Introduction

Back then, Paul wrote the Galatians fluently, and the manuscript of this book may have reached James. Then James wrote James based on the content of Galatians. Thank God for including both Galatians and James in the Bible. Because these two books both appear in the Bible, Paul only talks about faith, but James talks about both faith and works. This has caused us great confusion.

Without the word of God, a preacher cannot continue preaching. Today, we ask a question, does the book written by James have the truth, or does the book written by Paul have the truth? My biggest confusion is that these books are all included in the Bible, and their emphasis is inconsistent. Because I did not receive a clear concept, I began to look for the essence of it.

Preach the Gospel Based on Faith

Through reading the Bible, I discovered one thing: if our faith depends on works, we have nothing to boast about. During my past ministry, I discovered a great mystery. This mystery is related to money and health, and closely related to one's blessed state. Some people also donate and attend gatherings, but are not blessed; some people also donate and attend gatherings, but this person is blessed. Why is this? I have finally found the root of it. What is in a person's bones? We are all doing the same thing, but the key is what is our foothold? If our foothold is works, we cannot be blessed; if our foothold is faith, we will definitely be blessed.

Why is this so? What is the real meaning of the gospel? The real meaning of the gospel is to encircle everyone in the category of sinners. A sinner cannot be blessed. If people do not have faith, they cannot be justified by works alone, because that is not the essence of the gospel, and everything that does not come from faith is sin. Let me give you an example. You see, I have donated, why am I not blessed yet? The emphasis of this sentence is that he believes that he should be blessed for doing this. But the Bible does not say so, the Bible says that those who believe are blessed! Following the law means that I have done this, so I should be blessed because I have something to boast about.

The debate between faith and works has never stopped from Paul's time to the present. Why has this become a crucial point of contention? Because the gospel based on faith and the gospel based on works will bring two different results. The first result: people with faith will release the power of God; the other result is: people based on works cannot release the power of God, let alone the blessings of God. This is the reason for the decline of the Jerusalem church. If the church declines, if the church leads people into curses, if the church leads people into being based on works, and the people who serve God get cancer... These are all the results of being based on works.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

Paul preached the gospel based on faith. Paul wrote Romans because the church in Rome was also severely affected. We who are based on faith still have such great confusion, let alone the churches of all ages. I saw a clear thread. From creation, from Adam, Eve, Abraham to today, the debate between faith and works has never stopped. In Paul's time, the Romans were also affected by this idea of being based on works, that is, whether to keep the law? Whether to be circumcised? The biggest point of contention in Romans is whether to keep the law? Therefore, Paul wrote at the beginning:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

From ancient times to the present, the Jews have followed the path based on the law, deviating from the path of faith pioneered by Abraham. When Paul responded to the confusion of the Romans, he quoted many lies that the Romans released to the Christians. For example:

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? (Romans 3:1)

These words sound very confusing. To these words, Paul responded:

Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you are judged.” (Romans 3:2-4)

When Paul answered these confusions, he quoted scriptures and wrote the third chapter fluently. From the first, second, and third chapters of Romans, we can clearly see the thread. The first chapter is that this gospel is the power of God. People cannot deny the power of God. This power can solve all problems in life. This power can become our real good news. This gospel begins with faith and leads to faith, and has nothing to do with works. But the Jews also said that since it has nothing to do with works, then we will commit crimes, and the more crimes we commit, the more glory and grace we will have. One pastor talked about grace and used an English word called Overflow, overflowing grace. The meaning of talking about it is that you can commit crimes. Let's listen to what Paul said.

God judges people according to what they believe in their hearts, not according to their external actions, but according to the faith in their hearts. What is the use of keeping those laws and regulations if you do not believe in your heart? It is useless to keep them if you do not believe in your heart. Why can't the Jews keep the law? Because they don't believe. They are carnal people, and carnal people cannot keep the law. God gave the law to the Jews, and then used circumcision as a sign for the Jews, that only those who are circumcised are Jews.

