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PERFECTION
PERDITION
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OR
`Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled
which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness' (James 2:22,23).
We are here upon exactly the same ground as in Hebrews 6. The things that accompany salvation are those
things that `perfect faith'. The perfected faith `fulfilled' the promise of its inception. Genesis 15:6 was filled out
when Abraham's faith manifested itself in acceptable works. If we glance to the end of Hebrews chapter 6, we shall
find that the same illustration is used by Paul. There once again Abraham's faith as manifested in Genesis 22 is
brought forward. It is therefore important to remember that a man is justified without works, but is perfected by
works (Rom. 5; James 2). A man is saved by faith `not of works', but he has been saved to walk in `good works'
(Eph. 2). While Titus 3 declares that we are saved by faith and `not by works of righteousness which we have
done', Titus 2 reveals that we were redeemed in order that we might be a peculiar people `zealous of good works'.
It is surprising the antipathy that some of God's children show to any mention of works. We yield to none, we
trust, in a steadfast belief that grace and works, so far as salvation is concerned, cannot blend. If we are saved by
grace, then that initial salvation cannot be `of works', for grace excludes works as works exclude grace (Rom. 11:6).
We do, however, feel that much vital truth is dimmed to the eyes of many by carrying their opposition to works
beyond the limits of truth. It is but another case of failure rightly to divide the Word of truth. What is true in the
case of the origin of salvation may not necessarily be true in the case of the fruits of that same salvation. The law is
excluded as a factor in justification, but the law is nevertheless holy, just, good and spiritual, and it is the will of God
that it shall operate in the kingdom yet to come.
`But the God of peace ... Adjust you by every good work unto the doing of His will, doing in you that which is well
pleasing in His presence, through Jesus Christ' (Heb. 13:20,21 not AV JP).
We cannot `do His will' without at the same time `doing good works', but these good works will not take their
rise from the flesh, but will be the Lord's own `doing' within us, through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:24 says,
`provoke unto love and good works'; Hebrews 6:10 links works and love together. This reveals the essential
character of the good works that are well pleasing to God. It is a good work to bestow all one's goods to feed the
poor; it is a good work to suffer one's body to be burned rather than to give up the faith, but only so if love is the
spring of such actions; if love be absent `it profiteth nothing'.
`For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith through love inworking ... for
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself' (Gal. 5:6,14 not AV
JP).
The same emphasis upon `serving one another' is found in Romans 13:8:
`Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law'.
Then follow the commandments that relate to man's relationship with man, adultery, murder, stealing, false
witness, coveting. It is surprising to note that both in Galatians 5 and Romans 13 love which fulfils the law is
manifested not to God but to man.
`And if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself' (Rom. 13:9).
Are we to understand then that mere philanthropy satisfies the requirements of the case? Not at all. The strong
emphasis upon the man-ward side is because of a weakness in human nature. It does not say in 1 John 2:9,10 that he
that loveth God is in the light, but:
`He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth
in the light'.
Again, 1 John 3:14 does not say that the possession of new life is manifested by our love to God, but:
`We know that we have passed from death into life, because we love the brethren'.
The same test is applied to the profession of the love of God in verse 17: