Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the first two truths from part one: the difference between ability and responsibility, and the difference between the wisdom of man and the power of God. He reiterates that hearing is vital to salvation, distinguishing external hearing from internal, Spirit-wrought hearing.

Isaiah 55 and verse 3, and today we're going to take up the second part of the message we started last week, "What Sinners Need to Hear." Look, if you would, in Isaiah 55 and verse 3, where God says,

I was emphasizing the first part of this verse:

I mentioned last week by way of introduction that hearing is vitally connected to salvation. If you would hold Isaiah 55, but look in your Bibles, Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Once again, just to show you the emphasis upon hearing. Notice Romans chapter 10 and verse 13.

The scripture says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." However, look at verse 14. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" So once again, hearing is vitally important unto salvation. And I'm just reminding you by giving you a quick review of what I covered last week by showing you that there is a difference between an external and an internal hearing. There's a difference between a physical outward hearing and a spiritual inward hearing. It is true we must hear the word externally, but hearing the word externally does not save us. There must be an internal hearing of the Word of God, and that internal hearing is the work of God the Holy Spirit. Now, last week we looked at two truths that I said that were absolutely needed and necessary for sinners to hear if they are going to be genuinely converted. The first truth was this: they must know the difference between ability and responsibility.

Over and over in Scripture, the Word of God declares our responsibility. But it also declares at the same time our inability. And I distinguished for you through many passages of Scripture last week the difference between ability and responsibility. While sinners have the responsibility to repent and believe, because God has not lost His right or power to command, since sinners, therefore, have the responsibility to repent and believe, it does not equate with ability. No sinner, in and of himself, has the ability to repent and believe. That's why our Lord says, "No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him." And I took you through the book of John and showed you how sinners cannot see, they cannot enter, they cannot hear, they cannot believe. All of these "cannots" in the book of John. So, the emphasis has to be on the fact that everyone has a responsibility, but the ability comes from God alone. And therefore, sinners are responsible to seek God for His mercy and grace.

If you'll go back to Isaiah 55, I want you to look very carefully at verses 6 and 7 to show you this again. After our Lord has said in Isaiah 55 and verse 3, "Hear, and your soul shall live," skip down to verse 6. He says this:

You see, the problem is this: sinners do have the responsibility to forsake their evil ways, and they do have the responsibility to turn from their unrighteous thoughts. But they do not have the ability. Only the grace of God can give that ability. And so therefore they are thrown at the feet of Jesus Christ, begging for mercy and begging for His grace to give them the ability to fulfill their responsibilities.

The second truth that I covered last week is this: that sinners need to hear the difference between the wisdom of man and the power of God. And we looked at 1 Corinthians chapter 2. And the Apostle Paul wanted to make sure that his preaching did not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God. And I emphasize the fact that there is a vast difference between someone making a decision and someone being genuinely converted by the grace of God. If you have the personality, if you have the persuasive ability, if you have the oratory, usually you can talk someone into making a decision. And often times they'll do it just to get rid of you, because they don't want to be bothered. But that does not equate to salvation. And that's what the Apostle Paul is saying. The Apostle Paul is saying he did not want his ministry to stand in the wisdom of man, but rather in the power of God. So it's not personality. It is not oratory. It is not outlines. It is not illustrations.

It is not the greatness of the preacher that saves. It's the power of God. And if God doesn't save you, then you're not saved. It's just that simple. Decisions are absolutely useless and worthless without the power of God. If one is not convicted and converted by the Holy Spirit of God, he is not saved no matter how many decisions he makes. We looked last week at this one passage, 1 Corinthians 12 verse 3. When the Apostle Paul wrote, "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." And I showed you how that men with the ability to speak with their tongue could frame the words, "Jesus is Lord." Anyone that has the ability to speak can say those three words. But that does not mean that someone is saved just because they can say those three words. What the Apostle Paul is saying is that no one can savingly say that Jesus Christ is Lord except by the Holy Ghost.

