Romans 10:3-13: Say it! Know it! Do it!

 Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 11 Sept. 2011; Corps 614 Regent Park, Toronto, 14 Feb. 2016; The Warehouse Mission, Cabbagetown, 11 Feb, 2018; and TSA Alberni Valley Ministries, 11 May 2025 by Major (Captain) Michael Ramsay

 

Also included in Chapter 6 of SALVOGESIS Guidebook to Romans Road by Michael Ramsay (The Salvation Army: Vancouver Island, 2022)

 

THIS IS THE 11 MAY 2025 VERSION

 

Click to see the original version here:

https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/09/romans-109-say-it-know-it-do-it.html

 

Click to see the abbreviated 2018 version here:

http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2018/02/romans-109-say-it-know-it-do-it.html

 

Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” These are some of the basics of the whole Christian faith.

 

As it is Mothers’ Day. I have one sort of Mother’s Day story that relates to this. This story is a piece of wisdom that was presented to us at a gathering of Salvation Army Officers by Major David Ivany, who at the time, was in charge of Spiritual Care for all of Canada and Bermuda. He shared this story with us about a kind elderly mother and grandmother who upon a public confession of faith is experiencing the pure joys of Christian love.

 

This lady, Emma, she goes into a local Christian bookstore and sees a ‘Honk if you love Jesus’ bumper sticker. Feeling particularly good that day because she has just come from a great choir practice and prayer meeting, she buys the bumper sticker, and she puts it on her car – professing her faith publicly. She recalls, “Boy, I’m glad I did! What an uplifting experience “It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus,” she said, “because if he hadn’t honked, I’d never have noticed that the light had changed!” She then noted that indeed, lots of people actually love Jesus because while she sat unmoving, blocking the lane of traffic, the guy behind her also honked like crazy before leaning out of his window and screaming, “For the love of God! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, Go!” She remembers thinking, “What an exuberant cheerleader he was for the Lord!”

 

Suddenly, it seemed as though she had started an epidemic and everyone started honking. Impressed by such a response, she leaned out of her window and started waving and smiling at all these loving people – while she was still parked in front of the intersection. “I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love!” she recited. Then she realized the mix of celebrants. “There must have been a man from Florida back there because I heard him yelling something about a “sunny beach… I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger in the air. I asked my teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant, and he suggested that it was probably an Hawaiian good luck sign or something…”

 

The woman admitted that she had never met anyone from Hawaii before and was unaware of their customs. “I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign right back,” she reminisced.

 

She also remembers that a few persons were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towards her. “I’ll bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended but that was when I noticed that the light had changed. So, I waved to all my loving sisters and brothers in Christ, grinned joyously, and drove on through the intersection. I noticed that I was the only car that made it through the intersection before the light changed again and I felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared, so I slowed the car down, leaned out of the window and gave them all the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time before I sped away.”

Key to our salvation, like with the bumper sticker, Romans 10:9, “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 

I do have a bit of a teaching background and this pericope does lend itself to an older style of teaching from way back; so as well look at this, I will take us through a 3-point discourse complete with plenty of repetition – like we were taught to teach a million years ago. The three points we will address today are: Romans 10:9: One, “Confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’; two, believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead”; and, three, Romans 10:13: “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” In other words:

 

1) Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth: Say it.

2) Believe in your heart in His resurrection: Know it.

3) Call on the name of the Lord: Do it.

 

We must remember that God has offered the whole world a free gift of Salvation (Romans 6:23, John 3:16-17) and to fully take advantage of it we should say it! Know it! Do it!

 

1) Say it! Romans 10:9: Confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord

This is important. Whenever I hear this verse, I immediately think of the Apostle Peter, the rock upon which Christ built His church (Matthew 16:13-16; cf. Mark 8:27-29, Luke 9:18-20). Jesus told Peter that He was going to use him to help build His church. This was at the time Jesus gave Simon the nickname ‘Peter’. Peter wasn’t his given name; Simon was his given name. Peter means ‘Rock’ or even ‘Rocky’. Simon ‘Rocky-Peter’ was one of Christ’s main ‘go to’ people after His resurrection and we remember the story about how Jesus told Rocky-Peter that he would deny Jesus three times before the cock crows twice, then shortly after Peter says ‘I don’t know what your talking about’; shortly after Peter’s third denial that he even knows Jesus; the rooster crows and Peter is devastated (Matthew 26:69-75; cf. Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-62, John 18:15-27).

 

Point #1 about Salvation today: Say it! (Cf. also Luke 21:12– 15; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11; 1 Peter 3:13–16, 21) Simon Peter had his chance to confess Jesus as Lord but he declined it. If the story ended there this would be very sad but John 21:15ff, records Simon Peter’s restoration, as Rocky, as Peter. The Resurrected Lord asked him three times to feed his sheep and Peter agreed to it. Near the conclusion of the book of John, Jesus then blows on Peter -and the other disciples- giving him the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Luke picked up the story of Rocky-Peter in the book of Acts as Rocky-Peter was at Pentecost taking the lead as the Holy Spirit, like a starting pistol, sent the disciples and more out to proclaim salvation to the world. Acts 2, after they share the gospel in many different languages as the Spirit enabled them, the Lord added to their number daily those being saved. Point 1, Romans 10:9, say it!

 

Peter and the disciples said it and many were saved. And just to underscore the fact that Peter did fully recover from his earlier denial, church tradition states that Peter even earned his martyr’s crown. He was apparently crucified upside down as he left his life here for heaven to await the resurrection. Point 1: Say it! This brings us to Point 2.

 

2) Know it! Believe in your heart in His resurrection.

It is very important to proclaim the gospel but that is not the end of it. Speaking is one thing and believing is quite another. If you have any doubt about that, think about the general reputation (accurate or not) of our elected politicians – speaking is one thing, believing what you say is quite another. Paul in this section of scripture is really addressing the whole problem of Israel (Romans 9-11; cf. also Deuteronomy 30, Leviticus 18). He is addressing the problem of the Law and their relationship to the Law and their relationship to God. He is very concerned about people who are quite happy to say what needs to be said – the Pharisees, as a group, did believe in the resurrection and as a group were quite evangelistic (cf. Acts 23:7-8)! But believing in your heart in Jesus’ resurrection is quite a different matter (1 Corinthians 15:17; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14). The Apostle Paul - who was a Pharisee - celebrated the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead but sadly many Israelites and even many Pharisees did not. It pained Paul that people who were zealous for God’s Law were indeed missing out on the benefits of the culmination of that Law: Jesus, the one to whom the Law points (cf. Romans 9:1-5; 10:1-4; Matthew 5:17,18; Luke 16:16; Acts 4:12; Galatians 3:19-24).

 

Salvation is about,

Point 1, Saying it, confessing that Jesus is Lord, and it is also about,

Point 2, Knowing it, really believing in your heart in the resurrection and in Jesus’ resurrection.

 

This, of course, is a central part of not only Paul’s message but of all of Christianity (Romans 6:9, 9:16; 1 Corinthians 15:17, 20; 2 Corinthians 4:13-14; Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:9; Revelation 1:17-18; cf. Deuteronomy 30:14, Acts 4:12, Isaiah 28:16). N.T. Wright tells us, “Almost all early Christians known to us believed that their ultimate hope was the resurrection of the body. There is no spectrum such as in Judaism. Some in Corinth denied the future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15.12), but Paul put them straight; they were most likely reverting to pagan views, not opting for an over-realized Jewish eschatology” [1] Belief in the resurrection and the resurrection of Christ is central to Christianity. To review what we know so far about Romans 10’s three points of Salvation:

1) Say it! - Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth.

2) Know it! - Believe in your heart in His resurrection.

3) Do it! - Call on the Name of the Lord.

 

3) Do it! Call on the Name of the Lord.

This is important. Saying it is good. Knowing it is better. Doing it is imperative. This fact is also implied in Verse 9. The scriptures speak about this quite a bit (cf. Leviticus 18:5 and Deuteronomy 30:11-16, cited in vv. 5-8; Luke in Acts 2:16-21 and Paul here are both quoting from Joel 2:32). I believe that Matthew actually paints this picture quite vividly. In Matthew 25:31ff is recorded the parable of the sheep and the goats. In this parable you have two groups of nations. Both groups – the sheep and the goats – 1) say it and 2) know it, that Jesus is Lord. But it is only the sheep that 3) do anything about it. As a result, only the sheep are saved. The goats who don’t do anything are sent to where there is a weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 7:21 is quite clear on this matter: it is recorded there that the Lord says “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven”: Say it! Know it! Do it!

 

We must actually call on the Name of the Lord. We have to call on Him. We have to trust Him. This is important. For example, it is one thing for me to confess that I know my wife; it is another thing to believe in my heart the many wonderful things that have been done by and through her: these are wonderful things but my relationship with Susan only grows when I actually call on her, when I actually spend time with her. I can say she is my wife all I want; I can believe she is my wife all I want; but we only actually have a marriage if I bother to see her, to call on her sometimes. This is important. Christianity isn’t some academic pursuit. Christianity isn’t some code. Christianity isn’t some rules and regulations. Christianity isn’t some club. Christianity isn’t some principles by which we should live our life. Christianity is a relationship with the risen Christ. Jesus Christ rose from the grave and we are promised that, Romans 10:13 “…everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” He loves us and He wishes that none will perish. And Salvation in our text today is as easy as 1, 2, and 3. It is my prayer today that every one of us will:

 

1) Say it! - Confess Jesus as Lord with our mouths.

2) Know it! - Believe in our hearts in His resurrection.

3) Do it! – That we would call upon the Name of the Lord

 

Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Matthew 11:30: “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” And blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord (Psalm 118:26, Matthew 21:9, Matthew 23:39, Mark 11:9, Luke 13:35, Luke 19:38, John 12:13). Romans 10:9a, say it: confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Romans 10:9b, know it: believe in your heart in Jesus’ resurrection. And above all else, Romans 10:13, do it: Call upon the Name of the Lord and then even we shall be saved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua 2: Redeemed!

Presented to Alberni Valley Ministries, 13 January 2018 by Captain Michael Ramsay

Over the next few weeks we are looking at Joshua. Last week Tim gave us a brief overview of the book and gave us an introduction to Joshua himself I believe. Today, we are going to look a little bit at the conquest of Jericho and specifically Rahab (Joshua 2&6, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25).

First, what do we know about Jericho? Jericho was this great fortified city. It was near the Jordan River. There was wonderful farmland all around. Its population was giants! It must have had some special significance for Joshua too. This isn’t the first time that Joshua had been over the Jordan River. Do we remember Joshua’s first encounter with the Promised Land? Remember that Joshua was one of the 12 spies Moses sent to check out Jericho 40 years before and at first how all of them except Caleb came back afraid to claim their inheritance. Joshua then quickly took Caleb’s perspective but the rest of that generation were afraid to enter the Promised Land before it was too late and so God in essence said ‘fine’ and the Hebrews wandered around the desert until everyone in that generation – except Caleb and Joshua - died.

Now in our text today the Hebrews have returned to Jericho and the Promised Land and Joshua is sending out the spies. He picks 2 young men and he sends them out just like Moses had sent him out 40 years before. These two young guys are on their first assignment in all probability and their first time away from their family Israel and their first time in the big city. So these two teenage boys or young twenty-somethings, where do they go when they get to the city? They go see the local prostitute! (Now we don’t know if they went there to give her some business or if they just thought that this would be a good place to blend in while they were spying on the town. We don’t know whether it was their idea or Joshua’s idea that they wind up at the home/business of Rahab the prostitute but here they are at Rahab’s house.

What do we know about Rahab? Every September the Salvation Army highlights those who are trafficked. Many of the people trafficked today in Canada are prostituted. While there is no evidence that Rahab was trafficked: her family was close to her; they lived in the same town as her (Jericho) and she went out of her way to save their lives when the opportunity arose (Joshua 2:12-13, 18; 6:23);[2] she was a prostitute [3] and though Shrine/religious prostitution was not uncommon in that area, we know, because of the specific language used to describe her work, Rahab was not a shrine prostitute. She was a secular prostitute not unlike those in our own time in this country.[4] And prostitutes then, like prostituted peoples today, were often outcasts from society.

It is significant that she is often referred to by her profession but another significant thing about Rahab of course was that she repented of her allegiances - when these young spies showed up at her door she, a probably young, marginalized prostitute was smart enough to see what was happening and she changed to support God (Joshua 2,6) and she was redeemed - James recognizes her for both her faith and her works (James 2:24-26). Rahab was saved and the author of Hebrews even records her as one of the heroes (heroines) of the faith. Hebrews 11:31: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” Rahab, the prostitute, was saved.

Now today when we hear the name Rahab, we often think of this lady whom the LORD used to save the spies and deliver Jericho into the Hebrews’ hands. Does anyone know what the name ‘Rahab’ literally means? It - translated from Hebrew- means ‘fat’, ‘broad’, or ‘large’ and in common usage it refers to ‘fierceness’, ‘insolence’, and ‘pride’.[5] In the Bible, the country of Egypt is sometimes derogatorily referred to as a Rahab. Rahab is an insult word used of one of the Hebrews’ off again / on again enemies, the Egyptians.[6] Egypt - according to Isaiah and according to the Psalms – Egypt is a fat, insolent, Rahab (Psalm 89:10, Isaiah 51:9; cf. Psalm 87:4, Isaiah 30:7). Rahab in our story today was a prostitute. But Rahab is saved and Rahab is redeemed.

Many of you know some of our own personal history. Susan, the girls and I were soldiers with 614 in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside prior to being commissioned as Officers in The Salvation Army. And since then we have served the LORD and the Army in Saskatchewan, in Winnipeg downtown and at Stoney Mountain Penitentiary. And of course we spent the previous few years in downtown Toronto. We made more than a few friends in these environments who –like Rahab- were relegated to the margins of society by circumstances, their choices, and/or someone else’s actions. We had friends in our Bible studies, church services, and/or staying in our very home (we ran a transition residence in Vancouver) who were prostituted peoples, addicted to drugs and alcohol, and suffering everything else common to those environments.

We have had more than one friend, for whom our hearts still break, overdose, convicted of murder, and other such things – some even since knowing the Lord. Sometimes we fall back but even still I have seen God transform many lives: sometimes once, sometimes twice, sometimes thrice, or even more as need be. There are many more people still relegated to the margins of our society even here in our community - they (we) are not unredeemable; they (we) are as ready for redemption as anyone. During the many years we lived and worked in Saskatchewan between Nipawin, Tisdale, Carrot River, Maple Creek and Swift Current, I spent many hours sitting with my friends in the courts, speaking with our friends in the courts, speaking on behalf of friends in the courts, praying with friends in the courts. There are many people we knew there and in Toronto and Vancouver and that we are getting to know even here who wind up on the margins of our society by either circumstances, their choices, and/or someone else’s actions. They can be redeemed. We can be redeemed.

There are many of us in The Salvation Army who at one time or another have found ourselves outcast like Rahab. Rahab in our story today, Rahab was a prostitute. Rahab was a Canaanite. Rahab was marginalized. Rahab was an outcast. And Rahab is saved! And Rahab is redeemed! We can be saved! We can be redeemed!

