Text—“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves”. (James 1:22)
There
are two extremes in religion. Both
extremes are equally false and equally fatal.
There are two types of hypocrites who occupy these two extremes. The first group makes religion consist in
the belief of certain abstract doctrines.
This is what they call faith.
They place little or no emphasis on good works. The other group makes religion consist in
good works. (I mean dead works) They place little or no emphasis on faith in
Jesus Christ, but they hope to be saved by their own deeds. The Jews generally belonged to the second
group. Their religious teachers taught
them that they would be saved by obedience to the ceremonial law. Therefore, when Paul began to preach, he
seems to have concentrated his attack on this error of the Jews. He was determined to carry the teaching that
men are justified by faith in Jesus Christ, to oppose the doctrine of the
Scribes and Pharisees, which stated that salvation is by obedience to the
law. Paul pressed this point so
earnestly, in his preaching and in his epistles, that he won his argument, and
settled the faith of the church in the great doctrine of justification by
faith. And then, certain individuals in
the church got a hold of this doctrine and carried it to the opposite extreme. They maintained that men are saved by faith
altogether, irrespective of works of any kind.
They overlooked the simple principle that genuine faith always results
in good works, and genuine faith is, all by itself, a good work.
I
said that these two extremes, the first, which makes religion consist in
outward works and the second, which makes it consist in faith, are equally
false and equally fatal. Those who make
religion consist in good works overlook the fact that works themselves are not
acceptable to God, unless they proceed from faith. For without faith it is impossible to please God. And those who make religion consist only in
faith, overlook the fact that true faith always works by love, and invariably
produces works of love.
Both
extremes are equally fatal, because, on one hand, without faith people cannot
be pardoned or justified; and on the other hand, without sanctification they
cannot be fitted either for the employments or enjoyments of heaven. Let a sinner turn from his sins altogether,
and suppose his works are as perfect as he thinks they are, and yet he cannot
be pardoned without faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ. Therefore, if any one believes he can be
justified by faith while his works are evil, he must know that without
sanctification, his faith is dead and his faith cannot be the instrument of his
justification.
It
appears that in his epistle, James planned to put this matter on the right
ground. He wanted to show exactly where
the truth was located, and explain not only the need for both faith and works,
but also the reason why we need both faith and good works. This is a very practical epistle, and it
addresses all the great practical questions of the day, and deals with them.
There
are two types of religious doctrines, those that refer to God, and those that
refer to human practice. Many confine
their idea of religious doctrines to those that refer to God. They think nothing is properly called
doctrine unless it’s about God, His attributes, mode of existence, decrees, and
so on. When I gave notice that I would
commence a course of practical lectures, I hope you did not understand me to
mean that the lectures would not be doctrinal, or would have no doctrine in
them. My purpose is to preach, Lord
willing, a course of lectures on practical doctrines.
The
doctrine that I propose to consider tonight is this.
Any
professing Christian who does not practice what he admits is true, is
self-deceived.
There
are two types of hypocrites among professing Christians, those who deceive
others and those who deceive themselves.
The first group of hypocrites are those that, using a deceptively false
morality and show of religion, they cover up the hatred of their hearts against
God and lead others to think they are very pious people. That is how the Pharisees got the reputation
of being remarkably pious. It was by
their outside display of religion, their alms, and their long prayers. The other group mentioned in the text
deceive themselves. These people are
orthodox in feeling, but loose in practice.
They appear to believe that religion consists in a collection of ideas
that have nothing to do with practice.
Thus, they deceive themselves into thinking that they are good
Christians while they lack any true holiness at all. They are hearers of the word but not doers. They love orthodox preaching, and take great
pleasure in hearing the abstract doctrines of religion preached. Perhaps they have flights of imagination and
glowing feelings in view of the character and government of God. However, they are not careful to practice
the precepts of God's word, nor are they pleased with the preaching of those
doctrines that relate to human practice.
Perhaps
both types of hypocrites are here tonight.
Now, listen: I am not going to preach tonight to those of you who, by
your strict morals and outside religious appearance, deceive others. I am going to address those of you who do
not practice what you know is true, who are hearers of the word and not
doers. Perhaps I better say, to get
your attention, that it is highly probable there are several here right now who
have this character. I don’t know your
names; but I want you to understand that if you have that character, you are
the ones I am speaking to, just as if I called you out by name. I am talking to you. You hear the word and believe it in theory,
while you deny it in practice. I am
telling you that you deceive yourselves.
