle Paul has to say.
00:30:44.04\00:30:45.87
You see, the apostle Paul knew
that there were going to be some
00:30:45.91\00:30:49.54
people who would have a
disdain for the law of God.
00:30:49.58\00:30:54.68
They would profess Godliness,
but they would not be concerned
00:30:54.72\00:30:58.32
about their life,
which means that they
00:30:58.35\00:31:01.26
really don't have faith.
00:31:01.29\00:31:02.62
They really don't have
the inward motivation of love.
00:31:02.66\00:31:05.29
Notice Titus 1:16, Titus 1:16.
00:31:05.33\00:31:10.57
Here it's speaking about a
certain group of individuals
00:31:10.63\00:31:13.80
who claim to be Christians.
00:31:13.84\00:31:15.94
So are these Christians? Yeah.
00:31:19.21\00:31:22.74
In their what they deny Him?
00:31:30.05\00:31:31.49
They profess one thing,
00:31:31.52\00:31:33.32
Is the apostle
Paul balanced here?
00:31:45.00\00:31:47.27
Is he saying that
if you profess Jesus,
00:31:47.30\00:31:50.17
your works should
demonstrate it? Absolutely.
00:31:50.24\00:31:53.41
Notice 1 John 2:3, 4.
00:31:53.44\00:31:55.58
We read this in our last
study together. 1 John 2:3, 4.
00:31:55.61\00:32:00.82
Is this the correct balance?
00:32:17.57\00:32:20.04
It most certainly is.
00:32:20.10\00:32:22.07
See, there's a group of
people who say, I know Him,
00:32:22.10\00:32:24.51
and I don't have to
keep the commandments.
00:32:24.54\00:32:26.27
There are others who
say, I keep the commandments,
00:32:26.31\00:32:29.68
but they don't know Him.
00:32:29.71\00:32:31.15
The key is to know Him,
and keep His commandments;
00:32:31.18\00:32:35.05
to have faith and trust in Him
and to keep His commandments.
00:32:35.08\00:32:38.69
Notice also, Jesus spoke
about people who claim to be
00:32:38.72\00:32:42.02
Christians, but whose
works show that they trample
00:32:42.06\00:32:45.36
upon the law of God.
00:32:45.39\00:32:46.76
Matthew 7:21, Matthew 7:21.
00:32:46.80\00:32:50.73
Are those Christians if they
say, Lord, Lord? Absolutely!
00:32:54.60\00:32:58.64
And what is Jesus going to say?
00:33:16.49\00:33:18.86
Oh yeah, you were mine,
because you said you were mine.
00:33:18.89\00:33:20.83
No, notice verse 23.
00:33:20.90\00:33:23.53
What was their problem?
00:33:34.08\00:33:35.41
They claimed to
follow Jesus, but what did
00:33:35.44\00:33:37.65
they do with the law?
00:33:37.68\00:33:39.01
They trampled on the law of God.
00:33:39.05\00:33:41.42
And so you have these two
ditches: you have the ditch of
00:33:41.45\00:33:45.35
those who say that they can
be saved by keeping the law,
00:33:45.39\00:33:48.52
and you have the ditch of those
who say that they can be saved
00:33:48.56\00:33:52.56
by faith without any works, or
without obeying God's holy law.
00:33:52.59\00:33:58.70
What do we need to
do to stay on the road?
00:33:58.73\00:34:02.30
The fact is that there
is a perfect balance between
00:34:02.34\00:34:05.97
faith and works,
grace and the law.
00:34:06.01\00:34:09.24
Let's notice
several of those verses.
00:34:09.28\00:34:12.51
Go with me to John
15:8. Here Jesus says:
00:34:12.55\00:34:17.59
That's the fruit of the Spirit.
00:34:24.46\00:34:25.79
How is it that we show
that we're Christ's disciples?
00:34:29.53\00:34:32.67
by bearing what? much fruit!
00:34:32.70\00:34:36.04
Not the works of
the flesh, but fruit.
00:34:36.07\00:34:39.01
Now a favorite passage of those
who believe that the law was
00:34:39.04\00:34:42.18
nailed to the cross, and
Christians don't have to keep
00:34:42.21\00:34:44.21
the law, and works
aren't really that important,
00:34:44.25\00:34:47.48
is Ephesians 2:8, 9.
