Sermon 9-29-24

Pastor Ray Lorthioir

Trinity Lutheran Church

W. Hempstead, NY

Based on the Second Lesson for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost, James 5:13-20.

Not By My Goodness

Martin Luther had all kinds of problems with the book of James. This is to be expected. For, Luther’s opponents used the second chapter of James to oppose him.

In the epistles written by Paul, Luther discovered that our lives can be justified before Yahweh only by faith that Jesus won forgiveness of sins for us on the cross. So, to this day Evangelical Catholics (meaning Lutherans) maintain that human beings are justified (declared righteous) before God by faith alone in the gracious work of God the Son alone: namely, Jesus. And since this great Good News is declared nowhere else except in the Word of God, Lutherans have these three “alone’s” as a slogan: Grace alone, Faith alone, the Word alone. Such doctrine restores the ancient, fundamental teaching of Jesus and the Apostles. And, in this correct apostolic doctrine the sacrificial work of Jesus is raised to the supreme position it deserves.

On the other hand, Luther’s opponents stuck with the aberrations in doctrine that had accumulated in medieval times. As far as Luther’s opponents were concerned, human beings are justified before God by a mixture of faith in the good works of Jesus and faith in their own good works. To make matters worse, the medieval church had invented all kinds of good works that would supposedly force God to declare sinners righteous. Therefore, people entered monasteries, went on pilgrimages, and paid good money for papal indulgences that would supposedly get them right with God. Such false doctrine was at the root of the Reformation controversies. And unfortunately, to this day, the Roman church has officially clung to such false doctrine.

Luther’s opponents used James chapter 2 as the basis for their opposition. As we saw several weeks ago, on the surface it appears that Paul and James contradict each other concerning Justification by Grace through Faith. Paul says we’re justified before God by our faith without works of the law. James seems to say that we’re justified before God by our good works. Therefore, one way to resolve what appears to be a contradiction is to mix faith in Jesus with faith in our own personal good works. This the medieval church did — and with a certain benefit to its pocket book and power.

At a convocation called by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V in the German city of Augsburg in 1530, the Evangelical Catholic princes of Germany presented a confession of the true doctrine believed and practiced by their churches. The document is known as the Augsburg Confession. Upon receiving it, Roman opponents immediately got to work and produced what is known as the Confutation of the Augsburg Confession. This document they presented to the emperor, and he was satisfied with it. Thus, they thought they had gotten rid of the Lutheran problem once and for all.

But not so fast. Luther’s right hand man, Philip Melanchthon, wrote what is known as the Apology of the Augsburg Confession. He wrote it to the emperor, but as far as we know, the emperor never read it. Nevertheless, Melanchthon’s writing is where Lutherans stand even today on the issue of justification found in James 2:24.

Luther was critical of the book of James since it teaches us nothing about Jesus. The only thing James says about Jesus is found in James 2:1, “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” 

But, this verse is very important in that it tells us who James is writing to. He’s writing to those who have already come to faith in Jesus and have been born again in Him. If James had been writing to those who were not yet born again in Jesus, then the Roman Confutation would be correct in stating that James preaches salvation by good works. But because James is writing to those who already have put their faith entirely in Jesus, the Confutation is in error. James definitely doesn’t teach the salvation of sinners by their own good works.

Instead, James teaches already believing Christians that real faith in Jesus is not a dead faith. For real Christians, real faith in Jesus produces real works of righteousness and real righteous living in this world. Indeed, real faith in Jesus can’t do anything else but produce real righteous living. But such righteous living cannot forgive our sins. Only Jesus alone can do that.

So, when everything is said and done, it’s the righteous works and righteous living of Jesus alone that can justify our lives before God. For, Jesus’ righteous works and righteous living resulted in the shedding of His blood. And only the sacred blood of the righteous Son of God can atone for our sin. Messiah’s shed blood is the substitute for the blood we would owe Yahweh for our sin. Therefore, only faith in Jesus’ sacrifice for sin can bring us the all-important forgiveness of our sins. For, where God Almighty has forgiven sin, only righteousness exists.

In his teaching, James uses the example of Abraham as a person who is justified by his good works. This concerns the sacrifice of Isaac that Yahweh ordered Abraham to make. But, Paul uses the same example to make the case that Abraham was justified before God by his faith alone. Again, it looks like a contradiction. But, Melanchthon makes the case that it’s not.

