In the sermon this morning, James Ingram was mentioned. One of his famous songs is “I Don’t Have The Heart.” It’s a song that is used to dump someone in a more humane way. It says: ”I don’t have the heart to hurt you, it’s the last thing i want to do. But i dont have the heart to love you. Not the way you want me to.’ So, you can use that, ‘no…No! Don’t use that. In other words, this is what it means, he doesn’t have any love at all to SHOW to the other person. Wala siyang pagmamahal na kayang ipakita.
You know in the Bible, there’s another James. Now the issue in James chapter 2, this chapter is not about love per se; it’s about FAITH. Of course, tayong mga kristiyano, we’re not gonna say ‘I Dont Have the Faith‘. If we profess to be Christians, we have the faith. But the issue is, is that a living faith or a dead one. So James presents to us this challenge in James chapter 2 says SHOW ME YOUR FAITH.
Turn with me to James chapter 2, we’re gonna read verses 14 to 24. We’re still in our Genesis series. We’ve read Genesis chapter 2 for our scripture reading, but we also have another passage and that is James chapter 2, verses 14 to 24. I’ll be reading from the English Standard Version..James chapter 2 verses 14 to 24..What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
We’ve been studying chapter 22 and we’ve been looking at the time when Abraham sacrificed his son Isaac. This is I think the third sermon about that event. Of course God commanded Abraham to do so, to sacrifice his son and we know that that was just a test, okay. Testing lang iyan. Now, in the New Testament, James on the other hand, uh, he
uses this story to prove a point. James went back to the story of Abraham and showed how Abraham indeed had faith in God. Now, tanong, paano niya nalaman na may faith talaga si Abraham sa kanyang Panginoon? Of course when Abraham went to Moriah, put his son Isaac on the altar, bound him, and took a knife to slaughter his son, right? James knew. When Abraham was so convinced that even after sacrificing his son, Isaan, he knew that God would resurrect his son, or James knew that Abraham indeed had faith, okay? That even after sacrificing his son, naniwala pa si Abraham na, ay actually, magpo-provide pa ng lamb ang Panginoon. So, sa New Testament, oh, sure si James. Ginawa pang example si Abraham..look at Abraham, he had faith. Because he obeyed the command of God and he was about to sacrifice his son. That’s how James knew that Abraham indeed had faith in God. And so, masasabi natin that he knew because of Abraham’s works. Because of his good works, because he obeyed God, he obeyed the word of God. It is because Abraham lived a life of obedience. Of course Abraham wasn’t perfect, at nag-fa-fall pa rin si Abraham as we knew. We talked about yung mga failures ni Abraham. He wasn’t perfect, but his works, his obedience, which makikita natin sa Genesis, and his obedience indeed proved that he indeed had faith in God. Most especially, itong Genesis chapter 2 na qi-nuote, na ginamit ni James sa chapter 2. His faith showed us how it affected his whole life, si Abraham, right. Naaapekto sa mga desisyon ni Abraham..I mean, he’s so willing to go to Moraiah and bring his son with him. He even told the young men “babalik kaming dalawa.” So, nakikita ninyo how, how it changes his outlook in life? How it changed the whole, his whole attitude to his life? Nagbago talaga ang kaniyang buhay, okay. It led him, his faith led him to a different place, from a pagan city to Canaan. His faith led him to defeat kings, he was able to defeat the army of King Chedorlaomer, as you remember. It led him to a lot of things, okay. His life was changed because of this God- given faith was provided for him by our Lord God.
So, ang message natin ngayon para sa ating lahat, na applicable for us here is that Our faith in Christ affects our whole attitude to life. We can say that Abraham also had faith in Christ, in the future Christ in his time. Mayroon Siyang faith doon sa Anak na papunta pa lang. And see how it affected everything sa buhay niya, his decisions, his obedience has proven such refined faith.Naaapektuhan ng ang ating pananampalataya kay Kristo ang kabuuang saloobin natin sa buhay.