In other words, men may imitate, but only God can authenticate. So if one has not been enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit to confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, it does not matter how many lip professions he has made, he is not saved. There is a vast difference between the work of man and the work of God. So sinners need to hear these two truths.

Now today I'm going to start with the third one, and that is this: sinners need to know the difference between faith and mental assent. They need to hear and need to know the difference between faith and mental assent.

The Difference Between Faith and Mental Assent

Weaver introduces the third truth: sinners must know the difference between faith and mental assent. He defines faith as a substance or foundation (Hebrews 11:1) and argues that mental assent—mere agreement with facts—does not save, as illustrated by the Israelites in the wilderness and King Agrippa.

Now, the Bible tells us in Hebrews 11 and verse 1,

Now, I quoted that verse just to show you that faith is real and genuine. Now, listen.

Now when verse 1 of Hebrews 11 mentions faith as a substance, when we think of a substance, we think of something that is real and genuine, something that we can lay hold upon, something that we know is real and it is there. Let me tell you what the Greek word "substance" actually means. It means the thing put under, or the substructure, or the foundation, or that which has a foundation, that which is strong and firm, that which has an existence, that which has a substance, that which is real being. So when he says faith is a substance, he's talking about it is a foundation. It is something that is real and genuine. And this word has also been rendered a title deed.

And we know that a title deed is something that is real and genuine. But the word actually refers more to a substructure or foundation. We understand that every house has a foundation. It has a substructure upon which it is built. And our Lord spoke of the different foundations in Luke chapter 6, and I want you to turn there just so you can see this very quickly. Luke chapter 6, and let's begin reading there with verse 47. Luke 6 and verse 47. This is a very familiar passage, but yet it shows you the importance of a foundation, which would show you the importance of faith, for faith is a foundation. Notice in Luke chapter 6 and verse 47, our Lord says this. In fact, let's read verse 46 in light of this. Our Lord says in verse 46, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

"Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great." So here our Lord is showing the absolute necessity for a foundation. If there is not a foundation, inevitably, invariably, there's going to be a real collapse. Now there are some homes that you can look at, and you really cannot see the foundation. Yet the foundation is there, for the house could not stand apart from the foundation. So what our Lord is telling us, that saving faith is the foundation upon which our Christian lives are built. And without real, genuine, saving faith, our lives are nothing but shifting sands.

Now I want you to listen to this one simple statement and I want to prove it to you. Mental assent is not faith. Mental assent is not faith. It is true that real faith involves knowledge and understanding. Yet giving mental assent to facts is not faith. If you'll look back in Luke 6 and verse 47, in fact, notice if you would what he says. Our Lord said, "Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and what? Doeth them."

In other words, there's more than hearing. There's application. He said, "I will show you what he is like." And then if you'll skip down to verse 49, he says, "But he that heareth, and doeth not." In other words, there is no foundation. And the one who did not do what he heard collapsed. Mental assent is mere agreement or acknowledgement. Faith always evidences itself in obedience. Faith affects the entirety of our lives. Faith changes our lives. It makes us different. Just giving mental assent to something does not make us different. It's kind of like the t-shirt that I've seen that one guy had, it had "Bomb Squad" on the t-shirt and on the back it said again, "Bomb Squad: if you see me running, try to keep up." Well, you know, you could give mental assent to that and stand there and get blown apart, you know. Well yeah, he's probably right, but if you're not keeping up with him you're in real danger. So faith is something that changes our lives. We have to realize the absolute importance of faith.

For in Hebrews 11 and verse 6, the Word of God tells us this: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." So faith then leads us into obedience. Faith leads us into submission and worship of the One True and the Living God. Now, let me point something out. One may hear truth for years, assent to it, agree with it, and acknowledge that it is truth and still be lost. There are thousands of people that have been raised in church, that still attend church, regularly, faithfully, will shake their head with truth. They agree with it. They say, yes, those are the facts. I agree with it. And yet they're as lost as they can be. Because mental assent is not faith. Let me show you.