The Essence of Covenant is Faith

However, the Jews forgot one thing, circumcision is just a sign of covenant, the essence is covenant. If you boast about circumcision as a sign, for example, I am a Jew, I have the law, I have been circumcised, I have had a small operation on my genitals, this is the sign of the covenant God made with us! This is like when I went to college in Beijing, some classmates said I am from Beijing, I am from Shanghai, and when I was asked, I am from Northeast China (rural people, country people). For example, when I arrived in the United States, I said I am from Australia (Australian farmers). These are all external forms.

The sign on the Jews is essentially a covenant, and the essence of the covenant is faith. Then the question comes, the sign is a sign, the covenant is a covenant, but these are not the essence. But some people regard donation as the essence. Donation or circumcision is useless if it does not come from faith. We humans easily boast about what is presented on the outside. I have circumcision, I have the law, and I will be like this and that. When writing Romans, the Jewish state had been destroyed by the Roman Empire. In fact, it was destroyed from the Babylonian Empire. The destruction of the Jewish state is talked about from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel... all the way to the end. The Old Testament has been talking about the unfaithfulness of the Israelites. Whether it is circumcision or keeping the law, the Jews did a good job of keeping it, but they still failed to keep it, and as a result, the country was destroyed.

The destruction of Israel brought great confusion to them. Why did I keep the law so well, but the country was still destroyed? Because there is no faith inside. Remember, it is meaningless to keep these if you do not believe inside. This proves one thing, if you do not have faith, if you do not believe that God will bless you, do not donate. If you do not believe that this world is vanity of vanities, then what do you believe in? In fact, we really need to know what we believe in.

I tell you, we must walk the path of faith, and do not use works to flaunt ourselves. When you boast with your actions, you are already living under a curse. Because keeping one commandment is not considered keeping it, you must keep all the commandments to be considered keeping it. However, no one can keep all the commandments, because they do not have the ability. You have experienced so much grace and miracles among us, are you still going to walk the path of works today? Therefore, Paul wrote Romans to answer a series of questions from the Jews and Roman Christians.

First, chapter one, begins with faith and leads to faith. Then chapter two, God judges people according to what they believe in their hearts. Then there is chapter three. When writing this chapter, Paul used very harsh words. He said: This is what those who slander us say we have said. These people should be condemned. These people slander Paul, saying that Paul said we can do evil, and then sinners can glorify God. The more evil you do, the more you can show God's glory and God's righteousness. This is not what Paul said. What Paul expressed is based on faith, and faith is the foundation.

Many people mix works and faith together as the foundation. In fact, as long as you regard 0.0001% of works as the foundation, the more you believe, the less ability you will have, and the more uncomfortable you will feel. Works cannot enter the foundation. This is what Paul wants to express. The first is the Jews and the law. What are the advantages of the Jews? The Jews proved that people cannot keep the law. Why can't the Jews keep it? Because they don't believe.

Although the Jews did not believe, God still gave them the law. Why is this? There are many advantages in everything. Even if they do not believe, God is still faithful. That is to say, God wants to prove that people cannot do it through the fact that the Jews cannot keep the law, to shut people's mouths. Not only to shut the mouths of the Jews, but also to shut the mouths of the Gentiles. Are the Gentiles stronger than the Jews? No. Jews and Gentiles, those who have the law and those who do not have the law, cannot do it. As verse 19 says, we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Today we need to know that no matter where you are from, Chinese, Singaporean, Roman, Jewish, or whatever, no one can boast before God by their actions.

God wants to shut people's mouths, so as to force them to believe, which is the righteousness of God, given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. We in this world have proved that people cannot do it, and no one can be justified before God by their actions.

Everything Not Based on Faith Is Sin

In my early years, before I believed in Jesus, I wanted to believe in Buddhism. We Chinese have a deep relationship with Buddhism. I knew a monk who was my good friend. Don't get me wrong, it's not that my good friend became a monk. He was originally a monk, and I met him and got along well with him. I would sit in his temple and chat with him. At that time, I was very tired. I asked him one thing, have you seen anyone who has attained enlightenment here for so long? He said no, he hadn't seen it. Then have you heard of anyone who has attained enlightenment? If so, I want to visit him, I want to be his disciple. He said he hadn't heard of it either. After talking about this, according to scientific arguments, this is a small probability event, so forget it.

