In his sermon 'Does Paul Contradict James?', Pastor Steve Hopkins explores the apparent contradiction between Apostle Paul's and Apostle James's teachings on justification. He focuses on Romans 4:1-8, emphasizing that Paul teaches justification by faith alone, not by works. Pastor Hopkins contrasts this with James's perspective, which on the surface seems to suggest that justification involves works. Hopkins clarifies that Paul speaks of justification before God, which is based on faith and the righteousness of Christ, while James addresses justification before men, evidenced by works. Using Abraham as a central figure, Hopkins explains that Paul refers to Genesis 15, where Abraham is justified by faith, whereas James refers to Genesis 22, where Abraham's faith is demonstrated through works. The sermon underscores that true saving faith is always accompanied by works as evidence of genuine belief. Hopkins encourages self-examination among believers to ensure their faith is living and not dead, stressing the harmony between Paul's and James's teachings.

Welcome back to Barnet Bible Church. Join us this week as Pastor Hopkins continues his sermon series through the book of Romans. Good morning. Once again, let's turn in our Bibles to the book of Romans, the fourth chapter once again. This will be our third time in Romans chapter 4 verses 1 through 8.

And if you would stand with me for the reading of the Word of the Lord, Romans chapter 4, beginning with verse 1, and we'll read together verses 1 through 8. What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh hath found. For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. For what sayeth the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Let's pray.

Father, we seek your face again, O God, and we ask again, Lord, for a work of your Spirit in the lives of your people. We acknowledge that every word spoken must necessarily fall to the ground, except to be attended by the power of your spirit. We put no confidence whatsoever in the flesh. We ask God that you might open up our understanding once again this morning and that you would give eyes to see and ears to hear, Lord. And we pray that you might be pleased to also raise up those who lie in the darkness of spiritual death to life, for we ask it in the name of your son Jesus, Amen.

Let's be seated. So here we are in our third session looking at chapter four verses one through eight, each with a different focus. This morning we're going to be focusing on verse five of the text this morning. Verse five, But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. And the title of this morning's sermon is, Does Paul contradict James?

And we're going to be looking at a portion of James this morning that appears on the surface to directly contradict the things that Paul is saying in chapter 4 of Romans that we've been looking at here, and historically there have been some who have come out right out and said, well, there is a direct contradiction. And In a few moments we're going to look at what James says about justification. But before we go there, I want us to remember what we've already learned from the Apostle Paul concerning the believer's justification before God. And so I want to just kind of encapsulate that here what we've learned is that we Who are justified before God are Justified before God that is declared just in God's sight, not on the basis or grounds of our works or any supposed righteousness of our own, for we have no righteousness of our own, but on the basis of the righteousness of Christ that is on the obedience of Christ reckoned to us credited to our account and that by faith not of ourselves but that which is of faith which is the gift of God. So one more time, one more time.

We who are justified before God, who are justified in the sight of God, declared just in God's sight, are justified in His sight, not on the basis or grounds of our works. This is what the Apostle Paul has been teaching us. Not on the basis or grounds of our works, or any supposed righteousness of our own, for we have no righteousness of our own, whereof we may present ourselves before God, but on the basis of the righteousness of Christ, or the obedience of Christ, imputed to us, reckoned to us, credited to our accounts, and that by faith, and that faith is not of ourselves, but is the gift of God. To him, again, that worketh not, verse 5, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted, is reckoned to him for righteousness. It is imputed to him for righteousness.

This is the teaching of the Apostle Paul. And he's speaking again under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Remember, 2 Peter 1, 21 tells us, quote, holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Everything that the apostles are teaching us in the Scriptures are those things which are underneath the inspiration, things that they have written under inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. 2nd Peter 1 21 tells us, holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

When the Apostle Paul teaches us that him that does not work but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted to him, is credited to Him, is imputed to Him for righteousness. He is speaking under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and this is the absolute, perfect, holy Word of God. It is not the Word of men. Everything that Paul speaks, everything that Paul wrote, He wrote, moved underneath the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. But tension is brought in when you have the apparent contradiction of other apostles who are also speaking under inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

So we're going to bring in tension from the Apostle James. Tension is brought in when we have some who introduce their understanding, not actually what they taught, but their understanding of what some of the other apostles have taught concerning justification in the sight of God, other holy men of God. So we're going to bring in the teaching of the Apostle James and what others have thought that the Apostle James is teaching, who he's also an apostle. They say James uses the same patriarch. So if you would turn to the book of James, those who bring in this tension concerning what it means to be justified in the sight of God for the teachings of the Apostle James, another holy man of God who speaks underneath the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, author of the book of James.

