Fruitless Faith

Fruitless Faith

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A Sermon
(No. =434)
Published on Thursday, November 26th, 1914.
Delivered by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
On Lord's-day Evening, =ebruary 21st, 1861.


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"Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."—James 2:17.
HATEVER the statement of James may be, it could never have been his intention =o contradict the gospel. It could never be possible that the Holy =pirit would say one thing in one place, and another in another. =tatements of Paul and of James must be reconciled, and if they were not, I =ould be prepared sooner to throw overboard the statement of James than =hat of Paul. Luther did so, I think, most unjustifiably. If you ask me, =hen, how I dare to say I would sooner do so, my reply is, I said I would =ooner throw over James than Paul for this reason, because, at any rate, =e must keep to the Master himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought never =o raise any questions about differences of inspiration, since they are all =qually inspired, but if such questions could be raised and were =llowable, it were wisdom to stick fastest to those who cling closest to Christ. =ow the last words of the Lord Jesus, before he was taken up were these, =Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," and =hat was this gospel? "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." To =hat, then, we must always cling, but Jesus Christ has given a promise =f salvation to the baptized believer, and he has said, "As Moses =ifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be =ifted up, and whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have =verlasting life."
Here it is clear =e promises everlasting life to all who believe in him, to all who =rust in him. Now from the Master's words we will not stir, but close to =is own declaration we will stand. Be assured that the gospel of your =alvation as a believer, with a simple confidence in Jesus Christ, whom God =aised from the dead, will save your soul, a simple and undiluted reliance =pon the life and death, and resurrection, and merit, and person of Jesus =hrist, will ensure to you everlasting life. Let nothing move you from =his confidence: it hath great recompense of reward. Heaven and earth =ay pass away, but from this grand fundamental truth not one jot or tittle =hall ever be moved. "He that believeth in him is not condemned, but he =hat believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed =n the Son of God."
The fact is, =ames and Paul are perfectly reconcilable, and they are viewing truth from =ifferent standpoints; but whatever James may mean, I am quite confident =bout what Paul means, and confident about the truth of the two.
A second remark. =ames never intended, for a moment, nor do any of his words lead us into =uch a belief, that there can be any merit whatever in any good works of =urs. After we have done all, if we could do all, we should only have =one what we were bound to do. Surely there is no merit in a man's paying =hat he owes; no great merit in a servant who has his wages for doing what =e is paid for. The question of merit between the creature and his =reator is not to be raised; he has a right to us; he has the right of =reation, the right of preservation, the right of infinite sovereignty, and, =hatever he should exact of us, we should require nothing from him in return, =nd, having sinned as we have all, for us to talk of salvation by =erit, by our own works, is worse than vanity; it is an impertinence which God =ill never endure.


"Talk they of morals, O! thou bleeding Lamb,
The best =orality is love of thee."

Talk of salvation by works, and =owper's reply seems apt:—

"Perish the virtue, as it ought, abhorred,
And the fool =ith it, who insults his Lord."

What James does mean, =owever, is this, no doubt, in brief and short, that while faith saves, it is =aith of a certain kind. No man is saved by persuading himself that he is =aved; nobody is saved by believing Jesus Christ died for him. That may =e, or may not be, true in the sense in which he understands it. In a =ertain sense Christ died for all men, but since it is evident that many =en are lost, Christ's dying for all men is not at all a ground upon which =ny man may hope to be saved. Christ died for some men in another sense, =n a peculiar and special sense. No man has a right to believe that =hrist peculiarly and specially died for him until he has an evidence of =t in casting himself upon Christ, and trusting in Jesus, and bringing =orth suitable works to evince the reality of his faith. The faith that =aves is not a historical faith, not a faith that simply believes a creed =nd certain facts: I have no doubt devils are very orthodox; I do not =now which church they belong to, though there are some in all =hurches; there was one in Christ's Church when he was on earth, for he said one =as filled with devils; and there are some in all churches. Devils =elieve all the facts of revelation. I do not believe they have a doubt; they =ave suffered too much from the hand of God to doubt his existence! =hey have felt too much the terror of his wrath to doubt the righteousness =f his government. They are stern believers, but they are not saved; and =uch a faith, if it be in us, will not, cannot, save us, but will remain =o all intents and purposes a dead, inoperative faith. It is a faith =hich produces works which saves us; the works do not save us; but a =aith which does not produce works is a faith that will only deceive, and =annot lead us into heaven. Now this evening we shall first speak a few words upon:—
