Evidence. (2) ( Matthew 25 v 31 - 46 )

Last time we considered the fact that faith alone in Christ and His finished work saves a person,just simple faith.A vast amount of scripture clearly teaches that.But when one goes to book of James it appears at first glance to teach something different.Maybe that's why Martin Luther called it a book of straw,maybe,so let us consider  this.I believe James is stressing the working out of our faith,in other words the evidence that we are Christians ,it is about showing we are Christians,by obedience 1 v 23, by the way we speak 1v 26,/3 v by not being discriminate  2 v1- 4. by good works, by being merciful 2 v 13.,by not quarreling and fighting 4 v1,by praying in keeping with Gods will, 4 v 3, and so on. What James is stressing our faith must be manifest in our lives,it is evidence ,that we are Christians.William Hendriksen writes that during our life time we should show evidence of our faith in the Lord Jesus.  The reality of those who profess to be Christians,will be the good deeds they have carried out in their life  time,.these deeds include,works of love,mercy, and generosity (WH) Yes it boils down to that, again as WH says,''In your daily life and conduct, in what are often called 'the little things in life',you have furnished proof that you are called Christ disciples'. There will be those who protest about being rejected because,they have prophesied in Jesus name,done mighty works,in Christ name. WH  writes,'For those who boast about such''great accomplishments'', there is no room.( Matthew 7 v22-23 )

Evidence (Jonah 2 v 9 )

I am saved says a person, I  trusted  Jesus to save me,I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, before we come to consider evidence,let us seek to answered the question,as to what saves us.or who saves us.These two aspects are very important.When the reformation came into being in the 16th century one of the great divisions between the Catholics and Protestants was what saves,is it faith alone or faith and works. The fact is ,if it is faith and works that goes  against what the Word of  God teaches,Abraham believed and the Lord counted him as righteous because of faith. Genesis15 v 6. In  Romans 4 v 1-3, the apostle Paul writes'What did he discover about being made right with God ?. If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would  have something to boast about. But that was not God's way.' (NLT)Compare Ephesians 2 v 8 -9. One the great problems the early church had to contend with was from Jews who could not accept this,they said one  needed to be circumcised. The Galatian letter deals with this,Paul writes ,'We know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ not by obeying the Law.' Gal 2 v16.Very simple put ,the law was not made to  make us  righteous,it was given to make us aware of our sinfulness and drives us to Christ alone for salvation. Let me sum up what I have wrote,it is faith alone in Christ and His finished work on Calvary that saves. We will continue this next time, I will leave you the words of a hymn by Horatius Bonar,

                                                  Not what my hands have done

                                                  Can save my Guilty soul;

                                                  Not what my toiling flesh hath borne,

                                                  Can make my spirit whole.

                                                  Thy work alone O Christ,

                                                   Can ease this weight of sin;

                                                   Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God,

                                                    Can give me peace within.

/

He is able . ( Jude v 24- 25 )

 In 2 Timothy 4 v 10,we read what the apostle Paul had say about a certain Demas, he said, ''Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life''.There are many like Demas in this life,they take of eternal values ,and fall in love with temporal values, Here they are called,'the things of this life',they come in all shapes and sizes,they promise so much,they can become irresistible.They did for Judas,and for Lots wife,don't think it could not happen to you,it could, the Word of God  cautions us against false pride,'Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 1Corinthians 10 v 12.  Take heed stop and consider how easily it is to go astray,and turn away from God,Here the words of proud Peter, ''I will never desert you.I will never deny you'', Matthew 26 v33 -35. but he did.The other disciples said as much,yet they all fled and left Him, we are no different than them,we may mean well,and would not imagine that we would fall away.If we like them, utter words of bravado ,what can we do?,acknowledge to ourselves and to God our need of His grace,that we may remain faithful to Him who loved us and give Himself for us.God knows how weak we are, He knows us through and through,and the wonderful thing is, we can rely on Him for He declares, that He is able to keep us from falling away, and bring us safely to glory. (Jude v 24 )

A billionaire. ( Matthew 7 v 21 - 23)