00:34:47.52\00:34:49.38
Notice what it says:
00:34:49.42\00:34:50.75
For by grace you have
been saved through faith;
00:34:50.79\00:34:54.02
and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
00:34:54.06\00:34:58.63
Not of works, lest
anyone should boast.
00:34:58.66\00:35:02.70
Does the apostle Paul say
clearly that we cannot be saved
00:35:02.73\00:35:05.63
by our works in these verses?
00:35:05.67\00:35:07.34
He absolutely makes it clear.
00:35:07.37\00:35:08.87
We cannot be saved by our works.
00:35:08.90\00:35:10.84
He explicitly says that it is
the gift of God: Not of works,
00:35:10.91\00:35:16.31
lest anyone should boast.
00:35:16.34\00:35:17.68
The only problem is
people don't read verse 10.
00:35:17.71\00:35:20.52
Does God expect good works from
those who have been created new
00:35:21.85\00:35:25.72
in Jesus Christ?
Absolutely! Notice verse 10:
00:35:25.75\00:35:29.19
See, we're in Christ Jesus when
we receive Him as our Savior,
00:35:33.83\00:35:36.97
and we're
baptized. And so it says:
00:35:37.03\00:35:39.00
See, God is the one
who does the works in us.
00:35:48.21\00:35:50.51
Now the passage that I
especially want to dwell on
00:35:55.38\00:35:59.82
for quite an extensive
period of time, is the passage
00:35:59.85\00:36:03.22
that we find in James 2.
00:36:03.26\00:36:05.19
See, people love to quote the
apostle Paul, but when it comes
00:36:05.23\00:36:09.46
to James they kind of want to
shuffle that one under the rug.
00:36:09.50\00:36:12.53
Now lets notice James 2:14-24.
00:36:12.57\00:36:17.51
Here you will find the
balance between faith in Jesus,
00:36:17.54\00:36:21.84
and keeping the commandments.
00:36:21.88\00:36:23.58
You see, the end time
generation, folks, is not going
00:36:23.65\00:36:26.41
to legalistically
keep the commandments.
00:36:26.45\00:36:28.42
They're not going to keep
the Sabbath legalistically
00:36:28.45\00:36:31.49
like the Jews did. No.
00:36:31.52\00:36:32.85
They're going to keep the
Sabbath because they have a
00:36:32.89\00:36:35.56
loving relationship with Jesus.
00:36:35.59\00:36:37.33
Because they have faith in
Jesus, they're going to keep
00:36:37.36\00:36:40.43
the commandments of God,
and also have faith in Jesus,
00:36:40.50\00:36:45.37
in perfect balance.
00:36:45.40\00:36:46.74
Notice James 2:14.
00:36:46.80\00:36:49.54
Notice that they
don't really have faith.
00:36:55.38\00:36:56.91
Is it possible to say that you
have faith and not have works?
00:37:02.92\00:37:05.95
Absolutely! He's saying
that there are some people
00:37:05.99\00:37:09.32
that were that way.
00:37:09.36\00:37:10.69
Actually, in the Greek it says:
Can this kind of faith save him?
00:37:16.50\00:37:20.64
A faith that is workless,
can that kind of faith save him?
00:37:20.67\00:37:26.98
Verse 15.
00:37:27.01\00:37:28.94
In other words, faith alone...
00:37:47.40\00:37:50.13
And, by the way, this is the
reason why Martin Luther did not
00:37:50.17\00:37:53.70
like the epistle of James.
00:37:53.74\00:37:55.54
In fact he called
James the epistle of straw.
00:37:55.57\00:37:58.74
And if he'd had his way, he
would have cut the epistle of
00:37:58.77\00:38:01.91
James out of the Bible.
00:38:01.94\00:38:04.28
Because Luther was fighting
against the Roman Catholic
00:38:04.31\00:38:07.38
Church that taught that works,
works, pilgrimages, you know,
00:38:07.45\00:38:11.05
work your way to heaven.
00:38:11.09\00:38:12.52
And so Martin Luther fought
against that with everything
00:38:12.55\00:38:15.12
he had, just like Paul
had fought against the Jews.
