When he was hurried into the pastorate at 18 years old, the gifted and intelligent but youthful Jonathan Edwards knew that he was not fully equipped to undertake such a daunting task. From the fall of 1722 through 1723, he then penned what would become the principles by which he would live his life and make his decisions. In these 70 Resolutions, one thing is very clear, Jonathan Edwards was fully aware of the sinfulness of his own heart, and how he must be constantly combating its often overlooked or excused violations of God’s commandments no matter how unimportant they may seem to others.
Below, I have listed some of his resolutions that dealt directly with the tongue and reveal his modes of combat against the sins of the tongue that we all too often commit. These troubles are the ones we find in James 4:11-12, where instead of using the tongue for health and good, we use our words to tear down others and destroy their reputations. Scripture teaches us in Matthew 18:15-19, and in Galatians 6:1-2, that if you know someone is sinning, it is proper and necessary to go to them personally and confront them about their sin so that they can be restored. However, if you see someone sinning and your natural inclination is to gossip about it to someone else, and “Speak evil of one another” then perhaps someone needs to confront you and seek to restore you from your sinning.
Read down through a few select Resolutions from a Saint of ages past and reflect on his efforts to guard his heart from the sinfulness that he saw in it. Perhaps the challenge would be enough to cause us to consider developing our own resolutions or at least borrowing some of his.
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.
38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.
70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.
Reflect: What does Ephesians 4:15 tell us to do with our tongues? Which Resolution of Jonathan Edwards do you think is the most helpful for you?
Monday, August 31, 2015
Friday, August 28, 2015
James 4:5-10
In addressing the false wisdom of the world, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James pulls together a quote that we do not find as exactly stated anywhere else in Scripture. However, this statement, in verse 5, “The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy,” addresses a very common topic of scripture. As James has been writing, he has warned us of the inherent dangers of worldly wisdom. It often works itself out in bitterness and in James 3:14,16 it appears as “envying and strife.” The desires in the hearts of those who are pursuing the wisdom of this world is evidenced in their outward striving and envying. This “envy” is the same word that was used in Matthew and Mark to describe the hateful motivation that the Jewish leaders had in delivering Jesus to be executed. It is a malicious darkness that hides in the worldly wise motivations of those who are seeking to further themselves at the expense of others.
Surprisingly, however, the response that James uses to answer this problem of envy is not more strife. Rather, James takes us to a more gospel influenced response – the grace of God. To answer the conflict and strife brought about by worldly wisdom with more conflict and strife, would make the Christian message just another voice yelling for attention. But the response that Godly wisdom takes towards the envious and lusting spirit is nothing short of remarkable. Romans 5 tells us that even when we were His enemies, God didn’t respond with sweeping judgment, rather, He offered forgiveness and reconciliation to all those who come in humble repentance. On the one hand, those who are unwilling to relinquish their foolish commitment to the fallen system of worldly wisdom, “he resists.” But the one who will come in humility, cleansing their hands and hearts of the sinful envying and lusting, to this one, God will “give grace” and “will lift up.”
Seeking to be idolized by those around you, or seeking to establish a level of importance or popularity in their eyes is a characteristic mark of following worldly wisdom. It feeds your fleshly lusts (v.5), and almost always leads to malicious conflict between you and any who do not cooperate in your self-worship. Those who seek to follow Godly wisdom however, and trust that what He says is right and true will respond in other ways. They will see that God is most worthy of worship and that their efforts should be comprised of kindness to their neighbor for the purpose of magnifying their God.
Reflect: Read Matthew 5:16 and Ephesians 4:32. What is the wisdom of God that we see in these texts?
Surprisingly, however, the response that James uses to answer this problem of envy is not more strife. Rather, James takes us to a more gospel influenced response – the grace of God. To answer the conflict and strife brought about by worldly wisdom with more conflict and strife, would make the Christian message just another voice yelling for attention. But the response that Godly wisdom takes towards the envious and lusting spirit is nothing short of remarkable. Romans 5 tells us that even when we were His enemies, God didn’t respond with sweeping judgment, rather, He offered forgiveness and reconciliation to all those who come in humble repentance. On the one hand, those who are unwilling to relinquish their foolish commitment to the fallen system of worldly wisdom, “he resists.” But the one who will come in humility, cleansing their hands and hearts of the sinful envying and lusting, to this one, God will “give grace” and “will lift up.”
Seeking to be idolized by those around you, or seeking to establish a level of importance or popularity in their eyes is a characteristic mark of following worldly wisdom. It feeds your fleshly lusts (v.5), and almost always leads to malicious conflict between you and any who do not cooperate in your self-worship. Those who seek to follow Godly wisdom however, and trust that what He says is right and true will respond in other ways. They will see that God is most worthy of worship and that their efforts should be comprised of kindness to their neighbor for the purpose of magnifying their God.
Reflect: Read Matthew 5:16 and Ephesians 4:32. What is the wisdom of God that we see in these texts?
Thursday, August 27, 2015
James 4:1-4
In James 3, James helped us see the distinction between the wisdom of God, and the wisdom of the world. One leads to peace, the other leads to strife and division. At the beginning of James 4, this same thought is carried out in powerfully evocative language – “wars, fightings, enmity.” Moving beyond the description of the origin of each type of wisdom, James continues by explaining where the regular exercise of worldly wisdom leads.
When a man lives by worldly wisdom, there is constant conflict both externally and internally. In the economy of worldly wisdom, individual greatness is the most important thing. In worldly wisdom, the goal is to be recognized by those around you as the greatest, and most intelligent, and most successful, and most impressive. In the wisdom of the world, the end is the goal, and the means will always be justified if the ends can be accomplished. By this method, men have created empires, militarily and financially, that have propelled them to greatness. But those empires were built on shrewdness and self-service. The inward lusts and desires for power were what drove these men to “make something” of themselves and to leave damage and destruction in their wake.
Similarly, in churches, some Christians strive to garner the praise and approval of others. They seek to establish “their way” and ensure a following that agrees with their desires. Sadly, this happens at the expense of unity. Using the wisdom of the world to function as a church will never end in success. In the wisdom that is from above, peace and gentleness are key, and unity is the mark of true success. The manipulative practices and alliances of Wall Street and the likes have no place in the kingdom of God. The wisdom of the world that causes strife has no place in the church.
When worldly wisdom becomes the basis of operation, James warns that there is only one possible outcome- “ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war…” A desire to mirror ones life after the world will never result in a God-honoring life, and a desire to mirror the church after the world will never result in a healthy and successful church. We must seek the wisdom of God, and not the wisdom of the world. We must never fall prey to thinking that the shrewd practices of worldly business and politics find any place in the church. The church must operate above those baser things.
Reflect: What is the difference in results between churches that use worldly wisdom and those that follow the wisdom of God?
When a man lives by worldly wisdom, there is constant conflict both externally and internally. In the economy of worldly wisdom, individual greatness is the most important thing. In worldly wisdom, the goal is to be recognized by those around you as the greatest, and most intelligent, and most successful, and most impressive. In the wisdom of the world, the end is the goal, and the means will always be justified if the ends can be accomplished. By this method, men have created empires, militarily and financially, that have propelled them to greatness. But those empires were built on shrewdness and self-service. The inward lusts and desires for power were what drove these men to “make something” of themselves and to leave damage and destruction in their wake.
Similarly, in churches, some Christians strive to garner the praise and approval of others. They seek to establish “their way” and ensure a following that agrees with their desires. Sadly, this happens at the expense of unity. Using the wisdom of the world to function as a church will never end in success. In the wisdom that is from above, peace and gentleness are key, and unity is the mark of true success. The manipulative practices and alliances of Wall Street and the likes have no place in the kingdom of God. The wisdom of the world that causes strife has no place in the church.
When worldly wisdom becomes the basis of operation, James warns that there is only one possible outcome- “ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war…” A desire to mirror ones life after the world will never result in a God-honoring life, and a desire to mirror the church after the world will never result in a healthy and successful church. We must seek the wisdom of God, and not the wisdom of the world. We must never fall prey to thinking that the shrewd practices of worldly business and politics find any place in the church. The church must operate above those baser things.
Reflect: What is the difference in results between churches that use worldly wisdom and those that follow the wisdom of God?