I have been involved with AA at various times in my life and ministry and at AA we speak about a how a higher power, God, can deliver us. And God can redeem us and God can save us. And God offers salvation not only from alcohol; not only from addiction; not only from a horrible, storied past of abuse and other things; but from all else as well. There is one name by which we all can be saved not only for the here and the now but forever (Acts 4:12). That Name, that One is Jesus. Jesus has died and he rose again from the grave so that we don’t need to be trapped in our addictions; we don’t need to be trapped by our prejudices; we don’t need to be trapped in our sins; we don’t need to be trapped in our struggles. Jesus rose from the grave conquering sin and death so that even those of us most caught by sin and by circumstance can be saved. Rahab was prostituted in a doomed pagan city. Rahab is saved and Rahab is redeemed. We, no matter who we are and what we have had done to us what we have done, we can be saved. We can be redeemed (TSA docs. 6&10).

After Rahab’s faith and deeds were used by God to save the Hebrew spies and deliver Jericho over to the LORD, do you know how the Lord transformed her life? According to Jewish tradition, she became the ancestor of eight priests (Tal Megillah 14b). She is listed as one of four women of surpassing beauty (Tal Megillah 15a; the others were Sarah, Abigail, and Esther).[7] Rahab may mean ‘broad’ but this Rahab is a beauty. The Bible tells us Rahab married Salmon, one of the princes of Judah (Ruth 4:21, 1 Chronicles 2:11, Matthew 1:5). We remember too the wealthy landowner, Boaz, who married the Moabite Ruth of the book of Ruth; this rich, prominent Boaz was Rahab the Canaanite’s son. Ruth was Rahab’s daughter-in-law. Ruth and Boaz had a child, Obed, Rahab’s grandson. His son, Rahab’s great grandson was Jesse and his son, Rahab’s great great grandson... do we know who that was? Who was Jesse’s most famous son? He was King David from whose line is God’s promised Salvation; A Dominion to be established for ever! (Matthew 1:5-6; cf. 2 Samuel 7). This Dominion is of course accomplished through another descendant of Rahab the redeemed prostituted Canaanite – that is Jesus, the Redeemer himself, the Messiah! (cf. Matthew 1:16).

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” – and God chose to send His only begotten son through the ancestral line of the redeemed life of Rahab.

Scholar Richard Hess tells us that, “the story of Rahab confirms God’s welcome to all people, whatever their condition. Christ died for all the world and the opportunity is available for all to come to him through faith, even the chief of sinners [like you and like me] (1 Timothy 1:15)...Rahab exhibits faith and understanding of the God who saves her. She becomes part of the family line that leads to the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) and [she is] a model of faith for all Christians” (Hebrews 11:31).[8]

Rahab, who was once a prostituted Canaanite on the margins of society now stands redeemed, saved, holy, cleansed, and as one of the heroes of the faith. You and I here today, no matter what we done, no matter who we have been, no matter what has happened to us, we too can be saved from it all. Jesus died on the cross so that we could die to our sins and He rose from the grave so that we can live out a holy, redeemed life (cf. Romans 10:9-13). It is my prayer that today each of us would - like righteous Rahab - take God up on His offer of His Salvation and of His Redemption.

Let us pray.

