Jeff Gelineau - Class 2: Faith & Works

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   This is day two of the Florida Christadelphian Bible School. The speaker this morning is Brother Jeff Jelino from the Simi Hills Ecclesia. His subject this week is Be Doers of His Word, studying the book of James. This is class one. This is class two. Sorry. This is class two the first time. And his subject this morning is Faith and Works.

2. 0:42

   Brother Jeff. We got the subject right this morning, so we're improving. Usually it's the name that's the problem. You'd think the difference between one and two would be fairly easy to pronounce. That's okay, Mr. Duvenpart. I understand.

3. 1:11

   Yesterday we were introduced to the foil in the story of Jesus. Introduced ourselves to the Pharisees. Their legalistic and their exclusionary attitude fit in very well with a religion full of strict adherence to laws. A religion based not on grace and faith, but on laws and works. So when Jesus introduced the radical and different concept of salvation by grace, so began a debate that has gone on for centuries.

4. 1:46

   The debate of faith versus works. One of the great debates of Christianity. One that still confuses Christians and brothers and sisters today. But I find that all too often a debate is formed by how the question is asked. If you word the question incorrectly, you can skew the whole discussion. And I would contend that it's not a matter of faith versus works.

5. 2:25

   It's a matter of faith and works. Not faith versus works. It's not about comparing one to another. It's not like one of these concepts is right and the other concept is wrong. It'd be ludicrous to say that we don't believe that we're saved by faith. And it's just as wrong to say that we don't think that our works have some part to do of our salvation.

6. 2:55

   That's, to me, the beauty of James because James gets it right. There's been much debate in Christianity over the years about the differences between James' teachings on this subject and Paul's teachings. Martin Luther even claimed that the book of James contradicted the writings of Paul. And he referred to James as the epistle of straw.

7. 3:23

   Martin Luther went so far as to claim that James wasn't even inspired. And at first glance, when you look at it, it does seem that James and Paul aren't singing from the same hymn book. It does seem like Paul teaches very clearly that we're justified by faith. While James seems to insist that works are necessary for salvation.

8. 3:49

   So which one is it? Are we saved by faith or are we saved by works? Which one do you believe? Which one have you thought about? Let's take a closer look at the teachings of Paul and the teachings of James. Paul starts out in Romans chapter 3. Verse 28. He says, Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works, without the deeds of the law.

9. 4:27

   But in James chapter 2, James says, What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he have faith and hath not works? Can faith save him? Obviously, James' answer is no. Works is what saves us. Paul seems to be saying that faith alone is what saves us. A person is not saved by works.

10. 4:55

    But James seems to be implying that faith can't save you. That it's good works that profit us. And these two verses seem to contradict each other. Let's take a look at a different set. Paul confirms that salvation is a gift from God. In Ephesians 2, verses 8 and 9, he says, For by grace are ye saved through faith.

11. 5:21

    And that not of yourself, nothing you could have done on your own, no work of your own. It's the gift of God. Not of works, clearly, lest any man should boast. But James seems to directly connect your salvation to your works. Your faith is connected in James. He says in verses 17 and 18 of the same chapter, Even so, faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

12. 5:52

    Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show you my faith by my works. So on the one hand, Paul is telling us that we cannot be saved by works. While James is saying that unless you have works, faith can't save you.

13. 6:14

    So which one is correct? I mean, over the years, I've really struggled with that issue. You know, I really wanted to believe that it was faith that saved us, and not works. But you keep bumping into these verses that talk about works.

14. 6:34

    And throughout history, I think, men have lined up on both sides of this debate. Each one speaking louder and louder, getting more polarized and more extreme in their opposing viewpoints, until very quickly, neither one can even hear the other one speak. But like in most disagreements, I don't think the answer lies in a compromise of the two positions, but in a combination of the two positions.

15. 7:06

    Because in my opinion, most often, both sides are correct. They're just saying things differently. And the truth is deciphered, I think, when you take the writings of Paul and the writings of James together, and you combine them. It's only then that you discover that they really are speaking about the same things. James doesn't contradict Paul's teaching of justification by faith.

16. 7:32

    I think James complements Paul's teaching of justification by faith. Let's take a look at what they're both really saying. Paul says, This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto all men.