 In 1 Timothy 6 v 2- 10, we have teaching on false teachers and the love of money, it tells us that there are those who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.There is a Tele evangelist called Kenneth Copeland,he is a person who believes in what is called,a prosperity gospel,which means wealth,health and prosperity can be yours. Of course that has nothing to do with the real  gospel, the real gospel is about Christ saving us from our sins,and granting unto us eternal life. There is nothing wrong with being rich,but it's still nothing to do with the gospel.Now why I mentioned Kenneth Copeland? it is because  I recently saw him boasting that he was a billionaire, he is not business person,oh no he just a poor old preacher who like many of his kind  preach that godliness is a means to financial gain. People who think like that are false teachers,yes he is a false teacher,for the bible does not teach a prosperity gospel.Now of course God can bless his children with money,but not by exploiting others in the name of religion.Not all Christians are poor,but if we are favoured with a degree of wealth,then we should help the poor , this is not optional ,it is an evidence that we are a  Christian. In 1Timothy 6 v 17 ff , we read,

                                  'Teach those who are rich in the world, not to be proud

                                   and not trust in their money, which is so unreliable.Their

                                   trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need

                                   for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good.

                                   They should be rich in good works and generous to those in 

                                   need, always be ready to share with others.

                                

                                 

When it's gone,it's gone. ( 2 Corinthians 6 v 2 )

'When it's gone ,it's gone ', so read the words in the store, trying to spur us on to buy a product,before it's gone and you miss that bargain .There is a lesson in those words that go beyond the loosing out on buying an article.The Bible often addresses the urgency of heeding what God is saying,the sons -in-law of Lot were warned to leave Sodom,because God was going to destroy it, they didn't take it serious,and so they perished.That moment they could have been saved,that moment passed,it had gone,if only they had listened,and heeded the warning.There are so people many who live with the words ,''if only'', if only they had not gone out that night ,and got drunk,and drove that car,if only. When it's gone it's gone,you don't want to miss that offer, what offer? ,heaven, everybody wants to go to heaven, my, what a wonderful place heaven is. Think of what is  absent in heaven,all the wrong things that cause grief,no bad memories,no bad habits, no bad thoughts,no prisons,no persecutions,no bullies,no hurtful remarks,no immorality,no sickness,no death.What  there will be ,is perfect harmony,perfect peace,perfect happiness, perfect fulfillment,with our perfect Saviour. Jesus said to those who know Him as Saviour, ''I go to prepare  a place for you'', John 14  v 3. Let me say this, it is better than going to hell,do you not think so?,I do, turn to the Saviour today. We are living in the hour of grace,when we die it's gone,it's gone, no more opportunity, to be saved .

                                                                    Act 16 v31

                                         ' Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved .'

God's word is true. ( Hebrews 4 v 12 )

 The American Declaration of  Independence reads,' We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,including life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness', Yes truth is important,in fact it is very important,if something is not true it becomes a lie, and who wants to believe a lie?, no one. It is not something that should  be overlooked, at a inconvenient time,or because we don't agree with it.In Psalm 119 v 160 we read,'The very essence of your word is truth',in other words it is completely true,there are those who say the Bible contains the Word of God,this is an erroneous statement,it is the Word of  God,from Genesis to Revelation. There are many who call themselves Christians, reject certain truths,by saying oh that is Paul speaking,and others shun the OT, and only accept the NT.. In 2 Timothy 3 v16 we read,'All Scripture  is God breathed', all means all,we deny this at our cost. I leave you with these  words by E.J.Young.

'The triune God did actually speak to human beings,He conveyed to them the truth in a form in which they could receive it. He spoke to them in words and they, His creatures , created in His image, could receive and understand those words. Christianity  is a revelation of the one living and true God. The Bible is not merely a witness of some nebulous'Word of God; the Bible is the word of God. It is not only a pointer to revelation; it is revelation.

He is coming again. ( 1 Thessalonians 4 v 13 - 18)

The Jewish people are the waiting people,waiting for the Messiah,Christians should also be the waiting people,we are waiting for our dear,dear Saviour. Yes He is  coming again, and the word is this,'be ready', yes be ready,no one knows when that event will be,only God the Father.Here is what our dear Saviour said as regards His coming again,''But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,nor the Son,but only the Father''.We view what Jesus said about him not knowing,in relation to His human nature,   Jesus was truly God and truly man,as a man he had limitations,so as a man he choose not to have  that knowledge. So let us not speculate ,but live in the light of His coming,He may come today,as you awake each morning say these words,'He may come today'. As Christians, live in the light of that coming.for you must be ready,as William Hendriksen wrote,'everyone should always be on the alert'. In the light of His coming may we live in reverential fear,and rejoice in our blessed hope.

                                                He's coming soon,He's coming soon,

                                                With joy we welcome His returning;

                                                 It may be morn,it may be night or noon,

                                                 We know He's coming soon.