KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 8:1 “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles”.

We now come to the new testament to study another important character, Paul. His Jewish name before his conversion was Saul. This means ‘desired’. Who was Paul?

We would take our studies about him from various passages and books that talk about him. Paul speaking about himself in Philippians 3:5, says he was “circumcised the eight day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee. The law required that the Hebrew males be circumcise on the eight day (Leviticus 12:3) and his parent did exactly that for him. Paul was a Pharisee. The Pharisee were the strictest seats who adhered to the laws of Moses. As a Pharisee, he sat under the feet of Gamaliel, a renowned doctor of the Jewish law. (Acts 22:3) He ardently persecuted the church and claims he was blameless in obeying the law (Philippians 3:6)

Our key scripture says Paul was consenting to the stoning of Stephen. Around that period too there was a very great persecution of the church. In Acts 7:58 “Paul stood by as, Stephen was stoned. Stephen did not call for God’s judgement on his killers, rather he prayed that the Lord should not lay their sin unto their change. Could Stephen’s prayer be an intercession on Paul’s behalf that helped to save his life? I believe it had a part to play in Paul’s conversion.

May we understand that, intercession for the lost and seeking for God’s mercy on them, is very important for the salvation of many that are lost. God may want to intervene in the affairs of men, yet without a man’s role of intercession God is legally hindered from intervening. It is very easy to get bitter and rain curses on those who may be persecuting and hurting us. The Christian must always know that our life is not a natural one. We have eternal life. We have the very life of God. This is the experience of all born again children of God according to 2nd Timothy 1:10 “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our saviour Jesus Christ who had abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”. We have a super life. This is the reason Stephen did not curse his killers. This is also our reason to love all men inspite of what they do against us.

Our main duty towards the lost and those who oppose the spread of the gospel, is to intercede for them in love, and to reach out to them with the gospel. Without our intercessions, they will remain in their sin.

The persecution did not stop the spread of the gospel. As they were scattered, they kept spreading the gospel.

 PRAYER

 O Father stir up in the church the resolve to intercede diligently in love for the Lost, and also to share the good news with them.

FURTHER STUDIES.

1 Timothy 2:1” I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”

Acts 9:1 ” And Saul, yet breathing out threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 1:3 “And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them;”

The children of Israel have been travelling in the wilderness for a period of forty years. Moses rehearsed all that had transpired in this period in the ears of the children of Israel. The book of Deuteronomy is a recording of Moses reminded of all that has occurred among them. Moses took pains to give details of all that went on, so later generations would learn and those who experienced these events would not forget. To forget means to grope in darkness. Moses was a great leader.

Apostle Peter when he wrote his second epistle to the Jewish Christians scattered among the gentile nations wrote in “2 Peter 1:13-14, Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;  Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me “He does not want us to lose touch with the truth.

Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:1b “…….. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.  It is very safe to keep the truths of God’s word in your hearts.

Apostle Paul exhorts all children of God in Colossians 3:16 as follows “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”. The word is our light, our wisdom, our sword, our armour, our spiritual food and it builds our faith to conquer in this evil world. We must cherish it above all knowledge, passionately study it and strictly obey its instructions. All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteous that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17). It is profitable. That means it adds up to you in many ways. Don’t just read about the Bible, read the Bible. You would be equipped and furnished for every good work.

  CONFESSION

As I read the word, I am reminded about the ways of God, His love, power, and my life is transformed to be what I read. I am transformed to be what the word says.

FURTHER STUDIES

2 Peter 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Joshua 4:7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel forever.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 27:12 ” And the LORD said unto Moses, get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.”

The Lord spoke to Moses concerning how he was going to die. He told him to get to the mountain Abarim and see the land that He had given unto the children of Israel. And when he had seen it, he shall die.

