The Lord Jesus gives us faith and good works, never just one or the other. We must have them both, and for this, we believe God.

First, Missouri is the “show me” state in the USA. They want proof. They are not interested in mere talkers, and neither is God. James 2:18 "But someone will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

God says,

Ezekiel 33:31, "So My people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest profit.”

They talk but do not walk. They love the gospel in word only. They don’t have the truth in their heart. They are shallow ground hearers, or the word is choked by the thorns. Oh, how awful it is to profess to love Christ, but do it not. They don’t have the Spirit. They may agree with the sermon, but they don’t practice it. There’s no crying out after God.

God’s glory is giving us a new life and not just a new lip. He gives a new heart and actions. He changes us, so that our faith is not empty. James 2:15-17, “If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.” If we’re bearing no fruit, then let us consider. We are not looking to Christ.

Let us get the real deal from Him who saves sinners. Let’s cry out to God for actions. Two things are needed (1) faith without works (2) faith that works.

Secondly, justification by works is taught in the Bible. James 2:21, “Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?”

It is the plain language of James. We’re justified by faith apart from works, and then we’re justified by works, as faith bears fruit.

We have FOUR RIGHTEOUSNESSES promised to us. One, we have the righteousness of faith -that without doing anything, God accepts us and counts us righteous by faith in His Son [James 2:23]. He imputes righteousness. Secondly, we have the righteousness of faithfulness, as we obey the Son of God [Phil 1:11]. What we do by faith, He accepts, even as He regarded Abel and has work [Gen 4:4]. Thirdly, we have a righteous nature. Every believer is born again, and the new creation believes the gospel in the inner man. This is a righteous soul, even as Lot vexed his righteous soul in Sodom [2 Pet 2:8]. Fourthly, we’ll have a righteous body when we get to heaven. The body of sin will be laid to rest, and we’ll never sin again! We’ll be perfect in love without sickness and temptation in the likeness of Christ [1 John 3:2].

Every believer has the whole inheritance. What we do shows that we believe it!

Thirdly, here’s the wonder of wonders: We are friends of God! James 2:23, “So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.”

Justifying faith is so sweet that it brings us into relationship with the Almighty; it wipes away sins and gives us full acceptance, so believers are righteous and fit to commune with Infinite Majesty. God stoops to speak to us by faith, receive us by faith, and our evidence is devotion to His glory, even as Abraham offered Isaac, believing that God would resurrect him, because He cannot lie!

This GOOD RELATIONSHIP where God is trusted is the dignity that we lost in the Garden but has been restored through the cross. Adam ate a forbidden fruit and Jesus bore the condemnation of a multitude of sins. Adam rebelled at a tree, and Jesus obeyed on a tree, bearing our guilt and shame.

Now, walk at peace with God. Look up to Him to help you and to fulfill His promises. Walk as God’s friend!