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[1] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, Genesis 50:15-21: Regarding Forgiveness: Do not be afraid, for are we in the place of God? Presented to the Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 07 August 2011. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/08/genesis-5015-21-regarding-forgiveness.html And Captain Michael Ramsay, Genesis 39:2a: The Lord was with Joseph and He Prospered. Presented to the Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 10 July 2011. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/07/genesis-392a-lord-was-with-joseph-and.html
[2] Cf. Robert B. Coote, The Book of Joshua, (NIB II: Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1998), 592.
[3] Cf. RCMP Criminal Intelligence. Project SECLUSION: Human Trafficking in Canada (Ottawa: 2010).
[4] Leon Morris, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Hebrews/Exposition of Hebrews/VIII. Faith (11:1-40)/F. The Faith of the Exodus Generation (11:29-31), Book Version: 4.0.2
[5] ‘Rahab’ in Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary. Cited from Biblegateway.com. Available on-line: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionaries/dict_meaning.php?source=1&wid=T0003054
[6] ‘Rahab’ in Smith’s Bible Names Dictionary. Cited from Biblegateway.com. Available on-line: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionaries/dict_meaning.php?source=3&wid=S10094
[7] Leon Morris, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Hebrews/Exposition of Hebrews/VIII. Faith (11:1-40)/F. The Faith of the Exodus Generation (11:29-31), Book Version: 4.0.2
[8] Richard S. Hess, Joshua: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1996 (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries 6), S. 89

Based on the Sermon 'Rahab the Redeemed' presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 25 September 2011, the Weekend of Prayer to Stop Human Trafficking and 20 October 2013 ( http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/09/rahab-redeemed-joshua-2-hebrews-1131.html ). Presented on the same same occasion 25 September 2016 at Warehouse Mission in Toronto. Presented also on the 15th Anniversary of Corps 614 Regent Park in Toronto, 01 October 2016 ( http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2016/09/rahab-redeemed-2016-jos-2-heb-1131-jas.html ).

Rahab the Redeemed (Joshua 2&6, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25)

Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 25 September 2011, the Weekend of Prayer to Stop Human Trafficking and 20 October 2013. Presented on the same same occasion, 25 September 2016 at Warehouse Mission in Toronto. Presented also on the 15^th Anniversary of Corps 614 Regent Park in Toronto, 01 October 2016. Also presented to Alberni Valley Ministries in Port Alberni, By Captain Michael Ramsay

This is the Weekend of Prayer to Stop Human Trafficking version. To view the Alberni Valley Version, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2019/01/joshua-2-redeemed.html To view the Corps 614 version, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2016/09/rahab-redeemed-2016-jos-2-heb-1131-jas.html

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We have just been speaking about human trafficking in Canada and I am going to lighten the mood a little bit here before we briefly examine the story of Rahab today. Here is something that I ran across the other day when researching another topic.

A distinguished, prominent big city pastor cruised through a small town. As he did his eyes fell upon a child not more than two feet tall at the door of one of the houses. The boy was on tiptoes valiantly attempting to reach the doorbell. Amused and wanting to help, the pastor parked his car and went over to assist the boy. He reached up and pushed his finger onto the button and the chimes rang inside. Satisfied that he had done his good deed for the day, the pastor turned to the child, “Okay, what happens next­?”

With a smile the child replied, “Now we run!”

Another story: This lady goes to the doctor. She has been in serious pain for quite a while. The doctor asks her where it hurts and what is the matter. To which she replies, “It hurts when I touch my temple; it hurts when I touch my side; it hurts when I touch my arm; it even hurts when I touch my nose.”

“I think I know what the problem is”, the doctor says, “your finger is broken.”

Now, of course, today we have been speaking about the real pain associated with Human Trafficking. And the most logical passage in scripture to speak about addressing this would be the story of Joseph,[1] Genesis 37 [38] – 50, as he was actually was trafficked into slavery but as we have just spent quite a bit of time looking at Joseph over the summer, I thought we would deal with the story of the prostitute Rahab today instead (Joshua 2&6, Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25). While there is no evidence that Rahab was trafficked: her family was close to her; they lived in the same town as her (Jericho) and she went out of her way to save their lives when the opportunity arose (Joshua 2:12-13, 18; 6:23).[2] Most –or at least many- of the people trafficked today in Canada, however, are prostitutes, in a similar manner as Rahab was a prostitute:[3] though Shrine prostitution was not uncommon among the pagan peoples in that area, in those days, Rahab was not a shrine prostitute: the language used of Rahab’s profession refers to her strictly as a secular prostitute not unlike those in our own time, in our own country.[4]

