Robert Jeffress - When Mr. Goldfinger Comes To Church

August 13, 2025 | S25 E386 | 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 - When Mr. Goldfinger Comes To Church | August 13, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit
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  • Of the first baptist church of dallas, texas,
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  • This is "pathway to victory" with dr. robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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  • Again to "pathway to victory."
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  • In restaurants, shops, and sadly, even churches, we often
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  • See preferential treatment given to those who seem wealthy
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  • Or important.
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  • The well dressed get the best tables.
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  • The poorly dressed get pushed to the side.
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  • But god's house should be different.
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  • Today we're going to learn that how we treat those
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  • Who are less fortunate is a test of genuine faith.
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  • My message is titled "when mr. goldfinger comes to church" on
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  • 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 to victory.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Jeffress: pastor kent hughes tells a story about a woman who
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  • Came from the other side of the tracks, as we used to say.
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  • She was economically disadvantaged, but she started
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  • Attending a wealthy church.
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  • She liked the singing, she liked the preaching, and decided she
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  • Wanted to join, so she made an appointment with the pastor and
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  • The pastor gave her the once over, decided this wasn't gonna
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  • Be a match, so he tried to be diplomatic and said, "you know,
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  • Church membership is very important.
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  • Why don't you go home and think about it a little bit more?"
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  • So she did and she came back the next week, determined to join
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  • And said she wanted to join and the pastor said, "well, you
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  • Know, in our church we prioritize the word of god and
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  • We think the bible has a lot to say.
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  • I want you to go home and every day of the week, read a chapter
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  • Of the bible and see if god has something to say to you."
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  • She was getting annoyed, but she wanted to join, so she did that.
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  • She came back assured that she wanted to join and the pastor
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  • Said, "you know, in our church we believe in the power
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  • Of prayer.
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  • We believe that god leads through prayer, so i want you to
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  • Go back home and every day pray if god really wants you to join
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  • To show you."
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  • Where she left and never came back.
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  • About six months later, the pastor found her on the sidewalk
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  • And ran into her and said, "did you ever do what i said?
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  • Did you ever pray about joining our church?"
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  • She said, "oh yes, i prayed about joining it, and the lord
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  • Spoke to me and said, 'don't worry about not getting into
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  • That church.
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  • I haven't been able to get into it for the last 20 years.'"
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  • How do we deal with those less fortunate than we
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  • Are economically?
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  • Turn in your bibles to james chapter 2.
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  • Beginning with verse 1, james begins with the exhortation.
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  • Look at what the text says: "my brethren, do not hold your faith
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  • In our glorious lord jesus christ with an attitude of
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  • Personal favoritism."
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  • That phrase, my brethren, is rich.
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  • It comes from a single greek word adelphoi, adelphos.
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  • The word adelphos is sometimes translated brotherly.
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  • We call philadelphia, the city of brotherly adelphos, love,
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  • Phileo, but the word adelphos actually means literally, "from
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  • The same womb."
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  • Brothers are brothers because they have a common mother.
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  • It's the same way with christian brothers and sisters.
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  • James says, remember what it is that unites us in the church of
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  • Jesus christ.
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  • It's not our economic status.
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  • It's not some superficial criterion.
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  • It is our love for jesus christ and his love for us.
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  • So he says, "my brethren, don't hold your faith in jesus with an
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  • Attitude of personal faith favoritism," literally, "to
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  • Receive by face," to judge by face value alone.
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  • If you have a king james version that says, "don't be a respecter
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  • Of persons."
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  • That phrase was immediately recognizable to james's
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  • Jewish audience.
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  • For throughout the old testament, there was a
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  • Prohibition against being a respecter of persons.
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  • Because god is not a respecter of persons.
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  • He doesn't judge people according to superficial values
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  • That they have little control over.
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  • Look at this situation in verse 2: "for if a man comes into
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  • Your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and
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  • There also comes a poor man in dirty clothes..."
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  • Now this hypothetical situation, james says if somebody comes
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  • Into your church in greek, that's in the third class
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  • Condition meaning it's a theoretical situation that
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  • Probably isn't going to happen.