The Israelites that came out of Egypt. Did they not hear the truth? Well, of course they did. Did they not see with their own eyes the miracles and the works of God? Yes, they did. Did they not have the oracles of God? Yes, you remember, God gave them at Mount Sinai His law. But let me ask you, in spite of all the benefits and blessings they had, what good did it do them because they did not have faith? Watch.

"And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." What? Did they not hear? The answer is yes. Did they not assent to what Moses said? Yes, they did. In fact, all you have to do is read Scripture, because when Moses came down, they said to him, "All that the Lord hath said unto us, we will do." Yeah, they assented. They knew what the Bible said. They believed, quote unquote, in the sense that, yeah, Moses went up. Moses came down. God gave him the law. Yeah, we assent to that. And the Bible says the gospel was preached to them, but it was not mixed with faith.

And they fell in the wilderness. You know, I get amazed every time I read 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 5. Listen to this:

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Many of them. How about all of them except two? Do you realize the only two men that originally came out of Egypt that got into Canaan land were Joshua and Caleb. What happened to the rest of them? They died in the wilderness. These were the ones to whom the gospel was preached. But it was not mixed with faith. They may have given mental assent to everything that Moses said, everything that God said. They assented, yes God did this miracle, yes God did this work, but it did not do them any good. Mental assent is not faith. Now listen carefully. One may assent mentally that Christ was born of a virgin, that he lived a sinless life, that he died a substitutionary death, that He was raised bodily from the grave, that He ascended into heaven, that He's seated at the right hand of God, and that He's coming back again. You may assent to all of those facts and yet be lost. Mental assent does not save, faith does. Now listen carefully. True saving faith will acknowledge all of those facts, believe all of those facts, and embrace all of those facts fully and freely. Yet it is faith that acts upon them because faith believes in Jesus Christ.

It is not the facts about Christ that save us, it is Christ who saves us. And we believe those facts only because we believe in Jesus Christ. Just mentally assenting to facts about Christ does not make one a believer in Christ. Let me just show you, again, in the Scripture, that there are plenty of people who assented to facts, but were lost. Look in your Bibles to Acts 26. Acts 26. The Apostle Paul is giving a testimony before Festus and Agrippa. And I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul says particularly about King Agrippa. Look at Acts chapter 26 and let's begin verse 22. Paul is giving a defense of himself as well as a testimony. And he says this, Acts 26 verse 22. Notice he says this:

and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Did Agrippa know the facts?

Well, of course he did. The Apostle Paul said, you know about Jesus Christ. This thing was not done in a corner. Do you believe the prophets? Yes. He mentally assented to the truth that was taught in the Old Testament. Here was a king then that had the facts concerning Christ and the facts concerning Old Testament prophecy and Old Testament truth. And yet he's lost. And Paul acknowledged that he did indeed believe those facts.

The point I'm trying to make is very simple. Believing facts does not save you. Believing facts does not save you. If the weatherman came on the news and said, "There will be an earthquake tomorrow at such and such place, at such and such magnitude, count on it, it's going to happen." You could believe that fact. But if you stayed and the earthquake happened, it does not save you just because you believe the fact. If you really genuinely believe the fact, you would leave the area.

Biblical Examples of Mental Assent Without Faith

Weaver provides examples of those who assented to truth but were lost: the Israelites who died in the wilderness (Hebrews 3-4), King Agrippa (Acts 26), the multitude following Jesus for miracles (John 6), and demons who believe and tremble (James 2:19). True faith perseveres and obeys.

The Israelites that came out of Egypt. Did they not hear the truth? Well, of course they did. Did they not see with their own eyes the miracles and the works of God? Yes, they did. Did they not have the oracles of God? Yes, you remember, God gave them at Mount Sinai His law. But let me ask you, in spite of all the benefits and blessings they had, what good did it do them because they did not have faith? Watch.