Prostitutes then, like prostituted peoples today, were often outcasts from society. The significant thing about Rahab of course was that she repented -she changed to support God (Joshua 2,6) and she was redeemed - James recognizes her for both her faith and her works (James 2:24-26). Rahab was redeemed and the author of the sermon (or letter) to the Hebrews even records her as one of the heroes (heroines) of the faith. Hebrews 11:31: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.” Rahab, the prostitute, was saved. Rahab was redeemed.

 

Now today when we hear the name Rahab, we often think of this lady whom the LORD used to save the spies and deliver Jericho into the Hebrews’ hands. Does anyone know what the name ‘Rahab’ actually means? It -literally translated from Hebrew- means ‘broad’, ‘fat’, or ‘large’ and in common usage it refers to ‘fierceness’, ‘insolence’, and ‘pride’.[5] In the Bible, the country of Egypt is sometimes derogatorily referred to as a Rahab. Rahab is an insult used of one of the Hebrews’ off again / on again enemies, the Egyptians.[6] Egypt - according to Isaiah and according to the Psalms – Egypt is a fat, insolent, Rahab (Psalm 89:10, Isaiah 51:9; cf. Psalm 87:4, Isaiah 30:7). Rahab in our story today was a prostitute. But Rahab is saved and Rahab is redeemed.

Now many of you know some of our own personal history. Susan, the girls (the oldest 2 anyway), and I were urban missionaries with 614 in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside prior to being commissioned as Officers in The Salvation Army. And before we were appointed to serve the LORD and the Army in Saskatchewan, we served in Downtown Winnipeg and Winnipeg’s North End; I also served in Stoney Mountain Penitentiary. We made more than a few friends in these environments who –like Rahab- were relegated to the margins of society by either circumstances, their choices, and/or someone else’s actions. We had friends in our cell groups, Bible studies, knee drills, church services, and/or staying in our very home (we ran a transition residence in Vancouver) who were prostituted peoples, addicted to drugs and alcohol, reliant on theft and deception... I have elsewhere previously told the story of transvestite friends of ours whom the Lord redeemed and transformed through –among other things- simply reading the Bible in community with the rest of us.

We have had more than one friend, for whom our hearts still break, convicted of murder – some even since knowing the Lord. Sometimes people fall back but even still we have seen God transform many lives: sometimes once, sometimes twice, sometimes thrice, or even more as need be. There are many more people still relegated to the margins of our society even here - they (we) are not unredeemable; they (we) are as ready for redemption as anyone. I have spent many hours since we have moved to Saskatchewan between Nipawin, Tisdale, Carrot River, and Swift Current, sitting with people in the courts, speaking with people in the courts, speaking on behalf of people in the courts, praying with people in the courts. John, Ron, Sylvia, and others here through the food bank and other ministries are walking people through many of life’s challenges. We have post-food bank interviews now where volunteers sit down with people in need and we try to help out in anyway that we can. There are many people we know here who wind up on the margins of our society by either circumstances, their choices, and/or someone else’s actions. They can be redeemed.

There are many relegated to the margins of our society by either circumstances, their choices, and/or someone else’s actions. Many of us at one time or another have found ourselves outcasts like prostituted peoples, like Rahab. Rahab in our stories today, Rahab was a prostitute. Rahab was an outcast. Rahab is saved and Rahab is redeemed. We can be saved. We can be redeemed.

I have been involved with AA at times: I would fairly regularly attend meetings in Nipawin and the AA Roundup has had their annual celebrations here, at the Swift Current Corps, the previous few years. I have been to more than one AA meeting and at AA we speak about a higher power. Step 1 in AA: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.” Step 2:  We “came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity” and Step 3: We “made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.”

