C.C. It "comes by hearing ... the word of It "comes by hearing ... the word of Christ”Christ”

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How then will they call on him in How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. of Christ.

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I do not want you to be unaware, I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. foolish.

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So I am eager to preach the gospel to So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”righteous shall live by faith.”

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C.C. It "comes by hearing ... the word of It "comes by hearing ... the word of Christ”Christ”

D.D. Not credulity – “a too great readiness to Not credulity – “a too great readiness to believe”believe”

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The brothers immediately sent Paul The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. were so.

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A.A. The faith that has not been supplemented The faith that has not been supplemented is not sufficient. is not sufficient. 1.1. So said Jesus.So said Jesus.

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So everyone who acknowledges me So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in will deny before my Father who is in heaven. heaven.

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A.A. The faith that has not been supplemented The faith that has not been supplemented is not sufficient. is not sufficient. 1.1. So said Jesus.So said Jesus.2.2. So said James.So said James.

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What good is it, my brothers, if What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. not have works, is dead.

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But someone will say, “You have faith But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? that faith apart from works is useless?

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A.A. The faith that has not been supplemented The faith that has not been supplemented is not sufficient. is not sufficient. 1.1. So said Jesus.So said Jesus.2.2. So said James.So said James.3.3. So said John.So said John.

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Nevertheless, many even of the Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. glory that comes from God.

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A.A. The faith that has not been supplemented The faith that has not been supplemented is not sufficient. is not sufficient. 1.1. So said Jesus.So said Jesus.2.2. So said James.So said James.3.3. So said John.So said John.

B.B. The faith that avails is a "working faith."The faith that avails is a "working faith."

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Do you want to be shown, you foolish Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.friend of God.

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You see that a person is justified by You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.also faith apart from works is dead.

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For in Christ Jesus neither For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working for anything, but only faith working through love.through love.

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A.A. The faith that has not been supplemented The faith that has not been supplemented is not sufficient. is not sufficient. 1.1. So said Jesus.So said Jesus.2.2. So said James.So said James.3.3. So said John.So said John.

B.B. The faith that avails is a "working faith."The faith that avails is a "working faith."C.C. "Mere belief" must grow into "trusting "Mere belief" must grow into "trusting

obedience."obedience."

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The end of the matter; all has been The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.duty of man.

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So Peter opened his mouth and said: So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” acceptable to him.”

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……through whom we have received through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations….his name among all the nations….

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Now to him who is able to strengthen Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.through Jesus Christ! Amen.

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