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  • It was unlikely that unbelievers would ever come into a church.
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  • That rarely happened, by the way, it really rarely
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  • Happens today.
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  • There's some, but they're not that many unbelievers that come
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  • To church.
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  • He said, but if by chance a man comes into your assembly with a
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  • Gold ring and dressed in fine clothes.
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  • Now that word translated gold ring literally means he's
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  • "gold fingered."
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  • That's where my sermon title came not from the "james bond"
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  • Movie, but from the gold fingered man, and he doesn't
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  • Just have one ring on, he has a ring for each one of the fingers
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  • On his left hand.
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  • You see, the rings you have, the number and the quality was a
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  • Measure of your wealth.
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  • In fact, in james's day there were stores you could go to to
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  • Rent rings, rent a ring.
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  • Notice the two responses.
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  • You say to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, verse
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  • 3, "you sit here in a good place.
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  • I want you to have the best seats in the house."
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  • Now in a baptist church, the best seats in the house are
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  • Back there.
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  • That's where most people fight to get in the back row or on the
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  • Mezzanine, but it wasn't that way in biblical times.
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  • The best seats were down front.
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  • They were the chief seats.
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  • They were a row of seats that faced the congregation and
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  • Behind those seats would be the ark that would carry your copies
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  • Of the scroll or the scrolls themselves that would be read
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  • Of scripture.
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  • So a person would be paraded down to the front.
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  • And the usher would say, "you sit here."
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  • It's the same kind of seat that jesus talked about in matthew
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  • 23:6, the chief seats.
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  • But the second visitor, what does he say?
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  • The usher says, "we don't have room for you, or at least go
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  • Stand over there.
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  • If you really have to sit down, sit not on the footstool of
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  • Somebody else, sit by the footstool."
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  • To the congregation, this man in soiled clothing was an
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  • Inconvenience to be quickly dealt with and gotten rid of.
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  • What's not right is to honor somebody and mistreat another
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  • Person at the same time.
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  • You should never favor anybody in the church when it results in
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  • Disfavoring somebody else.
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  • Now the explanation, here's what's wrong with that.
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  • James says, "have you not made distinctions among yourselves,
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  • Or become judges with evil motives?"
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  • This is a common theme in the letter of james, being a
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  • Double-minded person.
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  • A double-minded person is somebody who professes to
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  • Believe one thing but acts in a way completely contrary to what
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  • He or she professes.
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  • In james 1:7-8, james says, "for that man ought not to expect
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  • That he will receive anything from the lord, being a
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  • Double-minded man unstabled in all his ways."
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  • To favor the rich subjugates the plan of god.
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  • It subjugates, it contradicts, it undermines the plan of god
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  • When we favor the rich.
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  • What plan am i talking about?
  • 00:09:14.599 --> 00:09:16.668
  • Well, james goes on to say, you need to remember that when that
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  • Poor man enters your church, he is not poor because of some
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  • Deficiency on his part.
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  • Most of the time the reason a person is poor and the reason a
  • 00:09:28.647 --> 00:09:35.420
  • Person is rich is because of the sovereignty of god.
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  • God controls every aspect of our life.
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  • He has a plan for us that was written before the foundation of
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  • The world, psalm 139 says.
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  • And part of god's plan includes the size of our bank account.
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  • Now some of you are just arguing already in your heart
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  • About that.
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  • Listen to what james says in james 2:5: listen, my beloved
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  • Brethren: did god not choose the poor of this world to be rich in
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  • Faith and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who
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  • Love him?
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  • God had a plan for the poor, and that way they would be rich in
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  • The kingdom doesn't mean being poor, makes you a christian, but
  • 00:10:20.699 --> 00:10:23.835
  • It gives you a better shot at it.
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  • It's a lot easier for poor people to become saved than rich
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  • People, jesus said.
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  • The rich are self-sufficient many times, not all the times,
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  • But many times, but the poor have an awareness of their need.
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  • If you don't believe that, listen to job 34, verse 19
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  • Talking about god it says,
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  • "he shows no partiality to the princes, nor
  • 00:10:46.825 --> 00:10:51.062
  • Regards the rich above the poor, for they are all the," what,
  • 00:10:51.062 --> 00:10:56.367
  • "the work of his hands."
