Revival Through Truth!
I remember how amazed I was the first time I really saw what Paige taught so powerfully this week. It was from a Tim Keller sermon on The Sermon on the Mount. He said he had always thought the two ways of life Jesus talked about in that sermon were the pagan and the believer — but that is not the contrast at all. If you look at the four closing examples in Jesus’ sermon, you’ll see both men assume they are believers, both believe they are saved, but only one is. They are both in church, both professing Him as Lord — but one’s faith is proved true, and the other is proved false. It isn’t that works saved them, but it demonstrated that their faith was genuine, and not just talk. At the time, I shared this new insight with my dear friends Ann and Sylvia, and at first, they were skeptical — but they looked carefully with me at the four illustrations and saw it clearly. We three shared about how Keller had opened our eyes both to idolatry and to this truth. As we were making up a bed, smoothing the sheets, Sylvia looked at me and said: “These truths may be the beginning of revival.” I know they have brought revival to my heart.
Paige says this truth runs all the way through the Bible. And it does! I’ve been pondering Paul Tripp’s comment: “Our ears listen for what our hearts crave.” Could it be that we crave “easy believism,” so that we can continue to live for ourselves and still be saved because of the profession of our lips?
I’m going to start with Jesus’ final example first, for it is the clearest — the clincher! But it is in all four closing illustrations of the Sermon on the Mount. (Paige said this is all over the Bible — but that James, the brother of Jesus, particularly echoes the words of Jesus, and especially the Sermon on the Mount.)
Two Houses
Read Matthew 7:24-27
The foolish man and the wise man both hear Jesus’ words. But only one obeys and he is rescued from the storm of wrath.
Two Professing With Their Mouths
Read Matthew 7:21-23
Both men call Jesus Lord, but only one demonstrates true faith by doing the will of His Father in heaven.
Two Trees
Read Matthew 7:15-20
Both trees look the same in the winter, but when summer comes it is evident, one is living and one is dead.
Two Paths
Read Matthew 7:13-14
There are two paths: but one will lead to destruction and the other to life.
Saturday is my dear friend Ann’s funeral. I am planning to speak at it and show this video from Idol Lies. I’m showing it here, in honor of her. I absolutely know from the fruit in her life, and not just her profession, that her house is on the rock, His wrath has passed over her, and she is forever with the Lord. Click below to see her 1 minute testimony:
Thursday: Introduction
**1. What was Jesus’ repeated point from His closing four illustrations in The Sermon on the Mount? Have you seen this before? Any other comments on the above opening?
*2. Read James 2:14-26 on your own. What is his main point? What parallels do you see with Jesus’ teaching?
3. Listen to Paige’s opening up until she gets to the first point in her outline (Case studies)
A. What stood out to you and why?
*B. Paige has said it is important to know the context and to whom this letter was written. What has he been telling us (previous context) and to whom is it written? Why is this important to interpret this passage correctly?
*C. Paige described our cultural shifts — in parenting, and, in our churches, from thinking works save us to swinging to the other opposite of “just believe,” to just say the prayer and be done! Comments?
Friday: Dead Faith and Demon Faith
Begin listening where she reads the passage. and end when she says “Third case study.”
In your small groups read James 2:14-18
4. Verse 14 is the thesis question for the whole passage. What is it?
Case study 1: Dead faith.
5. The keyword repeated in verses 14 and 16 is “says” or “claims.” What is James’ point?
6. Paige says: This is not new.
A. Do you remember either of her Old Testament illustrations and the point?
B. Do you remember either of her illustrations from Jesus and the point?
C. Then she quoted 1 John 3:7-8. The point? (Can you sing this verse? :-))
**D. Comments on any of the above?
7. Paige says: This is not weird.
A. Her point with the 5 year old who was crying on the way home from church?
B. Her point with the story of the freshman who felt so alone in her faith and yet 90% of the room stood up when asked if they were Christians?
*8. What illustration does James give in verses 2:15-16 and what does he say about this faith in verse 17? Why?
9. Often we do pray for someone’s need without also giving money or some kind of service — is James speaking against this? Why or why not?
Case study 2: Demon faith
10. How do the demons demonstrate correct doctrine and also have emotion? ((2:18-19) So why are they the enemies of God?
11. What was her point with her story from Screwtape Letters?
It doesn’t matter if you possess good theology unless that good theology possesses you. (C. Leslie Mitton)
Saturday: Abraham and Rahab
Begin when she says “Third Case Study” and stop after she goes into the sheep and goats separation teaching.
Read James 2:20-26 and also Genesis 15:1-6
12. In Genesis 15, what promise does Abraham believe and how does God respond? (verse 6)
13. How is Abraham’s faith proved genuine in Genesis 22?
*14. Paige says Abraham’s righteous standing began with faith, not with works. God did not say, after he stayed Abraham’s hand from sacrificing Isaac, “Now you belong to me – but now I know you belong to me.” How do we know Abraham did not have a perfect faith?
