Robert Jeffress - The Biggest Contradiction in the Bible?

August 14, 2025 | 29:0

Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Biggest Contradiction in the Bible? | August 14, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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  • Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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  • With dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress and
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  • Welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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  • Throughout church history, believers have wrestled with
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  • Interpreting difficult passages of scripture.
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  • One passage in particular has puzzled christians for
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  • Centuries, and it involves the most important question we can
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  • Ask, how can a person be made right with god?
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  • Paul says it's by faith and god's grace alone.
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  • James seems to say faith needs works added to it.
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  • So, which is it?
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  • Today, i want to unravel this apparent contradiction and show
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  • You how faith and works exist in perfect harmony.
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  • My message is titled "the biggest contradiction in the
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  • Bible" on today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: where there's genuine faith, there will always
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  • Be visible fruit.
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  • In his brand new book "how to know if you're really saved,"
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  • Dr. robert jeffress helps you take stock of the evidence of
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  • Your faith, the spiritual fruit in your daily life.
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  • This outstanding verse by verse walk through the book of james
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  • Will help you cultivate the spiritual fruit that reflects
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  • Genuine faith.
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  • Request "how to know if you're really saved" when you give a
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  • Generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway
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  • To victory."
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  • Jeffress: recently i preached a message, "how can i know the
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  • Bible is really true?"
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  • And you may remember that i pointed out one of the
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  • Objections people have to the inspiration of the scripture is
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  • The so-called contradictions in the bible.
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  • Now most people have never read the bible enough to know what
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  • The contradictions are, but they heard it out there somewhere and
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  • So they use that as an excuse.
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  • But if we're honest, we would have to say that there are some
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  • Passages that seem, at least at face value, to contradict
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  • One another.
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  • And that is true of the passage we're going to look at today.
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  • I call it the biggest contradiction in the bible, and
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  • It's one that has to do with the most important issue in life,
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  • How can a person be made right with god?
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  • That's not theological nitpicking, that is the
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  • Essential question.
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  • What must i do to be right with god?
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  • Paul says in romans, it's by faith alone and god's grace.
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  • Faith apart from any works.
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  • James, whose letter we're studying on sunday mornings,
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  • Seems to say just the opposite.
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  • He said faith without works is a dead nonexistent faith.
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  • It's faith working together with our works.
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  • Which is it?
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  • It's an important issue because getting the answer right can
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  • Spell the difference between heaven and hell for each one
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  • Of us.
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  • Well, that's what we're going to talk about today.
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  • If you have your bibles, turn to james chapter 2. remember the
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  • Theme of james is that faith will always produce fruit.
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  • Authentic faith produces spiritual fruit.
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  • And if there is no visible spiritual fruit, then you can
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  • Assume there is no saving faith.
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  • He has been building that case and now we come to the apex, the
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  • Zenith of his argument.
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  • Look at james 2:14 and 24, and we're immediately confronted
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  • With a problem.
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  • "what use is it, my brethren, if somebody says he has faith but
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  • He has no works?
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  • Can that faith save him?"
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  • And then verse 24, "you see that a man is justified by works and
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  • Not by faith alone."
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  • Now notice how that is opposite of what paul says or seems
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  • To be.
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  • In romans 3:28, paul said, "for we maintain that a man is
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  • Justified by faith apart from the works of the law."
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  • And he goes on to say in chapter 4, verse 2, using abraham as an
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  • Example, "for if abraham was justified by works, he has
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  • Something to boast about, but not before god."
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  • Abraham was dependent upon his faith alone.
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  • And then back to james.
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  • In james 2:21-24, "was not abraham our father justified by
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  • Works when he offered up isaac his son on the altar?
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  • You see that a man is justified by works and not by
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  • Faith alone."
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  • Interesting, paul and james seemed to be saying two
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  • Different things, and they both use abraham as an example.
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  • First of all, let's look at the goal of interpreting scripture.