Moses had walked so closely with the Lord such that death could not overwhelm him. God had to tell him; it is time for you to leave this life. Deuteronomy 34:7 reads “And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural force abated”. What constituted to this condition of Moses? Moses was a man who he had a very close fellowship with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life. The glory of God even rubbed on his face. It took God to tell him now you have to live this life. May you walk in the presence and power of the Spirit such that your physical body cannot be infirmed.

Moses, at this time had a very good relationship with the Lord yet, he was not to step on the promised land but, was only to see it. The Lord said he failed to sanctify him at the water before the eyes of the children of Israel (Numbers 27:14).

Moses did not act to bring honour to the name of God and for the glory of God. He said “……must we fetch you water out of this rock? He hit the rock twice. Life is to be led on God’s terms. It must be led to please him always failure in life is when a man does things to please himself. This was the experience of Moses and he was refused entry into the promised land.

The amazing act of Moses after God has said these things to him, was that he did not complain to God, rather he asked God for a successor to lead the children of Israel. Moses demonstrated the great deal of maturity. He was not selfish at all. “SELFISHNESS IS THE BEST PICTURE OF AN IMMATURE PERSON”. Moses was never selfish at this instant. He was thoughtful about the future of Israelites. *May we always be concerned about the bigger picture or the larger body. He was concerned about what affected the larger body rather than looking inwards to himself and his loss. Although Moses was not permitted to enter the promised land, he maintains his submission to the will of God. He allowed God to be the Lord of his affairs. Moses could have allowed bitterness to eat him up. He passed the test excellently. May you also come through successfully when life offers to you a very difficult test.

Once again know that life is not about us but about God and his interests. We are only successful when we seek his interests.

PRAYER

O God help us to remain submissive to your will at all times. Help us to always see the bigger picture that would bring glory to your name.

FURTHER STUDIES.

2 Corinthians 5:15 ” And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

Hebrews 12:15 ” Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 27:7 ” The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.”

In the Jewish law the inheritance of the fathers goes to the sons. Jacob had a daughter called Dinah but she was not counted among his inheritance. It was the twelve sons who inherited him. In Numbers 27:1-11, one Zelophehad died leaving behind only daughters, seven in all. According to the law of God, they were not supposed to partake of the inheritance since they were women.

These seven girls did not keep quiet to suffer unnecessarily. They went to Moses and presented their case to him. Moses did not throw them out. He did not say you are women and God’s law is clear on the issue, but went to God with the case. The Lord said to Moses, the daughters of Zelophehad are right.

They received two kinds of inheritances as result of their stance.

1. The inheritance among their father’s brethren that belonged to their father was to be given to them.

2. Their father’s direct inheritance was to be given to them.

What would have happened if these girls had kept quiet? They would have continued to live a miserable life, although the Lord had a better answer for them.

The law of God was silent on their case but they had to speak out to the man of God to speak on their behalf. The Lord listened to them and was just to them. If God came through for them on an issue that He had made no direct command or instruction about, how much more on issues that his will has been fully and clearly stated. God’s word is clear about our authority over demons as children of God. No child of God must allow demons to molest and torment him (Lk 10:19). God’s word is so explicit about sin, and no one must give in to sin.(Rom 6:14)His position on our prosperity is very positive  (3rd John 2)  Sicknesses and diseases has been clearly stated as enemies of mankind(Acts 10:38) and the Lord has stated he has paid for our perfect health(Isaiah 53:4,5,1st Peter 2:24). . James 5:14 ask “Is any sick among you?”. This implies all must be well, but if any happens to be sick, let the elders he called and the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up.

The scriptures are full of amazing promises that God is ready to back you to see its fulfillment. Go to God with these promises, decide not to take a no for an answer, for He has said, “all His promises are yes in Christ Jesus (2nd Cor 1: 20) and they would be granted.

 CONFESSION

God my father would not say no when my faith says yes. Every promise He has made concerning my case, I fully take a hold of. Since He says yes to every promise, I do not take a no for an answer.

FURTHER STUDIES:

2 Corinthians 1:20 ” For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us”.

2 Peter 1:4 ” Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Revelation 2:14 ” But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”

In chapter 23 and 24 of Numbers we see Balaam prophesying about the greatness, uniqueness and the victories that the children of Israel will win over the nations around them. This made Balak to ask Balaam to stop prophesying.

In Numbers 25, something different happened. The children of Israel started fornicating with the children of Moab. This brought the anger of the Lord against them, and they started dying. How did this happen? We find the answer in our key scripture, Revelation 2:14 “But I have a few things against you, because you have there, them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication.”

What is the doctrine of Balaam? Balaam after being enticed by the rewards of iniquity must find a way to get the Israelites to be cursed in order to get the rewards from Balak. In Numbers 23:21, Balaam said “He had not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither has he seen perverseness in Israel”. This means they could not be cursed so long as there was no iniquity in their midst. To get them cursed, iniquity must be found in their midst. Balaam therefore advised Balak to ask the Moabite women to seduce the Israelite men. They must also make them eat foods offered to the idols. This they did and iniquity was found in them and so God’s anger and judgement fell on them. Many of them died. This counsel Balaam gave Balak is the doctrine of Balaam.

By allowing sin into their midst, they had thrown away their righteousness. Dear child of God, your righteousness is your authority. Hebrews 1:8 “But unto the Son he saith, thy throne O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom”(note: we have righteousness as a gift and righteousness as a lifestyle or right living. This verse is talking about righteousness as a lifestyle). The sceptre is the staff of authority of a king or ruler. This he said symbolises righteousness. Without righteousness you have no authority and every enemy can make a mess of you. Dear child of God the enemy cannot get you in any way when you walk uprightly.

Balaam, in our story must find a way to receive the rewards that Balak promised him, so he gave him that doctrine.  Numbers 31:16 “Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.”

 Balaam ultimately fell. No one can remain standing for the Lord when he or she decides to join the enemies of God into their path. You would eventually fall.  Your only sure security is to refuse to join them in the very first instant. If an offer would lead into sin refuse it.

 CONFESSION

I have decided to obey the voice of the Lord and never to be enticed by the deceitfulness of sin. My righteous walk is my authority to walk in dominion in this life. I will never let down on it.

FURTHER STUDIES

2 Corinthians 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

Psalms 1:1 ” Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 23:8 “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?”

God put words in the mouth of Balaam to say to Balak concerning the children of Israel. He said “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord has not defied?

Balaam was revealing a great truth about the children of God. Our Lord Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law.  “We have also been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. There are some Christians who are constantly living in fear because they believe somebody can cast a spell on them at their work place or some other aspect of life. The scriptures said the Christian in Christ is blessed. You have been blessed by God and can’t be cursed

On the flip side, we have seen some Christians experiencing the effect of curses. Why does this happen? A causeless curse will not stand (Proverbs 26:2). Curses prevail because children of God might have created a door way for them.  Psalm 11:3 says if the foundation be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? Our foundation is our right standing with the Lord. We have a right standing or are justified when we believe the truth. Wrong believing means wrong foundation. An improper application of the truth can make you vulnerable. Walking in disobedience to the word of God can allow the enemy to have a hold into your life.

In numbers 28:19, Balaam repeated the message the Lord gave him for Balak, he said “God is not man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Has he said and shall he not do it? Or has he spoken and shall he not make it good? The lord by this message was revealing who he was. The Lord declares he is not a man who may change his words. He is a Spirit with absolute power. He has the ability to do whatever he says. He does not only have the ability but so long as he says it, it must be counted done. If He says it then it will come to pass. God is absolutely dependable. The Lord was telling Balak to stop demanding a change of His mind. His promises are yes in Christ Jesus.2nd Corinthians 1:20. This statement should be an encouragement to anyone who has put his trust in the word of God. If God said it, then it is done. Your declaration is, God said it, I believe it, and that settles it. Amen.