They say James uses the same patriarch, he uses Abraham. He uses the same reference, okay, To teach something, they say, which is completely contradictory to the Apostle Paul with regards to justification. They say James uses the same word that the Apostle Paul uses, justified, from the same Greek word. And they're right. He does use the same word, and he does use the same reference point, And he does use the same reference point, and he does use the same patriarch, Abraham.

But they say that James says that we are not justified by faith only. And on the surface, that's the way it appears. And we're going to read from the book of James in chapter 2 in just a moment. They say that we are also justified by works. And we're going to look at this in just a moment.

We're going to read their proof text, and then we're going to go back and show from Scripture that they're in error in what they're teaching, that there is no contradiction. It's just an on-the-surface apparent contradiction. But just to kind of lay the foundation for this error, it's not only the modern-day Pelagians. So remember who the Pelagians are? The Pelagians are those who who say you're born into the world, a blank slate, a tabula rasa, you learn sin, you're not born with a sin nature.

They're the guys that say you have everything built into you where you can become perfect and obey without any outside influence. All you need is what you were born with. They're the teachers of perfectionism, the modern perfectionists who say you can become perfected in this life. All you need is the perfect example of Christ. You don't have to have any work of grace within the heart from the outside.

All you have to have is the perfect example of Christ. You have everything within you and you can become perfect and obedient on your own. The modern-day Pelagians, the teachers of perfectionism, the modern-day followers of Charles Finney, which we looked at last week, who hold to this view, and also the Roman Catholics who hold to the Council of Trent and its succession while rejecting the doctrine of the Pelagians in their response to the Reformers doctrine of justification. They quote the book of James several times and the passages that we're about to look at here to refute the doctrine of the Reformers and the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. So it's very important to look at this because there is no contradiction, but yet you have the Roman Catholics saying they don't say that there's a contradiction, but they say that there is reference here made to James that there is actually ammunition for justification by faith plus works.

Okay, and then you have the Charles Finney followers and the Pelagians and the Perfectionists saying, no, there is a contradiction to the Apostle Paul, and there is ammunition for the doctrine of perfectionism, and we can be perfected in this life, and there must be faith plus works in order to have salvation. All of these are errors. So what are we supposed to make of this? Does Scripture contradict itself? Are the Pelagians correct?

Are the followers of Charles Fendi correct? Is the Roman Catholic Church correct? Or are the Apostle Paul and James teaching contrary doctrine to one another? Or is justification by faith alone in Christ alone? And is it an imputed righteousness, as we've been learning for the last couple of weeks, which is what the apostle Paul, we believe, teaches and what the doctrine of the Reformation teaches, which is true.

I believe we already know the answers to these questions, but we need to look at the case from Scripture. We need to look at their case from Scripture and then give them an answer from Scripture of the hope that lies within us. So those who teach justification in the sight of God by faith plus works take us to the book of James chapter 2 and let's look at their proof text beginning with chapter 2 and verse 21, and let's read there. So let's look at James chapter 2 beginning with verse 21 to see what their proof text is and what they're saying. So they begin with verse 21, "'Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar." Okay, and he's quoting here, he's taking us now to Genesis, this is where James is taking us to Genesis the 22nd chapter.

Was not Abraham our father? He's appealing to Genesis chapter 22. 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 with faith made perfect. And the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, " okay, which is back in Genesis chapter 15, and he was called the Friend of God.

You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only." Ouch. This is where Rome's Council of Trent refers to this over and over again. You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only. And then they just shut the book and they say case closed. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works.