"And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." What? Did they not hear? The answer is yes. Did they not assent to what Moses said? Yes, they did. In fact, all you have to do is read Scripture, because when Moses came down, they said to him, "All that the Lord hath said unto us, we will do." Yeah, they assented. They knew what the Bible said. They believed, quote unquote, in the sense that, yeah, Moses went up. Moses came down. God gave him the law. Yeah, we assent to that. And the Bible says the gospel was preached to them, but it was not mixed with faith.

And they fell in the wilderness. You know, I get amazed every time I read 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 5. Listen to this:

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Many of them. How about all of them except two? Do you realize the only two men that originally came out of Egypt that got into Canaan land were Joshua and Caleb. What happened to the rest of them? They died in the wilderness. These were the ones to whom the gospel was preached. But it was not mixed with faith. They may have given mental assent to everything that Moses said, everything that God said. They assented, yes God did this miracle, yes God did this work, but it did not do them any good. Mental assent is not faith. Now listen carefully. One may assent mentally that Christ was born of a virgin, that he lived a sinless life, that he died a substitutionary death, that He was raised bodily from the grave, that He ascended into heaven, that He's seated at the right hand of God, and that He's coming back again. You may assent to all of those facts and yet be lost. Mental assent does not save, faith does. Now listen carefully. True saving faith will acknowledge all of those facts, believe all of those facts, and embrace all of those facts fully and freely. Yet it is faith that acts upon them because faith believes in Jesus Christ.

It is not the facts about Christ that save us, it is Christ who saves us. And we believe those facts only because we believe in Jesus Christ. Just mentally assenting to facts about Christ does not make one a believer in Christ. Let me just show you, again, in the Scripture, that there are plenty of people who assented to facts, but were lost. Look in your Bibles to Acts 26. Acts 26. The Apostle Paul is giving a testimony before Festus and Agrippa. And I want you to notice what the Apostle Paul says particularly about King Agrippa. Look at Acts chapter 26 and let's begin verse 22. Paul is giving a defense of himself as well as a testimony. And he says this, Acts 26 verse 22. Notice he says this:

and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." Did Agrippa know the facts?

Well, of course he did. The Apostle Paul said, you know about Jesus Christ. This thing was not done in a corner. Do you believe the prophets? Yes. He mentally assented to the truth that was taught in the Old Testament. Here was a king then that had the facts concerning Christ and the facts concerning Old Testament prophecy and Old Testament truth. And yet he's lost. And Paul acknowledged that he did indeed believe those facts.

The point I'm trying to make is very simple. Believing facts does not save you. Believing facts does not save you. If the weatherman came on the news and said, "There will be an earthquake tomorrow at such and such place, at such and such magnitude, count on it, it's going to happen." You could believe that fact. But if you stayed and the earthquake happened, it does not save you just because you believe the fact. If you really genuinely believe the fact, you would leave the area. You would demonstrate it by obedience. This is what I'm trying to show you. Listen carefully. If simply believing facts was sufficient to save, there should not be one lost evil spirit. How can I say that? James 2:19. You remember what James said? "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." They know the facts. They believe those facts. In fact, many times when Christ would cast out an evil spirit, He would cry out, "I know who thou art, the Holy One of God." But his knowledge of the facts did not save him. There was no faith. They may have had the facts and they may have had the facts correct, but they had no faith.

Stop and think about all the men and women that followed Jesus Christ, that gave mental assent to everything that He did and everything that He said. Look in your Bibles to John chapter 6. John chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verses 1 and 2. John 6 verse 1. Watch carefully. "After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased." Now, did they believe those miracles were real? Yes. They assented to the fact of those miracles, that Christ actually did them, that He actually performed them. And they followed Him because they saw the miracles.