  • 00:10:56.367 --> 00:10:58.770
  • Both the poor and the rich are the work of god's hands.
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  • In 1 corinthians 1, verses 26
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  • To 29, listen to what paul said.
  • 00:11:05.877 --> 00:11:08.246
  • He said, "for consider your calling, brethren, that there
  • 00:11:08.246 --> 00:11:11.249
  • Are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not
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  • Many noble."
  • 00:11:15.854 --> 00:11:17.188
  • He's saying do a look around your congregation, corinthians.
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  • Have you noticed there are not that many wise people there, at
  • 00:11:20.024 --> 00:11:24.129
  • Least according to the flesh?
  • 00:11:24.129 --> 00:11:26.397
  • They don't have earthly credentials.
  • 00:11:26.397 --> 00:11:28.967
  • You know, it used to bother me to death--
  • 00:11:28.967 --> 00:11:31.903
  • When i read a statistic that the overwhelming number of
  • 00:11:31.903 --> 00:11:35.607
  • Scientists are atheists, did you know that?
  • 00:11:35.607 --> 00:11:39.410
  • The vast majority of scientists are atheists, and that used to
  • 00:11:39.410 --> 00:11:42.947
  • Bother me because i thought, you know, what is it about the study
  • 00:11:42.947 --> 00:11:46.417
  • Of science that made them atheist?
  • 00:11:46.417 --> 00:11:48.753
  • Have they discovered some secret about the nonexistence of god?
  • 00:11:48.753 --> 00:11:54.092
  • And then it came to me one day.
  • 00:11:54.092 --> 00:11:56.995
  • It's not that scientists become atheists, it's that atheists who
  • 00:11:56.995 --> 00:12:01.900
  • Have disavowed a belief in god tend to become scientists.
  • 00:12:01.900 --> 00:12:06.905
  • If they want to find an alternate system that explains
  • 00:12:06.905 --> 00:12:10.508
  • Why everything around this exists.
  • 00:12:10.508 --> 00:12:14.245
  • That's why you don't find a lot of people with certain degrees
  • 00:12:14.245 --> 00:12:19.317
  • In the church of jesus christ.
  • 00:12:19.317 --> 00:12:21.352
  • They're not that many noble.
  • 00:12:21.352 --> 00:12:23.354
  • They're not that many wealthy either, paul said.
  • 00:12:23.354 --> 00:12:27.926
  • I mean if i were to ask all of the millionaires and
  • 00:12:27.926 --> 00:12:32.030
  • Billionaires to stand up, there'd be some, but not many,
  • 00:12:32.030 --> 00:12:36.067
  • Because that's not god's plan.
  • 00:12:36.067 --> 00:12:38.436
  • No, god has chosen "the base things of the world," paul said,
  • 00:12:38.436 --> 00:12:43.241
  • "and the despised god has chosen, the things that are not,
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  • That he may nullify the things that are."
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  • To favor the rich contradicts the plan of god.
  • 00:12:50.815 --> 00:12:54.385
  • Secondly, to favor the rich violates logic.
  • 00:12:54.385 --> 00:12:58.156
  • Listen to verse 6 and 7, james said: "is it not the rich who
  • 00:12:58.156 --> 00:13:01.960
  • Oppress you and personally drag you into court?
  • 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:05.530
  • Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have
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  • Been called?"
  • 00:13:08.499 --> 00:13:09.868
  • James is saying, why do you want
  • 00:13:09.868 --> 00:13:11.202
  • To favor those people who oppress you?
  • 00:13:11.202 --> 00:13:14.038
  • Well we'll see in this third reason, to favor the rich
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  • Demonstrates a lack of faith.
  • 00:13:19.043 --> 00:13:20.511
  • Verse 8: "if, however, you are fulfilling the royal law
  • 00:13:20.511 --> 00:13:25.016
  • According to scripture, 'you shall love your neighbor
  • 00:13:25.016 --> 00:13:27.685
  • As yourself.'