Later, I came into contact with some Christians, and they preached the gospel to me. At first, I was very annoyed and thought Christians were annoying. They kept talking to me, which was really annoying. But these Christians had one characteristic, what did they preach? They preached faith. Believing is easier than doing. The focus of the debate is whether people can do it or not? Man's unrighteousness can show God's righteousness. Then God's wrath descends, is God unrighteous? Then some people say, do evil to achieve good, distorting the logical system that begins with faith and leads to faith. So how can the mouths of the Gentiles be shut? In fact, it is to let them see clearly what they are doing.

Recently, I was reading Stalin's Biography. Stalin is very similar to Cao Cao in our ancient times, with paranoia. How did he die? One night, he went out to play with his staff. After playing, Stalin returned to his residence, and then he had a cerebral hemorrhage that day. At that time, no one dared to enter. He was delayed inside for more than ten hours, and he was already dead when he was found. No one dared to enter his room. Because Stalin had set a rule before that no one could enter his room without his order, otherwise it would be a capital crime. Stalin stared with his eyes open when he died, and his hands were always stretched out, looking like he was eager for someone to come and help him. But because he was afraid that others would harm him, he made a rule, and as a result, he died because of this rule.

Once a person belongs to the flesh, the instinct to survive will determine how he does it. When a person is in a high position, he actually does not feel very good inside, because the struggle is too fierce. Cao Cao was the same. He had a headache, and as a result, Hua Tuo wanted to perform a craniotomy on him. Because he suspected that Hua Tuo would harm him, he killed Hua Tuo. Therefore, all people who live in the flesh are sinners. Finally, the law and the prophets, and these Jews and non-Jews without the law and the prophets, proved one thing: people cannot do it, they fall short of the glory of God, they are all sinners, and they live like beasts. People fight for power and gain, which is similar to the lion and monkey groups in the animal world. When fighting for power, they also fight to the death.

The Jews are one of the most outstanding ethnic groups in mankind. They cannot keep it either, so they push people into faith. The faith in people will reveal God's righteousness. Did God use this method to shut people's mouths? In fact, it is difficult to shut people's mouths and to make people aware of their sins. Tonight, when I was having dinner and chatting with a mother and daughter, the daughter cared very much about her mother and hoped that her mother could get out of her confused state. As a result, her mother did not admit it, and the two of them almost quarreled in the end. When I saw that the situation was not right, I wanted to use some words to shut her mother's mouth. Did it shut it? It seemed to shut it a little. But after people have been like this for a while, they easily become self-righteous.

Don't underestimate self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is deadly. Once a person is self-righteous, they cannot walk the path of faith. People think they are right, they are establishing their own righteousness. But God encircles everyone in sinners to reveal God's righteousness. That means no one can boast, and no one can be based on works, not even 0.0001% of works. So what method should be used? The method of believing in the Lord should be used. If you are not based on works, but on faith, you will live out the power of God, and the power of God will fulfill the law.

Whether Jews or non-Jews, we know that God is the God of the Jews and also the God of the non-Jews. He is the God of the circumcised and also the God of the uncircumcised. Because Abraham was uncircumcised in the first half of his life, God was also his God, and he was circumcised in the second half of his life. Therefore, God is the God of the circumcised and also the God of the uncircumcised. We must understand God's plan of salvation. God's plan of salvation is all to be accomplished by God, not by people. That is to say, when we know that it is not what we do to accomplish it, but what God does to make us accomplish it, we can only believe and receive it.

If you do not use faith to receive it, but only treat God as an idol to worship, God, bless me, God, give me a job, God, I want a child, isn't this treating God as an idol? We must know that there is nothing to boast about in using the method of believing in the Lord. Don't say, look, I have donated, look, I have gathered, look, I have done these things, I have prayed when I should, what else do you want me to do? God does not want you to do anything, God wants you to believe. So how to believe? It is to choose to believe.