How can we make sure that we have the right faith? Very important iyon. If we’re saying that our faith in Christ affects our whole attitude to life, oh we must have the right object of faith. May tamang object na pinaniniwalaan natin. Marahil mali ang iyong pinaniniwalaan. So iyon ang aking first point. Right Object. And my last point, in what way does our faith affect our whole attitude to life, my last point is Right Obedience, or rather, Resulting Obedience, sorry.
Let’s consider the first point..Right Object. So again James uses the story of Abraham, that his faith, talon tayo sa verse 22. Ginamit ni James sa istorya ni Abraham at sinabi niya si Abraham daw, verse 22, was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works. James was saying that the faith of Abraham was so refined. Sobrang trained na trained na si Abraham noong mga time na ito. Sobrang buhay, sobrang aktibo ng kaniyang pananampalataya that it produced obedience to God, obedience to a test, to a command na sobrang hirap gawin. Sobrang Hirap gawin ng ginawa ni Abraham, right. I mean you may have the desire to obey God, pero iyong ginawa ni Abraham nang actually pumunta siya doon. Nandoon na siya sa point na inilagay na niya ang kaniyang anak doon sa altar, nandoon siya sa point, tinali niya ang kaniyang anak, nandoon siya sa point na nilabas na niya ang kutsilyo niya bago siya pigilan ng Panginoon. Ganoon ka-efined ang pananampalataya. It was, it wasn’t made perfect, iyong kaniyang pananampalataya, iyong kaniyang faith, but it was brought to maturity through actions of past, right. Iyon ang ibig sabihin ni James dito na iyung faith daw niya was completed by his works. In a way, nag-mature na ang kaniyang pananampalataya dahil sa kaniyang pinagdaanan with God. But see, again, what was the reason why this faith was active, anong reason bakit nag-mature itong faith na ito ni Abraham? Verse 23 explains to us – Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. Ibig sabihin, Abraham already believed God before. If God supplied that belief, and it was God who refines that belief. It was God who refines that faith, right. Tama iyung pinaniniwalaan ni Abraham. At dahil tama ang kaniyang pinaniniwalaan, patuloy ang pag-supply sa kaniya nitong object of faith and that is God. Abraham had faith in the right God, in the one and only true God. He had faith in the promise of God that God would provide him a son and Abraham believe that. In fact, Abraham believed pa beyond that, a better son that was to come. God promised Abraham that He would put Abraham in a place and Abraham believed that, but better, but more than that, Abraham believed on a heavenly city beyond the physical city that was promised to him. Ganun ang kaniyang pananampalataya. Abraham believed in the promise of God that God would send the Seed of the woman who will crush the head of the serpent; Someone who will defeat satan, Someone who will defeat sin that was caused by satan.
But, brethren, what Abraham did, when God asked him to sacrifice his son, AS A TEST…Is more than just believing in GOD. It’s more than just KNOWING everything ABOUT God; more than believing in the RIGHT OBJECT. I mean anyone can believe that God exists. Sabi nga sa James, “Even the demons believe!” Naniniwala sila na nag-eexist ang Panginoon. Naniniwala sila that the Son of God existed; that the Son of God came and they talked to the Son of God. So more than just believing, sa ginawas ni Abraham, hindi lang believing ito heh. He was so convinced. Merong tinatawag na mental assent, or so convicted, so convinced siya, in a sense na nag-eexist ang Panginoon, so convinced na kaya ng Panginoon buhayin muli ang kaniyang anak. So, it’s believing and being so convinced. Pero kulang pa iyon. Hindi iyon ang nakikita natin kay Abraham dito. ‘Cause anyone can believe in God, anyone can be convinced in the power of God, and yet not deny yourself and yet not humble yourself to accept the promises and precepts of God. Abraham did not just believe, was not just convinced. He fully TRUSTED GOD with his life. He so trusted God that he was so ready to bring his own son to the altar and sacrifice him. He fully trusted GOD with his life. He has surrendered his life for the purpose of God. His faith had BELIEF, had CONVICTION, he was so convinced and he had TRUST. And we must have that as well. We must believe God, we must be convinced by His Word, in His promises and we must trust God. We must have faith in the RIGHT ONE, in the RIGHT OBJECT, so convinced of what He can do and trust Him..trust that His work is for us, surrender our lives to Him.