Here we go. You're justified by works, right? We're justified by works. Case closed. When she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way.

In the minds of the faith plus works equals justification crowd, the case seems to be settled with verse 24. It's over. Case closed. Just shut the book. Mankind is by works is justified and not by faith alone.

It's all over, right? We won the argument. Paul is shut down. Controversies all ended. It's all done.

You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only. But there's a big problem here. They ignore the entire context of the book of James and they leave out a lot of Scripture here and we're going to look at that. They ignore the entire context of the book of James and they leave out a lot of scripture here. And we're going to look at that.

They ignore the entire context of the book of James, which is not dealing with justification before God. James is not dealing with justification in the sight of God, with the justification before God, but with evidence of true saving faith and justification before men. So let's look at that. James begins, flip back to chapter 1, in chapter 1 and verse 3, speaking of what? The trying of your faith.

Look at chapter 1 and verse 3. He looks at the trying of your faith. The context of the book is the trying of your faith. He's looking at the trying of your faith. He's not looking at justification before God, which is the context of Romans, of what the Apostle Paul is teaching in the book of Romans, which is your justification before a holy God.

How is man, who is a sinful man, to be justified in the sight of a holy God. That's not the context there. It's not the context. It's the trying of your faith. The whole context of James is the trying of your faith.

And then the key passage they deliberately leave out of the context is chapter 2 beginning with verse 14. So flip back over to chapter two, verse 14. They like to pick up further on, but they leave out chapter two, beginning with verse 14, which reads, what does it profit my brethren, though a man say? They leave this out deliberately. He has faith though a man says he has faith We're talking about the trying of your faith though a man says he has faith can faith save him He's not saying can faith save him.

He's saying Can that type of faith save him? Can a man's mere profession of faith save him? Can a man's mere profession of faith save him just because a man says that he has faith? Remember, We're talking about the trying of your faith with no evidence that he has faith, that his faith is genuine, that it is a living faith, that it's not a dead faith. Can that type of faith save a man?

Can a man's faith save him just because he says he has faith? Does that mean that he's saved? Are you saved just because you say you have faith? Just because you say you have faith? Then James goes on to give the example.

They leave it out. He gives the example of someone who sees a brother or sees a sister that's in need. They need clothing. They need food. And they say, oh go, go be kept warm, you know, eat, be warm, whatever, but they don't give them anything to feed them or clothe them.

There's no evidence whatsoever that that person is a true believer. There's no evidence whatsoever that that person is a child of God with living faith that works itself out in real life deeds motivated by the indwelling Spirit of God in his people. Then you get to verse 18, what does he say? Yea, a man may say. You can say anything.

A man may say that he has faith. A man can say anything. He can say anything with his mouth. He can say anything. We were, I was with the children, we were going over the passages about where Jesus is being thronged with the crowds and the press is all coming in and He's been healing people and they try to get this man in who's a paralytic and they can't get him in because there's so many people there and so they cut a hole in the top of the roof and they let the man down in ropes, right?

And then all the people are like, oh is he gonna heal this guy, you know, and whatever, and you know, is he gonna heal him or not? And then Jesus tells the man his sins are forgiven because he has great faith. And remember what these people don't even say it, they just think it. They think, how can any man say that he can forgive sins? You know, they never even said it with their mouth Jesus reads their hearts And then he says that he refutes what they're saying.

He refutes what they're saying by saying which is easier to say What's which thing is easier to say your sins are forgiven you or take up your bed and walk why? Because each one is just as easy to say It's just as easy to say take of your bed and walk as it is to say your sins be forgiven you But so that you'll know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins take up your bed and walk Okay, a man can say anything but having evidence of it is another thing. You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only? A man can say anything. A man can profess anything, and in the end when he stands before God, what a man says will amount to absolutely nothing apart from reality.

You can say anything, absolutely anything, and it matters this much, your profession matters absolutely this much apart from reality. We're talking about justification, not in the sight of God. God knows. God already knows. God knew Abraham, whether he was saved or not.

