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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
| Greek (Western) |
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 Greek thinkers centre on faith. We give pre-eminence to verses such as....
Romans 1:17
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 As we have mentioned before, our faith is primarily intellectual. If we 'believe' in our minds we are 'saved', that is all that is required of us to inherit eternal life.
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| Eastern (Hebrew) |
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 Jewish thinking, down through the millennia, has been focused on faith, shown to be real through works, by living a lifestyle that reflects what they believe intellectually. We tend to skip verse 10 of the passage quoted above from Ephesians, but it is integral to the whole.....
Ephesians 2:10
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 James, ever the practical person, was even more definite when he said.....
James 2:14-17
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 He understood the Greek based thinking, arguing.....
James 2:18-19
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 Most of the parables of Jesus illustrate both faith and action. Of course, the most famous is the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It concludes.....
Luke 10:36:7
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 The Parable of the Sower makes this point too. We are to 'produce crops', not just intellectually believe.....
Matthew 13:23
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 Again, there is to be a change in our character as a result of our conversion, referred to as developing the 'fruit of the Spirit'.....
Galatians 5:22-3
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Yes, our faith is to be reflected in action, resulting in a changed life.
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| SOME SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY |
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 1. Conversion needs to be accompanied by discipling of new believers.
2. Works are to be a reflection of the God within us to the outside world. To achieve this, they need to be done in the community, not just within the church environment.
3. Our teaching and beliefs about evangelism need to be changed to emphasise the need for a changed life, rather than just being an intellectual decision.
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| <i>NEXT WEEK:</i> THINKING GREEK OR HEBREW continues..... |
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 ..... by looking at DIVISION WITHIN UNITY.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 In the church we often look at faith without works or works leading to faith. But the reality is that faith and works are to go together, resulting in a changed life.
IMAGES AND ART: Jerusalem
Jewish Quarter
Jewish Quarter Plaza
The southeast corner of the Old City, the Jewish Quarter occupies about 15 acres and has been inhabited by Jews for centuries. Following the capture of the Old City by the Arabs in 1948, all Jews were expelled and their buildings destroyed. When Israel regained the Old City in 1967 work began to reconstruct the quarter and today hundreds of people live and study here.
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
Learn more about us at...
www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
692. Show me faith. Show me works. And I will show you a faith that works.
David Tait
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Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
Just jokes: http://www.wwj.org.nz/jokes.php
Waxing Lyrical: http://www.wwj.org.nz/waxing.php
If Only I'd Thought of it: http://www.wwj.org.nz/thought.php
Laughing at Ourselves: http://www.wwj.org.nz/laugh.php
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and..... 
and countered with the examples of Abraham..... 
and Rahab.....