I. WHAT KIND OF =ORKS THEY ARE WHICH ARE NECESSARY TO PROVE OUR FAITH IF IT BE A SAVING FAITH.
The works which =re absolutely necessary are, in brief, these: First, there must be =I>fruits meet for repentance, works of repentance. It is wrong to tell = man he must repent before he may trust Christ, but it is right to tell =im that, having trusted Christ, it is not possible for him to remain =mpenitent. There never was in this world such a thing as an impenitent =eliever in Jesus Christ, and there never can be. Faith and repentance are =orn in a spiritual life together, and they grow up together. The moment a =an believes he repents, and while he believes he both believes and =epents, and until he shall have done with faith he will not have done with = repenting. If thou hast believed, but hast never repented of thy =ins, then beware of thy believing. If thou pretendest now to be a child =f God, and if thou hast never clothed thyself in dust and ashes; if thou =ast never hated the sins which once thou didst love: if thou dost not =ow hate them, and endeavour to be rid of them, if thou dost not humble =hyself before God on account of them, as the Lord liveth, thou knowest =othing about saving faith, for faith puts a distance between us and sin; =n a moment it leads us away from the distance between us and Christ; =earer to Christ, we are now far off from sin. But he that loves his sin, =hinks little of his sin, goes into it with levity, talks of it =portively, speaks of sin as though it were a trifle, hath the faith of =evils, but the faith of God's elect he never knew. True faith purges the =oul, since the man now hunts after sin that he might find out the traitor =hat lurks within his nature; and though a believer is not perfect, yet the =rift of faith is to make him perfect; and if it is faith to be perfected, =he believer shall be perfected, and then shall he be caught up to =well before the throne. Judge yourselves, my hearers. Have you brought =orth the fruits of repentance? If not, your faith without them is =ead.
Works of secret piety are also essential to true faith. Does a man say = believe that Jesus died for me, and that I hope to be saved, and =oes he live in a constant neglect of private prayer? Is the Word of God =ever read? Does he never lift up his eye in secret with "My Father, be =hou the guide of my youth"? Has he no secret regard in his heart to the =ord his God, and does he hold no communion with Christ his Saviour, and is =here no fellowship with the Holy Spirit? Then how can faith dwell in =uch a man? As well say that a man is alive when he does not breathe, and =n whom the blood does not circulate, as to say that a man is a believer =ith living faith who does not draw near to God in prayer, that does =ot live indeed under the awe and fear of the Most High God as ever =resent, and seeing him in all places. Judge yourselves, ye professors. Are ye neglecting prayer; have ye no secret spiritual life? If so, away =ith your notion about saving faith. You are not justified by such a faith =s that; there is no life in it; it is not a faith that leads to the Lamb =nd brings salvation; if it were, it would show itself by driving you =o your knees, and making you lift up your heart to the Most High.
Another set of works are those which I may call works of obedience. When a =an trusts in Jesus, he accepts Jesus as his Master. He says, "Show me =hat thou wouldst have me to do." The Father shows what Christ would =ave him to do. He does not set up his own will and judgment, but he is =bedient to his Master's will. I will not tonight speak of those who know not =heir Lord's will, who shall be beaten with few stripes, but I do fear =e there are some professors who are living in wilful neglect of known =hristian duties, and yet suppose themselves to be the partakers of saving =aith. Now a duty may be neglected, and yet a man may be saved; but a =uty persistently and wilfully neglected, may be the leak that will =ink the ship, or the neglect of any one of such duties for the surrender =f a true heart to Christ does not go such and such a length and then stop. =hrist will save no heart upon terms and conditions; it must be an =nconditional surrender to his government if thou wouldest be saved by him. Now =ome will draw a line here, and some will draw a line there up to this, =nd say, "I will be Christ's servant"; that is to say, sir, you will =e your own master, for that is the English of it; but the true heart that =ath really believed saith, "I will make haste, and delay not to keep =hy commandments; make straight the path before my feet, for thy =ommandments are not grievous." "I have delighted in thy commandments more than =n fine gold." Now, sons and daughters of sin, professedly, what say you =o this? Have you an eye to the Master, as servants keep their eye to their = mistress? Do you ever ask yourselves what would Christ have you to =o? or do you live habitually in the neglect of Christ's law and will? Do =ou go to places where Christ would not meet you, and where you would not =ike to meet with him? Are some of you in the habit of professing maxims =nd customs, upon which you know your Lord would never set his seal? =ou say you believe, you have faith in him? Ah! sirs, if it be a living =aith, it will be an obedient faith.