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  • You know, the goal of interpreting scripture ought to
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  • Always be to understand what the writer of scripture had in mind
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  • When they wrote those words.
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  • Peter said in 2 peter 1:20, "but know this first of all, that no
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  • Prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's
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  • Own interpretation."
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  • You don't get to decide what it means.
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  • You can try to discover what the writer meant when he wrote
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  • Those words.
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  • Say for example, i was out of town and i called and left a
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  • Voicemail for amy saying, "i'll be home tomorrow.
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  • Can you pick me up at the airport at 10 o'clock?"
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  • But i didn't specify am or pm.
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  • She would be tasked with trying to discover what i meant.
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  • Now she could call carolyn and ask carolyn, "what do you think
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  • Robert meant?"
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  • And carolyn could give her opinion.
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  • She could call ben and ask ben what he thinks.
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  • He could give his opinion.
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  • But it really doesn't matter what they think.
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  • What matters is what did i mean when i said those words?
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  • It's the same way when we interpret scripture like the
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  • Book of james.
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  • We've got to find a way to crawl back 2000 years into the mind of
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  • James and find out what he meant when he said, "faith without
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  • Works is dead."
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  • The goal of scripture is the author's concept.
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  • We need to find out what the author had in mind.
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  • Now, there are four steps to interpret scripture.
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  • I call them the four c's of interpretation, and i put it on
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  • Your outline.
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  • First of all, look at the context of a passage.
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  • The context.
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  • Don't just pull out a verse without a context.
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  • Context is the key to understanding the meaning.
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  • There is a general context and a specific context.
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  • First of all, he says in verse 14 that dead faith is fruitless.
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  • Look at verse 14, "what use is it, my brethren, if somebody
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  • Says he has faith but he has no works?
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  • Can that faith save him."
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  • Look at verse 18, "but somebody may well say, "you have faith
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  • And i have my works; show me your faith without works, and i
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  • Will show you my faith by my works."
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  • He's imagining somebody who boasts that they have faith, but
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  • They have no works to go along with it.
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  • I was trying to think of a way to illustrate that to you and
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  • Sure enough this week in the news, i got a
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  • Great illustration.
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  • Did you see where china has said to the american people, "if you
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  • Want to have a trade war with us, go right ahead.
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  • We're happy to have a war with you.
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  • In fact, we're happy to have any kind of war you want to have,
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  • And we will beat you because we have strength."
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  • Now just imagine that one of our leaders in america said, "those
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  • Chinese think they're strong.
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  • We in america, we are strong, not because of our weapons, but
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  • Because of our inner resolve.
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  • In fact, we are so strong as a nation we're going to disarm.
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  • We're gonna lay down all of our nuclear weapons.
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  • We're gonna destroy them because america is strong by herself."
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  • What do you think china would do in response to that?
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  • They would laugh.
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  • They've said, "oh great, you show us your strength without
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  • Nuclear weapons, we'll show you our strength with nuclear
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  • Weapons and we'll see who's really strong."
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  • That's what james is saying.
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  • You can say you can have faith without any works, but let's see
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  • Who's really strong.
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  • It's the person who has faith and works.
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  • Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't hear another word i say,
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  • Remember a word i've ever said over these many years with you.
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  • Remember this, you can believe all the right things
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  • About jesus.
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  • You can believe that jesus is the son of god.
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  • You can believe he died for the sins of the world.
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  • You can believe he rose again on the third day.
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  • You can believe all those things and go straight to hell when
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  • You die.
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  • It's not enough to believe the right things about jesus.
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  • It's only when you believe that jesus died for your sins, it's
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  • Only when a moment of desperation you said, "god, i
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  • Know i'm a sinner.
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  • I know i deserve eternal punishment.
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  • I know i have no hope apart from jesus christ, but i am trusting
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  • And leaning on depending upon what jesus did for me on the
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  • Cross for my salvation."
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  • It is only then that you are born again and have the
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  • Assurance of heaven for ever and ever.
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  • That's why i say a dead faith can be very, very orthodox.