CONFESSION

I believe whatever God says. So long as I believe, I have that which I have believed, because he that believes has what he believes.

FURTHER STUDIES

Jeremiah 1:12 ” Then said the LORD unto me, thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.”

2 Corinthians 1:20 ” For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 22:38 ” And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.”

Balaam finally went and met with Balak. Now listen to what he says “”Numbers 22:38 “, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say anything? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

 Balaam was deceiving himself. So long as he had been disobedient to God and left his house to go, he couldn’t ultimately resist the temptation to do what Balak was requesting. Listen to this quotation. “it is easier to say, I will not go, than to go there, and say, I would not do it”. So long as you knew what was in the offering and you responded, falling is inevitable. Young girl, don’t deceive yourself that you would visit the guy whom you have not married at the night hour, sleep in his room, and nothing would happen. You would definitely fall for sex. The best preventive way is to stay away, period!

In verse 40 Balak offered oxen and sheep to Balaam. These offerings will corrupt every moral integrity. Integrity is like a quality of pure water, it can easily be corrupted by the little impurity you allow into it . Everyone can be corrupted if you do not insist on your grounds of integrity. A husband may get corrupted into infidelity if he does not stand up to stop the advances of a seductive woman. The same goes for a wife who will not put it straight to a man who may be making undue advances with gifts and kind utterances.

Most African nations have been brought where it is financially today, because of men and woman who have allowed covetousness to engross their hearts. Balaam did not concern himself with the way of God but was overtaken by the deceitfulness of riches. ‘ The monkey that plays around banana would finally take and eat’

In numbers23:3 Balaam asked Balak to build seven alters and placed a bullock on each alter. He told Balak “stand by the burnt offering and I will go, peradventure the Lord will come to meet me and whatever he shows me, I will tell you.” Balaam was amusing himself that these seven sacrifices could   appease God and change his message. No amount of sacrifice can change God from what he has said. Nothing changes Him. Even fasting does not change the will of God. It would only humble us and prepare us to be able to receive what God has already intended to give us.

PRAYER

I pray for all children of God to understand that, God is only moved by His own words, and therefore, they should seek to please Him, by doing what He has said.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

James 1:13-14 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 22:20 ” And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.”

Our key scripture says the Lord asked him to go with them but not to curse them. Had the Lord changed His word from what He said in the beginning? No, He can’t change His word. He responded to the insistence of Balaam. God will not stop a person from doing what he desires to do. This person would always be accountable for his actions.

The verse 21 says and Balaam rose up and saddled his ass and went with the princes of Moab. Now read the next verse “And God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against Him……” Please get this information one more time: God would not and never change his first instruction”.

The angel of the Lord stood on the way but Balaam the seer could not see, rather it was his ass that saw the angel. Spiritual gifts are given by the spirit of God. When Balaam became disobedient, his spiritual senses were deemed and rather that of the ass which was not supposed to see the things of the spirit saw the angel and decided to stop.

Why did the Lord even open the eyes of the donkey to see the angel? This was purely an act of mercy from the Lord. God chose to be merciful to Balaam and not slay him. You may not have that, if you decide to be blatantly disobedient to the Lord.

Balaam should have restrained himself when he heard a dump donkey speaking with the voice of a man. Many times, God out of mercy gives us signs to desist from the path we may be taking, yet most people, like Balaam become careless. The angel finally opened his eyes to see him. He asked him to go with them. The question is was this the will of God? Definitely not, it was not His will. Balaam after seeing the angel, should have decided to go back. Why was he so adamant? His heart had been taken over by the spirit of covetousness. The love of money, which is the root all evil, had blinded him such that he could not know wisdom. Do not allow the love for money to drive you crazy. Matthew 6:24 ” No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon”.

Any action contrary to God’s first instructors, is sinful and will put you in error. Never attempt to make God change His mind concerning an instruction, He has given to you.