Living faith =roduces what I shall call separating works. When a man believes in =esus, he is not what he was nor will he consort with those who were once his familiars. Our Lord has said, "Ye are not of the world, even as I =m not of the world." Now Christ was not an ascetic; he ate and drank as =ther men do so that they even said of him a gluttonous man and a =ine-bibber, because he mingled with the rest of mankind; but was there ever a =ore unearthly life than the life of Christ? He seems to go through all =he world a complete man in all that is necessary to manliness, but =is presence is like the presence of a seraph amongst sinners. You can = discover at once that he is not of their mould, nor of their =pirit, only harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Now such will the =eliever be if his faith be genuine, but this is a sharp cut to some =rofessors, but not a whit more sharp than the Scripture warrants. If we are =f the world, what can we expect but the world's doom in the day of the =ppearing of our Lord Jesus Christ? If ye find your pleasure with the world, =ou shall meet your condemnation with the world; if with the world you =ive, with the world you shall die, and with the world you shall live =gain for ever, lost. Where there is no separation there is no grace. If we =re conformed to this world, how dare we talk about grace being in our =ouls; and if there be no distinguishing difference between us and =orldlings, what vanity it is, what trifling, what hypocrisy, what a delusion =or us to come to the Lord's table, talking about being the Lord's sons, =hen we are none of his? Faith without the works which denote the =ifference between a believer and a worldling is a dead, unsaving =aith.
Now = have not said that any believer is perfect. I have never thought so, but I =ave said that if a believer could be a believer altogether, and faith =ould have her perfect work, he would be perfect, and that in proportion =s he is truly a believer, in that proportion he will bring forth fruit =hat shall magnify God and prove the sincerity of his faith.
One other set of =orks will be necessary to prove the vitality of his faith, namely, =I>works of love. He that loves Christ feels that the love of Christ =onstraineth him; he endeavours to spread abroad the knowledge of Christ; he =ongs to win jewels for Christ's crown; he endeavours to extend the =oundaries of Christ's and Messiah's kingdom, and I will not give a farthing for =he loftiest profession coupled with the most flowing words, that =ever shows itself in direct deeds of Christian service. If thou lovest =hrist, thou canst not help serving him. If thou believest in him, there is =uch potency in what thou believest, such power in the grace which =omes with believing, that thou must serve Christ; and if thou servest him =ot, thou art not his.
This proof, =efore we leave it, might be illustrated in various ways. We will just give =ne. A tree has been planted out into the ground. Now the source of life =o that tree is at the root, whether it hath apples on it or not; the =pples would not give it life, but the whole of the life of the tree will come =rom its root. But if that tree stands in the orchard, and when the =pringtime comes there is no bud, and when the summer comes there is no =eafing, and no fruit-bearing, but the next year, and the next, it stands there =ithout bud or blossom, or leaf or fruit, you would say it is dead, and =ou are correct; it is dead. It is not that the leaves could have made it =ive, but that the absence of the leaves is a proof that it is dead. So, =oo, is it with the professor. If he hath life, that life must give =ruits; if not fruits, works; if his faith has a root, but if there be no works, =hen depend upon it the inference that he is spiritually dead is =ertainly a correct one. When the telegraph cable flashed no message across to = America, when they tried to telegraph again and again, but the =nly result following was dead earth, they felt persuaded that there was a =racture, and well they might; and when there is nothing produced in the =ife by the supposed grace which we have, and nothing is telegraphed to the =orld but "dead earth," we may rest assured that the link of connection =etween the soul and Christ does not exist.
I need not =nlarge. We should just put it into that one sentence: "Without holiness no =an shall see the Lord. Bring forth, therefore, works meet for repentance." =nd now we turn to the second point with more brevity:—