Today’s passage proves it. Here
you have a very clear “Thus says the Lord” for it says that all such people are
self-deceivers. I might quote a number
of other passages of scripture that support this point, and leave it at
that. But I want to call your attention
to some other considerations, beside the direct testimony of scripture.
In
the first place, you do not truly believe God’s word. You hear it, and agree that it is true, but you do not truly
believe it. And here let me say, that
you can easily be deceived on this point.
You are not deceived by your conscience, but because you don’t understand
what your conscience is telling you.
Two things are indispensable to evangelical or saving faith. The first is an intellectual conviction of
the truth. I don’t mean some abstract
truth, but a conviction that comes from the bearing that truth has on you. The truth, in its relationship to you, or in
the bearing it has on your conduct, must be received intellectually. True faith then includes a corresponding
state of heart. The condition of your
heart always enters into the essence of true faith. When your understanding is convinced, and you admit the truth,
then there is a hearty approval of it in its bearing or its relationship to
you. Both these states of mind are
indispensable to true faith.
Intellectual conviction of the truth is not saving faith. But, intellectual conviction, when it is
accompanied with a corresponding state of the affections, is saving faith. As a result, it follows that where there is
true saving faith, there is always a corresponding change of conduct. A change of conduct always follows real
faith. Because our will controls our
conduct, we will act as we believe.
Suppose I say to a man, “Do you believe this”? “Yes, I believe it”, he responds. What does he mean? Does
he only have an intellectual conviction?
He may have an intellectual convection, and yet not have faith.
A
person may even feel that he approves of an abstract truth. Many people think faith is the approval that
they feel for the character and government of God, and for the plan of
salvation when they view it abstractedly.
Many people, when they hear an eloquent sermon on the attributes or the
government of God, they get all excited at the inspiration and excellence of
the message, while they don’t have one particle of true faith. I have heard about one unbeliever who would
be moved even to ecstasy during such sermons.
Our rational mind is created in such a way that it naturally and
necessarily approves of truth when we view that truth abstractedly. Even the wickedest devils in hell love
truth, if they can see it without its relationship to themselves. If they could see the gospel without any
relationship that interferes with their own selfishness, they would not only
see that it is true, but they would heartily approve it. All hell, if they could view God in His
absolute existence, without any relationship to themselves, would heartily
approve of His character. The reason
why wicked men and devils hate God is because they see Him in relation to
themselves. Their hearts rise up in
rebellion, because they see Him opposed to their selfishness.
This
is the source of a lot of delusion among people concerning religion. They see that religion is true, and they
rejoice in thinking about it; but they don’t enter into the relationship it has
with them. And so, they love to hear
religious preaching, and say they are fed by it. But, listen! They go away
and do not act on that truth! Look at
that man. He is sick, and his feelings
are tender. He sees Christ as a kind
and tender Savior. His heart melts, and
he feels strong emotions of approval towards Jesus Christ. Why?
For the very same reasons that he would feel strong emotions toward a
romance hero. But he does not obey
Christ. He never does one thing out of
obedience to Christ, but only views Him abstractedly, and is delighted with His
glorious and lovely character, while he himself remains in the gall of
bitterness. Therefore, you can see that
your faith must be an efficient faith.
If it is not the kind of faith that regulates what you do and produces
good works, it is not the faith of the gospel.
It is no real faith at all.
It
is also obvious that you are deceiving yourselves, because all true religion
consists in obedience. Therefore, no
matter how much you may approve of Christianity, you have no religion unless
you obey it. In saying that all
religion consists in obedience, I do not mean outward obedience. But faith itself, true faith, works by love,
and produces corresponding actions. The
only true obedience is the obedience that comes from the heart. Love is the fulfilling of the law; and
religion consists in the obedience of the heart, with a corresponding course of
life. The man, therefore, who hears the
truth, approves of it, and does not practice it, deceives himself. He is like the man who looks at his face in
a mirror. He sees himself, then goes
away and after a little while, he forgets what he looks like.