This is why, when we are reminded of the gospel, we are reminded kung Sino dapat ang ating paniwalaan, we are reminded of the promises of God, so that we can be convinced sa promises Niya. We are reminded of the only hope and strength and comfort that we have so that we can put our trust in Him. The gospel reminds us always where our faith must be rooted from – and that is none other than Jesus Christ! The gospel reminds us of who Christ is and what Christ has done so at the end of the message, you would believe Him more. So at the end of the message, or during the message preach to you, you would be so convinced na totoo ang Kaniyang mga promises sa iyo. So that during the message, or after the message, you would put yourself, your life surrendered to Him, you would trust Him with all your heart, mind and soul. Ganun ang faith ni Abraham. Ganun din ang challenge sa atin.
Ganung klaseng faith din ang calling sa ating lahat. In fact, mawala ang isa doon, It’s not genuine faith anymore. Tanggalin mo iyung trust doon sa component ng faith. Let’s say you’re just believing in his existence, okay, convinced ako na powerful ang Diyos. Pero you’re not ready to humble yourself and surrender your life to the Lord and Saviour. That’s not really genuine faith. And most importantly, you must have the right object. You must believe in the one true God, in the right one. The gospel reminds us that where our faith must be rooted from, who Christ is, what Christ has done, it reminds us that you and I cannot save ourselves from our own sin. It reminds us that what’s in store for all of us is damnation and that we have ONE HOPE and that we can FULLY PUT OUR TRUST in this ONE HOPE. And that when we PUT OUR TRUST IN HIM. TRUSTING that his sinless life is a life that you and I cannot live and yet He lived in behalf of us so that GOD sees the obedience of Christ and not yours. TRUSTING Him, heto ah, trusting Him that on the cross, when He died, all our sin was judged, and if not for Him we will be judged for our sins and we will spend eternity in damnation or to put our trust, TRUSTING Him that when He rose from the dead, you and I were made alive together with Him too! That we were dead in our trespasses and sins before! Ganung klaseng faith meron tayo dapat. And when the gospel is preached to us, we’re called to put our faith, believe! And be convinced and put our 100 percent trust in this fully God, fully Man.
My question is does the gospel help you believe in the right object? Does the gospel help you believe in Him? Does it help you be convinced in the goodness of God? Does it help you humble yourself and surrender your life, and TRUST Him with all your heart? If not, maybe it’s because you hold on to your sins so much, to your sins! If not, it’s because you have a different object of faith. Baka iba ang pinaniniwalaan mo. Mas convinced ka sa ibang bahay, sa ibang bagay, rather, and you trust other things, other people, at hindi ang Diyos. Oh you do have faith, meron kang pananampalataya. You may have faith in the world, or you may have faith in your own ability thinking that you are capable, that God will accept you for who you are and what you have done. But no. The Bible says – all of us fall short. That all of us sinned against the Holy God! If this is the case, kung ganun ang tingin natin, we put our faith in other things, repent now of your sins! You cannot get salvation from other things. Turn away! Or God will judge you for your sins! And come to faith in Jesus Christ!
But if you are in Christ, rejoice brethren, for the gospel reminds you of the victory we all have. It reminds us that yes we are weak, but in Christ we are strong. It reminds us that in our weakness and inability to save ourselves, we have Christ who supplied what God demands of us.
Abraham had faith in the right object. Abraham was so convinced in the right object and what that right object can do, and that is God.
Abraham put his trust in that right object. Do you have that right object as well, whom you put your trust and whom you believe, whom you are so convinced of? Do you have the same God? Or mas tinu-trust mo ang ibang bagay? Or mas may assurance ka, sa tingin mo may ibang bagay na nagbibigay sa iyo ng pag-asa at hindi iyun ang Panginoon? Tumalikod ka na diyan. In the gospel you see, the provided Son for us, who did what all of us cannot do, we cannot save ourselves from our sins. What we deserve is eternal wrath, eternal damnation. Oh, we deserve it and it’s not brutal, we all deserve it. But Christ was punished for our sins so that you and I won’t experience wrath in eternity. But if you are in Christ, you will be in eternity, pero hindi wrath ang iyong ma-eexperience, kundi joy, blessings, to be with God, eternal communion with God, the opposite of that wrath. You’ll experience the fullness of the love of the Triune God in eternity. That is what you are going to miss if you do not have faith in Christ. Abraham had such faith. He had faith in that right object. He did not rely on his own ability. We’re also called to have such faith.