II. SOME FACTS =HAT BACK UP THE DOCTRINE THAT "FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD."
These facts show =hat it is evident to all observers that many professors of faith without =orks are not saved. It would be very ludicrous, if it were not very =iserable, to think of some who wrap themselves in the conceit that they are =aved about whose salvation nobody but themselves can have any question. = remember a professor who used to talk of being justified by faith =ho was most assured about it, when he contained most beer. Such =rofessors are not at all uncommon, sad is it to say so. They seem at the moment =hen their condemnation seems written on their very brow to all who =now them, to be most confident that they themselves are saved. Now, =rethren, if such cases are convincing and you entertain no doubt, but decide =n their case, apply the same rule to yourselves, for although you may not =lunge into the grosser vices, yet if you make your homes wretched by =our selfishness, if you fall into constant habits of vicious temper, =f you never strive against these sins, and the grace of God never leads =ou out of them; if you can live in private sin, and yet pacify your =onscience, and remain just as you were before your pretended conversion; when =ou sit in judgment and pronounce the verdict on others, feel that you =ronounce it upon yourself, for surely for one sin that is openly indulged =n, which is manifested to you in the dissipation of your fellow-creatures, =t is not hard for you to believe that any other sin, if it be =onstantly indulged and be loved, will do the same to you as it does to him. =ou know men who have not faith, but have a sort of faith, are not saved. =t must be true, or else where were the Saviour's words, "Straight is the =ate and narrow the way, and few there be that find it"? For this is no =traight gate and no narrow way, merely to be orthodox and hold a creed, =nd say, "I believe Jesus died for me"; but it is a very narrow gate so to =elieve as to become practically Christ's servants, so to trust as to give =p that which Christ hates. Truths which Jesus bids us believe are all =ruths, which, if believed, must have an effect upon the daily =ife. A man cannot really believe that Jesus Chris has taken away his sin by =uch sufferings as those of the cross, and yet trifle with sin. A man =s a liar who says, "I believe that yonder bleeding Saviour suffered on =ccount of my sins," and yet holds good fellowship with the very sins that =ut Christ to death. Oh! sirs, a faith in the bleeding Saviour is a faith =hat craves for vengeance upon every form of sin. The Christian religion makes =s believe that we are the sons of God when we trust in Christ. Will = man believe that he is really the Son of God, and then daily and =ilfully go and live like a child of the devil? Do you expect to see members =f the royal court playing with beggars in the street? When a man =elieves himself to possess a certain station of life, that belief leads =im to a certain carriage and conversation, and when I am led to believe I =m elected of God, that I am redeemed by blood, that heaven is =ecured to me by the covenant of grace, that I am God's priest, made a king in =hrist Jesus, I cannot, if I believe, unless I am more monstrous than =uman nature itself seems capable of being, go back to live after just =he same fashion, to run in the same course as others, and live as the sons =f Belial live. We see constantly in Scripture, and all the saints =ffirm it, that faith is linked with grace, and that where faith is the grace =f God is; but how can there be the gift of God reigning in the soul, and =et a love of sin and a neglect of holiness? I cannot understand grace =hich abideth for ever to the inner man; and for this man to give =imself up to be a slave of Satan is a thing impossible.
Faith, again, is =lways in connection with regeneration. Now regeneration is making =f the old thing new; it is infusing a new nature into a man. The new =irth is not a mere reformation, but an entire renovation and revolution: =t is making the man a new creation in Christ Jesus. But how a new =reature, if he has no repentance, if he has no good works, no private prayer, =o charity, no holiness of any kind, regeneration will be a football =or scorn. The new birth would be a thing to be ridiculed, if it did =ot really produce a hatred of sin, and a love of holiness. That kind =f new birth which is dispensed by the Church of Rome, and also by some =n the Church of England, is a kind of new birth which ought to excite =he derision of all mankind, for children are said to be born again, =ertified to be born again, made members of Christ and children of God, and afterwards they grow up, in many cases, in most cases, let me say, =o forget their baptismal vows, and live in sin as others do. =vidently it has had no effect upon them, but regeneration such as we read of =n the Bible changes the nature of man, makes him hate the things he =oved, and love the things he hated. This is regeneration: this is =egeneration which is worth the seeking: it always comes with faith, and consequently =ood works must go with faith too. But we pass on to the last matter, =hich is this:—
III. WHAT OF =HOSE MEN THAT HAVE FAITH, AND THAT HAVE NO GOOD WORKS?
Then what about =hem? Why, this about them, that their supposed faith generally makes them =I>very careless and indifferent, and ultimately hardened and depraved =en. I dread beyond measure that any one of us should have a name to live =hen we are dead; for an ordinary sinner who makes no profession may be =onverted, but it is extremely rare that a sinner who makes a profession of =eing what he is not is ever converted. It is a miserable thing to find = person discovering that his profession has been a lie. A man sits down, =nd he says, "Why, I believe," and as he walks he is careful, because he =s afraid of what others might say. By and bye, he begins to indulge = little. He says, "This is not of works; I may do this, and yet get = forgiveness." Then he goes a little further away. I do not say =hat perhaps at first he goes to the theatre, but he goes next door to =t. He does not get drunk, but he likes jovial company. A little further =nd he gets confirmed in the belief that he is a saved one, and he gets =o much confirmed in that idea that he thinks he can do just as he likes. =aving sported on the brink without falling over, he thinks he will try =o say, if Satan wants raw material of which to make the worst of men, he generally takes those who profess to be the best, and I have =uestioned whether such a valuable servant of Satan as Judas was could ever =ave been made of any other material than an apostate apostle. If he had not =ived near to Christ, he never could have become such a traitor as he =as. You must have a good knowledge of religion to be a thorough-faced =ypocrite, and you must become high in Christ's Church before you can become =it tools for Satan's worst works. Oh! but why do men do this? Oh! =hat is the use of maintaining such a faith? I think if we do not care to get =he vitality of religion, I would never burden myself with the husks =f it, for such people get the chains of godliness without getting the =omforts of godliness. They dare not do this, they dare not do that; if =hey do they feel hampered. Why don't they give up professing? and they =ould be at least free; they would have the sin without the millstone about =heir neck. Surely there can be no excuse for men who mean to perish =oming to cover themselves with a mask of godliness! Why cannot they perish =s they are? Why add sin to sin by insulting the Church through the cross =f Christ?
