“But faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may
say—Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy
works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that
there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was
not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his
son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works? And by
works was faith made perfect; and the scripture was fulfilled which
saith—Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for
righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. Ye see, then, how
that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also
was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the
messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body without the
spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” {256}
We have noticed the nature and ground of justification; in these words of
the Apostle, we have the evidence of justification. The same doctrine
was preached by our Saviour:—“For by thy works thou shalt be justified,
and by thy works thou shalt be condemned.” Works justify only as the
fruit of faith. A faith that does not produce good works is inefficient
and worthless. It is not the faith which justifies the ungodly. What is
it that justifies a man in a court of law? The goodness of his cause?
No, verily. A man of common sense will not think of making a long speech
to the jury, without adducing any evidence of the truth of his
statements. My fellow sinners, if your cause is good, why do you not
prove it? Why not bring forward your evidence? Why not act in this
supremely important case as in every other? If you have justifying
faith, let us see the fruit in a sanctified life. “Let your light so
shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your
Father which is in heaven.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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