  • 00:13:27.685 --> 00:13:29.020
  • You are doing well."
  • 00:13:29.020 --> 00:13:30.388
  • All of the scriptures about how we treat others could be summed
  • 00:13:30.388 --> 00:13:34.359
  • Up with that phrase: love other people the same way you
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  • Love yourself.
  • 00:13:38.062 --> 00:13:39.430
  • Why do we have trouble with that?
  • 00:13:39.430 --> 00:13:41.199
  • Why do we naturally gravitate toward favoring the powerful and
  • 00:13:41.199 --> 00:13:45.737
  • The wealthy?
  • 00:13:45.737 --> 00:13:47.105
  • We think they're gonna protect us.
  • 00:13:47.105 --> 00:13:48.973
  • They don't determine your future.
  • 00:13:48.973 --> 00:13:51.175
  • God determines your future.
  • 00:13:51.175 --> 00:13:53.811
  • That's why jesus said in matthew 10:28: "do not fear those who
  • 00:13:53.811 --> 00:13:57.982
  • Kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul, but rather fear
  • 00:13:57.982 --> 00:14:02.520
  • Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
  • 00:14:02.520 --> 00:14:07.825
  • Focus on god, not other people.
  • 00:14:07.825 --> 00:14:11.562
  • And that leads to the application for us today.
  • 00:14:11.562 --> 00:14:14.666
  • What's the application of this passage?
  • 00:14:14.666 --> 00:14:17.669
  • Some of you are tempted to think, "man, showing favoritism.
  • 00:14:17.669 --> 00:14:22.707
  • Why a whole sermon on this?
  • 00:14:22.707 --> 00:14:24.509
  • This is much ado about nothing."
  • 00:14:24.509 --> 00:14:28.880
  • When i was growing up, my father had a hobby.
  • 00:14:28.880 --> 00:14:32.317
  • He rebuilt volkswagens and our backyard was strewn with
  • 00:14:32.317 --> 00:14:37.221
  • Volkswagens half-finished, but every now and then he would
  • 00:14:37.221 --> 00:14:41.359
  • Finish one and he had his newest volkswagen parked out in front
  • 00:14:41.359 --> 00:14:46.664
  • Of our house in richardson.
  • 00:14:46.664 --> 00:14:48.466
  • And one day he heard a knock at the door, he opened the door and
  • 00:14:48.466 --> 00:14:52.470
  • It was a richardson policeman and the policeman asked,
  • 00:14:52.470 --> 00:14:56.541
  • "who owns that volkswagen out front?"
  • 00:14:56.541 --> 00:14:59.677
  • And my dad got excited thinking he had a potential customer on
  • 00:14:59.677 --> 00:15:03.348
  • The hook, said, "well, it belongs to me."
  • 00:15:03.348 --> 00:15:05.216
  • He said, "fine," and he wrote him out a ticket.
  • 00:15:05.216 --> 00:15:08.519
  • You know what the ticket was for?
  • 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:10.455
  • My dad in his repainting of the volkswagen got a little bit of
  • 00:15:10.455 --> 00:15:14.292
  • Paint on the license plate and he got a ticket for his efforts.
  • 00:15:14.292 --> 00:15:19.097
  • My dad was furious.
  • 00:15:19.097 --> 00:15:21.699
  • I'll never forget, he went into a rant about why can't the
  • 00:15:21.699 --> 00:15:25.403
  • Police spend time hunting down the murderers and the rapists
  • 00:15:25.403 --> 00:15:28.539
  • And the bank thieves instead of giving tickets to people because
  • 00:15:28.539 --> 00:15:31.342
  • Of paint on a license plate?
  • 00:15:31.342 --> 00:15:33.244
  • What a small thing.
  • 00:15:33.244 --> 00:15:34.612
  • Well, we kind of think that way about this sin of favoritism.
  • 00:15:34.612 --> 00:15:38.549
  • Why the big deal?
  • 00:15:38.549 --> 00:15:39.884
  • Why not james talk about really big sins instead of little sins?