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  • Look at the context.
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  • James is not talking about saving faith, he's talking about
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  • A dead faith, a dead faith that is fruitless, powerless,
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  • But orthodox.
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  • When you're trying to interpret scripture, look at the context.
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  • Secondly, look at the composition.
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  • By that i mean the meaning of key words.
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  • What do the words mean?
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  • Genesis 15 says that god took abraham out one night and said,
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  • "abraham, look up at the stars in the heaven.
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  • Count them if you can."
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  • "one, two, three, four," quickly he realized it was impossible.
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  • And god said, "abraham, abraham, as many are the stars in the
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  • Sky, so shall your descendants be."
  • 00:11:05.888 --> 00:11:09.692
  • And genesis 15:6 says, "and abraham believed god, and his
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  • Faith was reckoned, it was counted as righteousness."
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  • The moment abraham believed in the promise of god, god took his
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  • Little bitty faith, and in the great courtroom of heaven, he
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  • Exchanged it for righteousness.
  • 00:11:29.111 --> 00:11:31.781
  • God said, "abraham, you are declared righteous because of
  • 00:11:31.781 --> 00:11:35.951
  • Your faith."
  • 00:11:35.951 --> 00:11:37.286
  • It had nothing to do with abraham did or didn't do.
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  • He simply believed god and it was counted to him
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  • As righteousness.
  • 00:11:42.958 --> 00:11:44.727
  • Now james, when he talks about abraham was justified, he talks
  • 00:11:44.727 --> 00:11:49.698
  • About an experience abraham had 30+ years after that genesis 15
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  • Experience when abraham was told by god to deliver his son isaac
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  • As a sacrifice.
  • 00:12:01.010 --> 00:12:03.112
  • And the bible says abraham obeyed what god said to do up
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  • Until the last moment, and god provided the sacrifice.
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  • James said, "and abraham was justified."
  • 00:12:11.921 --> 00:12:16.358
  • So, which is it?
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  • Was he justified in the genesis 15:6 when he believed the
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  • Promises of god, or was he justified 30 years later when he
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  • Offered isaac as a sacrifice?
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  • The answer to that question is yes.
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  • He was justified both times in a different sense.
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  • When i go to look up the word translated justified, i go to a
  • 00:12:39.648 --> 00:12:44.753
  • Resource like vines expository dictionary of new
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  • Testament words.
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  • I find the word justified can mean one of two things.
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  • It can mean, first of all, to make righteous, to
  • 00:12:55.464 --> 00:12:59.235
  • Declare righteous.
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  • A person is justified when god declares him righteous and a
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  • Right standing with them.
  • 00:13:05.341 --> 00:13:06.876
  • It can mean to declare to be righteous, or it can mean be
  • 00:13:06.876 --> 00:13:11.614
  • Shown to be righteous, to be proven to be righteous.
  • 00:13:11.614 --> 00:13:16.385
  • And i'd submit to you that when paul uses the word justified,
  • 00:13:16.385 --> 00:13:21.257
  • He's talking about that initial experience that made him
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  • Righteous when he believed the promises of god and god said,
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  • "abraham, you are righteous."
  • 00:13:28.130 --> 00:13:30.633
  • But his genesis 15:6 righteousness was proven to the
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  • World and to others to be true when he offered isaac as a
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  • Sacrifice, he was shown to be righteous.
  • 00:13:39.241 --> 00:13:43.913
  • That's what it understands we are made righteous by faith in
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  • God's promises alone.
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  • We are shown to be righteous by our obedience to god.
  • 00:13:49.752 --> 00:13:55.624
  • Now, how do i know that's the right interpretation?
  • 00:13:55.624 --> 00:13:58.294
  • The third c of interpretation.
  • 00:13:58.294 --> 00:14:00.863
  • You look at the context, you look at the composition, the
  • 00:14:00.863 --> 00:14:04.934
  • Third c is comparison.
  • 00:14:04.934 --> 00:14:07.202
  • You compare scripture with scripture.
