Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-05-27
J11u
5u7oo,-5cfpof
INTERNATIONAL LESSON CON.
MENTS FOR MAY so.

INTERNATIONAL LESSON CON.
MENTS FOR MAY so.
Subject: Believing and Doing, James
2:14:26-Golden Text: james
2:20-Commit Verse o6-Com-
mentary.
TIME.-A. D. so. PLACE.-Jeru-
salem.
EXPOSITION. -. Living Faith
and Dead Faith, 14-10. There Is no
profit in a mans saying that he has
faith unless he proves it by such con-
duct as necessarily results from living
faith. Real faith Is not mere opinion,
1t is not mere belief Of the truth. Real |
faith, the faith that saves, is heart !
faith (Rom. 1919, 1O), faith that
governs our thoughts, our feelings,
our choices and our conduct, faith
that leads to action along the line of
that which we believe. The faith
which a man says that he has but
which does not prove itself by works.
that" faith (v. IA r. w cannot
save a man. We are saved by faith.
but we are saved by real faith. Faith
is the assurance Of things hoped, the
conviction of things not seen" (Heb.
I'LL, A. R. w. The foundation
upon which this assurance of things
hoped for rests is Gods Word. The
| reality of the faith shows itself. by
conduct along the line Of that which
Is believed (Heb. 11:7, 17-19, %,
800. This is not only the doctrine
that the Holy Spirit teaches through
James, but it is also the doctrine that
He teaches. through Paul (Gal. Sc;
/ Cor. 1922; i Thess. 1:3; Tit. /:
16; $3.50. There were those in
James day who were abusing the
doctrine of salvation by faith. They
interpreted faith as merely meaning
theological opinion and they were
holding that whoever held the right
theological opinion was thereby saved
irrespective Of his conduct. The love
that tells a needy mar to depart in
peace without giving him what he
needs for his comfort is a sham love,
a dead love ". 16; CT. Matt. 1915,
10: 2~5:42-45; Rom. 1879; / John g.:
1919, and just so the faith that
does not lead to action is a sham
faith-a dead faith. There is no life
nor profit in the one nor in the other.
A man may be a true Christian and
U0 O0SIxCuJ0- VI tu0 u6CCSSlIl0S VI 1ll0
". 15; Heb. 11:37). Their necessity
is a call to us to prove our faith by
ministering to 1t. Obedience to God
Heb. 11:3, Z, 8, IT, "a, 25. 3O). Real
faith is the highest thing there is
among men (Heb. 1888. 38): dead
faith is a disgusting corpse. Do not
merely say you have faith, prove 1t
by your conduct tcf. Tit. 2:7, lila:
I Tim. 1:5; Matt. 7:17; 2 Cor. SIT;
7:1). It Is well to believe the truth.
but merely believing the truth with
the head alone will not save a man.
III. How Abraham and Rahab were
justified, 1926. Paul appeals to the
Old Testament Scriptures to prove
that a man is justified by faith alone
apart from the works of the law
from. 4:1-12; cf. 3:28,R.V.). James
emphasizes the other side Of the
truth, that the faith that leads to jus.
LITIGATION is a faith that proves itself
by works. We are justified by faith
without works, but we are not 5ust1'
fed by a faith that is without works
The faith which God sees and upon
which He justifes a man leads newt
ably to works which men can see
God saw the faith Of Abraham and
counted it to him for Righteousness
(Gen. 1876; Rom. 1895, 10, II, %
"a; Gal. 3-6), but the faith God saw
was real and led Abraham to works
that all could see and which proved
his faith. The proof to us of the
faith is works, and we know that he
who does not work has no justifyins
faith. There is no contradiction be
tween Paul and James. They stand
for opposite sides of the same truth
Abraham proved his faith by doing
what God babe him do, ever to the
extent of laying his son, his only son
upon the altar.
We must not lose sight Of the trutl
which Paul emphasizes against legal
ism on the one side-that we are jus
tined on the simple condition of {
real faith in Christ; and we must no
lose sight Of the truth which james
emphasizes against antf-nomin1anisn
!. on the other side-tbat it Is only tn
faith that proves Sta ~genuineness b!
works that justifes. To the legalis
who Is seeking to do something tt
merit salvation we must say, "Stol
, working and believe IN Him that JUS
, tfieth the ~ungodly" (Rom. 4:5). II
the antf-nominian who is boastinl
!, that he has faith and is justified by !
, but who does not show his faith D:
his works we must say, What dot
, f. profit If a man say he hath faith
J but have not works, can that faitl
a him." ,,(James 2:14, R. VI
, We are justified by faith alone, bu
! we are justified by that faith alon'
, that works (cf. Matt. 1897; $3.50
4O). Real faith stops at no sacrlhc!
i ~. 21). Abraham's real faith, which
: stopped at no sacrifice, won him thu
highest title ever bestowed upon
i, man. 1.-THE Friend Of God" e Chron
; 2O:7: Is. 41:S). We may all hav'
the same title John ~15:13-15)
There will be at least one forme.
harlot in heaven-Rahab. We hav'
r the Word of God for it that she /
! justified. She became the ancestres
, Of our Lord (Matt. 1:5). And to-da'
publicans and harlots are enterin'
the kingdom before the Pharisee
. Matt. 21:31). OF all the people liv
: ling in Jericho the only name that ha
> como down to this present day is tina