DISCOURSE: 2080
THE OFFICE AND OPERATION OF FAITH
Galatians 5:6. In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
THE peculiar character of the Gospel is, that it shews how a sinner may be justified before God; yet the generality of Christians are far from entertaining just views of this most fundamental point: they confound the different offices of faith and works. But St. Paul distinguishes them with much accuracy and precision; he invariably declares that our justification is by faith; yet, though he denies to works the office of justifying, he invariably insists on them as the fruits and evidences of our faith. Nothing can be more decisive than the declaration before us.
We shall,
I. Explain it—
Man is prone to trust in outward rites and ceremonies—
[The Jews confided in the ordinance of circumcision: the Judaizing teachers also among the Christians inculcated the observance of that rite as a ground of hope: amongst ourselves also, many think it sufficient that they have been baptized, or expect to find admission into heaven because they have attended regularly at the Lord’s table.]
But no outward observances can avail for our salvation—
[An external conformity with the rule of duty may proceed from the basest principles: it may spring from a desire to obtain man’s applause, or to establish a righteousness of our own; and it may consist with the indulgence of evil tempers and vicious appetites. It cannot therefore of itself characterize the true Christian, nor can it “avail any thing” towards procuring the Divine favour. If indeed it proceed from faith and love, it will be rewarded; but if it be made the ground of our hope, it will prevent, rather than procure, our acceptance with God [Note: Galatians 5:2.]
That which alone can avail for our acceptance with God, is “faith”—
[All the promises of God are made to faith [Note: Mark 16:16; Acts 10:43.]. It is by faith that all the saints of old obtained salvation [Note: Romans 4:3; Romans 4:6-7.]. St. Paul and St. James do not really differ respecting this [Note: St. Paul (Romans 4:1-5.) speaks of Abraham as being justified before God: St. James (2:21–23.) speaks of Abraham as manifesting his faith before man, and as justifying his pretensions to the Divine favour by a suitable conduct and conversation.], nor do any passages of Scripture really contradict it [Note: There are many expressions both in the Old and New Testament which seem to assert salvation by works: but they are only declarative of the character of those that shall he finally saved, or of God’s gracious determination to reward those works which flow from faith. If they were interpreted in any other way, they would invalidate the whole Gospel.]. If salvation be of grace, it must be by faith [Note: Romans 4:16.]
Yet this faith must be productive of good works—
[It is not a mere notional assent to certain doctrines, nor is it a confident assurance respecting the safety of our own state; but it is a living operative principle in the heart: it is, on our part, the bond of union between Christ and our souls, and it cannot but discover itself by “works of love.—If it produce not holy tempers, and an unfeigned regard for the bodies and souls of men, it is no better than the faith of devils [Note: James 2:19.]
The declaration in the text being explained, we shall,
I. Improve it—
Every part of Scripture, rightly understood, is profitable for the directing both of our faith and practice [Note: 2 Timothy 3:16. See the Greek.]—
We will improve this before us,
1.
“For doctrine,” that is, for the establishing of true doctrine—
[The way of salvation is simply by faith in Christ: and every kind of work, ceremonial or moral [Note: The Apostle does not deny that circumcision is of any avail merely because it is a ceremonial work, but because it is a work; and because dependence on it would rob Christ of his glory. His argument therefore excludes works of whatever kind they be. Compare Galatians 2:16.], must be considered as of no avail with respect to justification before God. However necessary, however valuable, our obedience may be if performed aright, it ceases to be valuable the moment we depend upon it. This is clearly stated in the text and context [Note: Galatians 5:2-6.]; and St. Paul himself was practically persuaded of this doctrine [Note: Philippians 3:9.]. Let us then renounce all confidence in our own works, and rely wholly on the blood and righteousness of Christ.]
2. “For reproof,” that is, for the refuting of false doctrines—
[Some have argued from the text, that faith saves us as an operative principle. Thus they affirm that we are justified by something within ourselves. But faith, as a principle, is not of more value than love [Note: 1 Corinthians 13:13.]; and if we were justified by it as an operative principle, we should have room to boast, just as much as we should if we were justified by love or any other principle. The reason of our being justified by faith is, that faith unites us unto Christ, which is a property not common to any other grace. Our works do not make our faith to be good or saving, but only prove it to be so [Note: Just as fruit does not make a tree good, but only manifests it to be so.]. If our faith be genuine, we shall discover it to God by a simple dependence upon Christ, and to man by the practice of good works.]
3. “For correction” of unrighteous conduct—
[It must be confessed that many profess faith in Christ while their lives are unworthy of the Gospel: but such persons stand condemned even by their own profession. No faith is of any avail, but such as “works by love.” Let professors then weigh themselves in the balance of the sanctuary; let them examine their tempers, dispositions, and actions; let them acknowledge that a proud, envious, passionate, unforgiving, covetous, or selfish Christian, is as much a contradiction in terms, as an adulterous or murderous Christian; let them put away either their profession or their sins.]
4. “For instruction in righteousness”—
[To point out all the offices of love would be tedious. Let us contemplate it as set forth by the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 13.; — — — and, not content with any measure that we have attained, let us abound in it more and more [Note: If this were the subject of a Charity Sermon, it would be proper to open here the nature, excellence, and importance of the particular institution which was to be benefited; and then to exhort the benevolent in general, and believers in particular, to give it their liberal support.]