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
James 3:13-18
In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character, Christian, is overwhelmed by a massive burden of which he seeks for nearly the entire story to relieve himself. Along the way, he is informed by a man named Evangelist that there is only one way that he must go to find relief from his burden. However, his journey is fraught with distractions from and detractors of the message of hope that he had received. In my mind, perhaps one of the most notable of these detractors was a man named Worldly Wiseman. Upon seeing the burden that Christian carried, he began quickly to use his age and understanding to offer a solution for Christian to shed his burden. Christian explained that there was a path that Evangelist had spoken of that was the only way to find freedom, but immediately Worldly Wiseman scoffed and sought to display his wisdom to Christian.
Worldly Wiseman: How camest thou by thy burden at first?
Christian: By reading this book in my hand. [he is speaking of the Bible]
Worldly Wiseman: I thought so; and it has happened unto thee as to other weak men, who meddling with things too high for them, do suddenly fall into thy distractions; which distractions do not only unman men, as thine I perceive has done thee, but they run them upon desperate ventures, to obtain they know not what.
Worldly Wiseman and all those who he is supposed to represent in this allegory, challenge the truth of Scripture. They have lived a long life. They have taken several trips around the sun, and this means that they really have things “figured out.” They own businesses or have worked their way to the top of their industry. They “know” how life works. They don’t need to be informed of anything, but rather, they inform everyone. They are wise in the wisdom of the world, and no book, or fanatical believers of a book can sway their minds. Sadly, I think that many even imagine that they are using Biblical wisdom, when in reality they have only used the wisdom of the world.
As James pens verses 13-18, he makes a full display of the distinction of the two types of wisdom in God’s economy. One is divisive, destructive, and leads to bitterness, strife and envying. This is the world’s wisdom. It is cunning and manipulative. It seeks to further itself and serve its own interests, leading only to confusion and evil works. The other is from God’s Spirit and is learned from the revelation of God’s Word. It teaches peace, gentleness, meekness, mercy, and kindness. A distinction must be made between the world’s wisdom that discourages Christians from full and radical obedience to God’s Word, and the wisdom of God that Moses had in Hebrews 11:26 that caused him to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. We would do well to remember Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…but his delight is in the Law of the Lord.”
Reflect: What are some examples of worldly wisdom that differs from the wisdom learned through Scripture?
Worldly Wiseman: How camest thou by thy burden at first?
Christian: By reading this book in my hand. [he is speaking of the Bible]
Worldly Wiseman: I thought so; and it has happened unto thee as to other weak men, who meddling with things too high for them, do suddenly fall into thy distractions; which distractions do not only unman men, as thine I perceive has done thee, but they run them upon desperate ventures, to obtain they know not what.
Worldly Wiseman and all those who he is supposed to represent in this allegory, challenge the truth of Scripture. They have lived a long life. They have taken several trips around the sun, and this means that they really have things “figured out.” They own businesses or have worked their way to the top of their industry. They “know” how life works. They don’t need to be informed of anything, but rather, they inform everyone. They are wise in the wisdom of the world, and no book, or fanatical believers of a book can sway their minds. Sadly, I think that many even imagine that they are using Biblical wisdom, when in reality they have only used the wisdom of the world.
As James pens verses 13-18, he makes a full display of the distinction of the two types of wisdom in God’s economy. One is divisive, destructive, and leads to bitterness, strife and envying. This is the world’s wisdom. It is cunning and manipulative. It seeks to further itself and serve its own interests, leading only to confusion and evil works. The other is from God’s Spirit and is learned from the revelation of God’s Word. It teaches peace, gentleness, meekness, mercy, and kindness. A distinction must be made between the world’s wisdom that discourages Christians from full and radical obedience to God’s Word, and the wisdom of God that Moses had in Hebrews 11:26 that caused him to esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. We would do well to remember Psalm 1, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…but his delight is in the Law of the Lord.”
Reflect: What are some examples of worldly wisdom that differs from the wisdom learned through Scripture?
