Apr. 05, 2020

By Faith

Primary Text:  Romans 1:17                                                            April 5, 2020

1)  Live by Faith

Romans 1:17:  For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." (Habakkuk 2:4)

Galatians 3:11:  Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."

DQ 1) Define faith.

DQ 2) What does it mean to live by faith?  What does it look like

           practically?

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2)  Active Faith

James 2:14-22:  What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.  You believe that there is one God.  Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.  You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?  Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

Ephesians 2:8-10:  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

DQ 3) What type of faith is essentially dead when it is not

            accompanied by action?

DQ 4) How can James 2:17 be compatible with Ephesians 2:8-9?

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3)  Our Refuge!

Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11:  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging….  "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.  Selah

DQ 5) How can we take refuge in God during these challenging

            times?

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