Creation and the Age of the Earth

Does the Bible teach how old the earth is? What if scientists were able to prove that the earth is not thousands of years old, but millions of years old, would that prove that the Bible is false? If you are open to the possibility of the earth being millions of years old, how do you interpret the word "day" in the creation account? Doesn't day mean a 24 hour period?

Faith and Works: Part II

With regard to the Ephesians and James passages it is important for us to recognize that Paul and James are answering two different questions. Paul is answering the questions: What saves us? To which he responds: FAITH, and faith alone! James is answering the question: What kind of faith saves us? To which he responds: Faith that produces works (not to be confused with faith + works).
Jesus, in the Matthew passage, assumes James' perspective that those who hear and act are those who will enter the kingdom of heaven. There is no such thing as faith that only hears but never acts. (There is perhaps one exception...can you think of who it might be?)
Donald Miller, in Blue Like Jazz, says: If you want to know what I believe, don't listen to what I say; watch what I do. This is a sobering statement because it means that the things I say I believe are only things that I am thinking about, if I am not living them out. Ouch!

Faith and Works...and Salvation

What is the relationship between these two when it comes to our salvation. How do we reconcile the following verses, which appear to contract one another?

Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
James 2:20-24 - "You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone."
Matthew 7:24-27 - "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

How would you explain the connect between works, faith and salvation in your own words? Leave a comment or email your thoughts to paul@rlbc.ca