00:38:15.16\00:38:17.46
So he didn't understand
how James could say that faith
00:38:17.49\00:38:21.73
without works is
dead. And so he says:
00:38:21.76\00:38:25.43
You see, faith and
works are a package deal.
00:38:32.47\00:38:35.51
You can't have
one without the other.
00:38:35.54\00:38:39.51
You have to have
both together. So he says:
00:38:39.55\00:38:43.52
How do we show our faith?
00:38:57.43\00:38:59.23
We show our faith by our works.
00:38:59.27\00:39:02.50
Let me ask you, Can we
claim to have faith in Jesus
00:39:02.54\00:39:04.84
and live like the Devil?
00:39:04.87\00:39:06.61
We can claim it, and
we can claim to be saved,
00:39:06.64\00:39:10.41
and watch what the world
watches, and dress the way
00:39:10.48\00:39:13.21
the world dresses, and be
entertained the way the world
00:39:13.25\00:39:16.72
is entertained, and do what
the world does, and we can say,
00:39:16.75\00:39:19.72
I have faith. I'm a Christian.
00:39:19.75\00:39:21.56
But if your life doesn't
change, if there are no works,
00:39:21.59\00:39:24.53
if you do not keep
God's commandments out of love
00:39:24.56\00:39:27.46
for Him, it's a sham.
00:39:27.50\00:39:29.23
It's not a true relationship.
00:39:29.26\00:39:30.60
And so he says, Show me
your faith without your works,
00:39:30.67\00:39:34.24
and I will show you my faith
by my works. And then he says:
00:39:34.27\00:39:39.11
By the way, that word believe
is the same word for faith
00:39:40.78\00:39:43.65
that is used
throughout this passage.
00:39:43.68\00:39:45.78
So if you just
believe that there's one God;
00:39:52.62\00:39:55.42
you know people say, Well,
we all believe in the same God,
00:39:55.46\00:39:57.83
don't we? But it's
a superficial belief.
00:39:57.86\00:40:01.20
It's a belief up
here that God exists.
00:40:01.23\00:40:03.00
That's not going to save you.
00:40:03.03\00:40:04.37
Do you think the Devil
believes that God exists?
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.60
He not only
believes it, he knows it.
00:40:06.63\00:40:09.14
And so James is saying:
00:40:09.17\00:40:10.71
And then he's
going to use Abraham.
00:40:21.75\00:40:23.65
See, this is what threw
Martin Luther for a loop,
00:40:23.69\00:40:25.85
because Martin Luther said,
Fide, sola fide: faith alone,
00:40:25.89\00:40:30.29
without works. And
what does James say?
00:40:30.33\00:40:34.30
Really what is he saying?
00:40:46.61\00:40:48.44
Abraham was justified
by a faith that works.
00:40:48.48\00:40:53.18
He's not saying that
he was justified by works.
00:40:53.21\00:40:56.65
He's already said that you
need faith and works together.
00:40:56.72\00:41:00.16
So he's saying, Don't you
know that our father Abraham was
00:41:00.19\00:41:03.53
justified by a faith that works?
00:41:03.56\00:41:06.43
That's what he means.
00:41:06.46\00:41:07.76
And so he continues saying:
00:41:07.83\00:41:13.70
Did it take a lot of faith for
Abraham to be willing to offer
00:41:13.74\00:41:17.07
his son on the altar?
00:41:17.11\00:41:18.44
How did Abraham show that
he believed God when God said,
00:41:18.47\00:41:21.44
Go offer your son,
and I'll spare him.
00:41:21.48\00:41:24.41
How did he show that he really
believed God? by what he did.
00:41:24.45\00:41:28.32
His works proved
that his faith was true.
00:41:28.35\00:41:31.79
And then it says in verse 22,
Do you see that faith was what?
00:41:31.82\00:41:36.69
working together. You
see, it's a package deal,
00:41:36.73\00:41:39.96
a faith that works.
00:41:40.00\00:41:41.56
And so it says, Do you see that
faith was working together with
00:41:41.60\00:41:46.40
his works, and by
works faith was made what?
00:41:46.43\00:41:49.87
perfect or complete.
00:41:49.94\00:41:51.27
So in order to have a
complete saving relationship,
00:41:51.31\00:41:54.78
what do you need? A faith
that what? that works. Verse 23.