  • 00:14:07.202 --> 00:14:10.706
  • Do i have any other clue in the bible to what james thought
  • 00:14:10.706 --> 00:14:14.576
  • About the relationship between salvation and works, where as a
  • 00:14:14.576 --> 00:14:19.148
  • Matter of fact, there is.
  • 00:14:19.148 --> 00:14:20.783
  • It's found in acts chapter 15.
  • 00:14:20.783 --> 00:14:24.086
  • Remember, james was pastor of the church in jerusalem and
  • 00:14:24.086 --> 00:14:29.925
  • Pretty soon after the formation of the church, an argument arose
  • 00:14:29.925 --> 00:14:34.463
  • In the church.
  • 00:14:34.463 --> 00:14:35.831
  • Can you believe a church had an argument?
  • 00:14:35.831 --> 00:14:38.434
  • They had an argument, but this wasn't some peripheral issue.
  • 00:14:38.434 --> 00:14:42.071
  • It was about these gentiles, non-jews that were getting saved
  • 00:14:42.071 --> 00:14:46.342
  • And coming into the church.
  • 00:14:46.342 --> 00:14:48.344
  • Peter was against it, at least at first until he participated
  • 00:14:48.344 --> 00:14:52.181
  • In the salvation of cornelius, but a lot of jewish christians
  • 00:14:52.181 --> 00:14:56.752
  • In that jerusalem church thought it wasn't right for gentiles
  • 00:14:56.752 --> 00:15:01.457
  • Just to come into our church without going through the portal
  • 00:15:01.457 --> 00:15:05.427
  • Of judaism.
  • 00:15:05.427 --> 00:15:06.895
  • They ought to have to be baptized into judaism.
  • 00:15:06.895 --> 00:15:09.565
  • They ought to become jews first.
  • 00:15:09.565 --> 00:15:11.433
  • They ought to get circumcised.
  • 00:15:11.433 --> 00:15:12.801
  • They ought to keep the dietary laws.
  • 00:15:12.801 --> 00:15:15.037
  • They need to do these things before they can come into
  • 00:15:15.037 --> 00:15:18.707
  • The church.
  • 00:15:18.707 --> 00:15:20.075
  • And so, there arose an argument in the church and finally peter
  • 00:15:20.075 --> 00:15:24.079
  • Said, "i used to think that until i saw all these gentiles
  • 00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:28.517
  • Being saved."
  • 00:15:28.517 --> 00:15:29.852
  • And in acts 15:10, he said, "but we believe we are saved through
  • 00:15:29.852 --> 00:15:34.556
  • The grace of the lord jesus, in the same way as they are also."
  • 00:15:34.556 --> 00:15:41.196
  • In other words, we shouldn't put an extra burden on
  • 00:15:41.196 --> 00:15:44.566
  • These gentiles.
  • 00:15:44.566 --> 00:15:45.934
  • We're all saved the same way by grace.
  • 00:15:45.934 --> 00:15:49.405
  • And then acts 15 tells us, james stood up and he agreed
  • 00:15:49.405 --> 00:15:54.209
  • With peter.
  • 00:15:54.209 --> 00:15:55.577
  • He agreed that salvation is by god's grace alone.
  • 00:15:55.577 --> 00:16:01.283
  • James believed in justification through faith in god's grace, no
  • 00:16:01.283 --> 00:16:06.755
  • Doubt about it.
  • 00:16:06.755 --> 00:16:08.123
  • In the same way, we can know what paul thought about the
  • 00:16:08.123 --> 00:16:11.026
  • Importance of works in the christian life.
  • 00:16:11.026 --> 00:16:13.695
  • He wasn't saying that all works aren't important, but he made
  • 00:16:13.695 --> 00:16:17.132
  • The point that works are important, not for securing our
  • 00:16:17.132 --> 00:16:20.436
  • Salvation, but for living out our salvation.