17. 7:58

    And James continues with Paul's argument. He says, The scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see, Paul agreed with James, and James agreed with Paul. So why the confusion? Why approach such an important issue from two diverse viewpoints?

18. 8:27

    I think what we find out, what we hopefully will discover, is that when we start discussing the topic of faith and works, two very common errors pop up.

19. 8:45

    And Paul and James were each separately addressing these errors. The error that Paul corrected was that salvation comes by your works. That you can somehow earn your way into the kingdom. The Jews had brought into Christianity this concept of works righteousness and somehow tried to convince people, tried to teach people, that if you just do the right things, you'll be saved.

20. 9:20

    Now that's simply not the case. It's not true. And Paul does an excellent job of speaking out against it. But the error that James corrected was Martin Luther's error, right? The error that James corrected was that works are unnecessary. After a person has become baptized, because all you have to do is believe, all you have to do is have faith, and you're saved.

21. 9:45

    And it doesn't matter what you do or what happens afterwards. So Paul taught that righteousness, the righteousness demanded by God, cannot be attained by works. No matter how hard you try, no matter how many times you do it, you can't earn your salvation. You can't ever do enough to be considered righteous in the eyes of God.

22. 10:14

    Since no one besides Jesus has ever been able to live a sinless life, every one of us remain unrighteous in the eyes of God. And every one of us remain in the need of God's grace and God's mercy. And Paul taught that salvation is a gracious gift of God given to those who have faith in Him.

23. 10:43

    And James believed these same things as Paul. James understood and appreciated the value of God's grace. James knew that none of us are sinless and worthy of the gift we have received. James just wanted to make sure, though, that we understand that if we truly have a saving faith, if we truly believe, like Abraham did, then we will fill our lives with good works.

24. 11:13

    Our lives will become full of good works. We won't be able to stop it or even control it. James wants to make sure that we understand that the outward appearance of good works in our life is a testament to the saving faith that's in our heart. So works are rejected by Paul as the means of salvation and works are understood by James as the result of salvation.

25. 11:45

    Notice the difference? Paul wants us to believe deep in our hearts that we don't gain salvation by our works. But James wants us to understand that if we have salvation, our life will be full of works. Once we come to understand that concept, once we come to grasp the grace and the mercy that we've been given by this promise of salvation, we won't be able to stop doing the good works.

26. 12:20

    Once we truly develop the faith that believes that we are saved by the grace of God, then our life will abound with good works. And that's the message of James. That's what James is writing about. Unlike Paul's writings that run the entire scope of the doctrine, the book of James addresses this outward expression of inward faith.

27. 12:45

    Let's look at the full context of what James was talking about in chapter 2. In verse 15, he says, Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, Go, I wish you well. Keep warm and well fed. But does nothing about his physical needs?

28. 13:04

    What good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, You have faith, I have deeds. Show me your faith without your deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

29. 13:22

    This verse convicts me in so many ways. Verses 15 and 16 is really James' way of just introducing this topic. He says in verse 17, You know, in the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied with works, is dead. But his example in 15 and 16, I find very pertinent and very potent.

30. 13:48

    your arranging board wouldn't send a brother or sister away hungry or without a house. But ours has. And I voted for it. The sister had been abandoned by her husband and she had two small children and it was virtually impossible for her to have a job with her skills that would pay enough money to pay for child care on two small children and still leave enough money for her to eat, for her to pay rent in California at $1,500 a month.

31. 14:57

    She came to the arranging board and said, What do I do? I need help. And we sat there with our $800,000 homes and our four bedrooms and our kids grown up and out of the house and our house is empty and we said to her, Gee, you don't know, you're going to have to work something out.

32. 15:29

    You're going to have to move back in with your parents who are non-believers and five hours away from the ecclesia because none of us have room for you.

33. 15:53

    It happens too often. We give good, sound, spiritual advice. What do I do? I'm in this divorce situation or I'm in a tough situation at work. What do we do? And instead of giving them help, we tend to quote Scripture to them.

34. 16:21

    I'll pray for you. I wish you well. Go and be warm and be fed. And James says that in the same way, faith, I mean, if you have this believing faith but you don't do any good works with it, it's useless. Why do you have it?

