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| Old Testament Scripture Reading: Joshua 2:8 – 21 (NASB) |
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Josh 2:8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof,
Josh 2:9 and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.
Josh 2:10 “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
Josh 2:11 “And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
Josh 2:12 “Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth,
Josh 2:13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.”
Josh 2:14 So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”
Josh 2:15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.
Josh 2:16 And she said to them, “Go to the hill country, lest the pursuers happen upon you, and hide yourselves there for three days, until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.”
Josh 2:17 And the men said to her, “We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear,
Josh 2:18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household.
Josh 2:19 “And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be free; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if a hand is laid on him.
Josh 2:20 “But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be free from the oath which you have made us swear.”
Josh 2:21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. |
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| New Testament Scripture Reading: James 2:10 – 26 (NASB) |
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James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
James 2:11 For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
James 2:12 So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
James 2:13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 2:14 What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
James 2:15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
James 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
James 2:18 But someone may well say, “You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
James 2:19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
James 2:20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
James 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
James 2:22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;
James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.
James 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
James 2:25 And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. |
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Transforming Power Statements:
#1) True saving faith is a free gift from God that is freely given to the ones who hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and believe it according to the Scriptures. James is describing to his readers what the results of true saving faith are and exemplifying through biblical reproof what true saving faith looks like as modeled in their lives by their work of faith.
#2) The stark contrast between the known sins of two examples chosen by James and the Holy Spirit to be used as illustrations of the work of faith (i.e. Abraham and Rahab the harlot) certainly declare of what true saving faith does and also demonstrates that salvation cannot be obtained by good works according to “the perfect Law of liberty” and therefore must be obtained by grace.
#3) There is perfect agreement between the teachings of Paul and James (as well as with all the rest of the Scriptures) but each writer has chosen to highlight differing aspects of the excellent jewel of our beautiful salvation that has been prepared for us and given to us by faith in Jesus Christ, Who is worthy of our very best service based purely on devotion to Him. |
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