You know there was a man in prison. Meron siyang lawyer. The lawyer does EVERYTHING so that the man in prison can be acquitted. The man in prison, of course, limited by his situation, can’t do anything at all. He can just rely on what the lawyer can do for him sa labas.
It’s the same as us. We WERE in prison for our sins. We WERE in prison in a sense that we are in bondage of our sins. And the only thing we can do is to trust Someone else who’s outside that prison. Now, Christ yes is like our lawyer who makes a case to the Father. He doesn’t PROVE our innocence because we’re sinners. In fact it was Him who was innocent, and yet it was Him who was punished for our sins. Because of that you and I are acquitted. Ang challenge ko sa lahat, Let your faith rest not in your own ability, or any, or anywhere or anyone else but in Christ alone!
The good news points us to this right object, who is Jesus Christ, who is the foundation of all of God’s promises to us. We experience all the promises of God if you are in the realm of Christ, if you are in union with Christ. Lahat ng promise ng Panginoon sa lahat ng people Niya na na-accomplish ni Kristo, kung ikaw ay kay Kristo, lahat ng iyon tanggap mo kapatid.. lahat. Walang kulang, umaapaw, dahil na-accomplich ng Kaniyang Anakang dine-demand ng Panginoon. And He accomplished it perfectly, fully. That’s..doon natin i-rest ang ating pananampalataya.
Hindi sa ating mga sarili. Even now that we are christians, merong tendency na nire-rest natin ang ating pananampalataya sa sarili nating gawa. Na we’re thinking, oh, we’re justified by faith. We are saved. And yet, we try to maintain that salvation by our works. It’s not the case. If you have been justified by God, it’s Him who preserves you, so that you can persevere in your faith.It’s not even your works now ang magme- maintain sa iyo sa salvation mo. Panginoon din! So kapatid, ligtas ka?
Rest in Christ pa rin. Yung pananampalataya mo, ipahinga mo kay Kristo. Mapapagod ka kapatid. Kung tingin mo ikaw, laging ikaw, nakasalalay sa iyo…hindi nakasalalay sa iyo. And that is the good news. Kung nakasalalay sa iyo, patay tayo lahat. Praise God! Friends in Christ, it is finished. In Christ, our sins are paid for. In Christ, there is true joy. Hindi mo kaya yung ginawa ni Kristo. Never ever tayong magiging katulad Niya in a sense na perfectly, kaya Niya, ginawa Niya yung ginawa Niya..Hindi natin kayang gawin iyon! We can never attain that. So all we have to do, just like the man in the prison is to trust that someone outside to do his work. And you know what? Christ already did His work. That’s the good news. Rest your faith in Christ and not in your own ability. Imagine, Abraham also rested his faith..his faith was so rested in Christ in the coming Messiah that he’s so willing to obey God. Now he knew, na manggagaling sa descendants niya magiging blessing ng buong mundo.
Tapos ang sabi ng Panginoon sa kanya, sacrifice mo iyang anak mo. But I so believe God, he was so convinced in God. In God, and he was, he, he has put his trust in God, to the right object, in the right object. So he’s so willing to obey Him. Kaya nga sabi ni James, tignan mo si Abraham, he had faith in God.
You know from someone who lived at a time when the religion that was flourishing was Roman Catholicism, one of the heroes of the true gospel was John Calvin. Sabi niya, “As to the opinion entertained by some, that it would be unjust, or siguro sa language natin, brutal, na it would be unjust, if men were to perish solely on account of their ignorance of God, it arises from their not considering that there is no fountain of life but in God alone, and that all who are alienated from Him are deprived of life.”