  PRAYER

I pray for all children of God to be very wise to obey God’s instructions promptly.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Isaiah 66:3 ” He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.”

1 Samuel 15:22 ” And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:

Numbers 22:12 And God said unto Balaam, thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

When Balak’s men told Balaam what they wanted him to do he said he will contact God and bring them word from the Lord (Vrs 8).

The Lord asked Balaam, “Thou shall not go with them, thou shall not curse the people for they are blessed God gave him two instructions.

1. Thou shall not go with them.

2. Thou shall not curse the people.

King Balak, when he was told that Balaam would not come to him, decided to send more honourable men. He said “For I will promote you unto very great honour and I will do whatsoever you say unto me; come and curse this people”. Numbers 12:17…… Balaam said he would not go even if they gave him a whole house filled with silver. In spite of his answer he asked them to wait so he could consult with God if He would change his mind.

Why was Balaam showing a double standard? Balaam actually was being enticed by the gifts and opportunities Balak was offering him. Many children of God compromise their faith and stands because of the riches of this world and the rewards of iniquity. A great number also compromise their commitment because of other beggarly things of this world. Remember what the Lord said. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and it’s righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you”. (Matthew 6:33) “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul”.

 Please note: God does not change what he has said. (Malachi 3:6, Num 23:19). He may appear to change what he has said when you insist on going on to do the contrary. When the Israelites wanted a king, Samuel told them the Lord said no! They insisted and He gave them Saul. Saul was a total failure.  God has given all men a free will, and will not stop our wills, but we are accountable for what we use our wills for. Do not fight with God over his will for your life. His will is that which is perfect for you. If you insist on your own way, you enter into his permissive will. In the permissive will of God, He is not bound to honour His word. Anything can happen to you. 

 There are some young men and women who wish to marry certain people, but the Holy Spirit says no. These people keep pestering God to accept. God will permit your desire, yet be sure that, you would come back with bruises and pain.

PRAYER

Oh Father, touch your children to reverence your will for their lives. In Jesus name we have prayed.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Romans 12:2 ” And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”.

Mark 4:19 ” And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Numbers 22:6  ” Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.”

The children of Israel settled close to Moab. The king of Moab, Balak, knew what Israel did to the Amorites. He felt there was no way he could over power them. He knew that the only way to overcome them is to bring Israel under a curse. (A curse is to be empowered to fail).  It is an evil influence that compels one to fail. A curse can only prevail in the life of a child of God, when he or she falls out of favour or goes out of the will of God.

Balak sent men to Balaam with the price of divination so he could put a curse on the children of Israel. The name Balaam means a destroyer or a “glutton”. Balaam had the knowledge of God and had the ability to prophecy yet it was not an act of devotion unto God but a means to do business. It was purely a commercial venture. These days many people have made merchandise out of the gospel. Judas did same and ended up being destroyed. Apostle Paul said in 1st Corinth. 9:18 as follows “What is my reward then? Verily that when I preach the gospel, I make the gospel without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. It is wrong for any minister to demand money before ministering the grace of God in any form to a person or group of persons.

All that Balak and Balaam were negotiating was happening without the awareness of the children of Israel. Psalm 11:2-3 says “For Lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundation be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? “. What is the foundation of the righteous? It is the right relationship with the Lord. Living according to the word of God always. This is the foundation of the righteous. Your right standing with God is always by believing what God has said. If you believe something different from what the word has said, your foundation is destroyed, and the evil one would succeed in shooting at the righteous in his heart. One major mistake of a lot of children of God is that they make doctrines or believes out of the experiences of people which may not be in agreement with God’s word. Always let your foundation or assurance be what God has said and no evil power can harm you.

CONFESSION

God’s word is my sure foundation for my perfect stability in life. I cannot be moved or disturbed as I stand on the word of God. Nothing Satan or his agents may do, which can affect me in anyway, for I am safe on God’s sure foundation.

FURTHER STUDIES:

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Romans 10:10 ” For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confess…