00:41:54.81\00:42:00.52
When he says, by faith only,
he's talking about faith is the
00:42:16.63\00:42:20.30
only thing you have,
and you don't have works.
00:42:20.34\00:42:22.37
You cannot be justified
by a faith that's alone,
00:42:22.40\00:42:25.51
because the true faith
that justifies is a faith
00:42:25.54\00:42:29.04
that has works with it.
00:42:29.08\00:42:30.41
Are you
understanding what I am saying?
00:42:30.45\00:42:32.05
He's not saying that
you're saved by works,
00:42:32.08\00:42:34.58
like the Jews
believed, by keeping the law.
00:42:34.62\00:42:37.15
He's saying that if you have
faith, you will keep the law,
00:42:37.19\00:42:40.96
if you have the faith
you will produce works.
00:42:40.99\00:42:43.43
In other words, works
are the fruit of Salvation.
00:42:43.49\00:42:48.40
And so he says in verse 25:
00:42:48.43\00:42:50.83
By the way, according to the
context, by a faith that works,
00:42:56.94\00:43:00.58
Let me ask you,
What's more important?
00:43:14.29\00:43:15.66
the body, or the breath?
00:43:15.69\00:43:17.53
What's more
important? a body less Spirit,
00:43:22.23\00:43:26.17
or a spiritless body?
00:43:26.20\00:43:27.90
They both have to go what?
together in order for you to
00:43:27.94\00:43:33.58
have a living person.
00:43:33.64\00:43:34.98
In the same way, faith and works
have to go together in order to
00:43:35.01\00:43:39.65
have a genuine living
relationship with God.
00:43:39.68\00:43:43.35
You see, James and
Paul are fighting against
00:43:43.39\00:43:46.76
two different enemies.
00:43:46.82\00:43:48.16
The apostle Paul is
facing the enemy who says,
00:43:48.19\00:43:51.03
I'm saved by my works.
00:43:51.06\00:43:52.66
Paul says, No way,
you're saved by faith.
00:43:52.69\00:43:55.80
And those that James is fighting
against, they're saying,
00:43:55.83\00:43:59.53
We don't need to perform works.
00:43:59.57\00:44:02.10
And James is
saying, Wait a minute!
00:44:02.14\00:44:04.21
If you had real faith,
you would produce works.
00:44:04.24\00:44:07.08
In other words, James and Paul
are not fighting each other.
00:44:07.11\00:44:10.65
They're fighting
two different enemies
00:44:10.68\00:44:13.01
of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:44:13.05\00:44:14.98
Paul is saying how you are
saved, and James is telling you
00:44:15.02\00:44:19.62
how a saved person lives.
00:44:19.65\00:44:21.76
In other words, Paul is talking
about the root of our salvation.
00:44:21.79\00:44:26.90
James is talking about
the fruit of our salvation.
00:44:26.93\00:44:30.67
So those in Paul's day
needed to hear about grace.
00:44:30.73\00:44:34.74
Those in the days of James
needed to hear about the law,
00:44:34.77\00:44:37.94
because of the error that
they were teaching at that time.
00:44:37.97\00:44:42.51
You see, works for Paul and
James, are defined differently.
00:44:42.54\00:44:47.48
See, for Paul works
of law are evil works.
00:44:47.52\00:44:52.59
See, the expression, works
of law, isn't talking about
00:44:52.62\00:44:56.12
good works at all.
00:44:56.16\00:44:57.49
Those are evil works, because
works of law, by definition,
00:44:57.53\00:45:01.23
are works that somebody
performs in order to manipulate
00:45:01.26\00:45:05.40
God into saving them, whereas
works for James are good works
00:45:05.43\00:45:10.01
because they flow from a saving
faith relationship with Jesus.
00:45:10.04\00:45:14.51
So, in other words,
works for Paul and James
00:45:14.54\00:45:17.35
are defined differently.
00:45:17.38\00:45:18.71
Works for Paul are evil because
those are actions that are
00:45:18.75\00:45:23.22
performed in
order to earn salvation.
00:45:23.25\00:45:25.12
For James works are different.
00:45:25.15\00:45:27.66
Works are genuine
fruits of faith that come from
00:45:27.69\00:45:31.16
my relationship
with Jesus Christ.
