Faith Alone

 

 

Last week in the bulletin the article was by Bob Oliver.  The first paragraph of the article said something that really stood out to me.

“’You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder’ (James 2:19) so if we say we believe, we can only say, “Congratulations, you’ve qualified to be a demon!”

That is a terrifying thought, is it not?  I had not thought of applying this verse in such a way, but it makes a striking point.

This morning I want to look at a very good example that shows that belief, that is faith alone, is not enough for salvation.

We are going begin by looking at Noah this morning and focus on Genesis 6 starting with verse 7.

      Genesis 6:7

⁷ So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

      God decides that the world that was and all that was in it needed to be destroyed. An Armageddon for all that lived.  But then verse 8 says:

Genesis 6:8

⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Here we see that the first part of Noah’s salvation. God’s Grace. Then we see verse 9.

      Genesis 6:9

⁹ This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

      Two things of note are in this verse, the first is the Hebrew word for perfect here could also be translated “having integrity.” So, this Scripture tells us that of all his generation he had integrity.  The other point is that Noah walked with God. This is a common phrase depicting Noah’s faith, or belief in God the second part of Noah’s salvation. (Walking with God also has the implication that Noah not only believed in God, but he also obeyed God’s commands.)

      And to emphasize that point, we read verse 22.

            Genesis 6:22

²² Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.

      Here we see Noah’s obedience to God spelled out for us in Scripture. This is the final part of Noah’s salvation.

Now as Noah’s story goes on God destroys the world that was with a massive flood.  Noah and his family spend a year on the ark.  And are the only 8 people to survive the destruction of the world that was. So that the world that is would be populated by men.

The point here is Noah’s faith, obviously an extremely strongly convicted belief, in God, alone did not save Noah. God’s grace alone did not save Noah. Noah obeyed God.

Did Noah’s faith pleased God? Absolutely.

If God had not extended his grace to Noah would Noah have been destroyed? Absolutely.

If Noah had not obeyed God’s command to build the Ark would Noah have also been destroyed? Absolutely.

So, we have to come to the conclusion that here in the destruction of the world that was, Noah was saved, not by faith alone, not by Grace alone, but by his obedience.  God saw that Noah honestly tried to please God in his faith and deed. So, God extended Grace, his undeserved favor, to Noah.  God gave Noah a plan for salvation. Build an ark, collect the animals for the world that would be, food for those animals and his family, live in the ark and care for the animals that were on the ark. And Noah obeyed, thus he and his family were saved.

Why would I focus on Noah like this, after all, today’s salvation is not from physical death, but from eternal punishment.  Well, despite Noah being in the Old Testament, and even before the Law of Moses, today’s salvation is directly mirrored to Noah’s.

First off, like in the days of Noah in the future there is coming a day of destruction.

Revelation 21:1

¹ Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

      We also have the words of Christ to further tell us that in that day of destruction there will be a judgement for all who have ever lived

            Matthew 23:31-33

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the [c]holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

         Scripture also tells us that ALL men are extended God’s grace, His undeserved favor. Just as was Noah.

            Titus 2:11

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

      Which I know is part of a sentence and we will come back to Titus 2 to finish that sentence.  Another example is the most often quoted verse of the Bible a memory verse that almost every Christian knows by heart:

 

            John 3:16

¹⁶For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

      Also, like Noah, we must believe in God. That is, we must have faith.

            Hebrews 11:6

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

            Galatians 2:16

¹⁶ knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

      Even John 3:18 says we must have faith.

            John 3:18

¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

James 2:19

      ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

      But Scripture also says faith alone is not enough to save.

James 2:24

      ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

      Honestly you could use all of James 2:14-19 not just these two.  Christ even tells us that our actions will affect where we spend eternity during his description of the day of judgement.

            Matthew 25:34-36

³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

      That is right faith is great, it is absolutely necessary for salvation, but it alone is not enough for salvation. But God gave us a plan for salvation just as he gave Noah one.

      Now, God’s plan for Noah’s salvation included building an Ark six stories tall, a football field (no endzones) and a half long, an Olympic swimming pool wide, filling it with 2 of every unclean animal, 14 of every clean animal, and enough food to feed 8 people and an untold number of animals for a year.  Then he had to be sequestered in a confined space with his family and all those animals for a year. I know that relationships can become strained in a family on a week-long vacation, much less a year.  Luckily, God’s plan for our salvation is much easier on us, than was Noah’s.