Yahweh made a promise to Abraham that Abraham’s descendants would be reckoned through Isaac. That would not have been possible with a dead, sacrificed Isaac. So, when Abraham obeyed the command, he went forward in faith that even if Yahweh had to raise Isaac from the dead, Yahweh’s promise would be fulfilled in a living Isaac. That’s Paul’s point.

James’ point is that despite the terror of losing Isaac, Abraham obediently went forth at Yahweh’s command. Both points are true. And, James doesn’t deny Abraham’s faith in the matter. For, without faith, Abraham would not have gone forth obediently. It’s just that James says that faith perfected Abraham’s obedience, while Paul would say that Abraham’s obedience perfected his faith. Now, for the person who already believes — already believes, mind you — both those statements are true.

However, — and this is the monster “however” — both things are NOT true for the person who has not yet believed — the person who has not yet been born again. That person can only be justified before Yahweh by the work of Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can be the mediator for the unbeliever before Yahweh. The unbeliever’s good works can play absolutely no role at all. For, such a thing would deny that Jesus is our only righteous mediator with Yahweh; and that Jesus’ holy blood is the only righteous payment for our sin.

Now, it’s clear from James 2:1 that James believes and teaches Jesus is the only righteous payment for our sin. We also see it in James 1:18, “Of his [God’s] own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” Here we see unequivocally that God gave us new birth by His own will and His word of truth, and not by any good works or righteous living on our part.

In the early years of the Reformation so much emphasis was put on justification by grace through faith that a non-Christian error arose in some peoples’ heads. Here’s how it goes. If my salvation relies on the righteous works of Jesus alone, and nothing depends on what I do, then does it matter what I do after believing in Jesus? The error is answering “no” to that question.

The “no” answer is described by the theological term, “antinomianism.” Anti means against. Nomos in this situation means the law — against the law. Antinomian people don’t care about righteous living and righteous behavior. They live like ordinary sinners although they believe themselves to be Christians.

In writing the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Melanchthon had to deal with the Roman accusation that the Evangelical Catholic position was producing antinomianism. Therefore, Melanchthon is very clear that antinomianism is not a Lutheran position. And this is where the book of James comes into the picture. For James criticizes “lazy and secure minds that imagine they have faith, although they do not have it.” The godless living of such people shows that they do not have faith in the work of Jesus. Period.

Godly living is the result of faith in the atoning work of Jesus. But the faith that brings the new birth comes first. All the apostles are very clear about that in their writings including James. Therefore, if we read James from that perspective, we won’t make the mistake of the Romanists.

So, let’s look into today’s reading from James. James 5:13, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” It’s very clear that James is addressing believers. Would any non-believer who is having a good day sing praise to Yahweh? Probably not. And as far as suffering goes, James is talking about suffering on account of Jesus, not the general suffering of life. Again such suffering would only come to believing Christians.

As far as suffering for Jesus goes, we have an example of prayer in action in Acts chapter 4. In that chapter Peter and John are arrested for preaching Jesus in the wake of a miracle — the healing of a life-long cripple. They’re forced to appear before the same Sanhedrin leaders that Jesus had appeared before. Peter and John were not punished. But they were threatened with punishment if they ever preached Jesus again. When released from custody, Peter and John went to the other believers and told them what had happened. Then the prayer of the believers is recorded in Acts 4:24-31. In that prayer we read in Acts 4:29-31, “29 ‘And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

Notice that the prayer resulted in the believers being filled anew with Lord Holy Spirit. And so, we find out that their prayer to God out of suffering for the Name of Jesus was answered. Lord Holy Spirit gave them the courage to continue publicly speaking of Jesus with boldness. In the same way, courage and emboldenment in the midst of suffering will come through an infilling of Lord Holy Spirit to any who ask for it. So, if we’re afraid of the disapproving eyes and disapproving mouths we might encounter speaking of Jesus, let us pray as James advises us.

In the book of Psalms, we occasionally encounter cheerful psalms or portions of cheerful psalms. These are songs of joy and thanksgiving before the Lord out of a cheerful heart. Here’s one of those cheerful statements from Psalm 108:1-4, “1 My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! 2 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! 3 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. 4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” That’s how to sing before the Lord when cheerful.

