ODD
GOINGS ON
James 2:18-24
Three of the most widely accepted religious
truths of our day are: we are saved by faith alone; we cannot fall from grace;
and Jesus is coming soon to set up a kingdom on this earth and reign for 1,000
years. These beliefs are “givens” in most religious programming, writing, and
sermonizing. To question them is to evoke reactions of anger and wonderment.
Yet I find these commonly head beliefs to
be evidence of Odd Goings On. In the case of each of them, the Bible could
not be more plain in declaring them to be false. Let us have a look at just how
odd things have become.
“… NOT BY FAITH ALONE”
(Jas. 2:24).
1. James
2:14-26 establishes in no uncertain terms that we are not saved by faith alone!
2. We
are not saved by works of merit (Rom. 3:27-4:8); but we must have an obedient
faith (Rom. 1:5; 16:26).
3. We
cannot be good
enough, but we must walk in the light (I Jn. 1:7; 3:6-10).
4. Even
those who advocate faith only actually believe in faith plus the sinners prayer.
5. And
the Bible, oddly enough, gives us no example of anyone praying that prayer.
6. An
even a greater oddity is that while there is no biblical example of the sinners
prayer, the book of Acts, the book of conversions, mentions baptism in almost
every account of people coming to Christ (Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 36-38; 10:47-48;
16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16).
7. This
is especially odd since we hear today that baptism has nothing to do with our
conversion to Jesus!
“… YOU HAVE FALLEN
FROM GRACE…” (Gal. 5:4).
1. Galatians
5:4 clearly teaches that a person once joined to Christ can be severed from Him
if he or she seeks to find salvation primarily in law keeping (cf. Jas. 2:10).
2. For
a Christian to put primary trust in his or her works rather than in Christ is
to fall from grace.
3. The
Bible plainly teaches, and most oddly in our day, that a child of God can fall
from grace (Heb. 6:4-8; 10:26-29; II Pet. 2:20-22).
4. Falling
away is not something we do casually or accidentally, but when we chart a
course away from God and follow it, we depart from His grace (cf. I Kg. 15:4-5;
II Tim. 4:10a; Heb. 10:26).
5. Security
is for the faithful child of God, but not for one who walks in darkness (I Jn.
1:6-7).
“BUT OF THAT DAY AND
HOUR NO ONE KNOWS…” (Matt. 24:36).
1. Jesus
was unmistakably direct when He said that even He did not know when He was
coming back (Matt. 24:36).
2. And
lest we in any way misunderstand the meaning, the Bible belabors the point
(Matt. 24:42-44).
3. Additionally,
when the Lord returns this earth will be burned up, leaving no place for a
reign in Jerusalem (II Pet. 3:10-11).
4. Matthew
twenty-four, oddly for our era’s understandings, deals first with the
destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 24:1-34), and could not primarily be dealing
with the Second Coming (i.e. 24:15-22; cf. Lk. 21:20-24).
5. Jesus
will return (Acts 1:9-11); we do not know when this will be (I Thess. 5:2); but
if we are faithful we will be with Christ forever (I Thess. 13-18).
Odd, isn’t it, that three of the most
clearly stated truths in all the Bible are today given a completely opposite
meaning by so many!? In kindness and patience let us do all we can to set the
record straight. Many well-meaning people might surely be helped to see the way
of God in clarity. And let us also be on guard lest we find ourselves more
enamored with traditions than with truth.
Edwin
8/6/00
Return to "Sermon Outlines" Page