Faith Alone is the Foundation

Believe, and you shall see the power of God. We have many testimonies of this among us. Today, in those who believe, do you find they truly have works? The answer is no. If some are healed through prayer when they are sick, you can ask them if it was because of their belief or their works. By the time they had works, they would probably be long dead.

That is to say, we cannot come before God and please Him by works alone, but only through faith. For we are all sinners, falling short of the glory of God. Now, we only have a portion to receive, knowing our place, knowing that we are human is already the greatest grace. If we know that we are incapable, and then we know that God is capable, we must trust in Him and rely on Him. If you trust in Him and also rely on yourself, what is that? What do you call faith with works? What about faith without works? I tell you: Works and no works have absolutely no relation. It is in the moment you believe that you receive God's grace. If you believe in God but still think you need to do something to receive His grace, then you are in trouble, because human works cannot permeate the foundation of faith, not even by 0.001%.

Faith is internal, while the Law is external. Faith is spiritual, while the Law is carnal, and keeping rules is also carnal. There is a spiritual path, and there is a carnal path. That is, the Book of Romans discusses the issue of spiritual versus carnal. If you walk the carnal path, you will boast about what you have done. But if you walk the spiritual path, you will not boast about what you have done. Because you are not worthy of boasting, understand? On the spiritual path, we walk by faith. With faith, we obtain the power of God. When you obtain power, you fulfill the Law. Although the carnal path has the Law and observes the Law, it proves that you are incapable.

Therefore, whether Jew or Gentile, what is our final purpose? Our final purpose is not that you keep the Law, but that you can obtain the power of God and then fulfill and strengthen the Law. That is to say, today's Christian faith is a powerful faith, but if you believe it as a faith without power, then it becomes very troublesome. You must believe in the power of this faith.

At that time, the church in Rome accepted many false teachings. Paul wrote the Book of Romans to correct these false teachings. Because many people wanted to boast about their works, what were they boasting about? They were boasting about how well they believed. In reality, you will find that many Christians in China say this: You believe well, or you do not believe well. Why would someone not believe well? Because I don't have this work or that work?

But whether one believes well or not is not judged by works but by power. Because power and miracles are the fruits of faith. Can you understand? Today, we must know that justification is because of faith. That is, when you have done nothing, because you believe in God, God considers you righteous. Why is justification so important? Because it is a spiritual matter. What does justification mean? Justification means being considered a righteous person, but your works are truly not considered righteous.

In fact, if you look at Abraham and Jacob in the Bible according to human thinking, they really cannot be considered righteous people. But God considered them righteous. Why? Because in their time, God justified them by their faith. What is a righteous person? A righteous person is one who has faith. Because of faith, God calls them righteous. Why? Because this is what God has ordained. Those who are justified by faith are freed from the curse and also believe that Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross to bear our curse.

You will find that some Christians do not confess their sins much, like me. I don't like confessing a single sin thousands or tens of thousands of times. After I confess, I say, God, please forgive me. I won't keep rambling on. But some people don't believe that God has already forgiven them, so they keep confessing: God, please forgive me! As if God is unwilling to forgive them. If you think about it, what is the reason you keep confessing your sins? It is because you don't believe that God has already forgiven you.

How can you be justified like this? If you are not justified, you will live under a curse. When you live under a curse, the devil will work in you, and then you will do what you don't want to do, and you can't do what you want to do. If you are justified, it means that you have already believed that God has removed your curse, that God has considered you righteous, that God has driven the demons out of your body, and that God can work in you. The Law that you could not fulfill before can now be fulfilled. Why? Because God has become your strength. Therefore, you must understand that justification is very important.