He’s saying that our ignorance of the right object, of God is not an excuse. When you hear the gospel, you respond! Your response is, Oy, narinig ko, ang galing, ginawa pala Niya iyon! I will put my trust in this person! I will believe in Him. Oh, mayroong promise that when I believe this person, I will be saved! I will be with God eternally, I will be so convinced doon sa promise na iyon! When you hear the gospel, you respond in faith in the object that was preached to you and that is Christ. You rest in the salvation that Christ provides, brethren. You rest in Him for He alone is your shelter in a world full of sin. You rest in Christ for He alone is your ark in a world drowning in sin. You rest in Him for He alone provides Himself to you – the slain lamb that was accepted by the Father.
You rest in Him for He alone provides salvation from your sins. For He alone is your strength AGAINST sin. He alone is your power against sin.
So brethren, do you put too much confidence in other things? On other people? Or on yourself? Do you put too much confidence in your ability? Or in Jesus Christ? Nakikita ninyo how it affect your whole attitude to life kung ang pananampalataya mo ay hindi kay Kristo? Nakadepende ang iyong mga acts, ang iyong mgaa deeds doon sa pinapaniwalaan mo. Kung naniniwala ka kay Kristo, and sobrang apektado na ang iyong mindset, ang iyong thinking compared sa, if you have other gods or idols na mas pinaniniwalaan. Kung ikaw ay kay Kristo, rejoice!Sobrang kapahinga- pahinga talaga. Pero masasabi natin na talagang tunay na may rest tayo whenever we meet, whenever we gather, tunay na may rest. We’re not just talking about physical rest here, but spiritual. Hindi tayo pagod.
Hindi natin iisipin bukas, na ano kaya ang gagawin ko para tanggapin ako ng Panginoon bukas. Hindi mo na iisipin iyon. Hindi mo na iisipin, hindi ba katangga—tanggap sa Panginoon yung ginawa ko before? Kasi pag naaalala ko yung ginawa ko before, hindi ko kayang tanggapin. Pero tatanggapin kaya ako ng Panginoon? Hindi mo na iisipin iyon. Pero dahil ginawa na ni Kristyo iyon para sa iyo. Hayaan mong ang iyong pananampalataya ay manahan, manatili kay Kristo. Let that faith rest in Christ and not on your own ability.But You know that true faith in God must result to something. Yes, sinabi natin na dapat tama ang iyong pinapaniwalaan. Pero kung tama iyan, dapat yan ay nag-reresulta sa obedience. That is my last point, Resulting Obedience
Sabi ni James – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? He says, that our faith must result in obedience. It must result to good works! Sabi niya sa verse 15 to 16 – If a brother, anong klaseng good works ito? Sabi niya sa verses 15 to 16, If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed huh, okay, doon ka sa mas maayos iyung temperature, doon ka na lang, be warmed and filled,” without actually giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? Sabi ni James dito, kung may faith ka talaga, it’s not just obeying, generally obeying the commands of God by what? By not sinning.. okay, hindi ako nag-murder huh, so I’m obedient. Actually, medyo active ang pinapakita dito ni James. If you do have genuine faith, obey the commands of God by doing good to others, by doing good works. That, in the eyes of men, before the eyes of men, that is how you are justified, sabi ni James dito. So una, walang contradiction ito sa sinasabi ni Paul sa Romans that we are justified by faith. Of course, with Luther, justified by faith alone. That’s true, we are justified by faith alone in the eyes of God. But James 2, it’s context was, ipakita mo sa iyong mga kapatid so how you are justified, kaya mo sinasabi na you are justified by works sa mata ng tao, you are justified because of your good works. That is what James was saying. People can SEE your faith by your works. Alam nating lahat, ah, okay, mananampalataya itong taong ito kasi kitang-kita ko ang kindness at ang acts ni Christ sa kanya. If your faith doesnt produce works, James calls your faith DEAD…sabi pa niya, USELESS. It’s useless. Meron pa Siyang sinabi sa verse 18 na marahil may mag-contend na, teka, ang faith at works, inseparable iyan. Sabi niya sa verse 18 – – some may ask ‘you have faith and I have works’. Again, as if the two can be separate. As if faith does not result to works. So sabi ni James,‘ok.. show me your faith, prove your faith without actions.. and I will show you my faith by my actions’… hindi sila separable. Hindi sila mapag-hihiwalay because true