We're talking about seven chapters later after Abraham is already justified in the sight of God. He's already been imputed the righteousness of God by faith. Now seven chapters later, James is dealing with his example when he takes Isaac and offers him. A man can profess anything and in the end when he stands before God, what a man says amounts to absolutely nothing apart from reality, but the reality of his words are born out by his life. This is what James is dealing with.

He's dealing with a different topic, a different situation altogether than the Apostle Paul is. He's dealing with the situation that Jesus was dealing with when he said, a tree is known by what? His fruit. The tree is known by his fruit. He's dealing with an entirely different situation.

A man can say anything. A man may say he has saving faith, that he has faith. Okay? James says, oh really? Oh really?

You can say you have faith. Well I have works to back up my profession. I have works to back up my profession. I have works to back up my profession. My profession before men.

Not before God, God already knows. The Apostle Paul is talking about justification before God. The Apostle James is talking about justification before men and backing up one's profession before men. You see the context? You see the context?

God already knows the reality of the state of all men, but your neighbor does not. Okay? James is saying, okay, you have faith, thou has faith, that's your profession. Thou has faith, you say, you say, a man may say, he can say anything. I understand that's what you say, before men, and I have works, show me thy faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith by my works that's before men you see that you see that you say I have works show me thy faith show me thy faith with thy works." Not God.

God already knows. "'And I will show thee my faith by my works.'" This is evidence before men. This is evidence before men. Okay, so you believe there's one God? So what?

You do well. He's using sarcasm here. The devils believe there's one God. You think they're saved? The devils believe in tremble.

He's basically using sarcasm. He's saying, you don't even tremble. You don't even tremble. So what? Are the devils justified in the sight of God?

Nope. Are they? Are the devils justified in the sight of God? Of course not. But will thou know, O man, will you wake up, be saying, O man, that faith without works is dead?

It's evidence that your faith is a dead faith. It's never been alive. It's never been a living faith. That's a dead faith that has no evidence of works to back it up. Evidence before God?

No, God already knows. Evidence before men. Now, again, God knows the hearts of all men. He doesn't need to wait and see anything. Nothing.

He already knows. Paul speaks of justification in the sight of God by faith, and he appeals to Abraham in Genesis chapter 15 before Abraham has done any work at all before God. Very important, Okay? Paul speaks of justification in the sight of God by faith, and he appeals to Abraham in Genesis chapter 15. If you're taking notes, get this down, most important part of the entire message here.

Before Abraham has done any work at all before God, Abraham only believed God and it was counted or imputed to him for righteousness. James speaks of justification in the sight of men by the evidence of works in the life of the true believer. And he cites Abraham in Genesis chapter 22, seven chapters later after Abraham has already been justified in the sight of God before He's done any works. Seven chapters after Abraham was justified before God and is now proving his claim of faith by offering his son Isaac in a demonstration of faith. Everybody got it?

I hope everybody's got that. Seven chapters later, he's now offering Isaac, he was justified in the sight of God without any works. That's what the Apostle Paul is teaching, seven chapters earlier without any works, okay? In the sight of God, seven chapters earlier and now seven chapters later, James is bringing them in, you know, and he's saying it's fulfilled, okay? He's now showing, he's now demonstrating that his justification Which he was justified with seven chapters earlier is actually real no tension No tension.

He's proving his claim James speaks of justification the sight of men by the evidence of works and the life of the true believer, and cites Abraham in Genesis chapter 22, seven chapters later, seven chapters after Abraham is justified before God and is proving his claim of faith by offering his son Isaac and a demonstration of faith. No tension whatsoever, no contradiction whatsoever. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, but true saving faith is not alone but always accompanied by the evidence of works and the life of the true believer. That is what James is teaching, and it's very necessary teaching. That's why the Apostle Paul appeals to Abraham in chapter 15 of Genesis where God says that Abraham is justified by faith imputed to him, and James appeals to the evidence of Abraham's life in his obedience seven chapters later in chapter 22.