00:45:31.19\00:45:34.00
By the way, Do you know
that the apostle Paul also said
00:45:34.00\00:45:37.67
that we need a faith that works?
00:45:37.70\00:45:39.50
See, don't think that
James is contradicting Paul.
00:45:39.53\00:45:43.61
Notice Galatians 5:6,
Galatians 5:6. It says there:
00:45:43.67\00:45:50.75
So does the apostle Paul
say that faith needs to work?
00:46:04.09\00:46:07.66
Yes, it needs to
work through what?
00:46:07.66\00:46:10.47
It needs to work through love.
00:46:10.50\00:46:12.90
In other words, faith and works
are like two sides of a coin.
00:46:12.93\00:46:17.01
Which side of the
coin is more important?
00:46:17.04\00:46:19.04
Faith and works are
like two oars of a row boat.
00:46:19.07\00:46:24.15
Let me ask you, Which
oar is more important?
00:46:24.18\00:46:26.35
the right oar, or the left oar?
00:46:26.38\00:46:27.72
If you use the right oar,
which is the oar of works,
00:46:27.75\00:46:32.65
you're going to go
in circles to the left.
00:46:32.69\00:46:35.42
If you use the left oar,
which is claiming to have faith,
00:46:35.46\00:46:39.63
but you don't have any works,
you're going to go to the right.
00:46:39.66\00:46:42.36
In order to have a
balanced, progressive Christian
00:46:42.40\00:46:45.67
experience, you have to
have both oars working together.
00:46:45.70\00:46:49.54
Now listen up! Works are the
visible manifestation of faith.
00:46:49.57\00:46:54.04
Did you catch that?
00:46:56.21\00:46:57.55
Works are the visible
manifestation of faith.
00:46:57.61\00:47:02.18
And faith is the
inward motivation for works.
00:47:02.22\00:47:06.49
In other words, we're
not saved by faith alone.
00:47:06.52\00:47:12.29
We're not saved by works alone.
00:47:12.33\00:47:14.93
We're not saved by a
combination of faith plus works.
00:47:14.96\00:47:19.70
We are saved by
a faith that works.
00:47:19.73\00:47:24.31
And a faith that
works is the only true,
00:47:24.34\00:47:27.84
genuine kind of faith.
00:47:27.88\00:47:30.85
He who says I know Him, and
does not keep His commandments,
00:47:30.88\00:47:34.55
is a liar, and the
truth is not in him.
00:47:34.58\00:47:39.22
Now I'd like to read
several passages before we
00:47:41.86\00:47:44.23
draw this to a close, that
show the balance between grace
00:47:44.26\00:47:48.30
and commandment keeping:
Faith in Jesus and keeping
00:47:48.33\00:47:52.20
the commandments of God.
00:47:52.23\00:47:53.60
Titus 2:11-15. Listen to this:
00:47:53.64\00:47:58.87
The what?
00:48:00.94\00:48:02.28
What does the
grace of God bring?
00:48:06.11\00:48:07.55
So the same people say,
Oh, the wonderful grace of God!
00:48:10.62\00:48:13.69
It has nothing to do with
the law or with works. Hold on.
00:48:13.72\00:48:16.76
The grace of God
teaches us something. It says:
00:48:16.79\00:48:20.46
Grace teaches us something.
00:48:24.17\00:48:26.20
That we should do what?
00:48:26.23\00:48:28.30
Does grace have
anything to teach us about
00:48:38.28\00:48:40.52
the way we
behave? Most certainly.
00:48:40.55\00:48:42.78
Now notice this.
This is Paul by the way.
00:48:48.89\00:48:51.33
Why did Jesus redeem us?
so that we would be what?
00:49:05.71\00:49:08.61
zealous for good works.
00:49:08.64\00:49:10.08
Did the apostle Paul have a
very high concept of good works,
00:49:10.11\00:49:14.25
and fruit of the Spirit?
00:49:14.28\00:49:15.62
He most certainly did.
00:49:15.68\00:49:17.02
He wasn't that individual that
Christians claimed that he was.
00:49:17.05\00:49:20.82
That it's all about faith.
00:49:20.89\00:49:22.42
It's all about grace.
00:49:22.46\00:49:23.79
Your lifestyle doesn't matter.
00:49:23.86\00:49:25.56
The law doesn't matter.