Monday, May 11, 2015
James 3:5-12
If the eyes are the window of the soul, then the mouth is the exhaust vent. In Matthew 12:34-35, Jesus puts it this way, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” With piercingly accurate evaluation, Jesus described the source of all of the evil things a man says – the heart. Not too many people recognize this or live with this reality. It is not uncommon to hear the flailing apology of someone famous who has been called on the carpet for an action or a statement that they regrettably have been caught saying or doing. It often sounds something like this, “I just want to say to all of my fans that I am sorry that I said this horrible thing, I don’t know what I was thinking. It isn’t me to say something like that…” However, as they apologize, it becomes abundantly clear that they do not understand the truth of which Jesus spoke. The fact that they said the horrendous thing demonstrates precisely who they are. They may deny it, but the facts are in, from the abundance of their heart, their mouth spoke.
And when the sin of our hearts becomes the sin of our lips, there is very little that we can do to stop the damage that we have done. We don’t have access to the Men In Black little flashy thing, so once our words go out, they cannot be taken back. For this reason, James uses two pictures to illustrate the tongue. The first is that of a fire. The tongue starts out as a biting little flame, but once it casts its enflaming spark on the heart of another, the ravaging fire burns out of control. There is no amount of “I didn’t mean to say that,” that will ever heal all of the damage done by the fire of our tongues. The other picture James uses is that of a wild beast. Recently the news has carried a couple stories of people or children tragically falling into exhibits at the zoo. The zoo may have been able to take the animal out of the wild, but they were never able to take the wild out the animal, and the poor victims felt the consequence of the wild animals. Our words similarly can bite and devour, leaving nothing but destruction behind.
The tongue was made for worship of God, not the destruction of man. When we depart from using our tongues for anything but the glory of God, we often deteriorate into lesser forms of speaking. The beauty of James’s illustrations is that both the flame and the wild beast can be tamed. The flame can be controlled and used for something good: cooking and heating. The beast can be tamed, and brought in to work for the one who tamed it. Similarly, all hope is not lost for the one who has an unruly mouth. We do not simply dismiss him as being useless and worthless. Rather, as a sinner, he needs to use his mouth to repent and he needs to turn in faith to God. Instead of using his mouth for destruction, he can use his mouth for worship. However, before the tongue can ever be healed of its sin-cancer, the heart must be changed. Apart from the inner-working of the Holy Spirit by the Word of God, the filthy mouth will continue to pollute and putrefy, but if the Holy Spirit comes in and cleanses, then the purification of the heart can happen and the tongue can be cleansed. The fire and the beast can be tamed for good uses, and the tongue can be purified for its original God-ordained design.
Food For Thought: What was the tongue created by God to do? How can our sinful tongues be fixed?
And when the sin of our hearts becomes the sin of our lips, there is very little that we can do to stop the damage that we have done. We don’t have access to the Men In Black little flashy thing, so once our words go out, they cannot be taken back. For this reason, James uses two pictures to illustrate the tongue. The first is that of a fire. The tongue starts out as a biting little flame, but once it casts its enflaming spark on the heart of another, the ravaging fire burns out of control. There is no amount of “I didn’t mean to say that,” that will ever heal all of the damage done by the fire of our tongues. The other picture James uses is that of a wild beast. Recently the news has carried a couple stories of people or children tragically falling into exhibits at the zoo. The zoo may have been able to take the animal out of the wild, but they were never able to take the wild out the animal, and the poor victims felt the consequence of the wild animals. Our words similarly can bite and devour, leaving nothing but destruction behind.
The tongue was made for worship of God, not the destruction of man. When we depart from using our tongues for anything but the glory of God, we often deteriorate into lesser forms of speaking. The beauty of James’s illustrations is that both the flame and the wild beast can be tamed. The flame can be controlled and used for something good: cooking and heating. The beast can be tamed, and brought in to work for the one who tamed it. Similarly, all hope is not lost for the one who has an unruly mouth. We do not simply dismiss him as being useless and worthless. Rather, as a sinner, he needs to use his mouth to repent and he needs to turn in faith to God. Instead of using his mouth for destruction, he can use his mouth for worship. However, before the tongue can ever be healed of its sin-cancer, the heart must be changed. Apart from the inner-working of the Holy Spirit by the Word of God, the filthy mouth will continue to pollute and putrefy, but if the Holy Spirit comes in and cleanses, then the purification of the heart can happen and the tongue can be cleansed. The fire and the beast can be tamed for good uses, and the tongue can be purified for its original God-ordained design.
Food For Thought: What was the tongue created by God to do? How can our sinful tongues be fixed?