No tension, no contradiction whatsoever. The devils believe as we close. The devils believe, but they're not saved. Everybody with me? The devils believe in one God, but the devils are not saved.

And if there's no evidence in the life of the professor of Christ, that professor of Christ is not saved either. This is cause for self-examination as we close. The Apostle John says exactly the same thing in 1 John 1.6. We've been through this before. When he says, if we say, if we say that we have fellowship with him and we walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth.

Whoever says he walks in the light but he walks in the darkness of sin, deceives himself. Same message that James is speaking. Exact same message. The devils believe in one God, and they tremble. Okay?

Same thing. Which is why Jesus says that on the day of judgment when men are summoned before him, many, many, many will call him Lord, Lord. They will profess him as Lord doubly. Not just Lord, but Lord, Lord. But they will be self-deceived on that day.

But he will not profess them as his. He will profess that he has no relationship with them. Can you imagine those words, the words coming back to self-deceived people who call him Lord Lord right up to the moment where they're standing before him and they're certain that the gates will be opened and his arms will be wide open to them. And then they will be undeceived on that day. And he will say to them, I have no relationship with you I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity can you imagine being among those many many many he says who will be summoned to stand before him on that day and be undeceived at that moment and realize that you had no relationship with him and were one of the workers of iniquity who will be cast headlong into the fires of an eternal hell for all eternity.

I never knew you. I never had a relationship with you. Evidenced by this, what? Your works. Your works.

You that work iniquity, depart from me. Get out of my sight. Their works will identify them as being among the unjustified, as being among the unsaved. And I have to end on this this morning, because that's where we are. What about you this morning?

Profession amounts to nothing apart from reality. It amounts to absolutely nothing, nothing, nothing apart from reality. Are you walking in darkness? Are you walking in the light? Are you among those who have a living faith or is it a dead faith?

In a moment we'll be talking about self-examination. It's a time to examine yourself before God. It's the most important thing that you will do today, tomorrow, a week from now until the day that you die, it's the most important thing you will do, is to have a reality check. Go before God and say, Lord am I self-deceived? Am I self-deceived?

Do I believe that there's one God? Is that enough? Or do I tremble? Paul and James do not contradict each other. They compliment each other.

Am I in the kingdom of God? Am I a true child of God? Am I really trusting in Jesus and Jesus alone for my salvation? Oh God, if I am deceived, Lord, undeceive me today. If I'm deceived, Lord, undeceive me this very day.

For I ask the name of Jesus. Let's pray. Father, we trust your holy word. We trust the power of your word. We trust the power of your spirit.

Oh God, I pray. I pray, Lord, the same prayer that Mr. Stubblefield and I prayed over and over and over again, oh Lord, that no one fall through the cracks. Let us not have one person, oh Lord, in this church. Lord be deceived and believe themselves to be saved, oh Lord, and not be saved.

We pray that every person, Lord, who is a member of this church, Lord, would be truly saved, truly justified in your sight. There would be none, Lord, who believes themselves to be saved and be undeceived on the day of judgment. We pray for conviction, Lord, the convicting power of your Spirit upon every soul, O Lord. We pray that you would save everyone. Save every soul, O Lord.

We pray that today would be a day of salvation, Lord, if there's any Lord that does not know you, that has never known you, or that you would impart faith today to believe, as you would grant repentance, O Lord, even as your word says. Lord, These are graces, and we need a work of Your grace and the power of Your Spirit, Lord, else there would be nothing done in any heart or any life. Our trust is in You, Lord. We put no confidence, zero confidence in the flesh. All our confidence is in You, God, the living God.

Please do that work in the heart and the life of this people that none can do Lord. And I pray that looking back upon this day years from now there would be some who would look back and say this was the day of my salvation. This was the day oh Lord when you did a work in my heart and you changed me Lord from within and I know it and I came to believe for the first time on Christ and trust him alone for my salvation and I know upon that day you saved my soul. Let it be O God. Now help us as we go into this time of self-examination before we eat of that bread and drink of that cup.

Help us to truly examine ourselves in the light of the things that we've heard this day. For we ask it in Jesus' name, Amen.