James 2:18 (NKJV) But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Have you ever heard someone question a person’s salvation because their lifestyle is no different from the people of the world? Is it a valid way to tell whether someone has truly been saved?
Much ink has been spilt by scholars over the Apostle Paul’s theology (Romans 5:1-2) versus the Apostle James’ position regarding whether one is saved by grace alone or faith with works. Salvation is indeed by grace through faith, but our lifestyle should change as we grow in the Lord, our minds are renewed with the Word of God, and we adopt a Christian worldview. Therefore, there is no conflict between the Apostle Paul’s theology and the Apostle James’ advocacy of a change in the worldview and lifestyle of a believer. In short, we do not work to get saved but are saved to do good works.
James 2:23 (NKJV) And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
Abraham’s imputed righteousness before God is based on his faith in God’s work. Just as Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac even if he offered him up to God as a sacrifice, Abraham believed in the resurrection of Christ. Abraham offered up his only son, just like God offered up His Son, Jesus Christ. Abraham’s act on Mount Moriah mirrored the work of God, where Jesus was crucified at Golgotha.
Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Likewise, we are also required to believe in the atonement work of Jesus Christ to be saved. Therefore, the key to having saving faith is believing in our hearts that God has raised Jesus from the dead and confessing with our mouths that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour. Because we know we are spiritually bankrupt and lack the ability to stand right before God, we believe and have faith in the gospel. Acknowledging through the word of confession comes after we believe in the heart. Therefore, even if someone is physically unable to confess with their mouth, and those on their deathbeds might not have time to show forth any fruit of righteousness, we can be assured that they were saved nonetheless when they believed in their hearts. This is their confidence in God because their salvation must be purely by grace through faith.
Sermon Series: Faith with works
因信得救好做善工
雅各书 2:18 必有人说：”你有信心，我有行为。”你将你没有行为的信心指给我看，我便藉着我的行为，将我的信心指给你看。
你是否曾听见有人质疑某人的救恩，因为他们的生活方式与非信徒无异？我们是否能以这个方法判断那人是否真正得救？
对于使徒保罗的神学论（罗马书5:1-2）与使徒雅各关于一个人是单靠恩典得救还是靠显出信心的行为而得救的立场，学者们已经耗费了大量的笔墨作了论述。得救确实是靠着上帝的恩典，藉着信心，但随着我们在主里成长，我们的生活方式应该随之改变，我们的心意被上帝的话语更新，于是采纳了基督教的世界观。因此，使徒保罗的神学论与使徒雅各倡导的信徒改变世界观和生活方式之间并无冲突。简而言之，我们不是为了得救而做工，而是因为得救了而去行善。
雅各书 2:23 这就应验经上所说：”亚伯拉罕信上帝，这就算为他的义。”他又得称为上帝的朋友。
亚伯拉罕在上帝面前被算为义是基于他对上帝作为的信心。正如亚伯拉罕相信即使他将儿子以撒献为祭，上帝也能使他复活，亚伯拉罕相信基督的复活。亚伯拉罕献上他的独生子，就如同上帝献上祂的儿子耶稣基督一样。亚伯拉罕在摩利亚山上的行为反映了上帝的作为，耶稣在各各他被钉死在十字架上。
罗马书 10:9-10 你若口里认耶稣为主，心里信上帝叫他从死里复活，就必得救。因为人心里相信，就可以称义；口里承认，就可以得救。
同样，我们也需要相信耶稣基督的赎罪之工才能得救。因此，拥有得救信心的关键是心里相信上帝使耶稣从死里复活，并口里承认耶稣基督是我们的主和救主。我们深知自己的灵性破产，缺乏在上帝面前站立的能力，因此我们信靠福音。通过认罪的话语作出承认是在我们心里相信之后。因此，即使有人身体上无法用口承认，那些临终认主的人可能来不及显出义行的果子，我们仍可确信，当他们心里相信的那一刻就已经得救了。这是他们对上帝的信心，因为他们的救恩必须纯粹是因着恩典，藉着信心而来。
讲章系列：有行动的信心
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