      God’s plan for our salvation began not with us, but with Christ’s death on a cross.  A price that we could never have paid.  This is God’s grace.  Without it our salvation would not be possible.  Grace is the beginning and honestly it is the end of our salvation.  Through grace, through the cross, God made a covenant, or contract, with us, to use more modern phrasing.  He has pledged to give us His undeserved favor, His grace, His forgiveness, and His presence for all of time if only we will meet a few requirements.

The first requirement for us to receive salvation is put on the shoulders of existing Christians (through the great commission Matthew 28:19). We have to be taught about Christ (Romans 10:17).  We have to hear the Word of God and, often, see how someone who lives by the Word is different from those who do not.

      Once we have been taught, God’s plan for our salvation places all the responsibility for where we spend eternity on our shoulders, and no one elses.

      The next requirement in God’s plan for our salvation is that we would come to believe in Him.  That is for us to develop faith. (Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God). (Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.)  But God’s plan for our salvation does not stop there.  Despite what many would tell you. Scripture tells us outright that belief alone is not enough. A great example is the verse we started today with James 2:19 - You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!  Yet the demons who serve Satan are surely not going to heaven! Unfortunately, many people fall into the trap of the belief that you are saved by faith alone. And as such stop here never fulfilling their part of the contract. 

      Some who cling to the idea of salvation through faith alone will teach that all the points yet to come count as works and as such are not necessary for salvation after all – Romans 11:6 – And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.  You will notice that in no way am I saying that by doing any of the points to come can we EARN salvation. If God had not extended us a covenant, or contract, by His grace salvation would not be possible. What I am saying is that IF we have faith than we will obey His Word so that we will fulfill our part of the contract extended to us through His grace. James 2:18 - 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.

      So, what are the rest of our responsibilities to God if we want to fulfill our part God’s plan for our salvation.  Once we believe in Christ, we must repent of the sins in our lives and make every effort to leave them behind us.  (NIV) Acts 3:19 - Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

      The next requirement is that we confess our faith in Christ. That is, we must tell others that we believe in Christ. (Acts 8:37 - Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

 

And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”)

      Which brings us to the last requirement that we must meet to fulfill our side of God’s plan for our salvation. We must be baptized.  We read Acts 8:37 but look at the verses both before and after Acts 8:36,38, we read the great commission Matthew 28:19, Peter’s sermon on Pentecost in Acts 2:38 - Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

      Well, that is it then if we have done all these things, we have fulfilled our part of the contract… well, not quite.

      You see, there is one more requirement, and this one is perhaps the most overlooked requirement throughout the denominational world.  The final requirement is to stay obedient till death.  (Revelation 2:10 - Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.) As well as 2 Timothy 4:7, 2 Timothy 2:5, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, and Philippians 3:14 to name just a few. 

Over and over the Bible describes God’s relationship with Christians as a marriage, and I am going to wrap up with the steps we have talked about put into a modern relationship build to marriage. God wishes a relationship with us and to show his Grace he sent Christ to die on a cross so that we could have a way to start that relationship, that was a heck of a first date.  Before we could go on that first date though someone told us about it, it may have been a person we know, or even one long dead through study of the Word of God, but either way we Heard about that first date.  We have the choice to trust in the Word of God that says he has been pursuing each of us from the beginning of time or not but choosing to have Faith gets us to that been dating one-month anniversary.  Turning away from the ‘other women of the world,’ Repenting of the sins in our lives gets us to that proposal.  Following that faith and Confessing it to others, and being Baptized, bring us to the wedding day, and the wedding ring.  And like in any marriage if you stop putting in effort, if you start to cheat, if you stop trusting the relationship will fall apart.  Like marriage, being a Christian is not a one-time declaration of faith, it is not a one-time plunge beneath the cleansing flood, but is a daily, moment by moment choice to remain faithful until death.

Is this the morning that you will choose to bind your heart to the heart of God? If it is or if you have any other need of the Church, please come forward as we stand and sing.

 

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