When men make a =rofession of religion, and yet their works do not follow their faith, what =bout them? Why, this about them. They have dishonoured the =hurch, and, of all others, these are the people that make the world point to =he Church and say, "Where is your religion? That is your religion, is =t?" So it is when they find a man who professes to be in Christ, and yet =alks not as Christ walked. These give the Church her wounds; she =eceives them in the house of her friends; these make the true ministers of God =o to their closets with broken heart, crying out, "Oh! Lord, wherefore =ast thou sent us to this people to speak and minister amongst them, =hat they should play the hypocrite before thee?" These are they that =revent the coming in of others, for others take knowledge of them, as they =hink religion is hypocrisy, and they are hindered, and, if not =eriously, they get, at any rate, comfort in their sin from the iniquity of these professors. What their judgment will be when Christ appeareth it =s not for my tongue to tell; in that day when, with tongue of fire, =hrist shall search every heart, and call on all men to receive their judgment, =hat must be the lot of the base-born professor, who prostituted his =rofession to his own honour and gain? He sought not the glory of God. What =hall be the thunder-bolt that shall pursue his guilty soul in its timorous =light to hell, and what the chains that are reserved in blackness and =arkness for ever for those who are wells without water and clouds without =ain? I cannot tell, and may God grant that you may never know. Oh! may we =ll tonight go to Christ to be our complete Saviour in very deed and =ruth. Then shall we be saved, and then, being saved, we shall seek to =erve Christ with heart, and soul, and strength.
Lest I have =issed my mark, this one illustration shall suffice, and I have done. There =s a vessel drifting. She will soon be on the shore, but a pilot is =ome on board; he is standing on the deck, and he says to the captain and =rew, "I promise and undertake that, if you will solely and alone trust me, = will save thy vessel. Do you promise it; do you believe in me?" They =elieve in him; they say they believe the pilot can save the vessel, and they =rust the vessel implicitly to his care. Now listen to him. "Now," says =e, "you at that helm there!" He does not stir. "At the helm there! Can't =ou hear?" He does not stir! He does not stir! "Well, but, Jack, =aven't you confidence in the pilot?" "Oh! yes. Oh! yes, I have faith in him," =e says; "he will save the vessel if I have faith in him." "Don't you =ear the pilot, as he says have faith in him, and you won't touch the =elm?" "Now, you aloft there! Reef that sail." He does not stir, but lets =he wind still blow into the sail and drift the vessel on to the =oast. "Now then, some of you; look alive, and reef that sail!" But he does =ot stir! "Why, captain, what shall I do? These fellows won't stir or move a =eg." But "Oh!" says the captain; "I have every confidence in you, =ilot. I believe you will save the vessel." "Then why don't you attend to =he tiller, and all that?" "Oh! no," says he; "I have great confidence =n you. I don't mean to do anything." Now when that ship goes down amid =he boiling surges, and each man sinks to his doom, I will ask you, =ad they faith in the pilot? Hadn't they a mimicking, mocking sort of =aith, and only that? For if they had been really anxious to have the vessel =escued, and have trusted in the pilot, it would be the pilot that had =aved them, and they could never have been saved without him. They would have =roved their faith by their works. Their faith would have been made =erfect, and the vessel would have been secured.
I call upon =very man here to do what Christ bids him. I call upon you, first of all, to =rove that you believe in Christ by being baptized. "He that believeth in =hrist and is baptized shall be saved." The first proof that you believe in =hrist is to be given by yielding to the much despised ordinance of =elievers' baptism, and then, having done that, going on to the other means =f which I have spoken. Oh! I charge you by your soul's salvation neglect =othing Christ commands, however trivial it may seem to your reason. =hatever he saith unto you, do it, for only by a child-like obedience to every =idding of Christ can you expect to have the promise fulfilled, "They that =rust in him shall be saved." The Lord bless these words, for His name's =ake. Amen.


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