Many people among us are healed of diseases, but they are still far from the standard of becoming righteous. You cannot be justified by works. Even before you perform them, God considers you righteous, and then the demons inside you become illegal residents, and you can drive them out. Therefore, those who are religious think that anything that has not been done does not count, and this is called religious. But they cannot do it, and what cannot be done does not count. Then aren't you living under a curse? Because your foundation is not based on faith, but on what is done. So, if you have faith, and I have works, that is a curse. If you show me works without faith, then through my works, I will show you my faith. If you show me faith with works, what can be seen? What can be seen is the decline of the church, the poverty lived out on your body, and the curse. So, this is a fatal matter. We must know that faith is faith. Even before you perform it, God considers you righteous.

We are far from the standard and distance of performing, but this does not matter. Because we cannot perform it, and what can be performed by the flesh? If God's Law could be performed by the flesh, then the Law would have been fulfilled long ago, and it would have been fulfilled in the Old Testament. But the fact is not so. Even if you perform it by faith today, you have nothing to boast about, because it is God who makes you perform it. If it is God who gives you the power to perform it, what is there to boast about? If we need faith with works, then you will surely live under a curse. Our faith does not contain any works.

Until today, the thoughts and intentions of some of us are still very dirty. If you have received God's grace and obtained God's power, then you must obey God's Law. Where does power come from? From God. If so, what do you have to boast about? Therefore, never boast about your works.

I often hear some Christians say: Look, I came to the gathering. I think: Would we lack anything if you didn't come to the gathering? So, in the end, you still don't count for anything. We are justified by faith, not by works. If you have faith before you have performed it, then you are considered righteous, you can remove the curse, you can fulfill the Law, you can be sanctified, and you can freely walk in God's will. Today, we must clearly walk the path of faith. When we walk the path of faith, God's power will protect us. God's power will become our power, and we can act according to God's word.

If you are not blessed in finances, and you are not blessed in physical health, you really need to examine whether you trust in God. If you have to use works to demonstrate your faith in trusting God, then you have definitely gone down the wrong path. Now, put down your works. Even if you can carefully obey God's word, it is God who gives you the power to carefully obey.

Conclusion

Therefore, if you want to quote from the Book of James, you must be very careful. Today, when we read the Bible, we must carefully read Paul's epistles, because Paul leads us to the path of Abraham's blessing. If James could lead us to the path of Abraham's blessing, the church in Jerusalem would not have declined. We do not believe according to what people say, we believe according to the results they produce. Paul built a glorious church, but some people are building a church without God's presence. Whose path will you follow? I will choose to follow Paul's path.

On the matter of faith, everyone should note that what Paul said is the same as what Jesus said. Jesus never said that faith with works is alive and faith without works is dead. If Jesus never said it, then of course we must choose to believe Jesus' words. So what did Jesus say? Just believe, and whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Therefore, today we must not add other conditions, but simply believe.

How despairing would this be for someone with cancer who heard these words, wouldn't it? A person with cancer originally had a heart full of wanting to receive God's healing. If we come before God with faith and still have to perform something to receive healing, wouldn't that be very sad? Therefore, today we must walk the path based on faith. This faith is from first to last: as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. So, when you believe, God's power will manifest in your body, and you will see that this is a treasure. The faith in us will gradually grow from a mustard seed to sesame seeds, then to corn kernels, and then to become even bigger and bigger, until it grows into a towering tree.

The faith within us can become our strength, and then let us willingly and joyfully inscribe God's words on our hearts. It is because of our faith that God's words can be inscribed on our hearts. Only when we put God's words in our hearts is it useful. It is useless to pretend to do it outside. Therefore, ask yourself, do you truly believe in your heart? If you truly believe, then it is not difficult for you to do God's words. If you do not have this faith in your heart, without this foundation, then other things are really too difficult, and you cannot keep them. Even if many people slander us and say things like doing evil to achieve good, we do not care. The condemnation of such people is justified.

From today onwards, read the Book of Romans carefully. At the same time, it is best to read the Book of Galatians clearly again. The Book of Galatians talks about being based on faith, the Book of James adds works, and the Book of Romans does not add works. Works are simply not in the foundation. Even if they are performed, it is God's power. Therefore, may God have mercy on us and open our spiritual eyes, letting us see clearly what path we should walk on!