  • 00:16:20.436 --> 00:16:26.275
  • Notice ephesians 2, verses 8 through 10, paul made it clear,
  • 00:16:26.275 --> 00:16:30.946
  • "for by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of
  • 00:16:30.946 --> 00:16:35.451
  • Yourselves, it is a gift of god; not as a result of works, lest
  • 00:16:35.451 --> 00:16:39.988
  • Any man should boast."
  • 00:16:39.988 --> 00:16:41.890
  • Listen, if salvation is something you earn, then
  • 00:16:41.890 --> 00:16:45.027
  • Salvation is a debt that god owes us and god refuses to owe
  • 00:16:45.027 --> 00:16:50.566
  • Any man or woman salvation.
  • 00:16:50.566 --> 00:16:52.468
  • It is a gift.
  • 00:16:52.468 --> 00:16:53.836
  • We are not saved by good works, but paul goes on to say in
  • 00:16:53.836 --> 00:16:57.706
  • Ephesians 2:10, we are saved for good works, "for we are his
  • 00:16:57.706 --> 00:17:03.946
  • Workmanship, created in christ jesus for good works, which god
  • 00:17:03.946 --> 00:17:09.151
  • Prepared beforehand so that we should walk before them."
  • 00:17:09.151 --> 00:17:14.022
  • The bible says there's no contradiction.
  • 00:17:14.022 --> 00:17:17.126
  • James and paul are both saying the same thing.
  • 00:17:17.126 --> 00:17:20.863
  • We are made right with god by grace and grace alone.
  • 00:17:20.863 --> 00:17:25.834
  • It's received as a gift, but we are shown to be righteous by the
  • 00:17:25.834 --> 00:17:30.639
  • Fruit in our life, by the results of our christian walk.
  • 00:17:30.639 --> 00:17:35.344
  • There's one final stage in interpretation, and that
  • 00:17:35.344 --> 00:17:38.847
  • Is consultation.
  • 00:17:38.847 --> 00:17:41.183
  • When you think you've arrived at the right interpretation,
  • 00:17:41.183 --> 00:17:45.120
  • Consult a trusted source, a trusted bible teacher, a
  • 00:17:45.120 --> 00:17:49.992
  • Trusted commentator.
  • 00:17:49.992 --> 00:17:52.461
  • You know, if you come up with some unique interpretation that
  • 00:17:52.461 --> 00:17:57.633
  • Nobody has ever heard of or voiced before, it probably
  • 00:17:57.633 --> 00:18:01.203
  • Didn't come from god.
  • 00:18:01.203 --> 00:18:02.971
  • God is not revealing new truths to people that are in opposition
  • 00:18:02.971 --> 00:18:07.843
  • To his word.
  • 00:18:07.843 --> 00:18:09.178
  • Check a trusted source.
  • 00:18:09.178 --> 00:18:11.213
  • I pulled down a commentary i have last week that explained it
  • 00:18:11.213 --> 00:18:15.851
  • This way.
  • 00:18:15.851 --> 00:18:17.186
  • I thought this was so good.
  • 00:18:17.186 --> 00:18:18.620
  • "james and paul are not antagonists facing each other
  • 00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:23.759
  • With cross swords, but they stand back to back confronting
  • 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:29.064
  • Different enemies of the gospel.
  • 00:18:29.064 --> 00:18:31.967
  • Paul is combating those enemies who would try to add to the
  • 00:18:31.967 --> 00:18:36.171
  • Finished work of christ on the cross, saying that salvation is
  • 00:18:36.171 --> 00:18:40.642
  • Something we earned.
  • 00:18:40.642 --> 00:18:42.444
  • James is fighting against those who have been lulled into a
  • 00:18:42.444 --> 00:18:46.148
  • False security with a faith that has no results."
  • 00:18:46.148 --> 00:18:51.887
  • I use the ryrie study bible written by dr. charles ryrie,
  • 00:18:51.887 --> 00:18:57.125
  • Our former member here.
  • 00:18:57.125 --> 00:18:58.961
  • He has this note and this passage from james.