Friday, May 8, 2015
James 3:1-4
As we have seen throughout our study of James, it is abundantly clear that as Christians we should not be overrun and defeated when we face difficult trials and hard times. If after inspecting ourselves for sin, we find that we have a clean conscience before God, then our difficult times are coming from one place: the hand of a loving, kind, wise God who is seeking to sanctify us. Instead of being discouraged by the trouble, James tells us that our response should be joy, because God is seeking to accomplish something very important in us.
For believers, the temptation is to respond in any way other than joy. Unfortunately, often the first way that we react is by sinfully forgetting that trials come as a gift of God’s goodness to grow us and conform us into being more like Jesus. After we have forgotten God’s goodness and wisdom, we often turn to a second sin: complaining. Failing to see that God is working things for our good, we instead think that difficult circumstances have come from misfortune, or accident, or even that they have merely originated in the heart of those who do evil. Instead of realizing that all things are being woven together by God for our good, we turn to murmuring and complaining.
The tongue that should be rejoicing in faith and hope turns so quickly to accusation and cursing. This should not be the case. As believers, we should be different. It should not be our natural disposition in trouble to lay out a verbal platter of sympathy inducing delicacies. Neither should it be our response to fling putrid and rotten words or feelings on those around us drawing them into fury or anger with our disgusting words. But too often we fail to allow God’s work to be completed in us. Too often we turn our mouths towards sin instead of rejoicing in the good work of God. Too often we find comfort in the sympathy of others or the empathetic rage of others instead of the goodness and wisdom of God.
The mark of a “perfect man,” or a mature Christian, according to James 3 is that he is able to control his tongue. Instead of viciously unleashing a vitriolic diatribe, the mature Christian is able to bridle his tongue. James makes a direct connection between those who bridle their tongue and those who exercise self-control and temperance through bridling their whole bodies. Conversely, the comparison that Scripture is trying to get us to see is that the person who cannot control their tongue more than likely does not find regular victory over sin.
The tongue is a tattle-tale. It reveals the heart. As Christians, it should be our goal to count it joy in the midst of God-sent trials, not to turn to complaining and other sinful uses of our tongues. If our hearts are not trusting in God in the midst of trouble, then our tongues will reveal it. Similarly, if our tongues naturally default to complaint and frustration in the midst of trial, it is probably an indication that our hearts are not trusting God’s goodness and wisdom.
Food For Thought: In what way is the tongue a “tattle tale” when it comes to our attitude in trials?
For believers, the temptation is to respond in any way other than joy. Unfortunately, often the first way that we react is by sinfully forgetting that trials come as a gift of God’s goodness to grow us and conform us into being more like Jesus. After we have forgotten God’s goodness and wisdom, we often turn to a second sin: complaining. Failing to see that God is working things for our good, we instead think that difficult circumstances have come from misfortune, or accident, or even that they have merely originated in the heart of those who do evil. Instead of realizing that all things are being woven together by God for our good, we turn to murmuring and complaining.
The tongue that should be rejoicing in faith and hope turns so quickly to accusation and cursing. This should not be the case. As believers, we should be different. It should not be our natural disposition in trouble to lay out a verbal platter of sympathy inducing delicacies. Neither should it be our response to fling putrid and rotten words or feelings on those around us drawing them into fury or anger with our disgusting words. But too often we fail to allow God’s work to be completed in us. Too often we turn our mouths towards sin instead of rejoicing in the good work of God. Too often we find comfort in the sympathy of others or the empathetic rage of others instead of the goodness and wisdom of God.
The mark of a “perfect man,” or a mature Christian, according to James 3 is that he is able to control his tongue. Instead of viciously unleashing a vitriolic diatribe, the mature Christian is able to bridle his tongue. James makes a direct connection between those who bridle their tongue and those who exercise self-control and temperance through bridling their whole bodies. Conversely, the comparison that Scripture is trying to get us to see is that the person who cannot control their tongue more than likely does not find regular victory over sin.
The tongue is a tattle-tale. It reveals the heart. As Christians, it should be our goal to count it joy in the midst of God-sent trials, not to turn to complaining and other sinful uses of our tongues. If our hearts are not trusting in God in the midst of trouble, then our tongues will reveal it. Similarly, if our tongues naturally default to complaint and frustration in the midst of trial, it is probably an indication that our hearts are not trusting God’s goodness and wisdom.