That
state of mind, which you mistake for religion, is really an intellectual
conviction of truth, and an abstract approval of it. Instead of this being evidence that you are pious, it is as
common to the wicked as to the good, whenever they can be brought to look at it
abstractedly. This is the reason why it
is often so difficult to convince sinners that they are opposed to God and His
truth. Men are so constituted that they
naturally approve of virtue, and naturally admire the character and government
of God. They would approve and admire
every truth in the Bible if they could view them abstractedly and without any
relationship to themselves. And when
they sit under preaching that holds up the truth in such a way, that it doesn’t
have much of a practical bearing on themselves, they can sit for years and
never consider that they are opposed to God and His government.
I
am more and more persuaded, that great multitudes can be found in all our
congregations where the abstract doctrines of the gospel are liberally
preached, who love the preaching and like to hear all about God and all these
things, and yet, they are unconverted.
And no doubt, millions of them are in these churches because they love
orthodox preaching, while it is obvious that they are not doers of the
word. The problem is that they have not
had that searching preaching that would make them see the truth in its bearing
on themselves. And now, they are in the
church, and whenever the truth is preached in its practical relationship to
them, they show that their deep-seated hatred for God still remains in their
hearts, by rising up in opposition to truth.
They
took it for granted that they were Christians, and so they joined the church
because they could hear sound doctrinal preaching and approve of it, or because
they can read the Bible and approve of it.
If their faith is not so practical that it influences their conduct, if
they do not view the truth in its relation to their own practice, their faith
does not affect them any more than the faith of the devil.
REMARKS
1.
A lot of harm has been done by false representations concerning the wickedness
of real Christians.
A
celebrated preacher, not long ago, gave this definition of a Christian: “A
little grace and a great deal of devil”.
I completely deny this definition.
It is false and ruinous. An
awful lot is said that makes an impression that real Christians are the wickedest
beings on the face of the earth. It is
true that when they do sin they incur great guilt. For a Christian to sin is highly criminal. And it is also true that enlightened
Christians see great wickedness in their sins.
When they compare their obligations with their lives, they are greatly
humbled, and express their humility in very strong language. But it is not true that they are as bad as
the devil, or anywhere in the neighborhood of it. I could prove this. When
they do sin, their sins can cause great damage, and appear extremely wicked in
the sight of God. But to suppose that
men are real Christians, while they live in the service of the devil and show
little appearance of any true religion, is not only false but it also has very
dangerous tendencies. It encourages
every hypocrite and backslider. It also
damages the cause of Christ in the eyes of scorners. The truth is, those who do not obey God are not Christians. Any contrary doctrine is disastrous to
churches because it fills those churches up with multitudes whose claim to
piety depends on adopting many of the church’s teachings, while they never
intend to obey the requirements of the gospel in their lives.
2.
Those who are so much more zealous to know doctrines than to put them into practice,
and who place more importance on those doctrines that relate to God than those
that relate to their own conduct, are deceived.
Many
will receive all the doctrines of the Bible that relate to God. They will approve, and love those doctrines,
and yet do not have one particle of religion.
Those who are never “fed”, as they call it, on any preaching but the
preaching of certain abstract points of doctrine, are deceived. They are the very people that the apostle
James wrote about in his epistle. They
make religion consist in a set of ideas and opinions, while they do not lead
holy lives.
3.
Those professing Christians, who never like to hear about God
or His attributes, or His mode of existence, the Trinity, decrees, election,
and things like that, but are only interested in religious practices to the
exclusion of religious doctrine, are Pharisees.
Their
outward piety and occasional emotional outbursts are all performances, giving
others the appearance they are spiritual, while they refuse to receive the
great truths that relate to God, and deny the fundamental doctrines of the
gospel.
4.
The proper end and tendency of all right doctrine, when it is truly believed,
is to produce correct practice.
Wherever
you find someone’s deeds faulty, you may be sure his belief is faulty too. The faith that he holds in his heart is just
as faulty as his life. He may not be
faulty in his notions and theories. He
may be right on, even on the same points where he is faulty in his
behavior. But he does not truly believe
his own theories.
For
example: See that careless sinner, over there, grasping at wealth, and rushing
headlong in the search for riches. Does
that man truly believe he is ever going to die? Perhaps you will say, he knows he must die. But I say, that as long as he has this
attitude, he does not actually believe he is ever going to die. It does not even enter into his mind. It is therefore impossible that he should
believe it in his thoughtlessness. You
ask him if he expects to die someday, and he will reply, “O yes, I know I must
die, all men are mortal.” As soon as he
thinks about it, he agrees with the truth.