  • 00:18:58.961 --> 00:19:02.698
  • At the bottom of the page, he writes, "abraham's justification
  • 00:19:02.698 --> 00:19:07.803
  • In paul's sense is recorded in genesis 15:6.
  • 00:19:07.803 --> 00:19:12.574
  • Abraham's justification in james's sense took place 30 or
  • 00:19:12.574 --> 00:19:17.613
  • More years later in the patriarch's crowning act of
  • 00:19:17.613 --> 00:19:21.617
  • Obedience in offering isaac."
  • 00:19:21.617 --> 00:19:25.187
  • And that leads us to the author's concept.
  • 00:19:25.187 --> 00:19:27.923
  • What does james mean when he says, "faith without works
  • 00:19:27.923 --> 00:19:32.427
  • Is dead."
  • 00:19:32.427 --> 00:19:34.263
  • Write these two comments down.
  • 00:19:34.263 --> 00:19:36.665
  • I think martin luther had it right when he said, "here's the
  • 00:19:36.665 --> 00:19:40.469
  • Relationship between faith and works.
  • 00:19:40.469 --> 00:19:43.272
  • Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone."
  • 00:19:43.272 --> 00:19:51.980
  • Let's take that one phrase at a time.
  • 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:54.983
  • Faith alone saves.
  • 00:19:54.983 --> 00:19:58.120
  • James believed that.
  • 00:19:58.120 --> 00:20:00.088
  • You know, the great preacher of yesteryear, h.a.
  • 00:20:00.088 --> 00:20:03.692
  • Ironside was one time asked, "how do you explain the hundreds
  • 00:20:03.692 --> 00:20:08.463
  • And hundreds of different religions in the world?
  • 00:20:08.463 --> 00:20:11.266
  • How do you explain that?"
  • 00:20:11.266 --> 00:20:12.968
  • And ironside said, "there aren't hundreds of religions, there's
  • 00:20:12.968 --> 00:20:16.972
  • Only two religions in the world.
  • 00:20:16.972 --> 00:20:19.875
  • One of them covers all the other religions outside christianity.
  • 00:20:19.875 --> 00:20:24.613
  • It's all those who expect salvation by doing.
  • 00:20:24.613 --> 00:20:28.984
  • The other religion, that is christianity, covers all who
  • 00:20:28.984 --> 00:20:34.222
  • Have been saved by something being done for them."
  • 00:20:34.222 --> 00:20:38.860
  • So, he says, "the question is very simple, can you be saved by
  • 00:20:38.860 --> 00:20:44.199
  • Yourself or must somebody else save you?
  • 00:20:44.199 --> 00:20:48.804
  • Every other religion is spelled d-o.
  • 00:20:48.804 --> 00:20:52.040
  • Do this, do this, do this.
  • 00:20:52.040 --> 00:20:55.477
  • Only christianity is spelled d-o-n-e, done.
  • 00:20:55.477 --> 00:21:01.550
  • It's all been done by jesus christ."
  • 00:21:01.550 --> 00:21:05.320
  • James believed that.
  • 00:21:05.320 --> 00:21:06.655
  • He believed faith alone saves, but he also believed saving
  • 00:21:06.655 --> 00:21:10.659
  • Faith is never alone.
  • 00:21:10.659 --> 00:21:13.295
  • Where there is genuine faith, there'll be visible fruit in a
  • 00:21:13.295 --> 00:21:17.432
  • Christian's life.
  • 00:21:17.432 --> 00:21:19.434
  • Young girl became a christian and she presented herself to the
  • 00:21:19.434 --> 00:21:23.705
  • Local church for membership and a deacon was questioning her.
  • 00:21:23.705 --> 00:21:28.343
  • And he asked her, "has your faith in christ made a
  • 00:21:28.343 --> 00:21:31.513
  • Difference in your life?"
  • 00:21:31.513 --> 00:21:33.415
  • She said, "oh, it most certainly has."