  • 00:15:39.884 --> 00:15:45.690
  • The answer, he says in verses 9 and
  • 00:15:45.690 --> 00:15:47.959
  • 10, is because there is no such thing as a little sin.
  • 00:15:47.959 --> 00:15:52.630
  • Look at this: "if you show partiality, you're committing
  • 00:15:52.630 --> 00:15:56.167
  • Sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
  • 00:15:56.167 --> 00:16:00.872
  • For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point,
  • 00:16:00.872 --> 00:16:07.745
  • He has become guilty of all."
  • 00:16:07.745 --> 00:16:11.182
  • Pop quiz.
  • 00:16:11.182 --> 00:16:12.950
  • Anybody know how many laws moses had in the old testament?
  • 00:16:12.950 --> 00:16:19.424
  • Six hundred and thirteen.
  • 00:16:19.424 --> 00:16:21.993
  • There are 613 laws.
  • 00:16:21.993 --> 00:16:23.961
  • I want you to imagine a giant chain with 613 links in it, a
  • 00:16:23.961 --> 00:16:31.069
  • Chain that is used to keep a luxury ocean liner harbored at
  • 00:16:31.069 --> 00:16:36.207
  • A pier.
  • 00:16:36.207 --> 00:16:37.542
  • It's held there by these 613 chains in a chain--links in
  • 00:16:37.542 --> 00:16:43.648
  • A chain.
  • 00:16:43.648 --> 00:16:44.982
  • How many links would you have to break to set that entire
  • 00:16:44.982 --> 00:16:48.486
  • Ship adrift?
  • 00:16:48.486 --> 00:16:50.088
  • Only one.
  • 00:16:50.088 --> 00:16:52.123
  • One link broken and the ship is lost.
  • 00:16:52.123 --> 00:16:56.828
  • It's the same way with god's law.
  • 00:16:56.828 --> 00:16:59.464
  • All you have to do, james says, is stumble in one point of the
  • 00:16:59.464 --> 00:17:03.468
  • Law and before god you're guilty.
  • 00:17:03.468 --> 00:17:06.971
  • You see, god doesn't grade us on the curve.
  • 00:17:06.971 --> 00:17:10.374
  • He doesn't say you may not be perfect, but you're better than
  • 00:17:10.374 --> 00:17:12.877
  • This person.
  • 00:17:12.877 --> 00:17:14.245
  • We don't get graded on a curve.
  • 00:17:14.245 --> 00:17:16.180
  • It is an absolute standard.
  • 00:17:16.180 --> 00:17:18.616
  • It's a standard that paul mentions in galatians 3:10.
  • 00:17:18.616 --> 00:17:21.919
  • He says, "for as many as are the works of the law are under a
  • 00:17:21.919 --> 00:17:25.890
  • Curse: for it is written, 'cursed is everyone who does not
  • 00:17:25.890 --> 00:17:29.861
  • Abide by,' some, "'things written in the book'"?
  • 00:17:29.861 --> 00:17:32.430
  • No.
  • 00:17:32.430 --> 00:17:34.031
  • Most things written in the book?
  • 00:17:34.031 --> 00:17:35.733
  • No.
  • 00:17:35.733 --> 00:17:37.101
  • "'cursed is the person who does not abide by all things written
  • 00:17:37.101 --> 00:17:42.907
  • In the law to perform them.'"
  • 00:17:42.907 --> 00:17:46.110
  • You have to be absolutely perfect to go to heaven when
  • 00:17:46.110 --> 00:17:51.716
  • You die.
  • 00:17:51.716 --> 00:17:53.684
  • Never a wrong action, never a wrong attitude, never a wrong
  • 00:17:53.684 --> 00:17:58.523
  • Word, never a wrong thought.
  • 00:17:58.523 --> 00:18:00.424
  • Cursed is you and me if we do not keep all things in the book.
  • 00:18:00.424 --> 00:18:05.863
  • Well, who in the world can meet that standard?
  • 00:18:05.863 --> 00:18:10.401
  • No one, and that's the point.
  • 00:18:10.401 --> 00:18:14.038
  • All of us have sinned, some more than others, but it
  • 00:18:14.038 --> 00:18:17.141
  • Doesn't matter.