And if you could fasten the conviction on his mind until he is truly and
permanently impressed with it, he would change his conduct, and live for
another world instead of this world.
The same is true in religion.
Whatever a man truly and sincerely believes is just as certain to
control his behavior as his will governs his conduct.
5.
The church has for a long time spent too much time and energy on abstract
doctrines.
The
church has been a stickler for the more abstract doctrines, and left the more
practical doctrines too much out of view.
She has placed more importance on orthodoxy in those doctrines that are
not practical, than in those doctrines that are practical. Look at the creeds of the church, and see
how they place their emphasis on those doctrines that have little relationship
to our practice. A man may be
completely wrong on points of practice, as long as he is not openly profane or
vicious. He maintains a good standing
in the church, whether his life corresponds with the gospel or not. Isn’t this outrageous? And so we see that, when on-fire Christians
attempt to purify the church from their practical errors, she cannot bear it. What other reason could there be for the
fact that attempting to clear the church from her participation in sins of
intemperance, Sabbath-breaking, and slavery produces so much excitement? Why is it so difficult to get the church to
do anything effective for the conversion of the world? Oh, when shall the church be purified or the
world converted? Not until it is a
settled point, that heresy in practice is the proof of heresy in belief. Not as long as professing Christians can
deny the whole gospel in their practice every day, and yet maintain their
standing in the church as good Christians.
6.
Can you see how a minister can be deceived concerning the state of his
congregation?
Most
of his sermons deal with abstract doctrines that don’t immediately relate to
practice, and his people say they are fed, and they rejoice in his messages,
and he thinks they are growing in grace, when in fact there is no real
indication that there is any religion among them. It is obvious that their praise of his preaching is not certain
evidence that they are Christians. But
if, when he preaches practical doctrines, his people show that they love the
truth in relation to themselves, and show it by practicing what he preaches,
then they give evidence of a real love of the truth.
If
a minister finds that his people love abstract doctrinal preaching, but when he
presses the practical doctrines they rebel, he may be sure that if they have
any religion at all, they don’t have much.
And if he finds after giving them a fair chance that he cannot bring
them to receive practical doctrine, he may be assured that they don’t have one
particle of religion, but they think they can go to heaven on a dead faith in
abstract teachings.
7.
Do you see why multitudes of professing Christians are deceiving themselves?
Many
people today believe they are Christians because of the emotions they feel in
view of truth, when in fact what they receive is truth presented to their minds
in such a way that they do not see its bearing on themselves. If you bring the truth to bear on them, in
such a way that it destroys their pride and cuts them off from their
worldliness, such professing Christians resist it. Look around at the church.
Look at the multitude of orthodox churches and orthodox Christians that
live and feed on the abstract doctrines of religion from year to year. Then look at their lives and see how little
influence their professed belief has on the things that they do in their lives. Do they have saving faith? Impossible.
I do not mean to say that none of these church members are pious, but I
will say that those who do not put into practice what they admit in theory,
those who are hearers of the word but not doers, deceive themselves.
Ask
yourselves, how many of you really believe the truths you hear preached. I have proposed to preach a course of
practical lectures. I do not mean that
I will preach lectures that have no doctrine in them. That is not preaching at all.
But what I want to do is to see whether you will, as a church, do what
you believe is true. If I do not
succeed in convincing you that any doctrine I preach to you is really true,
that is another matter. That is a good
enough reason why you should not obey it.
But, if I do succeed in proving from the scriptures and convincing you
that it is true, and yet you do not practice it, I will then have the evidence
before my own eyes what your character is, and I will no longer deceive myself
with the idea that this is a Christian church.
Are
you aware that the gospel is producing a practical effect on you, according to
how much you know about the gospel? Is
the gospel weaning you from the world?
Do you find this to be your experience, that when you receive any
practical truth into your minds you love it, and you love to feel its
application to yourself, and take pleasure in practicing it? If you are not growing in grace, becoming
increasingly holy, yielding yourselves up to the influence of the gospel, you
are deceiving yourselves. You who are
elders of this church, where are you?
You who are heads of families, where are you? What about all of you?
When you hear a sermon, do you seize hold of it and take it home to you,
and practice it; or do you receive it in your minds, and approve of it and
never practice it? Woe to that man who
admits the truth, and yet turns away and does not practice it, like the man
beholding his natural face in a glass, turns away and forgets what kind of man
he was.