February 7, 2010
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
Of Princeton, New Jersey

James 2: 14: What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

MEETING LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ 08553

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10:00 AM Bible Class
11:00 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service

WEB ADDRESSES
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MAILING ADDRESS
7 Birch Street
Pennington, New Jersey 08534
Phone: 615-513-4464
Email: mailto:clay@sovereign-grace.us

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GIFT OF GRACE
(James 2: 1)

James reminds the believer that faith is a gift. Some translations may read, "faith IN the Lord Jesus Christ." Brethren, faith and righteousness are gifts freely given to whomsoever God chooses by, from, and to the glory of God through the FAITH OF CHRIST, OF GLORY (Rom 11: 36).

Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness OF GOD without the law is manifested, [The righteousness of who? OF GOD] being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22: Even the righteousness OF GOD [the righteousness of who? OF GOD] which is by FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST [by faith of who? OF JESUS CHRIST].

Through the gospel OF Christ the righteousness OF God is revealed from faith OF Christ to the believer through the gift of faith (Romans 1:17). Believer's are justified by the faith OF the Lord Jesus Christ THROUGH WHOM we have peace with God (Rom 5:1). By Christ Jesus ALSO those he justified and reconciled to God are given faith by which we have access into this grace, wherein all that is left for us to do is stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Rom 5:2).

Galatians 2:16: 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.

This has everything to do with a respect of persons! Brethren, God is no respecter of persons. He did not choose us and give us faith, repentance, justification, and righteousness from our Lord Jesus Christ of glory because he respected our person. Every good and perfect gift of God is a gift of his own will freely given to whomsoever he chooses by his grace (Ephesians 2: 8, 9; Romans 9:11, 15; Hosea 14:4; Romans 3:24).

THE OFFENSE OF RESPECTING PERSONS
James 2: 2-6

A respect of persons is glorying in the flesh rather than God. It is despising what God has chosen. God, who owns all things, chose for his own Son to come in the likeness of sinful flesh through a poor family from a despised place called Nazareth. God, who calls whom he will, chose to call base fisherman and the poor instead of the highly esteemed, mighty and noble men of the earth. God, who is Wisdom, chose for his Son and his vessels of mercy to receive no education or authority from the wise and prudent leaders of the day. God, who could have chosen any means he pleased, chose a cursed, bloody cross to redeem his people. God, who could create children from the rocks, chose to save through the foolishness of preaching through the power of the Holy Spirit. God chose what the carnal religious and wise man esteems as nothing to pollute the pride of man's wisdom, that no flesh should glory in his presence (Isaiah 23: 9; I Corinthians 1:19, 20, 26-31). The majority whom God chose in Christ before the foundation of the world, he has not given worldly riches or honor, not before calling them or after (1 Corinthians 1:26). But God has made his saints rich in ways the natural eye cannot see: rich in faith, heirs of the kingdom, as a gift by promise to the believer, not by respect of persons.

OPPRESION AND JUDGMENT OF THE RICH
James 2: 6-7

Those rich in this world, in carnal religion and philosophy hate God and can not subject themselves to God. The carnal can not wait on God to add to the church such as should be saved, trusting God to make disciples and to grow in grace only through the preaching of Christ. The preaching of Christ crucified is a stumbling block which gets in their way of making disciples and of building their church. They oppress and drag men to various judgment seats: to the law of God, to the seat of their polluted discernment, to the seat of vain tradition and man-made creeds. In all, the carnal man blasphemes that worthy name by which we are called.

THAT WORTHY NAME

But we preach Christ crucified (I Corinthians 1:23). Unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God. The believer discovers that God chose the way despised of men, so that those who are called might behold that salvation is indeed of God who put us in Christ, who of God makes Christ all unto us. We worship in spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Our best wisdom was utter ignorance. But now we know that the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God stronger than men (I Corinthians 1:24-31; Philippians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17).

THE APPLICATION
James 2: 8-13

Many profess to understand the doctrine that the believer is not under the law but under grace. But, may we ask God, to make us to believe him when he says that which is highly esteemed among men, is the breaking of the entire law of God. Is there any yet so foolish, so blind, so rich, so mighty and noble, so highly respected in his own eyes as to read these words and say he has FUFLILLED the royal law in himself? If you have been given faith from the Lord Jesus Christ of glory so that you can say, "No, I have not fulfilled the law but Christ has done so on my behalf and I trust that I shall be found in him, not having mine own righteousness but the righteousness of God by the faith of Christ Jesus" then so speak ye, and so do, treating the rich and poor, young and old, male and female, educated and uneducated, in mercy as one who has been judged in Christ according to the gospel of liberty. Those who go on esteeming the things which God hates, say within themselves that they need no mercy. They shall have judgment without mercy. But those who rejoice in mercy do so because God's mercy toward them in Christ Jesus has won them the victory over the judgment of condemnation (James 2:1, 12).

SERMONS
These links will take you to sermon notes. At the top of the page you will find the link to open or download the audio.
Holy & Heavenly Unity

ARTICLES
Hardness of Heart
Dynamite
If Christ is Our Life
God Hath Glorified His Son
Purpose of God in Election
God's Unstoppable Gospel
Good Out of Evil
Heart Crime