**15. Paige points out the verbs of completing, perfecting, and working in this passage. John also uses these words in the letter of 1 John, written to believers, gives us some tests to increase our assurance that our faith is genuine. We are to walk in the light, we are to love our brother, and we are to stand up for the truth of the gospel. Do you see growth in your life in all of these areas? Share one specific example.
16. On your own, read Joshua 2.
A. What does Rahab believe about God according to Joshua 2:8-11?
B. How is her faith proved genuine?
C. How does her life parallel Abraham’s?
**17. Do you remember how the Puritans responded when someone said they had come to faith? Point? Thoughts? When you share the gospel with another, do you help them count the cost?
18. Contrasts (Review James 2:26)
*A. Difference between demons and Abraham? (Think about the word friendship — do you have that?)
B. Difference between well-wishers (James 2:16) with Rahab?
C. What contrast does Jesus give us in Matthew 25:31-46?
Sunday: God Hunt
**19. How have you experienced the presence of God through Paige’s teaching, through an answer to prayer, through unusual timing or circumstances, or through His comfort this week?
Monday: Clarity
Begin after the sheep and goats illustration and end when she says: “James loves the people. He wants to set them straight. It’s not just a warning, it’s a wooing.
20. No contradictions:
**A. Paige certainly makes a thorough case for this being all through Scripture — did any example particularly stand out to you?
*B. How does she show that even James and Paul are not contradictory? What was Tim Keller’s point with needing two eyes? With Paul being an obstetrician and James a pediatrician?
Faith alone saves. The faith that saves is never alone.
(Probably John Calvin)
***21. No Categories of Christians — what was her teaching. This is HUGE!!! Have you been confused by the teaching of categories of Christians? Of needing a second act of grace?
**22. How does she think this error of categories of Christians happened? Thoughts?
I, Dee, heard Tim Keller tell of a woman who said she wasn’t sure if she became a Christian when she said and agreed with the prayer that she was a sinner when she was at a Christian youth camp, or when it dropped to her heart and her life changed later. He said, “I would say the latter.” Thoughts?
**23. Read Luke 8:4-15. Paige tells of teaching this parable and a big line forming afterward. What was her point? Thoughts?
**24. How is your life different because of your faith. (Listen carefully to her quote Kelly)
Tuesday: Wooing into Relationship!
I could tell she was remembering the Bartimeus story from the Read Aloud books. You might enjoy hearing it read:
Listen to the end.
25. First reality. Full point of our faith is that we are justified so that we are made new. What was her point of showing people a birth certificate when they ask about your children?
*26. What does the Lord tell us about what he will do for us in Ezekiel? How could you see that in the story of Bartimaeus?
27. How do you know Jesus has moved in and given you life?
28. I am not familiar with the logic term she used (marismus?) but the definition is “two opposite extremes that are shown to be equal.” How did James do that with Abraham and Rahab?
29. She closed with example of C. S. Lewis marrying Joy twice. Point?
Wednesday: Take-A-Way
**30. Is there anything she shared I missed that you want to comment on?
**31. What is your take-a-way and why?
200 comments
Ladies, I was getting ready to go to bed and checked my email for a response to an inquiry I sent when I aw the announcement about inclement weather in Nashville! And that we have another week to listen to last week’s message! yipee! That was my response. I was just lamenting that I will not be able to listen again to this amazing lesson and God heard my groaning. Lol Kidding aside, last week’s is just so amazing I can listen to it many more times. I even prayed that Paige will change her mind and make this available online even after the study. So my dear friend, Laura, here is our chance to catch up!
Yippeee!!
Bing told you the news — Paige’s study is cancelled this week due to inclement weather but leaving her lecture up. So you have another week to listen and answer questions. I am doing Paige’s study on zoom with new Christians from pickleball and there was a LOT OF CONFUSION. One woman said, “So we are saved by faith plus works — right?” It just shows why James has been so controversial –it is a hard point to make, though Paige certainly gave a lot of illustrations to endeavor to show it was faith alone that saves, but genuine faith always leads to works.
Oh, wow, Dee! “So we are saved by faith plus works, right?” My heart aches because I think many of my friends still are confused as well. Thank you for this study with Paige.
16. On your own, read Joshua 2.
A. What does Rahab believe about God according to Joshua 2:8-11?
She knows that the Lord has given the land in which she lives to His people. She has heard about God parting the Red Sea, and how the enemies of His people are destroyed. She also says of God that He is God in heaven above and on earth.
B. How is her faith proved genuine?
She helps the spies hide from their pursuers and then helps them get safely out of the city. If she only had said empty words, saying that she believed this about God, she likely would’ve reported them to those who were after them. So her actions backed up her words, showing her faith genuine.
C. How does her life parallel Abraham’s?
It’s interesting to think about when did Rahab first believe and put her faith in God? But by the time the spies came along, she believed, and her righteousness led to faith in action. In this way, her life parallel’s Abraham’s. She really put her own life at risk when she helped them, but apparently, she feared God more than losing her own life.
17. Do you remember how the Puritans responded when someone said they had come to faith? Point? Thoughts? When you share the gospel with another, do you help them count the cost?
The Puritans responded with “we’ll see”. They knew that at times, people had an emotional response to the gospel, or prayed a prayer, but there was no life change. Paige said this is in contrast to “quick evangelism”, in which you meet someone and they are ready to pray the prayer because yes, they agree that they don’t want to go to hell. So they said yes, but nothing changed. Paige said there are no different levels or kinds of Christians (carnal, spirit-filled); there are only two kinds of people: those in Christ and those who are not. But we have created these categories to allow people to respond to the gospel with no heart change.
This leads me to ask a question: so we hear about people who are near death, who have a response to the gospel – maybe because they are on the verge of death, they sure fear going to hell, so they pray a prayer. But they don’t live long enough so that we can see the evidence of their faith! Yet we all love to cite the example of the thief on the Cross! How can you really know if it was genuine? It’s like this person is saying a prayer or agreeing, but God is saying “Nope…I know you don’t really mean it…” and then I get even more confused because I know that it is God who chooses, right? Predestination? So do you conclude that the person isn’t predestined for adoption anyway? Or that it’s not God’s timing yet to have His Spirit cause regeneration in them? I remember as a new Christian, the first time I heard about predestination. I was sent into a tailspin. I finally confided in an older, Christian woman that I was so afraid that I think I’m saved but really when I prayed to receive Jesus, that God was like covering His ears and saying nope….I didnt’ choose you! Sometimes I can’t understand why, if the good news is supposed to be so simple that a child can understand it, that we somehow have made it so complicated with so many differing opinions and teachings.
Rabbit trail warning….I agree that it can be made too complicated, Susan. I used to have that feeling with the word “works”. When I rededicated my life to Jesus in my early 20s, I knew I was a Christian, but felt I needed to find some “works” to do. 🙂 This is pretty lame, when I grew up in a Christian home and saw all the ways my parents were the hands and feet of Jesus. I never felt that I had the right “gift” of teaching, nursing, being a missionary….I had no works to do. Then I realized that God wanted me to just be willing and available to show His love to others in by being there, by being a wife to my husband, by being a mom to my kids, by being a daughter to my parents, by meeting other Christian women in a Bible study, so I would know how to mature in my Christian life and much more. So the I began seeing works as Nila said, the overflow of your love of Jesus in whatever your profession is and showing love and acceptance to others, spending time with those hurting, while sharing your life in Christ and your love of Him and trust in Him, knowing that I always will need to continue to grow in my faith and abide in Him in everything. And being willing to be obedient to whatever He calls us to do. I have a book titled : “To a child, love is spelled T I M E”. I think it is true of all aspects of life. Time is the most important thing we have to spend, spend it well. Easier said than done in our very busy world today.
Agree 100%!
Good question, Susan. I don’t think we can know if death bed conversions are genuine or not, but God knows. Obviously Jesus knew that thief on the cross was genuine. I suspect most are for death awakens you to reality. I was telling Greg Scharf (a scholar and the back-up speaker to the late John Stott) who is visiting me now about how Paige said only the last soil was saved. He said, “I don’t think we can know about the 2nd and 3rd soils, but God does.) I liked that for I do know people who have a child who bore the fruit of salvation, yet backslid and died… – -what do we say about them? Greg said, “I tell them – -will not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” So we leave it there.
I would say election and the unforgivable sin are similar — if you are worried about it, you don’t need to be worried about it. Make sense?
Love this Dee. “if you are worried about it, you don’t need to be worried about it.” 🙂
I think we all wrestle with these questions…. I love what Greg Scarf said! “I tell them – -will not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” So we leave it there.
We are called to give our all to Him and trust Him. There is so much we do not know and understand, but we know He is good and pure, in Him there is no evil. I do best when I keep my eyes on Him and leave the judgment to Him. Our minds are so finite and He is infinite.
“‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” C.S. Lewis
Jesus Himself is this light (John 1:4-5,9; 8:12). He changes how we see the entire world. Through Him, everything else makes sense.
Dee, I LOVE this: “I tell them – will not the Judge of the whole earth do right?” YES. God will always do right – He can do nothing else. I can live with that and trust that!
. First reality. Full point of our faith is that we are justified so that we are made new. What was her point of showing people a birth certificate when they ask about your children?Showing my childs birth certificate proves that I gave birth to them, but does not show anything about who they are and how they live their life.
*26. What does the Lord tell us about what he will do for us in Ezekiel? How could you see that in the story of Bartimaeus? In Ezekial the Lord says “I love you and I am going to give you a new heart of flesh and remove your heart of stone.” With Bartimaeus Jesus asked him “what do you want Me to do for you?” Bartimaeus asked for his sight to be restored and Jesus restired his sight! And Bartimaeus followed Jesus…he had his sight and could have done anything, but he chose to follow Jesus.
27. How do you know Jesus has moved in and given you life? I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see! Jesus definately took out my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh! I was a Physical Therapy Assistant in a Rehab Hospital, my nickname was “The Dragon Lady”…I had very little mercy for my patients. I felt it was my responsibility to get the results my doctors and rehab team desired for each patient. I was a medical drill sargeant. Underneath I was guarding my feelings from being impacted by their suffering…ugh! Now I sympathize and cry with everyone that is suffering…for many years now.
28. I am not familiar with the logic term she used (marismus?) but the definition is “two opposite extremes that are shown to be equal.” How did James do that with Abraham and Rahab? Eventhough they represent opposite extremes social and historically. They had the same response to God and believed in Him. They have equal standing in God’s eyes.
29. She closed with example of C. S. Lewis marrying Joy twice. The first marriage was for convenience, Joy needed a permanant visa to live in England, living separately…then, they fell in love. And lived the rest of their days together under the same roof. Paige said “Do not marry Jesus just for a visa. Live BIG in the Lord, as BIG as you can take it! That bigness will show.❤️🙏❤️
Lydia, I smiled at the term they called you, “Dragon Lady”. I have worked with some PTA’s who were like your former self. But I love them all-they were impactful in the recovery of our patients. I do love that you have developed sympathy toward them for a while now. Jesus can change our hearts for sure.
Thank-you Bing! It was such an honor to work with great medical personnel! God completely changed my heart and gave me genuine love, kindness and compassion…the fruits of His Spirit!🙌🙏❤️🙏🙌
This is a wonderful story of heart transformation, Lydia. Thank you for sharing. It must be frustrating in your profession to get patients to follow therapy that is difficult, but necessary for a full recovery. I am thankful for those in your profession! I love that your heart is now filled with the fruits of love, kindness and compassion. I love how Jesus can change our hearts, which changes our entire life and the lives of others.
Thank-you Patti, for your kind comments. I am retired now,but God still puts challenging people in my path! His Grace is sufficient for me and for all who answer His call.🙏❤️🙏
I missed this and it’s so good — thanks, Lydia: Paige said “Do not marry Jesus just for a visa. Live BIG in the Lord, as BIG as you can take it! That bigness will show.❤️🙏❤️
Wednesday: Take-A-Way
**30. Is there anything she shared I missed that you want to comment on?
**31. What is your take-a-way and why?
Faith precedes works but by our works, our faith is proven. Just like Abraham and Rahab, we are all on equal footing in our righteousness before God because we have believed. What joy this gives me again and again.
Paige is like a modern James. She warns her listeners with conviction and woos them with the truth and with God’s love. I am so grateful for her and for you, Dee, to have us do this study together. This was an AMAZING lesson! I am so glad I did not give up considering my schedule these days. The perfectionist in me (AKA works-oriented self) tells me not to participate because I couldn’t do it the way I should or could. Thankful I did not listen to my soul but spoke truth to her. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I am able to work on my priorities and participate here the best that I can.
I love your take away, Bing! So well said! Amen!
And we are so glad to have you, Bing!
I’m so happy that we get more time!!! I rarely get to complete the entire study 🥳
***21. No Categories of Christians — what was her teaching. This is HUGE!!! Have you been confused by the teaching of categories of Christians?
There are only 2 kinds of Christians; those in Christ and those who aren’t. I have not been confused by this. My colleagues don’t believe in God. I didn’t know any better growing up. I didn’t know that I was no better than them although I believed. I thought going to church was what you did. That is how you showed you were a Christian. I didn’t know Jesus. I read the Bible on the weekend. On Sunday. At church. I didn’t know I needed to do anything else 🤷🏻♀️. Silly me! When I got to the end of ME then I came to HIM. I have a bumper sticker that says HE > i (He greater than I).
Of needing a second act of grace?
I have never been privy to this idea.
**22. How does she think this error of categories of Christians happened? Thoughts?
Due to evangelism; quick action because if you met someone you shared the true Gospel with, who became a believer, and you had them say the acceptance/repentance prayer. But, often there was no life change. You can’t go back and say they didn’t say the right prayer or I didn’t explain it correctly. Then they would come up with different kinds of Christians. This is wrong! You are either with Jesus or you are not…Saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not everyone would get that bumper sticker! 🙂
Wednesday: Take-A-Way
**30. Is there anything she shared I missed that you want to comment on?
—You may have touched on some of this but Paige said “James loves these people. He is trying to wake them up from their slumber. It is not to convict people but to call people and draw them to fully embrace what is theirs by faith.” And “It’s not that we have faith but that faith has us. It is not a believing it is a belonging.” She further commented on that thinking and said “The point of this passage is not that faith is not enough but it is so much more than we think.” And then she said again it’s about “Not believing in Him but belonging to him.”
—I love the thinking she presented here and what James’s objective was. Not to convict but to call and draw them into what is theirs by faith in Christ. I think in our self centered, independent, do your own thing culture we fail or perhaps even resist thinking of belonging to someone. But for me that brings a wonderful security.
It also reminds me I have been bought with a price. A high price. Literally the blood of Christ. I Corinthians 7 talks about being called and being bought with a price. So like Paige said in these comments above the point of the passage is not that faith is not enough but it is so much more than we think.
She went on to say “The full point of our faith is not that we are justified. We are justified so that we are made new.
The teaching of the scripture is the emphasis is not on our standing. It is on our living. We are made new. A new heart.”
It has caused me to go back and reflect on my answer to question 27. How do you know Jesus has moved in and given you life? My answer was kind of short and feelings oriented but I think as I reflect on that it has to do with having a new heart. Emotions are definitely tied to our hearts and it is in my heart that I know Jesus has moved in and I feel alive. But it isn’t just a feeling it has become a “knowing”. I know in my heart and my mind and with my mind I can base it in and confirm it by his Word. That’s a big part of the interaction I have in my relationship with Jesus. The Scripture is the living Word of God from which he often speaks to me. And he definitely has been speaking through the book of James.
**31. What is your take-a-way and why?
—The take-a-ways are so many this week. But Paige’s teaching at the end of the lesson on Reality about Abraham and Rahab was so poignant. Abraham and Rahab are opposites. Abraham is the ultimate respected man in the Jewish mind. A towering figure.
Rahab is a very minor supporting character She is not an original Jew but a gentile, a Canaanite, she is a prostitute. A disreputable woman. They are at opposite ends of the spectrum but they are equal in the faith. They both believed God and they lived out their faith.
I love the point that they are equal in their faith. The emphasis was not on their standing but it was on the fact they both believed God and then lived out their faith. And that is what God wants from me.
Bev, This is such a great summary of the entire lesson. You make so many good points. This is so good: “James loves these people. He is trying to wake them up from their slumber. It is not to convict people but to call people and draw them to fully embrace what is theirs by faith.” And “It’s not that we have faith but that faith has us. It is not a believing it is a belonging.” She further commented on that thinking and said “The point of this passage is not that faith is not enough but it is so much more than we think.” And then she said again it’s about “Not believing in Him but belonging to him.”
To fully embrace what is theirs by faith! It’s not that we have faith, but that faith has us. It is not a believing it is a belonging. Amen! So thankful for the extra time to be able to read everyone’s posts.
Patti, I agree this lesson is so rich with truth and encouragement. Like you I want to go back and read more comment and respond to some posts this week. There were some good questions asked and meaningful things to consider. It is good to take a break from a new lesson this week and ponder what we have learned so far.
**31. What is your take-a-way and why?
This weeks lesson was quite an eye opener for me. There are no categories…no 2nd blessings, re-dedication’s or commitments…either we belong to Jesus or we don’t!! I was raised with the teaching of the “carnal” Christian and I so appreciate the article the silent follower sent to Dee. Quite an eye opener and makes so much sense! I also belong to a church that teaches a 2nd act of grace which I have never agreed with, but I realize that the teaching of the “carnal” Christian is quite similar…wow! I know there are times when I make choices that move me away from God but because I belong to Him I can’t stay there…I’m miserable and need to repent from my sin… stop heading east and turn around and head west toward God so to speak. There’s no need to re-dedicate but a big need to repent!
“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.”
“By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”
1 John 3:9-10 ESV
1 John 3:9-10. Yes, Sharon! there are no categories! When I rededicated my life in my early 20’s, I knew I was a Christian, but I was not an involved Christian. College was a time of making less than perfect decisions sometimes, yet I never turned away from my faith. I felt like I was stagnant and not growing in the Lord. I just was so immature and your words are perfect~ I made some choices that moved me away from God. I did need to repent and did that! (thankfully!)
Patti, thanks for sharing your testimony😊. Mine is very similar. I’m so thankful for a precious Savior who loves us so and is forgiving.
I hadn’t connected second act of grace with carnal and spiritual — but yes — same erroneous thinking.
25. First reality. Full point of our faith is that we are justified so that we are made new. What was her point of showing people a birth certificate when they ask about your children?
If you just show a birth certificate but never talk about their living, you are not engaged.
*26. What does the Lord tell us about what he will do for us in Ezekiel?
I love you and I am going to give you a new heart; a heart of flesh, not stone. He is moving in. We are made new.
How could you see that in the story of Bartimaeus?
He is made new. Jesus gives him his vision and everything is changed. He is transformed. Yes, he has new eyes, but oh! His heart is changed. Righteousness is coursing through our veins.
Does anyone have the spelling of the rhetorical device that she speaks of at 58:10? The one comparing Abraham to Rahab. I’ve tried every spelling that I can think of and searched rhetorical devices and cannot find it.
This came up on my email and could not find it to respond…
Author: DawnMSComment:Does anyone have the spelling of the rhetorical device that she speaks of at 58:10? The one comparing Abraham to Rahab. I’ve tried every spelling that I can think of and searched rhetorical devices and cannot find it.
The word is merismus!
Thank you, Sharon!
Thank you, Sharon
GOD HUNT SUNDAY!
I’ve been blessed to have a godly couple visiting me this whole week after Ann’s funeral. Greg Scharf is a brilliant theologian who was lead Prof at Trinity Seminary and the back up speaker for John Stott. He has humbled himself to preach at our tiny church today and I’m excited — on Romans 8. I thought he’d just pull out one of his hundreds of favorite sermons but he’s worked all week on this for us.
What a beautiful blessing, Dee! I pray that many hearts will be touched by Greg Scharf’s sermon.
Dee, that sounds wonderful and what a blessing!!
Ooohh….I don’t suppose his sermon was recorded? That sounds wonderful, Dee!
I was hoping the same thing, Susan!!
We did record it and will put it on our church website when our website person comes back in March. It was very good.
18. Contrasts (Review James 2:26)
A. Difference between demons and Abraham (Think about the word friendship – do you have that?)
The demons have belief, but they have no faith. They are dead towards God. The demons have the knowledge of God, but it produces only fear in them.
Abraham has faith and is made alive toward God. Abraham has the kind of faith that produces friendship. Abraham, the former idol-worshiper, is now the friend of God. Abraham shows us what it means to love God above all else.
B. Difference between well-wishers (James 2:16) with Rahab?
The well-wishers’ faith is a dead faith. The well-wisher has only wishes that are useless toward their neighbor.
Rahab has been made alive in faith: alive toward God and toward her neighbor. She shows us what it looks like to love your neighbor as yourself.
C. What contrast does Jesus give us in Matthew 25:31-46?
This passage in Matthew gives us the judgment scene in which we see clear parallels between what Jesus says and what James says in his letter. James has been saying that merely “saying” but doing nothing is dead faith. Jesus separates two groups of people into those who did nothing, and those who combined their faith with action (those who gave food, clothing, shelter, visited the sick and the imprisoned versus those who did nothing).
20. No Contradictions:
A. Paige certainly makes a thorough case for this being all through Scripture – did any example particularly stand out to you?
She gave many examples of Jesus’ teaching in his Sermon on the Mount. I like the example of building the house on a solid rock versus shifting sand. I think it’s a good metaphor – if I feel I’m on uneasy ground spiritually, I am likely not following, trusting, and obeying.
B. How does she show that even Paul and James are not contradictory? What was Tim Keller’s point with needing two eyes? With Paul being an obstetrician and James a pediatrician?
First, Paige stressed that you must understand to whom each was writing, and why. Keller said that we need two eyes for depth perception- two angles on the same object to see it for what it is and where it fits. That’s James and Paul on justification (James and Paul are the two eyes) with two different emphases on the same thing.
Paul – emphasized there is no need for pre-conversion works in order to be justified. There is nothing you can do to make yourself acceptable to God. The sinner is forgiven and counted righteous by grace. Your legal standing before God.
James – emphasized that post-conversion works show that you really belong to Him. The obedient is shown to be righteous by their life. The lived-out proof of that legal standing.
Paul is like an obstetrician – with how new life begins. James is like a pediatrician, dealing with how you grow and mature.
No contradictions:
**A. Paige certainly makes a thorough case for this being all through Scripture — did any example particularly stand out to you? Salvation is a very personal thing for each believer, it is not my right as a Christian to judge another Christians’ Salvation and how the Holy Spirit is working it out through them. God has different callings for each of us. “Can the eye tell the foot to be cut off from the body because it is not an eye?”
*B. How does she show that even James and Paul are not contradictory?On justification, there is nothing you can do to put yourself in right standing with God, you cannot do anything to be justified.
What was Tim Keller’s point with needing two eyes? We need 2 eyes for perception , it takes 2 eyes on the same object to see where it fits.
With Paul being an obstetrician and James a pediatrician?( Paul teaches on how to be born again and James on how to grow in the life of faith.)
Faith alone saves. The faith that saves is never alone.
***21. No Categories of Christians — what was her teaching. This is HUGE!!! Have you been confused by the teaching of categories of Christians? Yes, I grew up in “one of those churches”…very judgemental and legalistic.
Of needing a second act of grace? Yes, I believe it is all about self justification. Making excuses for those who “fall away”, “backslide”.
**22. How does she think this error of categories of Christians happened? Thoughts? When the focus was on salvation in numbers (I did not write down the details) for the sake of saving the lost. They confessed with their mouth but there was no heart change. My thoughts, from my own experience I was very sincere as a child convert, but I did not receive discipleship in the church I grew up in.(They must have skipped the Book of James!)🤔 Then as a young adult feeling very alone, with the responsibility of raising my 2 little girls to have hope in more than this life…I sought Jesus with my whole heart and received a new heart…one of flesh! I believe my response to faith as a child was very self centered…contrasted to my adult response…very Jesus centered.
I, Dee, heard Tim Keller tell of a woman who said she wasn’t sure if she became a Christian when she said and agreed with the prayer that she was a sinner when she was at a Christian youth camp, or when it dropped to her heart and her life changed later. He said, “I would saythe latter.” Thoughts? I agree!
**23. Read Luke 8:4-15. Paige tells of teaching this parable and a big line forming afterward. What was her point? Thoughts? Her point was that these people she spoke to wanted to know what the least they could do to be saved…”is it your life’s goal to be the seed that fell on stoney ground”?! This is not being a Christian!
**24. How is your life different because of your faith. (Listen carefully to her quote Kelly) I love this quote by Earl Kelly! I wrote it all down and have read it several times…accountability! I do everything as unto the Lord now, I used to live for my own ambition and bragadociuosness! That all changed many years ago, so much so, that my husband who married a worldly woman, did not want to be married to a Christian woman.It was a struggle to stay married for the next 29 years. But God was and is Faithful and True…”through it all, through it ALL, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus, I’ve learned to trust in God…”☝️
I don’t know how I missed that quote from Kelly — I should listen to Paige again before it goes down tomorrow!
Lydia, I love your post, and I also agree about the discipleship. Could it be the reason why many do not have heart change, or why it takes so long, because after the initial coming to the Lord, they are not discipled? I believe that’s what is needed – one-on-one, personal discipleship. And it’s often lacking or missing altogether in our churches, especially the very big churches where you kind of remain anonymous.
Love your answer too to #24….wow. I had to look up that big word!
Thank-you Susan! I love your posts too! I always learn something new and gain insight from your posts and our Sisters’ posts. Iron sharpening iron!🙌🙏❤️🙏🙌
I totally agree, Susan about discipleship! We are strengthened in our walk, when we do not walk alone~ especially when first coming to Christ. I love your new photo too. 🙂
Lydia, I love that Earl Kelly quote and wrote it down too. I love what you wrote and how I pray daily that I do everything I do unto the Lord. I sorry that you went through so much in your marriage. Marriage is not always easy and I am thankful that I have the Lord, who is always there for me in the good times and the difficult times. Trust is my word for the year and as you quoted “Through it ALL, I have learned to trust in Jesus” and I long to trust Him daily more and more. Thank you for sharing what God has done for you. He is our Bridegroom.
21. No Categories of Christians – what was her teaching? This is HUGE!! Have you been confused by the teaching of categories of Christians? Of needing a second act of grace?
Paige said there are no categories of Christians; no two kinds of faith. There is no faith that just believes and faith that works. There are only two kinds of people. I was not familiar with the viewpoints of the various people she mentioned such as Warfield and Ryrie. The big debate is between easy-believism and lordship salvation. The second act of grace includes things like rededicating your life to Christ, or making a re-committment of your life. Paige said – NO. Jesus is Savior AND Lord. He can never not be Lord. There is no two-stage – I asked Jesus into my heart to be saved, and then a few years later, I got serious and asked Him to be Lord of my life. There is no “second work”. There are not two kinds of faith, only two kinds of people: those in Christ and those who are not. There is only one kind of faith.
I have heard people talk about the re-dedicating their lives and have heard teaching about receiving a more complete filling of the Spirit, as if you didn’t get it all the first time. My thoughts about the second part in asking Jesus to be Lord of my life is that when a person is saved, they might well not fully understand what His lordship means, and it takes a while for them to start living this out. This is one problem I felt the large churches have – people can “come to Christ” and yet not be discipled. Wouldn’t it be great if a new believer was assigned a mature Christian to disciple him or her, one on one? Especially a person who never went to church or read the Bible – they need help to learn! I remember being in a Bible study once when a new believer was using certain language until our teacher called her aside one day and just explained to her what the Bible says about our speech. She didn’t know this yet. We need help to grow.
22. How does she think this error of categories of Christians happened? Thoughts?
Some resulted from very quick action evangelistic strategies in the last hundred years, as in meeting a stranger, sharing the gospel with him, and praying a prayer with them. But then, there is no life change. You can’t go back to that person and explain that you didn’t say the right words, or what I told you wasn’t true. We had to come up with something to explain this category of people who said yes, but there was no change. Why? Well, because they “prayed the prayer”, right?
I have also heard some say that this stuff about asking Jesus into your heart is not in the Scripture, nor is praying a prayer. It is true – there is really no “formula” laid out in Scripture, as in say these words, and you are a Christian. So how did we come up with that? And as a new Christian many years ago, and with a personality that is probably a bit OCD and hard on myself and prone to worry about things like this, I can’t tell you how many times I prayed the prayer, after praying the prayer, because I was so afraid, so terribly afraid, that I left some vital wording out, that I didn’t do it right, as if my salvation all depended upon my having said it right (did I say I believe You died on the cross for me…did I include I want You to be the Lord of my life…)
Paige said to look back at James’ thesis statement: Can that faith save HIM? Who is the HIM? It’s the person who merely says.
