James (Program #5) – Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (5)

We have pointed out in our first 4 radio programs on the life study of James that we need to have a balanced view of the epistle of James. On the one hand this Epistle is helpful in emphasizing on practical Christian perfection. On the other hand this Epistle serves as a warning that it is possible even for a very godly man as James not to be clear concerning God’s New Testament economy.

Today we are going to get a view from chapter 2 of the book of Acts that James was not clear about God’s economy.

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James (Program #4) – Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (4)

In chapter one of the Epistle of James, three major points are covered: the divine birth in verse 18, receiving the implanted word in verse 21, and the perfect law of freedom in verse 25. First God brought us forth he regenerated us by the word of truth. Hence the word of truth is the seed of life for our divine birth. After being regenerated by receiving this seed, we need to continue to receive the implanted word, which is able to save our soul in our daily life.

According to verse 18, the word of truth is for regeneration in our spirit. According to verse 21, we need the implanted word for the daily salvation of our soul. Moreover according to verses 25-27, we need the perfect law of freedom so that we may live a God-fearing life. A life that might be considered religious in a proper sense. Such a life corresponds to God’s heart, which is love, and to God’s nature, which is holiness.

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James (Program #3) – Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (3)

After studying the Apostle Paul’s writings and the life study messages on the writings of Paul, we will no doubt be influenced to receive the light concerning God’s economy and to be strongly for God’s economy. But there is the possibility that we may be careless in our behavior or that we may neglect the matter of practical Christian perfection. Therefore we need the balance provided by the book of James, which comes in the Scripture immediately after the fourteen Epistles of the Apostle Paul.

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James (Program #2) – Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (2)

Perhaps the most important contribution that the Epistle of James makes to the New Testament is in the area of practical Christian perfection. Some people may not understand the usage of the word “perfection” in this context. James actually uses it in verse 4 of chapter 1. Let me read beginning at verse 2 to give it its proper context, “Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials, knowing that the proving of your faith works out endurance. And let endurance have its perfect work that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.” What is it to let endurance have its perfect work that we may be perfect?

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James (Program #1) – Introduction and Practical Virtues of Christian Perfection (1)

One of last books to be added to the canon of the New Testament was the Epistle of James. Throughout the centuries, believers have had very different attitudes towards this book. Some believers treasure it to the uttermost, granting it a status of being among the very top books in the bible. Others, drawing a comparison between James and Proverbs, may feel that it would better fit in the Old Testament. While some have question whether it belongs in the Bible at all. Why would such a book give rise to these varied opinions? The message of the book is very clear and straightforward. The language is lovely even poetic in places. And the author had great creditability because scholars agreed that this was the James that was the Lord Jesus’ flesh brother and he was also the leading elder in the first church, the Church in Jerusalem.  We believe that the life study we begin today will give us a very solid answer to this intriguing question.

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Hebrews (Program #69) – The Function of the Law of Life

The Captain of Salvation, the Author of our Faith, the Great High Priest, the Pioneer, and the Forerunner. This is the Christ that we have seen in Hebrews.

This life study of Hebrews took place in 1975 and 76.  It was unquestionably one of the real gems of the entire life study.  Today brings us to our 69th and final program from the book of Hebrews.   As we like to do in our wrap-up programs as we finish a book of the Bible, we break form a bit and spend more time reviewing and discussing the high points that have marked our journey along the way.  Hebrew is certainly a book that has many of these high points.  A point was made in our first broadcast that Hebrews is a book that is not that well-know among a lot of Christians.

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Hebrews (Program #68) – Living According to the Nature of God

Today in Hebrews, we will see once again that it is normal for man to live not by outward regulations, but by the very life of God within him.

As Christians, we often speak of how much God needs us. And it’s true. God does need us for His purpose and His plan. But, what is it that He needs from us? Does He really need us to do things for Him? or is He more concerned not for what we do for Him, but what we are in Him? Living by God’s own nature is once again our focus of today’s life study of the Bible.

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Hebrews (Program #67) – The Completion of Sonship

Salvation is God’s promise to man by believing faith. But, is salvation God’s goal for man? Or, is rather a process for the accomplishment of God’s goal? God’s goal of sonship is our topic today on the life study of the Bible.

On one hand, at the moment we receive the redeeming Christ as our Savior, we become sons of God. But in another sense, the process of sonship has just begun. How do we know from the Scripture that sonship can properly be described as a process?

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Hebrews (Program #66) – Living According to the Law of Life and Moving According to the Anointing

Today, we will see in the book of Hebrews the crucial need of Christians today is not more teaching from the Bible, neither is it more power in the miraculous realm. The crucial need of Christians today is to know Christ in an inward way, to live Him, and to become the sons of God.

Hebrews and Romans make clear that God’s intention is to have genuine sons from among men. But, God is a divine being while we are merely human beings. This presents a major obstacle to the accomplishment of God’s purpose. The inner working of the divine life within us is our focus of today’s life study of the Bible.

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Hebrews (Program #65) – Being Conformed to the Image of the Firstborn Son by the Working of the Law of Life

The central thought of the whole Bible is “God wants to have many sons for His expression”. Stay tuned today to hear how we can cooperate with God in His wonderful purpose.

Hebrews, though written to an entirely different group of believers, picks up one of the central themes of the book of Romans, and that is, bringing many sons into glory. But, this thought is not just common between these two great books of the new testament; it’s a central thought of the entire divine revelation. Simply, this is God’s great desire and plan for us. It will also be our focus on today’s life study of the Bible.

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