35. 16:43

    Actions that we perform that are simply outward acts done for the purpose of trying to receive merit are of no value and attaining salvation.

36. 16:58

    It's all for show. However, those who trust and obey Jesus will produce works that are motivated by the Spirit. And that's what makes it so confusing, right? I mean, all dogs have tails but not everything with a tail is a dog, right? Just because someone like a Pharisee, like myself, is seen doing good works doesn't mean that they're in the way of salvation.

37. 17:32

    It doesn't mean that they're going to be saved. Right? I can look up verses and I can stand in front of you and teach a class, right? I can take 10% of my income and give it to the Bible mission. I can say wonderful prayers or do things that impress you as being righteous.

38. 17:57

    But inside, be a ravening wolf, right? Have no real belief, no saving faith, not a belief that changes the way I would have normally addressed a problem.

39. 18:21

    But on the other hand though, everyone who is going to be saved, everyone who has that saving faith is a true believer, will be seen doing good works.

40. 18:36

    And you can't tell the difference. When you look at two people, you can't tell the difference. There's a great story about two brothers that go to paint the widowed sister's house.

41. 18:51

    Only one of them pleases God, but they both put the same amount of paint on the widow's house. But if those works aren't evident in the life of a professing believer, then their level of belief is suspect. You want proof of that? James gives us proof. Okay, you want proof of that? James gives us proof.

42. 19:19

    What is, here we are, here we are. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? James and Paul both turn to one example when they want to support this concept of faith and works. Paul's introduction of Abraham into the discussion is the foundation, the cornerstone of our hope.

43. 19:43

    I talked about it a bit on Sunday and I want to review some of those verses with you again today. Paul writes in Romans chapter 4, he says, if in fact Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and that belief itself was credited to him as righteousness.

44. 20:11

    Abraham, remember I said he's remembered for one simple act of faith. And the verse that we're talking about, the verse that Paul is quoting here is found in Genesis chapter 15. God had come to Abraham and promised him a son through his wife Sarah. After all those years of waiting, after all those years of Sarah being barren, a son was promised.

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    He brought him forth abroad and said, look now toward heaven and tell the stars. If you can number the stars in the heaven, so shall your seed be.

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    And Abraham didn't chuckle. Abraham didn't, you know, nod his head and walk away. Abraham believed God and God counted it to him for righteousness. Abraham's faith is counted to him for righteousness simply because he believed in the Lord, standing all alone out in that field in the middle of the night, hearing voices talk to him, looking up in the stars above him.

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    This 100-year-old man with a 90-year-old wife believes that he's going to have that many children. Even though the evidence opposed it, even though history, his own personal history and experience argued against it, even though it probably didn't even make sense to Abraham. It was illogical.

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    He believed it. And it's this simple act of faith that God wants from each one of us. Not that he wants us to fight battles or to offer our children on an altar. He simply wants us to believe him, to trust him. As a matter of fact, it's specifically not the great acts that save us.

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    It's not our works that bring us salvation. Paul continues with that explanation in Romans 4. He says, when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. Obviously, it wouldn't be the free gift of God if you'd earned it. It's somehow, you know, by just holding your breath and not sinning and doing the Bible readings enough times and helping enough old ladies across the street, if somehow you could earn your salvation, well, then you just wait till payday and collect.

50. 22:41

    Verse 5, however, to the man who does not work, but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteous. be careful about what Paul's saying though. He's not saying, you know, that you don't work. You specifically go about the process of not trying to do anything good, and therefore living a life of wickedness and thinking that you'll have that credited to you for righteousness.

51. 23:14

    righteousness. But it's a matter of whether or not you believe that you can do it on your own. Whether or not you believe in the strength of your right hand or in the power of the Almighty God.

52. 23:38

    Abraham, I think, is a perfect example, right? It was obvious to Abraham that he was unable to solve this problem on his own. It's not like he and Sarah had not been trying. They were faithful people and they'd waited all their life to have a child. They'd continued trying and trying. I'm sure they saw their centuries version of doctors, you know, to see if there was any kind of herbs that she could take or, you know, homeopathic something, right?

53. 24:09

    You know, they were trying. And he had come to understand it's just not going to happen. There's nothing I can do. There's no action I can perform. There's no work I can do that will achieve what I want. So he trusted in God. And Abraham came to realize that God would solve his problem.