00:49:25.59\00:49:26.93
You don't have to
keep the commandments.
00:49:26.96\00:49:28.60
They were for the Jews.
00:49:28.63\00:49:29.96
They were nailed to
the cross, and so on.
00:49:30.00\00:49:33.13
The apostle Paul is
balanced in his theology.
00:49:33.20\00:49:36.40
Notice Titus 3:5-8, Titus 3:5-8.
00:49:36.44\00:49:41.81
And now notice the fruit.
00:50:05.83\00:50:07.64
He said, very clearly,
that it's not by works of
00:50:07.67\00:50:10.71
righteousness that we've done.
00:50:10.77\00:50:12.11
He saved us by His mercy.
00:50:12.14\00:50:13.48
But then notice
what He says in verse 7.
00:50:13.51\00:50:15.58
In other words,
once we've been saved,
00:50:17.95\00:50:19.71
The word believed is
the same word for faith.
00:50:31.66\00:50:33.66
So what happens
when you're saved?
00:50:42.80\00:50:44.94
You will
maintain what? good works.
00:50:44.97\00:50:47.04
By the way, it's interesting
to notice that for each of the
00:50:47.11\00:50:51.21
seven churches in Revelation
2 and 3, Jesus doesn't say,
00:50:51.25\00:50:55.38
He doesn't say,
I know your faith.
00:50:57.59\00:51:01.16
What does He
say? I know your what?
00:51:01.19\00:51:04.66
I know your works.
00:51:04.69\00:51:07.00
Now I want to read you an
interesting statement that we
00:51:07.03\00:51:11.80
find in the book, Selected
Messages, Volume 1, Page 373.
00:51:11.83\00:51:16.67
Listen to this:
00:51:16.71\00:51:18.04
But then she says:
00:51:48.27\00:51:49.94
Now I want to read you a
statement that's found in the
00:51:56.98\00:52:00.12
same book, Volume 3, Page 172.
00:52:00.15\00:52:04.72
It's speaking specifically
about this expression:
00:52:04.75\00:52:07.76
the faith of Jesus, and you're
going to notice that the author
00:52:07.79\00:52:12.29
says that the best
way to translate this
00:52:12.33\00:52:15.83
is faith in Jesus.
00:52:15.86\00:52:17.77
She explains what it means.
00:52:17.80\00:52:19.13
Notice what she says:
00:52:19.17\00:52:21.50
She's speaking about
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:52:32.38\00:52:35.12
The gospel is that
Jesus saves us apart from
00:52:48.16\00:52:50.93
works that we perform.
00:52:50.97\00:52:52.30
But then, on the other
hand, you have the law,
00:52:52.33\00:52:55.17
which is
keeping His commandments
00:52:55.20\00:52:56.84
as a result of salvation.
00:52:56.87\00:52:58.37
She continues saying:
00:52:58.44\00:52:59.94
Notice what the
expression means.
00:53:22.83\00:53:25.37
It means what? It means...
00:53:25.40\00:53:27.54
Are you understanding
why these two expressions
00:53:51.56\00:53:55.56
appear side by side?
00:53:55.60\00:53:56.93
They keep the commandments
of God, and have faith in Jesus?
00:53:57.00\00:54:01.40
It's because both of these
things are necessary to have
00:54:01.44\00:54:06.07
a balanced Christian life.
00:54:06.14\00:54:07.81
The only way that you can keep
the commandments of God is by
00:54:07.84\00:54:12.81
having faith in Jesus.
00:54:12.85\00:54:14.55
It's neither one
or the other isolated,
00:54:14.58\00:54:18.75
but both of them together.
00:54:18.82\00:54:21.46
Now some people wonder
about the two covenants.
00:54:21.49\00:54:25.29
They say, Well, you know, wasn't
the old covenant a covenant
00:54:25.36\00:54:28.16
of the law, and the new
covenant is a covenant of grace?
00:54:28.20\00:54:31.03
Of course not. Let me
explain it very briefly
00:54:31.07\00:54:34.00
as we draw this to a close.
00:54:34.04\00:54:35.37
Do you remember that the Bible
says that Moses went up to the
00:54:35.40\00:54:39.11
top of Mount Sinai, and
God said, I want to make
00:54:39.14\00:54:41.51
a covenant with Israel.