James 5:14, “14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

In these verses we see that James in no way despises faith. Prayer may be a good work in and of itself. But what kind of prayer can bring healing to a sick person? It’s only prayer offered in faith to the Lord. We’ll say more about this in a minute. But notice the other requirements for whatever healing the Lord will give the sick person. First, the sick person, his or herself, must call for the elders. It says call. And in our time that’s not hard. There’s this thing called a telephone.

Second, there need to be elders in the church — elders who will minister in prayer. Third, anointing with oil is to be used. The way I understand it, Luther almost considered prayer for the sick to be sacramental because oil was to be used. In the end, he dropped consideration because a command of the Lord Jesus Himself is not involved.

Going on we read in James 5:16. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Notice first, that confession of sins is involved in healing. Concerning this, we read in Psalm 66:16-19, “16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. 17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.”

Just like we saw last week in James that Yahweh doesn’t answer requests for stuff to spend on our passions, in Psalm 66:18 we see that Yahweh doesn’t answer the prayers of those who treasure sins in their hearts. Cherished sins are either those sins we refuse to call sin. Or they’re known sins that we believe we absolutely can’t live without. Grudges against other people would be an example.

There’s one cure for this problem. We read in 1John 1:8-9, “8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

It’s not easy to confess sins to another person. It’s also not easy to hear the sins other people confess. But if the elders who listen to such confessions maintain complete secrecy about what they’ve heard, the prescription here in James is accomplished. And if those same elders proclaim to the repentant person that his or sins have indeed been forgiven, then forgiveness of sins has been administered and only righteousness, then, remains. This clears the decks for a prayer for healing to be answered in a positive fashion.

But now we come to the second part of James 5:16 that carries over into verse 17. James 5:16-17, “16. . .  The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

Elijah had a nature like ours. In other words, he also was born into Original Sin. He was not like Jesus — who was born without sin. Nevertheless, by the gracious favor of Yahweh extended to him, Elijah functioned in supernatural ways. In the biblical record, Elijah appears out of nowhere and suddenly becomes an important figure. Indeed, Yahweh chose Elijah as a prophet and more than a prophet — one who was chosen to handle Yahweh’s power in certain circumstances. Also, Elijah was definitely filled with Lord Holy Spirit as one of Yahweh’s prophets. We saw all this in the Tuesday night bible study when we studied Elijah.

Elijah lived in a time when Lord Holy Spirit was only poured out on certain individuals. We live in a time when Lord Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh — meaning that there is no baptized believer who does not receive Lord Holy Spirit. So, Yahweh has entrusted believers in the present time with the same grace He entrusted Elijah with. Therefore, divine healing is a possibility for believers.

However, just as Elijah could only do what Yahweh had appointed him to do, and Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing, so all who pray healing for the sick must rest in the Father’s will. Yahweh answered Elijah’s prayers for drought and rain. But that was only because Yahweh Himself had a mind to do those things in Elijah’s time. In the same way, we are dependent on the Lord’s will. 

Now, we see in James — the very Word of God — a command for elders to pray for the sick. This is the will of the Lord. And if faith is present that confessed sin has been forgiven, and faith is present in the promises Yahweh makes here in James, then there is a good chance the prayer will be answered in the positive.

Finally, we read in James 5:19, “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” 

Those who live in right doctrine live in Yahweh’s perspective on His creation. They understand all things from our Creator’s perspective and will. Wandering from the truth is wandering from all the aspects of right doctrine.

Sin, the devil and the world system are always present to lead any believer out of Yahweh’s perspective and into the rebellious perspective of their own stubborn heart. Therefore, if it’s plain that such a thing is happening to a believer, it’s a holy task to try to bring that person back to the truth.

There’s no guarantee the task will be successful. However, if it is successful — in whatever period of time it may take — we’re told here that there will be two great blessings. The first is salvation from eternal death for the person brought back. Truly, there is nothing more terrifying than hell. It’s forever. Therefore, anyone led back into the truth has escaped the greatest disaster there is. The second is the blessed forgiveness of many sins for the person brought back — without which salvation from eternal death is not possible.

And right here in this last verse of James we definitively see that James does not teach salvation by good works. Rather James teaches salvation by the forgiveness of sins. And such forgiveness can only be effected by the work of Messiah Jesus and faith that Jesus’ sacrificial work actually removes all sin. This is the truth. Amen.

All Bible quotes are from the ESV.