  • 00:18:17.141 --> 00:18:18.509
  • All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of god, and
  • 00:18:18.509 --> 00:18:22.013
  • That's why we all need a savior, the lord jesus christ.
  • 00:18:22.013 --> 00:18:26.517
  • When christ came and died on the cross, he came to offer
  • 00:18:26.517 --> 00:18:30.721
  • Forgiveness from all of our sins.
  • 00:18:30.721 --> 00:18:35.326
  • To draw favor to one person over another, to judge somebody based
  • 00:18:35.326 --> 00:18:41.966
  • On external circumstances like their net worth over which they
  • 00:18:41.966 --> 00:18:46.504
  • Have no control is a complete violation of what james is
  • 00:18:46.504 --> 00:18:51.676
  • Telling us.
  • 00:18:51.676 --> 00:18:53.077
  • Three principles i want to share with you.
  • 00:18:53.077 --> 00:18:56.047
  • First of all, to show preference to others is contrary to the
  • 00:18:56.047 --> 00:19:00.484
  • Nature of god.
  • 00:19:00.484 --> 00:19:02.119
  • You know, we call the church the body of christ.
  • 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:06.857
  • The head, jesus is in heaven, but we are his body, paul said.
  • 00:19:06.857 --> 00:19:13.197
  • And that means what unbelievers see is not jesus the head, they
  • 00:19:13.197 --> 00:19:17.735
  • Can only see his body that's you and me in the church and how
  • 00:19:17.735 --> 00:19:23.174
  • They feel about god is largely determined by what they think
  • 00:19:23.174 --> 00:19:27.211
  • About us.
  • 00:19:27.211 --> 00:19:28.679
  • If we act with partiality, they think god is partial to
  • 00:19:28.679 --> 00:19:33.618
  • Superficial criterion.
  • 00:19:33.618 --> 00:19:37.288
  • Secondly, to show preference toward the rich prioritizes the
  • 00:19:37.288 --> 00:19:41.859
  • Material over the spiritual.
  • 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:44.161
  • When we in the church show preference toward the rich, it
  • 00:19:44.161 --> 00:19:48.065
  • Prioritizes the material over the spiritual.
  • 00:19:48.065 --> 00:19:52.470
  • The great theologian madonna said it this way: "we live in a
  • 00:19:52.470 --> 00:20:01.512
  • Material world."
  • 00:20:01.512 --> 00:20:04.482
  • I shouldn't have said that.
  • 00:20:04.482 --> 00:20:05.816
  • That's all you're going to think about now is--
  • 00:20:05.816 --> 00:20:08.986
  • But isn't that true?
  • 00:20:08.986 --> 00:20:10.321
  • We live in a material world.
  • 00:20:10.321 --> 00:20:12.857
  • We live in a material world, and we get it crammed down our
  • 00:20:12.857 --> 00:20:15.793
  • Throats six days a week.
  • 00:20:15.793 --> 00:20:18.696
  • People ought to have a day of the week they come and see the
  • 00:20:18.696 --> 00:20:22.700
  • World as god sees it.
  • 00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:24.735
  • It's not about the material.
  • 00:20:24.735 --> 00:20:26.170
  • It's not about keeping up with the joneses.
  • 00:20:26.170 --> 00:20:28.639
  • It's about our relationship with god.
  • 00:20:28.639 --> 00:20:32.343
  • Finally, to show preference to the rich prioritizes the
  • 00:20:32.343 --> 00:20:37.014
  • Temporal over the eternal.
  • 00:20:37.014 --> 00:20:40.017
  • One of the constant themes in the letter of james is how
  • 00:20:40.017 --> 00:20:43.988
  • Fleeting riches really are.
  • 00:20:43.988 --> 00:20:46.924
  • In verses 10 to 11 of chapter 1, james says, "and the rich man is
  • 00:20:46.924 --> 00:20:51.462
  • The glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass, he
  • 00:20:51.462 --> 00:20:57.368
  • Will pass away.
