The new South-news., 1909-05-29

.SV-&ouAhit SVt>r ~o1A-
mcntary.
TINiE.-A. d. 60. PLACE.-Jeru-
salem.
EXPOSITION. II. Living Faith
aud Dead Faith. 1910. There Is no
profit in mans saying that he has
faith unless he proves 1t by such con-
duct as necessarily results from living
faith. Real faith is not mere opinion.
IL Is not mere belief of the truth. Real
faith, the faith that saves. is heart
faith from. 1893, 10), faith that
governs our thoughts, our feelings,
our choices aud our conduct, faith
that leads 10 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 ". IA II. VI cannot
save 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.
11:1, A. X. VI. 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, 1919. %.
500. This is not only the doctrine
that the Holy Spirit teaches through
James, but it is also the doctrine that
He teaches through Paul tGal. SIC;
Cor 1922. | Thess. la; Tit. j:
16: 3:S). 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 man to depart in
peace without giving him what he
needs for his comfort is sham love.
a dead love (v. 16, CT. Matt. Is.
r6: 25:42-45; Rom. 1879; John 9
1s-1S). and Just so the faith that
does not lead to action Ia q 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
be destitute OF the necessities OF life
". IS: Heb. 11:3D. Their necessity
Is q call to us to prove our faith by
ministering TO It, Obedience 10 God
Is the only real proof of faith (cf.
Heb. f1:3. Z, 8. II. "a. 25, 30) Real
ldlin Is tue illEiitNi tblur thti' -
among men tHeb. 1888, 3S): dead
faith is disgusting corpse. Do not
merely say YOU have faith. prove it
by your conduct tcf. Tit. 2:7. 11-i4;
Tim. is; Matt. 7:17: Cor. 5:11:
7:D. 1t Is well.to believe the truth.
but merely believing the truth with
the head alone will not save a man.
II. How Abraham and Rahab were
T.. n.t a f- 10, 4 Ia.
/ Old Testament Scriptures to prove
that a man is justified by faith alone
apart from the works of the Few
(Rom. 4.1-12: cf. 1928, r. W. James
emphasizes the other side of the
I truth, that the faith that leads to JUS
tifcation is faith that proves itself
by works. We are justified by faith
without works, but we are not justi-
I fed by a faith that is without works.
The faith which God sees and upon
which He justiiies man leads newt
ably to works which men can see.
/ God saw the faith of Abraham and
counted 1t to him for righteousness
/ (Gen. 1856 Rom. 4:3-6. 10. IL. 22.
81: Gal. 3-6). hut 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 bade him do. even to the
extent of LAYING his son. his only son,
upon the altar
We must not lose sight of the truth
which Paul emphasizes against legal
ism on the one side-that we are jus
titled on the simple condition Of q
real faith in Christ; and we must not
lose sight OF the truth which James
emphasizes against anti-nominianisir
on the other side-that 1t is only the
faith that proves its genuineness b,
works that justifies. To the legalis
who is seeking to do something tc
merit salvation we must say. "Stor
working and believe on Him that jus
tifieth the ungodly" (Rom. 40. Tt
the anti-nominian who is boastint
that he has faith and Is justified by 1
but who does not show his faith b,
his works we must say. what doti
II profit il man say he hath faith
but have not works. can that faitl
save him." (James 2.l4. f.. w
We are justified by faith alone. bu
we are justified by that faith alone
that works tcf. Matt. 1873 25:35
4o) Real faith stops at no sacrifice
". 21). Abraham's real faith. vhici
stopped at no sacrifice. won him th'
highest title ever bestowed unon F;
man. 'The Friend of God e. Chron
oo:7: Is. 41:S). We may all have
the same title (John 15:12-15,
There will be at least one formel
harlot in heaven-Rahab We hav'
the Word OF God for 1t that she i
justified. She became the ancestres
OF our Lord Matt 80. And to-da,
puhlicans and harlots are enterins
the kingdom before the Pharisee
Matt 21:3l). OF all the people liv
ing in Jericho the only name that ha
come down to this present day is tina
o. harlot Others perished. but sh,
perished not. She was saved by
faith that led to works lv. 25; Ct
Heb. 1l:3ra
Yield Up Your VIII.
It is not by constraint or BY pain
ful effort that We make real progress
On the contrary, it is simply Ques
tion of Welding up our will, OF goint