  • 00:21:33.415 --> 00:21:36.351
  • He said, "well, do you sin now that you're a christian?"
  • 00:21:36.351 --> 00:21:40.389
  • She looked down and confessed, "sometimes i do."
  • 00:21:40.389 --> 00:21:44.259
  • The deacon said, "well, i don't understand.
  • 00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:46.428
  • You said your faith has made a difference in your life and yet,
  • 00:21:46.428 --> 00:21:49.831
  • Before you were a christian, you sinned, and now that you're a
  • 00:21:49.831 --> 00:21:52.801
  • Christian you sinned.
  • 00:21:52.801 --> 00:21:54.436
  • What difference is there in your life?"
  • 00:21:54.436 --> 00:21:58.006
  • She thought for a moment and she said, "i guess i would explain
  • 00:21:58.006 --> 00:22:00.409
  • It this way.
  • 00:22:00.409 --> 00:22:02.277
  • Before i was saved, i ran after sin.
  • 00:22:02.277 --> 00:22:07.182
  • But now that i'm a christian, i run from it, though sometimes it
  • 00:22:07.182 --> 00:22:12.287
  • Still overtakes me."
  • 00:22:12.287 --> 00:22:15.791
  • I disdain a hatred for sin in our life.
  • 00:22:15.791 --> 00:22:19.694
  • I hunger for god's word, i love to be with god's people.
  • 00:22:19.694 --> 00:22:24.666
  • These are the results of a saving faith that guarantees us
  • 00:22:24.666 --> 00:22:30.505
  • Entrance into heaven one day.
  • 00:22:30.505 --> 00:22:33.375
  • Faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone.
  • 00:22:33.375 --> 00:22:38.580
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:22:38.580 --> 00:22:44.186
  • Jeffress: james and paul aren't on opposite sides.
  • 00:22:44.186 --> 00:22:47.055
  • Rather, they're united in defending the gospel against
  • 00:22:47.055 --> 00:22:50.659
  • Different errors.
  • 00:22:50.659 --> 00:22:52.260
  • When we properly interpret scripture, these apparent
  • 00:22:52.260 --> 00:22:55.530
  • Conflicts dissolve into perfect harmony.
  • 00:22:55.530 --> 00:22:59.234
  • Now in closing today, i want to share an encouraging note from
  • 00:22:59.234 --> 00:23:02.304
  • Juan in california who wrote, "dr. jeffress
  • 00:23:02.304 --> 00:23:05.907
  • Teaches very clearly the word of god!
  • 00:23:05.907 --> 00:23:08.543
  • I had been sitting in the front row of a church hearing, but
  • 00:23:08.543 --> 00:23:11.613
  • Not listening.
  • 00:23:11.613 --> 00:23:12.948
  • I was in a dead sleep up until a couple of months ago when god
  • 00:23:12.948 --> 00:23:17.052
  • Lit up a fire under me and brought me to my knees to
  • 00:23:17.052 --> 00:23:20.655
  • Seek him.
  • 00:23:20.655 --> 00:23:22.023
  • Listening to my local radio station, i came across pathway
  • 00:23:22.023 --> 00:23:25.527
  • To victory and was captivated by dr. jeffress's teachings.
  • 00:23:25.527 --> 00:23:30.031
  • I could hear god speaking to me through dr. jeffress as my
  • 00:23:30.031 --> 00:23:33.935
  • Questions were answered.
  • 00:23:33.935 --> 00:23:35.737
  • I thank god for this ministry.
  • 00:23:35.737 --> 00:23:38.740
  • Well juan, your testimony fills my heart with joy
  • 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:42.177
  • And encouragement.
  • 00:23:42.177 --> 00:23:43.678
  • And friends, you're the reason juan and so many others like him
  • 00:23:43.678 --> 00:23:47.849
  • Can turn on the radio and discover "pathway to victory" at
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  • Just the right moment.
  • 00:23:51.453 --> 00:23:53.355
  • Your faithful support keeps us on radio, television, and
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  • Biblical truth.