"What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not." Now, Lord, you may be assenting, and you may be agreeing, and you may be acknowledging, but you don't really believe. Watch. "But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."

for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." Now what did John just say? He said if you leave, it's just proof that you were never ever converted to begin with. "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." Here these people left Christ. Look if you would at verse 67 of John 6.

If you're genuinely converted, you'll stick it out. No matter how tough, you'll stick it out. There will be perseverance. So what do sinners need to hear? They need to not only hear the distinction between ability and responsibility, the distinction between the work or the wisdom of man and the work of God. They also need to hear the difference between mental assent and real genuine faith. Mental assent does not save. Only faith in Jesus Christ saves. The fourth and final truth that sinners really need to hear is the difference between works and grace. The difference between works and grace. Listen carefully. Works do not save us, nor do they help save us. Works have absolutely nothing to do with our salvation. It is impossible for anyone to work his way into the Kingdom of God.

The Difference Between Works and Grace

Weaver presents the fourth truth: the distinction between works and grace. He asserts that works do not save or help save; salvation is impossible for man but possible with God (Mark 10). Justification is by faith, not by law (Galatians 3:11).

It is impossible for anyone to work and become good enough to be saved. One would think if you read the Bible, and if you just read no other passage than the passage in Mark 10 dealing with the rich young ruler, that would be sufficient to clarify this issue. If you will turn to Mark chapter 10, and I'm not going to read the whole story concerning the rich young ruler. You know how he came running to our Lord and he knelt and he said,

And our Lord began with a rebuke,

In other words, here's what he's saying. If I'm God, if I'm good, I'm God. If I'm God, you don't come running into my presence demanding something of me. And when our Lord answered his questions, you know how he went away exceedingly sorrowful, for he had great possessions. So, look if you would what our Lord said to His disciples after the young man has gone away. Mark 10 verse 23,

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." Now, if you'll look back at verse 26, the question is, "Who then can be saved?" Look at verse 27. "With men it is impossible"—what is the "it"? It refers to salvation. With men, salvation is impossible, but not with God. In other words, no one can save himself. No one can help save himself. Salvation by man in any shape, form or fashion is absolutely, totally, completely impossible. You can't save yourself. In other words, if you're not saved by Jesus Christ, you're not saved. Do you understand that a dead man cannot become a good man? All a dead man can be is dead. He may rot and stink a little more, but he can't become whole, and he can't become good, and he can't become alive in and of himself. And the scripture says in Ephesians 2 and verse 1, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." Spiritually dead. You remember that passage in Isaiah 64 and verse 6 where our Lord said, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;

and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." All of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. That is, we don't have any. It's worthless. Useless. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3, Galatians chapter 3. And let's read verses 11 through 13. Just again to show you the absolute impossibility of works having any influence upon salvation. Notice Galatians chapter 3 verse 11. The Bible says, "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." Note that carefully. "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them."

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Now, let me tell you first of all what verse 11 is telling us. "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith." God does not justify a man based upon works, but based upon faith in Jesus Christ. It does not matter how many good deeds that one thinks he has performed. Justification is in the realm of faith and it is not in the realm of works. Think about that. Justification is in the realm of faith or the sphere of faith. It is not in the sphere or the realm of works.

The Impossibility of Salvation by Works

Weaver explains that the law demands personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, which no one can fulfill. He cites Romans 3:20, 28; Galatians 2:16; and Titus 3:5 to show that no flesh is justified by works. Works apart from faith only damn.

So, if you told me that I went to a certain factory and did something, it would help me. But I went to a totally different factory and did an awful lot of works and I didn't get helped. And I'd come to you and say, you lied to me. No, I didn't lie to you. You went to the wrong factory. You didn't go where I told you to go. So our Lord is saying, here you are over here in the realm of law and works looking for justification. It's not there. You'll never get it there. It's over here in the factory or in the realm of faith.

