Right relationship, then right conduct.

John Farley
Pastor-Teacher
Sunday,
January 8, 2016

Practical Christianity:

Right relationship, then right conduct

JAM 2:14-17

The word “save” in JAM 2:14
sozo

#1: To preserve or rescue from natural dangers or afflictions; keep from harm.

#2 To save or preserve from transcendent danger or destruction; save/preserve from eternal death, …

from judgment, and from all that might lead to such death, ie, sin.

There are 16 occurrences of sozo in the Gospel of Matthew.

A good case can be made that four of them refer to eternal salvation -category 2.

The other 12 fall under category 1: to preserve or rescue from natural dangers or afflictions.

Sozo is an “all-purpose” Greek verb.
It has a wide range of meaning.

The same thing is true about the family of Greek words for justified and righteousness.

They also mean different things depending on how they are used.

JAM 2:18-26

James was steeped in the Mosaic Law and knew almost nothing about the new revelation that the Lord gave to Paul.

Paul and James are talking about different things entirely when they speak of being justified.

James uses the concepts of justification and righteousness in a manner consistent with the Old Testament, …

…as well as the Gospel of Matthew, and, interestingly, the letter of 1 John.

Paul is given a new revelation about justification and righteousness…

… and the full extent of what the cross and resurrection of Christ really accomplished.

dikaioo
to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent.

 

"to deem to be right,"

(a) "to show to be right or righteous";

(b) "to declare to be righteous, to pronounce righteous,"

dikaioo can mean to be acquitted, be pronounced and treated as righteous by God. Paul uses it this way.

It can also mean to obey righteous commands.
This is the way that James uses the word.

Paul is occupied with a right relationship with God.

James is occupied with right conduct.

 

Grace Prison Ministries

www.graceprisons.org

Grace Prison Ministries works to change the lives of prisoners through evangelism and sound Bible teaching.

GPM visits jails, prisons, and youth detention centers.

GPM presents the simple grace gospel of Jesus Christ and the procedures for living the Christian life. 

To restore the lives of the scorned and rejected through the love, hope, and forgiveness found only in Christ. 

What can we do to help?

1. Pray

2. Give

3. Get involved in prison ministry

 

Destinee Lerner

Missionary to Egypt