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    Better than that, Abraham came to realize that that it was only God that could solve his problem. And I believe that's what our father wants us to come to realize. This illogical, almost counterintuitive act of acknowledging that we are incapable of resolving the issues in our own lives. The first step, or one of the first three steps in an alcoholics program, you know, is to give yourself over to a higher power, to realize that you've been trying your whole life, and you can't achieve this goal of stopping.

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    my favorite bumper sticker from the Alcoholics Anonymous is, my best decisions got me where I am today. Think about it. Acknowledging before God that you are unsuccessful in fighting the battle against your own personal sins.

56. 25:52

    You've had all these years to try. Are you getting much better at it? No matter how strong your willpower, no matter how quick your wits, no matter how much resolve you have, how many resolutions you make on January 1st, eventually you have to acknowledge in the end that you can't do it. In the end, we all need to turn to God for salvation.

57. 26:19

    And that's what our Father wants from us. That's the simple faith of Abraham. That's the faith that we need to fill our lives with. God has promised us that He's given us His Son to remove our sins and we'll be saved. And all He asks from us is the faith to believe that that's true.

58. 26:40

    Not just that, oh, yeah, Jesus died for our sins, some corporate level of human sins. But to realize that I have a short temper, to realize that I am rude, to realize that I don't even want to tell you the other things that I do. Ask her, she knows. She's got an alphabetical, chronological.

59. 27:07

    When I'm really bad, my wife gets historical. and tells me about the things I've done in the past. When I'm really bad, she gets hysterical. That's just an old joke. It doesn't apply to her. But that's the point. That's what God wants from us. God wants us to understand that you've been battling these things and Christ didn't die for some generic sin.

60. 27:35

    He died for what you do, the thoughts that you have. And he wants you to give those over and believe that God is able to forgive them. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. So do we?

61. 28:01

    Or do we still think we can work this out? A few more years, we'll get there. James continues where Paul left off. James continues the rest of the story of Abraham. James refers to the same event in Genesis chapter 15 to confirm that they're also speaking about this faith that Abraham shows. And James quotes the same phrase here in verse 23.

62. 28:26

    Scripture was fulfilled that says Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness and he was called God's friend. But then James goes on to speak about another completely different story. Back up a couple of verses to 21. He says, was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

63. 28:48

    You see that his faith and his actions were working together and his faith was made complete by what he did. It's not faith versus works. It's faith and actions. Faith and works working together. James isn't disagreeing with Paul. James believed that Abraham was justified by this simple act of faith.

64. 29:16

    But the real message is what we see here in verse 22. What James wants to show us is what happens in a person's life when they have faith. What James wants to prove is that if you really do believe in God so strongly that God would count it to you as righteousness, then your life will become filled with works of faith.

65. 29:39

    James isn't telling us that we can receive eternal life through our works. James is saying that faith is not living unless it's outwardly shown, unless it's demonstrated, unless it pours forth out of your soul. faith it's not faith alone that saves us. We can't believe like many modern day Christians do that all you have to do is accept Jesus as your personal savior and you're saved once and for all.

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    Regardless of your actions, because look what he says in verse 24, you see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only. Faith is important, but it's just the beginning to the foundation of a life in

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    But what do you do out of gratitude for that great gift? That's the question that James asks. If you really have faith at all, if your life is not full of good works, backing up to verse 18, he says, Yea, a man may say thou hast faith and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works.

68. 30:45

    I don't believe it. I'll show you my faith by my works. Yes, James is saying. We're all dependent upon the grace of God for salvation. Sure, it's faith that saves us, but if you aren't doing anything good with your life, then are you really sure that you have the saving faith? Look what Paul says to Timothy.

69. 31:07

    He says, Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God, God who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

70. 31:30

    Isn't that the truth? We're not called because of our works. God hasn't chosen us because of our strength. He's chosen us because of our weakness, because he wants to show forth his strength. He's whittled us down to an army of 300 to go and take on the 215,000. 135,000 because he doesn't want us thinking that it's by our own might that we succeed.

71. 31:58

    It's not because of anything we have done or could do that God has called us, but it's because of something great and wonderful that he wants to do in us.