Now, remember if you would, and I've told you this repeatedly, the law demands three things from every individual. It demands a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. Look at verse 12. "And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." If you're going to put yourself under the law of works, then you have to obey personally, perfectly, and perpetually every aspect of the law. Which is impossible. No one has ever done it except the Lord Jesus Christ. And you see, if you were from this day forward to be perfect in word, thought, and deed, and you never sinned again until the day that you died, you never even sinned, that still wouldn't save you. Because what about all those sins that you committed before you got perfect? It's impossible. It's impossible to be saved by works.

Moreover, the scripture tells us there is a curse attached to the law. If you do not render to the law that which it demands, you are cursed. And the Bible tells us the wages of sin are death. So you die. And all that you performed, all your good deeds, were worthless. You're in the wrong factory. You're in the wrong sphere. You're in the wrong area. I'll tell you this, works apart from saving faith in Jesus Christ will only damn you.

They will not save you. Now, follow me very quickly. I want you to go, first of all, to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 3, verse 20. Then we're going to come back to Galatians, the whole Galatians. Look in Romans 3, verse 20. Just showing you what the Scripture says. Romans 3, verse 20. Here we go, Romans 3 verse 20.

What?

No flesh. No one will ever be justified by keeping the law or by doing the best they can or doing what they think is right. No, it's impossible. Skip down if you would to verse 28. Romans 3 verse 28.

So our works have nothing to do with our salvation. Turn back to Galatians chapter 2 and look at verse 16. Galatians 2 and verse 16. Look what the Apostle Paul says. Galatians 2 verse 16. Here it is. "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." My goodness.

How much plainer can it be? In the book of Titus chapter 3 and verse 5, the Apostle Paul said this: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Now listen to what he said: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us." So the truth is very simple. We're not saved by works. We're not saved with the help of works. We're saved by grace through faith alone.

True Faith Produces Works

Weaver clarifies that while works do not save, genuine saving faith will inevitably produce good works (Ephesians 2:10). He expounds James 2:14-26, showing that faith without works is dead, and that works evidence faith to others (Titus 3:8, 14).

Now, let me make something exceedingly clear. True saving faith will work. True saving faith will obey God's law. Everyone can quote the first two verses that I'm going to quote. Ephesians 2:8 and 9. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." But listen to verse 10. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." In other words, although works do not save us, they do not help save us, if we have a real genuine saving faith, we will work.

We will do what is right. We will do that which is holy. We will do that which is lawful. Turn in your Bibles to the book of James. James understood this so clearly. Look in James chapter 2 if you would please. Beginning there with verse 14. James 2, verse 14. James 2, verse 14. James asks, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"

Now let me give you just a little something that will clarify that verse for you. Because I'm going to show it to you the rest of the chapter. But look at verse 14 again. I'm going to add a word of clarification. Maybe two words. Watch this. Verse 14. "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can that kind of faith save him?" Hmm? That kind of faith can't save anybody, a faith without works. Why? Let me show you why. Skip down to verse 18. "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." Oh. Skip down to verse 20. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" What is he saying?

If you tell me you have faith, and you don't have any works that evidence, and you don't have any obedience, you don't have any godliness, you don't have anything in your life that shows that you've been changed, and you're worshipping and living for the Lord Jesus Christ, you've got a dead faith. That kind of faith, he says, can't save you, period. Look at it in verse 26. He says it again. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Wow. Faith without works is dead also. In other words, what James is saying is this: if we have real, genuine, saving faith, our faith will evidence itself, it will manifest itself in biblical works. Now, true saving faith works. True saving faith lives the Bible, obeys God's commands, and renders worship to the Lord Jesus Christ. And truthfully, our obedience is not perfect. There's no one perfect in this room. I don't care how much my wife praises me, I'm not perfect. You heard that. She knows.

But let me tell you something. Although none of us are perfect, if we're saved, when we sin, we repent. And we start back on the path of obedience again. Follow me? So, all I'm telling you is what James is saying, that real faith works. And by the way, have you ever noticed in scripture that in reality, our works are really not per se for ourselves. For instance, James said, "Show me your faith." Henry, can you show me your faith? Reach in and take it out and show it to me.