  • 00:20:57.368 --> 00:20:59.036
  • For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the
  • 00:20:59.036 --> 00:21:02.273
  • Grass; and its flowers fall off and the beauty of its appearance
  • 00:21:02.273 --> 00:21:06.444
  • Is destroyed, so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits
  • 00:21:06.444 --> 00:21:12.350
  • Will fade away."
  • 00:21:12.350 --> 00:21:14.652
  • An old southern preacher said it this way, "our lives is
  • 00:21:14.652 --> 00:21:17.988
  • Like grass.
  • 00:21:17.988 --> 00:21:19.790
  • It is sown, it is grown, it is mown, and then it's gon'."
  • 00:21:19.790 --> 00:21:28.332
  • That's not just grass, that's us.
  • 00:21:28.332 --> 00:21:31.836
  • If you're rich today, don't get too excited about your wealth.
  • 00:21:31.836 --> 00:21:37.174
  • If you're poor today, don't despair over your poverty
  • 00:21:37.174 --> 00:21:40.745
  • Because your economic status, whether rich or poor, is
  • 00:21:40.745 --> 00:21:44.315
  • Very temporary.
  • 00:21:44.315 --> 00:21:46.350
  • It's all going to be left behind and the church's responsibility
  • 00:21:46.350 --> 00:21:52.223
  • Is to show people, to help people prioritize that which is
  • 00:21:52.223 --> 00:21:56.327
  • Eternal over that which is temporal.
  • 00:21:56.327 --> 00:21:59.563
  • Paul said it this way in 1 timothy 6:17.
  • 00:21:59.563 --> 00:22:02.299
  • He said, "instruct those who are rich in this present world not
  • 00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:07.671
  • To be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of
  • 00:22:07.671 --> 00:22:12.143
  • Riches, but on god who richly supplies us with all things
  • 00:22:12.143 --> 00:22:17.448
  • To enjoy."
  • 00:22:17.448 --> 00:22:19.884
  • D.l. moody, the great evangelist
  • 00:22:19.884 --> 00:22:21.519
  • Said it this way, "trust in yourself,
  • 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:25.189
  • And you're doomed to disappointment.
  • 00:22:25.189 --> 00:22:28.359
  • Trust in your friends, and they may leave you or die.
  • 00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:32.963
  • Trust in your riches, and they may be taken from you.
  • 00:22:32.963 --> 00:22:37.735
  • Trust in your reputation, and some slanderous tongue may
  • 00:22:37.735 --> 00:22:41.605
  • Destroy it.
  • 00:22:41.605 --> 00:22:43.541
  • But trust in god, and you'll never be confounded in time
  • 00:22:43.541 --> 00:22:48.512
  • Or eternity."
  • 00:22:48.512 --> 00:22:51.315
  • James says, "if you have authentic saving faith, you
  • 00:22:51.315 --> 00:22:57.021
  • Will prioritize the spiritual over the material; the eternal
  • 00:22:57.021 --> 00:23:02.827
  • Over the temporal."
  • 00:23:02.827 --> 00:23:04.195
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:23:04.862 --> 00:23:09.633
  • Jeffress: james reminds us that authentic faith doesn't
  • 00:23:09.700 --> 00:23:12.703
  • Play favorites.
  • 00:23:12.703 --> 00:23:14.071
  • When we truly understand god's impartial love, we'll treat
  • 00:23:14.071 --> 00:23:18.275
  • Everyone who enters our church with equal dignity and respect.
  • 00:23:18.275 --> 00:23:22.646
  • I want to thank those of you who support pathway to victory
  • 00:23:22.646 --> 00:23:25.449
  • Through your faithful giving, especially our pathway partners.
  • 00:23:25.449 --> 00:23:29.787
  • Your generosity enables us to broadcast the unchanging truth
  • 00:23:29.787 --> 00:23:33.691
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  • Reaching into homes, automobiles, and workplaces with
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  • The transforming power of the gospel.
  • 00:23:44.034 --> 00:23:47.338
  • Every day we receive testimonies from viewers whose lives have
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  • Been touched by this ministry and it's all possible because of
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  • Partners like you.
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  • Thank you for helping us pierce the darkness with the light of
  • 00:23:57.248 --> 00:24:00.718
  • God's word.