faith absolutely and necessarily produces real obedience.. it produces real good works. The faith, of course, it becomes genuine in the eyes of men when it results obedience. Pag nakita ng tao na ikaw ay obedient, ikaw ay gumagawa ng maganda, sinusunod mo ang salita ng Diyos, sa mata ng tao, ikaw ay justified. But see, hindi ito basta-basta gumawa ka lang ng mabuti.. better to be reminded by Paul also in another text. Hindi basta basta okay, may faith ako, you see me doing these things, pero better to reminded of First Corinthians chapter 13 verse 2 – And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, ganung klaseng faith ‘no! Grabe iyung faith noon! but have not love, I am nothing. We may do good works, and it will show that we are, we do indeed, we do have true faith, yes, sa mata ng tao. But we may fall short in LOVING. Hence Paul, sabi ni Paul sa Galatians chapter 5 verse 6 – For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, balewala iyung mga external signs na iyan, iyung mga whatever works that you do, but only faith working through love. Ibig sabihin, ang pananampalataya na gumagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag-ibig. It should be motivated by love. And this is a love that comes from God modeled and showed to us by Christ. And if we have faith in Christ, it must result in obedience to Him doing good works for the sake of others, motivated by His love. Yes, the demons too, sabi ni James. Pati mga demonyo naniniwala rin in the existence of God. And yet they don’t do good works, and yet they do not love. In fact, their response is that they SHUDDER, because they are in rebellion against God. All their knowledge about God makes them tremble.
….But not us! Our knowledge about God, about Christ, about the gospel, makes us LOVE one another. Makes us do GOOD WORKS for others, especially our brethren.
Alam nyo yung sinasabi natin kapag natanggap mo ang gospel, dapat i- share mo rin sa iba. Iyung MESSAGE of overflowing hope and salvation, iyung mensahe na natanggap mo, i-share mo din iyan dahil overflowing iyung message of the gospel. Share it to others. We hear that many times and that is great. But how about the act of overflowing kindness by Christ. Iyung Kanyang kabutihan sa atin, shouldn’t we also extend that same act to others? God showed us, Jesus Christ showed us His sacrificial love by His works. Can’t we also, share the same, do good works to others just as Christ modeled it for us? So challenge for all of us, let your faith in Christ result to obedience that benefits others in the church! Let your faith in Christ result to obedience that benefits others in the church. Hindi lang ito obedience sa iyong pag-yield sa sanctification ng Panginoon. When you’re tempted personally, you will mortify your sins, say no to temptation and cultivate such graces. Yes, that is obedience to God. But we are challenged today to obey God in a way that to do good works so that it benefits your brethren. Sa panahon ngayon, para ma-prove na ikaw ay may pananampalataya sa Diyos. Pag nag-post ng theologian quote, oy! christian. I’m not saying it’s bad, okay. Hindi ko sinasabing masama iyon. Pero ganun ang ano ngayon, malalaman mo, okay, christian siya! But to be a Christian is to, sabi ni James, damitan mo, iyung nangangailangan mong kapatid. Pakainin mo iyung nagugutom mong kapatid. That’s how we know, ah, okay, christian siya! Iyan ang sabi ni James. Kasi kung hindi, then, ang pananampalataya mo daw ay patay at useless. Then make it useful.Faith must be shown and it must be seen by people, also by the church. Sabi nga ng Panginoong Hesukristo, “let your light shine before others” sabi ni Christ. So saan ang natural avenue niyan? Walang iba kundi sa church. That is how we, tayo as a church, naa-affirm natin ang bawat isa na tunay na kristyano, tama ang kanilang understanding of the gospel; they believe in the right object and we believe that the true faith of all of us, tayong magkakapatid ay nagre-resulta sa obedience. Kaya nga nakikinig tayo ng mga testimony heh. Kaya nga patuloy nating ine-edify ang isa’t-isa. Nararamdaman natin iyung work ng Panginoong Hesukristo sa atin as we are helped, as we also help one another. We can definitely affirm talagang kapatid ko sa pananampalataya ito. Heto talaga ang natural avenue nito. It is the church as God’s instrument that AFFIRMS our faith. And it is where we exercise our faith, it is where we show others our faith, by doing good works for one another, by loving one another.
