JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

SERMON BY CHARLES FINNEY

TEXT--"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." [Gal 2.16.]

THIS last sentiment is expressed in the same terms, in the 3d chapter of Romans. The subject of the present lecture, as I announced last week, is Justification by Faith. The order which I propose to pursue in the discussion is this:

I. Show what justification by law, or legal justification, is.

II. Show that by the deeds of the law no flesh can be justified.

III. Show what gospel justification is.

IV. Show what is the effect of gospel justification, or the state into which it brings a person that is justified.

V. Show that gospel justification is by faith.

VI. Answer some inquiries which arise in many minds on this subject.

I. I am to show what legal justification is.

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NATURE OF TRUE VIRTUE

SERMON BY CHARLES FINNEY

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.--Rom. 13: 8-10.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.--Gal. 5: 14.

In this lecture I propose to show,

I. WHAT IS INTENDED BY THE TERM LOVE.

II. THAT THE THING INTENDED IS THE WHOLE OF VIRTUE.

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THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE

SERMON BY CHARLES FINNEY

Text. Gal. 3:14.--That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

This text teaches us:

I. THAT THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM HAS COME ON THE GENTILES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

II. IT TEACHES WHAT THIS BLESSING IS.

III. THAT IT IS TO BE RECEIVED BY FAITH.

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TRUE AND FALSE RELIGION

SERMON BY CHARLES FINNEY

Text.--Gal. 5:1: "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

The observances of the ceremonial law were designedly a typical representation of the gospel. The Jews had misunderstood them, and supposed that their observance was the ground of justification and acceptance with God. After the introduction of Christianity, many of the Christian Jews were exceedingly zealous for their observance, and for uniting the ceremonial dispensation with Christianity. On the contrary, Paul, "the great Apostle of the Gentiles," insisted upon justification by faith alone, entirely irrespective of any legal observances and conditions whatever. There were a set of teachers in the early days of Christianity who were called Judaizers, from the fact, that they insisted upon uniting legal observances with Christianity, as a ground of justification. Soon after the establishment of the Galatian Churches, by St. Paul, these Judaizers succeeded in introducing this corruption into the Christian Churches. To rebuke this error, and overthrow it, was the design of this epistle. The yoke and bondage spoken of in the text, was the yoke of legal observances. The liberty here mentioned is the liberty of love--of justification--and of sanctification, by faith alone.

In discussing this subject, I design to show,

I. WHAT IT IS TO MAKE A MAN A SLAVE.

II. WHAT IT IS TO BE A SLAVE.

III. WHAT TRUE LIBERTY IS.

IV. THAT THE RELIGION OF MANY PERSONS IS MERE SLAVERY.

V. THAT TRUE RELIGION IS GENUINE LIBERTY.

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Questions about Jesus' Siblings

Q. What was the name of Jesus' bothers and sisters and were can i find this in the Bible?

A. Hello and thank you for your email! The Bible does not give very much information about Jesus's siblings, however, here are some references that you can read about. Matthew 13:54-58, John 2:11-12, John 7:3-5. Since James, the brother of the disciple John, was killed before the New Testament book of James was written, it could be a possibility that the book of James was written by Jesus's brother who finally believed after the crucifiction. We do not know this for sure, though. Galatians Chapter 1, Matthew 13:55, Acts 12:17. I hope these references answer your question. May God bless you.

True and False Religion

Text.--Galatians 5:1: "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

The observances of the ceremonial law were designedly a typical representation of the gospel. The Jews had misunderstood them, and supposed that their observance was the grou nd of justification and acceptance with God. After the introduction of Christianity, many of the Christian Jews were exceedingly zealous for their observance, and for uniting the ceremonial dispensation with Christianity. On the contrary, Paul, "the great Apostle of the Gentiles," insisted upon justification by faith alone, entirely irrespective of any legal observances and conditions whatever. There were a set of teachers in the early days of Christianity who were called Judaizers, from the fact, that they insisted upon uniting legal observances with Christianity, as a ground of justification. Soon after the establishment of the Galatian Churches, by St. Paul, these Judaizers succeeded in introducing this corruption into the Christian Churches. To rebuke this error, and overthrow it, was the design of this epistle. The yoke and bondage spoken of in the text, was the yoke of legal observances. The liberty here mentioned is the liberty of love--of justification--and of sanctification, by faith alone. 
  
In discussing this subject, I design to show, 
  
I. What it is to make a man a slave. 
  
II. What it is to be a slave. 
  
III. What true liberty is. 
  
IV. That the religion of many persons is mere slavery. 
  
V. That true religion is genuine liberty.

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A Glimpse of the Cross

God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Galatians 6:14 (KJV)
 
Several years ago while lying in bed waiting for sleep to grab a hold of me, I had a vision of the cross. I have never experienced anything like this vision before. 

Instead of sleep coming to me, I saw a small screen like a television coming toward me, and as it came closer to me, it grew larger. When the window stopped enlarging, I beheld the most wondrous sight I have ever seen. The cross stood before me in all its incredible and spectacular wonder. Beauty and horror!
 
I felt as if I actually stood there at the foot of the cross. It was so close that I could have reached out and felt the texture of the wood. I looked up into my Savior’s face, but because of the darkness, only the outline of His body could be seen. The sky was almost black; it had turned so dark only seconds after our Lord’s death. The cross was a thick, dark wood, and just above the cross on the left side was a little bit of sky left, infused with an explosion of colors of deep red, orange and blue. The colors reminded me of the sun when it sets at dusk.
 
As I gazed at the vision before me, I could almost hear the words, "It is true, I died for you, and I have paid the price for your redemption." The true meaning of the cross stood out that night in a special way unlike any words could ever do.
 
Thank you Lord Jesus for dying for me that I may have eternal life. Thank you for showing me that you died for me and that you paid the price for my sins. May we all find peace and salvation in the cross that Christ died on.