23. Read Luke 8:4-15. Paige tells of teaching this parable and a big line forming afterward. What was her point? Thoughts?
This is the parable of the four soils, which Paige said is pretty simple. After teaching, a long line formed, and they all asked some version of the same thing: what about the two soils, the rocky and the thorny? Are those people saved? What is the bare minimum of what I have to do to go to heaven? At one point, Paige asked a woman if it was her plan to be thorny soil.
I think we’ve talked about this parable here before. Even pastors and Christian teachers are divided on it, with some saying yes, those two soils may be saved, and others saying no they are not. I look at it like it’s a comfortable resting place for those who are seeking assurance when they know they are not living right.
24. How is your life different because of your faith? (Listen carefully to her quote Kelly)
I used to say, a lot, that life was a lot easier before becoming a Christian. Why? One reason is that it bothers me now when I sin. What do I do now that I would not do if I did not believe? I make determined efforts to root out sin, to uncover idols, and to confess them. I want to be rid of them. I don’t know why it was so on my heart to have a special intention when I went on my pilgrimage last year to be rid of one very particular pattern of sin in my life and to ask and pray specifically for it to be removed – why would I do that if I did not believe? Why would I want to get rid of what mars my beauty – the beauty with which I was created by God that reflects His beauty, a longing for beauty as He is beautiful? And, I will admit that I still have a long, long way to go. I have always felt that my progress in sanctification has been slow, painfully slow. I can’t blame others for it, because I know that I alone am accountable, but it is hard to live with unbelievers in my closest earthly relationships as there is no mutual spurring one another on or spiritual encouragement, only an uncomfortable dissonance in many ways and constant struggle.
Oh Sister! I remember those days, married to an unbeliever and feeling so alone. A wonderful, Godly woman at my church encouraged and helped me so much! I had been “running interferance” for the Holy Spirit in my marriage, not trusting the Lord. I had to get out of God’s way and stop protecting my husband from God’s work. I had to become that “1Peter 3 wife” and allow God to cultivate an inner beauty that God so desires in each of us. I learned to be quiet and pray for my husband, trusting the Lord even when he asked for a divorce on several occasions. It was a huge struggle for me to let go and let God take care of my marriage. When I look back, I see His faithful Love at work all those years…you can trust Him!🙏❤️🙏
Your battle shows you are alive in Christ!
I also look at those two middle soils as hope for those who have had loved ones who died in that state — that maybe they are not lost.
Love this Dee!
Susan, I so agree with your answer to 21. We need help to grow ~ even if we grew up in a church. It is not always easy for a young person to understand what His Lordship means on a daily basis in life. Mentors are so important. You have a beautiful heart. I love this: I make determined efforts to root out sin, to uncover idols, and to confess them. I want to be rid of them. Amen! And this: Why would I want to get rid of what mars my beauty – the beauty with which I was created by God that reflects His beauty, a longing for beauty as He is beautiful? It is so hard when our close relations are unbelievers, so hard. So thankful for our Heavenly Father, our Bridegroom.
Patti — I think you share a kindred heart with Susan.
27. How do you know Jesus has moved in and given you life?
I have faith. It is how I am made new. We have righteousness coursing through our veins. Because of that, I am (mostly) calm. I am forgiving. I trust Him. It is the power of God living in me. I read the Bible and study the Word. I never did that before I knew Him. I want to know Him.
28. I am not familiar with the logic term she used (marismus?) but the definition is “two opposite extremes that are shown to be equal.” How did James do that with Abraham and Rahab?
Although Abraham was the Father of the Israelites , and Rahab was a prostitute, they were equal in their faith. They are both in the “hall of fame.”
29. She closed with example of C. S. Lewis marrying Joy twice. Point?
The first time was just a legal move for her to be able to stay in the country. On paper. The second was a real marriage where a covenant was made with God and the couple. Paige said to not use God like a visa. I’m guessing she meant to just say we were Christians without the actual act of being a Christian.
Sign of life: I want to know Him!
25. First reality. Full point of our faith is that we are justified so that we are made new. What was her point of showing people a birth certificate when they ask about your children?
The birth certificate shows that you had a live birth, but shouldn’t you have more to say than that? What about your children’s lives? Memories with them? Who are they now as adults? Our faith is not like a piece of paper we can point back to, the day we accepted Jesus, but then there’s nothing else to say about it. That doesn’t make sense.
26. What does the Lord tell us about what He will do for us in Ezekiel? How could you see that in the story of Bartimaeus?
God said through Ezekiel that He would remove our heart of stone and give us a new heart, a heart of flesh. Bartimaeus, when his sight was restored, ran after Jesus. Jesus was what he was excited about.
Great job everyone. Powerful session. New week is up!