Lesson Six, Part 1: Genuine Faith, according to Paul, John, Matthew, and James

Cross-references to Question #2 for tomorrow night's lesson

Paul: Galatians 5:6b

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
The kind of faith that "counts" as genuine saving faith is the faith that is shown in and through our love toward others.

1 John 3:10, 17-19

10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the
devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is
anyone who does not love his brother.

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence.

The crucial piece of evidence that we "belong to the truth" and are children of
God is by giving to those in need, doing what is right, and loving our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Matthew 7:15-23

A Tree and Its Fruit
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Jesus tells us that there must be a direct link between faith and deeds. We should look at the fruit of those who say they love Christ to see whether there is fruit. Do they do what the Word says? Do they love the church? Do they have a heart for the poor?

James 1:27, 2:14-17

27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:
to look after orphans and widows in their distress and
to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James, Matthew, Jesus, John and Paul all show agreement, along with the Westminster Confession of Faith:

Chapter XI Of Justification
II. Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and His righteousness, is
the alone instrument of justification:[4] yet is it not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces, and is no dead faith, but works by
love.[5]