00:54:41.54\00:54:42.88
And I want you to go
down and give them a message.
00:54:42.91\00:54:44.91
Tell them I want them
to be My special people.
00:54:44.95\00:54:47.38
Whether they're willing to obey
My voice and keep My covenant.
00:54:47.42\00:54:50.35
Moses says, Okay, I'll go down.
00:54:50.39\00:54:51.72
So Moses goes down and says,
God has sent a message with me.
00:54:51.75\00:54:55.29
He wants to know if
you want a formal covenant
00:54:55.32\00:54:56.99
relationship with Him.
00:54:57.03\00:54:58.36
If you want to be
His special people.
00:54:58.39\00:54:59.73
What do you think?
00:54:59.76\00:55:01.13
They say, Oh, all that
the Lord has said, we will do.
00:55:01.16\00:55:03.30
They didn't know
what they were saying.
00:55:05.17\00:55:06.74
That was a legalistic
answer because their hearts
00:55:06.77\00:55:10.21
were not transformed;
their hearts were not changed.
00:55:10.24\00:55:13.61
How long did their promise last?
00:55:13.68\00:55:15.21
A few days at the most, because
a few days later they were
00:55:15.24\00:55:19.65
worshipping the golden
calf, because their hearts
00:55:19.68\00:55:22.28
had not been changed.
00:55:22.35\00:55:23.69
Much later, for that reason,
God spoke about a new covenant.
00:55:23.72\00:55:27.46
Notice Jeremiah 31:31-34.
00:55:27.49\00:55:30.43
Behold, the days are
coming, says the Lord,
00:55:30.46\00:55:33.26
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel,
00:55:33.29\00:55:36.53
and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant
00:55:36.56\00:55:39.33
that I made with their fathers
in the day that I took them
00:55:39.37\00:55:42.07
by the hand to lead them
out of the land of Egypt;
00:55:42.10\00:55:44.81
my covenant which they broke,
though I was a husband to them,
00:55:44.87\00:55:48.81
says the Lord. See, I
gave them this covenant,
00:55:48.84\00:55:50.98
and they broke My covenant.
00:55:51.01\00:55:52.35
He says, I'm not going to make
a covenant like that anymore.
00:55:52.38\00:55:54.85
By the way, the reason why
that covenant had problems,
00:55:54.88\00:55:58.52
was because Israel did not
have it written on their hearts.
00:55:58.55\00:56:02.19
They just looked at the covenant
as being rules and regulations
00:56:02.22\00:56:05.49
on tables of stone.
00:56:05.56\00:56:06.93
God wanted to
write it on their hearts.
00:56:06.96\00:56:08.26
In fact notice verse 33:
00:56:08.30\00:56:10.50
So what was the problem
with the first covenant?
00:56:24.61\00:56:28.12
Did the first covenant
have law? yes or no? yes.
00:56:28.15\00:56:31.02
Does the second
covenant, does the new covenant
00:56:31.05\00:56:33.96
have the same law? Yes.
00:56:33.99\00:56:35.99
The law doesn't
change in the two covenants.
00:56:36.02\00:56:38.23
What changes is the
place where the law is written.
00:56:38.26\00:56:41.53
You see, in the old covenant
it was just on tables of stone.
00:56:41.56\00:56:45.33
Israel said, We'll do it.
00:56:45.37\00:56:46.70
They couldn't, because
they didn't have faith.
00:56:46.74\00:56:48.60
They didn't have love for God.
00:56:48.64\00:56:50.27
Their hearts
hadn't been changed.
00:56:50.31\00:56:51.87
God says, I'm going to take
that same law and I'm going to
00:56:51.91\00:56:54.98
write it in your heart.
00:56:55.01\00:56:56.34
I'm going to
write it in your mind.
00:56:56.38\00:56:57.75
And that way you will obey
Me, not because you have to
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in order to be saved, in order
to show men how good you are,
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but you will keep My law because
it comes from your heart,
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because you love Me.
00:57:10.29\00:57:11.66
This is what Jesus meant
when He said, If you love Me,
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you will keep My commandments.
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And so God wants us
to keep the commandments,
00:57:19.60\00:57:24.21
and also to have the
faith of Jesus. Let's pray.
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