  • 00:24:00.718 --> 00:24:02.119
  • Stay right there, i'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
  • 00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:05.256
  • In just a moment.
  • 00:24:05.256 --> 00:24:06.690
  • Male announcer: every believer wants to see clear evidence of
  • 00:24:08.893 --> 00:24:11.495
  • Their spiritual growth and discover the fruit that god is
  • 00:24:11.495 --> 00:24:14.765
  • Producing in their lives.
  • 00:24:14.765 --> 00:24:16.700
  • Dr. robert jeffress shows you exactly how to recognize that
  • 00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:20.237
  • Fruit in his brand new book "how to know if you're really saved."
  • 00:24:20.237 --> 00:24:24.308
  • Jeffress: the book of james teaches us that the christian
  • 00:24:24.375 --> 00:24:26.777
  • Life is about more than just knowing god's word, it's about
  • 00:24:26.777 --> 00:24:30.948
  • Living it out.
  • 00:24:30.948 --> 00:24:32.283
  • In my new book "how to know if you're really saved," i'll walk
  • 00:24:32.283 --> 00:24:35.252
  • You through what it truly means to be a doer of the word,
  • 00:24:35.252 --> 00:24:39.056
  • Showing you how to respond to trials, control your speech,
  • 00:24:39.056 --> 00:24:42.826
  • Endure hardships, resist temptation, and so much more.
  • 00:24:42.826 --> 00:24:47.865
  • Male announcer: this outstanding 232-page book will help you
  • 00:24:47.865 --> 00:24:50.834
  • Examine the evidence of your faith and see the spiritual
  • 00:24:50.834 --> 00:24:54.204
  • Fruit that should be growing in your daily life.
  • 00:24:54.204 --> 00:24:57.241
  • 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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  • Complete message series on both cd and dvd.
  • 00:25:14.525 --> 00:25:17.928
  • Jeffress: if you are truly saved, there's gonna be evidence
  • 00:25:17.928 --> 00:25:21.365
  • Of it.
  • 00:25:21.365 --> 00:25:22.700
  • There's some tests that you need to apply to your life.
  • 00:25:22.700 --> 00:25:25.936
  • Male announcer: thank you for your generous support of pathway
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  • 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.
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  • Jeffress: we often judge people by their appearance, their bank
  • 00:25:39.550 --> 00:25:42.820
  • Account, or their social status, even in the church, but god's
  • 00:25:42.820 --> 00:25:47.224
  • Kingdom operates by different standards.
  • 00:25:47.224 --> 00:25:50.260
  • God chose the poor to be rich in faith, reminding us that eternal
  • 00:25:50.260 --> 00:25:54.898
  • Treasures matter more than temporary wealth.
  • 00:25:54.898 --> 00:25:58.902
  • Well, next time we'll tackle what many call the biggest
  • 00:25:58.902 --> 00:26:02.373
  • Contradiction in the bible.
  • 00:26:02.373 --> 00:26:04.608
  • Paul says we're saved by faith alone.
  • 00:26:04.608 --> 00:26:07.878
  • James seems to say faith without works is dead.
  • 00:26:07.878 --> 00:26:11.649
  • So which one is it, or can it be both?
  • 00:26:11.649 --> 00:26:14.818
  • Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next in our
  • 00:26:14.818 --> 00:26:17.321
  • Series "how to know if you're really saved."
  • 00:26:17.321 --> 00:26:21.492
  • Jeffress: but if we're honest, we would have to say that there
  • 00:26:21.558 --> 00:26:24.294
  • Are some passages that seem, at least at face value, to
  • 00:26:24.294 --> 00:26:28.866
  • Contradict one another.
  • 00:26:28.866 --> 00:26:31.135
  • And that is true of the passage we're going to look at today.
  • 00:26:31.135 --> 00:26:35.205
  • I call it the biggest contradiction in the bible.
  • 00:26:35.205 --> 00:26:39.977
  • Male announcer: set your dvr and
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  • Join us next time for
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  • The message
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  • "the biggest contradiction in
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  • The bible" here on "pathway
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  • To victory."
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