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    I think it would be an amazing testament to the God of heaven to have me in the kingdom. Think about it. I mean, Kelly, she's a shoe-in. You know, I mean, she's not an impressing guy, anybody, that much. I mean, you know, but, you know, we're saved because God desires it, not because we've earned it.

73. 32:43

    Our salvation is not contingent on our own works. no matter how good they are. And they're not always good, are they? That's the really hard part for us to swallow. That's the part that's hard for us to believe. We're all comfortable with one side of the equation, but the other side is a little more uncomfortable, isn't it?

74. 33:00

    We have to believe both sides. We're all fairly comfortable with the idea that we can't earn our way into the kingdom, regardless of our actions. Can I get an amen? Right. right? But, we're not as comfortable with the idea of being given salvation despite our sinful actions, are we? That's a little more uncomfortable, but that is what the message says.

75. 33:25

    Understanding and appreciating God's love is a key to understanding that concept of being justified by faith, that concept of being given salvation even though you're a sinner. sinner. It's very hard to do when you don't feel worthy of such a gift. That's the point, isn't it? God loves us even while we're sinners.

76. 33:49

    While salvation is conditional, God's love isn't. Psalms tells us that God hates wickedness. Deuteronomy says that God hates idols, and Malachi says that God hates divorce, but over and over in Scripture, we see that God loves sinners. And I know it's true because I'm one of them, and I know He loves me.

77. 34:12

    Sure, He loves righteous people also, but the most amazing thing about God is that He loves the unlovable, the undeserving, the unworthy. He loves me. He loves you. And coming to accept that love of God is hard. Because you just don't feel like you're worth it. You don't feel like you deserve it.

78. 34:37

    I mean, just the other day you said that thing to that person, and this morning you thought that thing, and... But God wouldn't love you more if you were perfect. He doesn't love you less because you're imperfect.

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    Only when we understand and truly believe that do we begin to accept the idea of being justified in God's sight. Too often I think we talk about losing our place in the kingdom because we've been bad. Like we aren't going to make it. Like we're only going to make it if we don't sin.

80. 35:19

    Do you really think you're going to stop sinning? How old are you? How are you doing so far? Even just one tiny slip-up is all it takes, right? James describes it in verse 10. He says, For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of all of it.

81. 35:40

    For he who said do not commit adultery also said do not murder. If you commit adultery, but don't... If you don't commit adultery, but do commit murder, you become a lawbreaker. Thankfully, though, God didn't wait until we were perfect before he called us, did he? While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

82. 35:59

    We're justified by the grace of God. Our shortcomings are made complete. The fullness of our sins is removed. And in God's eyes, we look perfect. God wants us to trust in that, to have faith in the fact that he can and he will extend his mercy to us. He'll carry us home like the wayward sheep that we are.

83. 36:19

    God wants us to trust in that mercy. trust in that grace and that love. To realize that we're unable to earn righteousness through our actions. That we all need for God to impute righteousness to us. And one of the keys to do that is to coming to realize that you are in need of the grace of God.

84. 36:40

    Stop faking it. Stop putting that show on. Stop trying to make everyone think that you're a good person. We're at Bible school this week, so it's easy here. But, you know, you're still talking to your wife that way and we all hear it.

85. 36:59

    It's after you get back to your regular life, you come back to reality. When you kneel down, you pray at the end of the day and you realize just how far from God you've gone and how your life is not where you want it to be. That's when you come to have faith in God's grace.

86. 37:14

    Jesus. Okay, but as if this great example of Abraham isn't enough to teach us this lesson, James has one more example for us. An example that I feel is even more powerful when you come to think about what it means. Continue reading in verse 2, or chapter 2. He says in verse 25, In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in different directions?

87. 37:48

    James brings us an example of a person who frankly, I don't think we'd feel very comfortable if she were to walk in that door and join us in the back of the hall. A person who we definitely wouldn't invite over to our house for dinner after meeting on Sunday. A sinner. One of the worst kinds of sinners.

88. 38:06

    A prostitute. A woman who sold her own body for money. Rahab. When you talk about the good old days, you're not talking about 15th century B.C. You're not talking about the age of the Phoenicians and the age of the Canaanites. Canaanite culture was utterly despicable. You think TV is bad now? Their religion involved temple prostitution.