  • 00:24:00.595 --> 00:24:02.130
  • Thank you so much for your support.
  • 00:24:02.130 --> 00:24:05.166
  • Now stay right there.
  • 00:24:05.166 --> 00:24:06.501
  • I'll be back with more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
  • 00:24:06.501 --> 00:24:09.671
  • Male announcer: every believer wants to see clear evidence of
  • 00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:14.943
  • Their spiritual growth and discover the fruit that god is
  • 00:24:14.943 --> 00:24:18.213
  • Producing in their lives.
  • 00:24:18.213 --> 00:24:20.148
  • Dr. robert jeffress shows you exactly how to recognize that
  • 00:24:20.148 --> 00:24:23.685
  • Fruit in his brand new book "how to know if you're really saved."
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  • Jeffress: the book of james teaches us that the christian
  • 00:24:27.789 --> 00:24:30.225
  • Life is about more than just knowing god's word, it's about
  • 00:24:30.225 --> 00:24:34.362
  • Living it out.
  • 00:24:34.362 --> 00:24:35.730
  • In my new book, "how to know if you're really saved," i'll walk
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  • You through what it truly means to be a doer of the word,
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  • Showing you how to respond to trials, control your speech,
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  • Endure hardships, resist temptation, and so much more.
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  • Male announcer: this outstanding 232 page book will help you
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  • Examine the evidence of your faith and see the spiritual
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  • Fruit that should be growing in your daily life.
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  • Request your copy of "how to know if you're really saved"
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  • When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of "pathway
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  • To victory" or when you become a pathway partner.
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  • With your ministry gift of $75 or more, we'll send you not just
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  • 00:25:17.973 --> 00:25:21.309
  • Jeffress: if you are truly saved, there's gonna be evidence
  • 00:25:21.376 --> 00:25:24.779
  • Of it.
  • 00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:26.114
  • There's some tests that you need to apply to your life.
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  • Thank you for your generous support of "pathway to victory."
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  • Your partnership helps us bring bold, biblical, and practical
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  • Teaching into homes across the nation and around the world.
  • 00:25:36.257 --> 00:25:39.661
  • Jeffress: faith alone saves, but saving faith is never alone.
  • 00:25:43.064 --> 00:25:47.669
  • That powerful truth resolves what appears to be scripture's
  • 00:25:47.669 --> 00:25:52.107
  • Greatest contradiction.
  • 00:25:52.107 --> 00:25:54.175
  • James and paul teach us that genuine faith always produces
  • 00:25:54.175 --> 00:25:58.580
  • Visible fruit in our lives.
  • 00:25:58.580 --> 00:26:01.349
  • Well, speaking of genuine faith, next time we're going to examine
  • 00:26:01.349 --> 00:26:05.186
  • One of the most extreme tests of faith ever recorded in the
  • 00:26:05.186 --> 00:26:09.057
  • Bible, when god asked abraham to sacrifice his son isaac,
  • 00:26:09.057 --> 00:26:13.995
  • Abraham's response revealed what extreme faith really looks like.
  • 00:26:13.995 --> 00:26:19.534
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:26:19.534 --> 00:26:22.003
  • Series "how to know if you're really saved."
  • 00:26:22.003 --> 00:26:25.306
  • Jeffress: when paul talks about the moment abraham was made
  • 00:26:26.541 --> 00:26:29.144
  • Righteous, it was in that moment he believed the promises of god.
  • 00:26:29.144 --> 00:26:33.548
  • But when james says abraham was made righteous, he means he was
  • 00:26:33.548 --> 00:26:39.220
  • Shown to be righteous by his willingness to offer his son
  • 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:43.058
  • Isaac as a sacrifice.
  • 00:26:43.058 --> 00:26:45.860
  • And it's that story that we're going to look at today.
  • 00:26:45.860 --> 00:26:49.731
  • Male announcer: set your dvr
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  • And join us next time
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  • For the message "extreme faith"
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  • Here on "pathway to victory."
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