So since reformation month, si Martin Luther and the rest of the Reformers in their time, alam ninyo iyung kanilang pinaglaban. Iyung kanilang recovery of the true gospel that salvation is by faith alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Roman Catholicism says, in their time, you must believe in God, and yet you must earn salvation by your works. You must go to the priest and earn merits, so that it would be useful when you die, mababawasan iyung time mo doon sa purgatory. Every works done, you receive grace from God.
That’s why Martin Luther and the rest of the Reformers, their reformation cry is SOLA FIDE. It is by Faith alone.
SOLA GRATIA. it is by Grace alone. SOLUS CHRISTUS. it is in Christ alone But they clarified it.. we are saved by faith alone, sabi ni Martin Luther.. but not by a faith that is alone. It means that it is a faith that produces good works. Motivated by the love of Christ. This is what the reformers truly recovered. Umabot iyan sa Puritans. Kaya nga masasabi natin ang mga puritans, grabe iyung pietism nila. Umabot iyan doon. Umabot sa time nina Jonathan Edwards. They continued proclaming this, justification by faith alone.. but it is not faith that is alone. Ang tanong, mapuputol ba iyang proclamation na iyan dito sa atin? We must believe that we are saved, we are justified by faith alone, but that faith is not a faith that is alone. It results to obedience to Christ. It results to good works motivated by Jesus Christ. So do we have the desire to do good for one another? In the church? You know someone who needs help, are you willing to be there for the person? Or hayaan ko na iyung iba, marami naman kami heh. Sa bahay, are you willing to show your faith, not just by arrogantly preaching the gospel? Hoping hindi arrogant, but boldly, yes. But not just that. Can they see you actually obeying God? Ang husband ba, patuloy na nagmamahal sa kanyang asawang unbeliever?
Ang wife ba patuloy na nagsu-submit sa husband na probably ay unbeliever? Hindi lang sa words ang pag-proclaim ng gospel, kundi sa ating mga gawa. Show them your faith. Show them! Not just by publicly, verbally declaring the faith, but by your good works. Show them, that Christ Himself did the good work and you believe that right object, so that when you go get, when you go home, when you’re in the church, show them that same good work. Let us show one another our faith by doing good to one another. By extending the love of Christ to one another. Pakita natin sa isat isa na ang pananampalataya na meron tayo ay hindi patay, katulad ng sinasabi ni James, kundi buhay. Bakit? Kasi buhay ang nagbigay ng pananampalataya na ito sa atin. Siya’s buhay; the faith that we have is also active. It is not useless. It is a living faith.
Show it by your works. So our faith in Christ leads inevitably to loving deeds because the object of our faith, Jesus Christ Himself, did the most loving deed ever done – He died for sinners.
May the Word of God enrich our knowledge of Him, and may it stir us to live in light of these truths.
Let us pray. Panginoong Diyos, aming Ama, marami pong salamat sa Inyong kabutihan sa amin. Lord, hindi namin kayang iligtas ang aming sarili. Ni hindi namin kaya Panginoong Diyos i-maintain itong kaligtasan na ito Panginoon. Ikaw lamang ang nakakapag-bigay nito. Ikaw lamang ang nakakapag-bigay ng assurance oh Lord na kami’y talagang ligtas. So Lord, salamat sa pag-supply ng faith sa amin. Salamat Panginoon, the reason why we believe..the reason why we’re so convinced sa lahat ng mga promises Mo..the reason why we trust You is because it is Your gift to us, the faith that we have is Your gift to us. So Lord, hayaan Mo kaming patuloy na mag-rest in Christ at hindi sa aming sariling ability. And Lord, we pray that, Lord that our faith indeed will result to obedience. Na kami ay faithfully, Panginoon, na sundin namin ang Iyong utos that in a way that would benefit our brethren. Tulungan Mo kaming makita Panginoon, kung sino iyung nangangailangan at tulungan Mo kami, enable Mo kami Panginoon na tulungan sila. Again, maraming- marami pong salamat. We praise You in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Transcribed by: Janette Bautista