Food For Thought: In what way is the tongue a “tattle tale” when it comes to our attitude in trials?
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
James 2:14-26
God of His own kindness extends grace only to those who come in faith. Those to whom He does not extend grace receive punishment and judgment. Having heard that only those who come in faith will receive the gracious forgiveness of God has led many to claim that they have “faith.” Sadly, a categorical misunderstanding of saving faith has led many of those who have claimed “faith” to continue life convinced that they are saved from the impending wrath of a just and holy God, while all the while being positioned directly beneath that wrath and judgment.
It is because of this that we must be very certain that we don’t just assume that we have saving faith, and end up like the poor soul Jesus describes in Matthew 7, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Here a poor soul was convinced that they were truly converted, when in reality, something was regrettably missing. They did not truly have saving faith, rather, they had convinced themselves that they were converted while all the while remaining under the wrath of God.
For this reason, understanding saving faith and how one is truly saved is vitally important. Saving faith is a reliance and dependence on what Jesus Christ accomplished in His perfect life, substitutionary death, and enlivening resurrection as our only hope for peace with God. We cannot be stuck in the mindset that there is anything we can do to earn right standing with God, instead, we must realize that through this resting and relying faith in Jesus alone, we can have forgiveness of our sins and peace with God. Like the hymn writer August Toplady wrote, “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.”
When we come to James, we must understand that God extends grace alone through faith alone. Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that, not of yourselves it is a gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” However, we must realize that what James writes is equally true since the Holy Spirit inspired both Paul and James, and both of their letters are the very Words of God. James writes that there is another indicator in the type of faith that you have whether or not it is saving faith. What indicator does James give? Your works, or your lifestyle.
John Calvin is often quoted as saying, “We are saved by grace alone through faith alone, but not by a faith that remains alone.” In essence, what Calvin is trying to say is that those who come in faith to Christ will be saved, but a great evidence that they have been saved is that their faith causes an outworking of obedience to God. Saving faith breeds obedience. A lack of saving faith breeds constant disobedience to God.
So what do we do with this news? I think we should constantly look to Paul’s writing in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves.” You can continue on self-convincingly damned, or you can continue on in the confidence that you are trusting in the work of Jesus Christ to save you. What will it be? Examine yourselves.
Food For Thought: What evidence does James teach will exist if someone truly has saving faith? How are you doing?
It is because of this that we must be very certain that we don’t just assume that we have saving faith, and end up like the poor soul Jesus describes in Matthew 7, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Here a poor soul was convinced that they were truly converted, when in reality, something was regrettably missing. They did not truly have saving faith, rather, they had convinced themselves that they were converted while all the while remaining under the wrath of God.
For this reason, understanding saving faith and how one is truly saved is vitally important. Saving faith is a reliance and dependence on what Jesus Christ accomplished in His perfect life, substitutionary death, and enlivening resurrection as our only hope for peace with God. We cannot be stuck in the mindset that there is anything we can do to earn right standing with God, instead, we must realize that through this resting and relying faith in Jesus alone, we can have forgiveness of our sins and peace with God. Like the hymn writer August Toplady wrote, “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.”
When we come to James, we must understand that God extends grace alone through faith alone. Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that, not of yourselves it is a gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” However, we must realize that what James writes is equally true since the Holy Spirit inspired both Paul and James, and both of their letters are the very Words of God. James writes that there is another indicator in the type of faith that you have whether or not it is saving faith. What indicator does James give? Your works, or your lifestyle.
John Calvin is often quoted as saying, “We are saved by grace alone through faith alone, but not by a faith that remains alone.” In essence, what Calvin is trying to say is that those who come in faith to Christ will be saved, but a great evidence that they have been saved is that their faith causes an outworking of obedience to God. Saving faith breeds obedience. A lack of saving faith breeds constant disobedience to God.
So what do we do with this news? I think we should constantly look to Paul’s writing in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves.” You can continue on self-convincingly damned, or you can continue on in the confidence that you are trusting in the work of Jesus Christ to save you. What will it be? Examine yourselves.
Food For Thought: What evidence does James teach will exist if someone truly has saving faith? How are you doing?
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