He said, you should know. That's why I said, "I'll show you my faith by my works." God may see our faith, but men cannot see our faith. I want you to turn to the book of Titus. Look in the book of Titus. 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus. Look in Titus chapter 3 and verse 8. Titus chapter 3 and verse 8. Titus 3 verse 8, Paul says this: "This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men." My neighbor cannot see my faith, but he can see my obedience or my disobedience. Skip down, if you would, to verse 14. Paul writes, "And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful." So we're to maintain good works. We're to have good works. Good works do indeed evidence the fact that we are genuinely saved. And they're useful for other people to see that we are genuinely saved.

Christ's Righteousness Alone Saves

Weaver uses Philippians 3:4-9 to illustrate Paul's counting all things loss for Christ's righteousness. He shares the story of D.L. Moody emphasizing 'done' versus 'do'—Christ has done it all. Salvation is in Christ alone.

But I do want you to turn to one last passage, Philippians chapter 3, because I think Paul pretty well ties this truth together very well. Look in Philippians chapter 3, and I would say that this is probably the best passage to demonstrate the fact that we're not saved by works, but by faith. Philippians 3, verse 7. In fact, let's begin reading with verse 4. Let's read it all. Look in verse 4. Paul writes, "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." That is according to the Pharisees.

Then he says, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Paul said, I was willing to lose everything. And I counted nothing but dung, that I may have only the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That which saves us is Christ and His work, not our works. The story is told of Dwight L. Moody on a train. And he sat by another preacher, who was basically a Judaizer, who said, "It's alright to believe in Christ, but you have to add works." And he was counting on his works to get him into heaven. Moody listened intently. And when the man finally finished, Moody looked at him and said, "You know, we're very close in agreement." The preacher said, "Really?" "Oh yes," he said, "there's only two letters that separate us." "Oh, what are they?"

"Well," he says, "you spell yours D-O. I spell mine, D-O-N-E. Done. Christ has done it all. And we're to trust in His righteousness and not ours." Two quick applications. The first one is this: sinners need to hear the truth. They do not need to hear watered down, compromised, flesh-exalting opinions. They need to hear that they're helpless and hopeless. They need to hear they're responsible and accountable unto God. They need to hear that their decisions do not save them. Only Christ can save them. They need to hear there's a difference between mental assent and real genuine faith. And they need to hear their righteousness is totally and completely in Jesus Christ and Him alone, not in their works. Christ Himself said in John 14 and verse 6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." One of our problems in this day and time is we're not telling the truth to sinners. Most preachers are not telling the truth. Most Christians are not telling the truth.

Applications and Conclusion

Weaver applies the message: sinners need to hear the unvarnished truth about their helplessness and Christ's sufficiency. Real faith works, not to be saved, but because we are saved. He urges believers to include these four truths when witnessing.

We're so concerned of offending and hurting someone's feelings that we're willing to let them be lost and believe a lie because we don't tell them the truth. Sinners need to hear the truth. The second application of this: real faith works. Works do not save us. They do not help save us. But our works do indeed manifest and evidence the fact that we've been genuinely saved by grace through faith. We work not to be saved, but we work because we have been saved by Jesus Christ. And Christ, and Christ alone is salvation.

So I would submit to you, if you're going to try to witness to anyone, family or friend, you need to at least include these four truths: that men are responsible, yet they have no ability; that their decision will not save them—there's a difference between the work of man and the power of God; that there's a big difference between just believing facts and believing in Christ—mental assent will not save; there's a difference between mental assent and faith; and there's a big difference between works and grace. You need to give them truth. Father, thank you in Jesus' name for your word, for your grace, for your mercy. Help us, dear Lord, to love thee, to live for thee, and Lord, to apply thy word to our lives in every situation. Give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen. Amen.