89. 38:36

    They didn't have problem getting people to go to church in those days, did they? But Rahab wasn't even at the elevated level of being a temple prostitute. She was a street prostitute. She didn't work in the temple. She worked down by the gates.

90. 38:55

    She wasn't doing it because of some misguided religious belief. She was just a woman of low position. We all have that distant relative that no one really likes to talk about. The one that gets carried away with drugs or the one that succumbed to a homosexual lifestyle. The one that's had some trouble with the law or the one that's currently on their fifth marriage.

91. 39:24

    the one that we don't feel very comfortable around. The one that we would kind of cringe if they were to walk through the door.

92. 39:36

    Are they a prostitute? Rahab was. I think most Christadelphians would feel uncomfortable if Rahab were to come walking into their ecclesial hall on Sunday morning. And yet God has nothing but good to say about Rahab. Only two women appear in Hebrews 11. If you were writing Hebrews 11, which two would you pick?

93. 40:04

    Sure, Sarah is easy. Right? She's the mother of the faithful. Who would you choose next? I'm partial to Esther. I heard Ruth. Naomi. How about Deborah or Miriam? Hannah's a good choice. Can you leave out Mary? She's the mother of Jesus. But God chose Rahab to put in Hebrews 11. You know what it says.

94. 40:31

    It says, By faith, the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she received the spies with peace. God gives us an example of real living faith. You want to relate to someone? You can't relate to Abraham. How about a hooker?

95. 40:50

    One of the messages that James is trying to show is that it's possible to have intellectual agreement concerning the truth without having real faith. Right? Being a hearer of the word and not a doer. The lesson from Rahab is that if you have real faith, it doesn't matter what you used to do with your life.

96. 41:14

    It doesn't matter where you've come from, your history, or what you've done. God accepts you with your shady past. He accepts you with your sordid history. God is more concerned about what we're going to do after we come to him than what we have done before we come to him. And James is trying to prove a point to the Jews.

97. 41:38

    Remember who he's writing to in chapter 1, verse 1? to the 12 tribes. And look what he says. Consider the word here that James uses to segue between these two stories of Abraham and Rahab. Likewise, also, was not Rahab the harlot justified by works. Likewise, or in the Greek, I don't know, which means in the same way.

98. 42:12

    Do you understand what he's saying? Do you catch this? You're a Jew? And you're reading this, and you're reading this about Abraham, the father of the Hebrew faith. An excellent example of faith and good works. And likewise,

99. 42:31

    Rahab, a woman, a prostitute, a pagan, Gentile pagan. Likewise, God sees her in the same way he sees Abraham. Wow! In God's eyes, we're all raised high. James wants us to know that the lowly are just as important to God as the mighty. We may not feel we're comparable to the father of the faithful, but God wants us to know that he loves us even if we're more like Rahab than Abraham.

100. 43:15

     And we're all sinners when we come before God. And we can hold Rahab as an example. Because Rahab was changed. She was transformed by her association with God. Rahab's faith produced in her the same result that true faith, produces in each one of us. Words of kindness, words of goodness, works of love, simple works of faith.

101. 43:42

     And look at the blessings that God showered on Rahab after she practiced her newfound faith. After she was thankful to God for saving her and therefore poured out in her life good works. First of all, she gets a new husband. A husband in the truth, a man named Salmon. Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab.

102. 44:08

     Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed the father of Jesse. And Jesse the father of King David. She becomes part of the royal household. Four generations later, King David comes from her family. She's only one of the four women mentioned in the genealogy of Christ. The person who we would least expect to find sitting in the back of the hall at Bible school is the one that God chooses to help bring his son into the world because of her faith and works.

103. 44:46

     No matter where you are in life, God can work with you also. No matter what you've had happen in your past, no matter who your parents were, or no matter how your kids turned out, God has a plan and a purpose for each one of you. He doesn't ask you to do great things.

104. 45:03

     He doesn't ask you to kill a thousand Philistines or to sacrifice your only son on an altar. He simply wants you to believe that he is able to save you from your sins. And then he wants you to be motivated by that belief to turn around and to do good works to brothers and sisters around you.

105. 45:22

     He wants you to have faith and works. Both. Not one or the other, but both.