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My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
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Suppose a man comes into your meeting (a) wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.
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If you lavish attention on the man in fine clothes and say, “Here is a seat of honor,” but say to the poor man, “You must stand” or “Sit at my feet,”
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have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
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Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
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But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?
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Are they not the ones who blaspheme the noble name by which you have been called?(b)
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If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”(c) you are doing well.
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But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
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Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
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For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,”(d) also said, “Do not murder.”(e) If you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
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Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom.
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For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith and Works
(Galatians 3:1–9)
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What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
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Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
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If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?
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So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action,(f) is dead.
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But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
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You believe that God is one.(g) Good for you! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
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O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?(h)
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Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
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You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.
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And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”(i) and he was called a friend of God.(j)
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As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.
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In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies (k) and sent them off on another route?
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As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Footnotes