Well, there is one higher power, God, through whom salvation is offered not only from alcohol; not only from addiction; not only from a horrible, storied past of abuse and other things; but from all else as well. There is one name by which we all can be saved not only for the here and the now but forever (Acts 4:12). That name, that one is Jesus. Jesus has died and he rose again from the grave so that we don’t need to be trapped in our addictions; we don’t need to be trapped in our sins; we don’t need to be trapped in our struggles. Jesus rose from the grave conquering sin and death so that even those of us most caught by sin and by circumstance can be saved. Rahab was a prostitute in a doomed pagan city. Rahab is saved and Rahab is redeemed. We, no matter who we are and what we have done, we can be saved. We can be redeemed (TSA docs. 6&10).

After Rahab’s faith and deeds were used by God to save the Hebrew spies and deliver Jericho over to the LORD, do you know how the Lord transformed her life? According to Jewish tradition, she married Joshua and became the ancestor of eight priests (Tal Megillah 14b). She is also listed as one of four women of surpassing beauty (Tal Megillah 15a; the others were Sarah, Abigail, and Esther).[7] The Bible tells us she did marry Salmon, one of the princes of Judah (Ruth 4:21, 1 Chronicles 2:11, Matthew 1:5). We remember too the wealthy landowner, Boaz, who married Ruth of the book of Ruth; this prominent Boaz was Rahab’s son. Ruth was Rahab’s daughter-in-law. Ruth and Boaz had a child, Obed, who was Rahab’s grandson. His son, Rahab’s great grandson was Jesse and his son, Rahab’s great great grandson was King David from whose line God promised Salvation and to establish His Dominion (Matthew 1:5-6; cf. 2 Samuel 7). This was of course accomplished through another descendent of Rahab the redeemed prostitute – that is Jesus, the Redeemer himself, the Messiah (cf. Matthew 1:16).

“For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” – John 3:16 (AV) – and He chose to do this through the ancestral line of the redeemed life of Rahab.

Scholar Richard Hess tells us that, “the story of Rahab confirms God’s welcome to all people, whatever their condition. Christ died for all the world and the opportunity is available for all to come to him through faith, even the chief of sinners [like you and like me] (1 Timothy 1:15)...Rahab exhibits faith and understanding of the God who saves her. She becomes part of the family line that leads to the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:5) and [she is] a model of faith for all Christians” (Hebrews 11:31).[8]

Rahab, who was once a secular pagan prostitute now stands redeemed, saved, holy, cleansed of her sins, and as one of the heroes of the faith. You and I here today, no matter what we done, no matter who we have been, we too can be saved. Jesus died on the cross so that we could die to our sins and He rose from the grave so that we could live out a holy, redeemed life (cf. Romans 10:9-13). It is my prayer that today each of us would - like righteous Rahab - take God up on His offer of His Salvation and of His Redemption.

Let us pray.

http://www.sheepspeak.com/

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[1] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, Genesis 50:15-21: Regarding Forgiveness: Do not be afraid, for are we in the place of God? Presented to the Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 07 August 2011. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/08/genesis-5015-21-regarding-forgiveness.html And Captain Michael Ramsay, Genesis 39:2a: The Lord was with Joseph and He Prospered.  Presented to the Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 10 July 2011. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/07/genesis-392a-lord-was-with-joseph-and.html

[2] Cf. Robert B. Coote, The Book of Joshua, (NIB II: Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1998), 592.

[3] Cf. RCMP Criminal Intelligence. Project SECLUSION: Human Trafficking in Canada (Ottawa: 2010).

[4] Leon Morris, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Hebrews/Exposition of Hebrews/VIII. Faith (11:1-40)/F. The Faith of the Exodus Generation (11:29-31), Book Version: 4.0.2

[5] ‘Rahab’ in Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary. Cited from Biblegateway.com. Available on-line: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionaries/dict_meaning.php?source=1&wid=T0003054

[6] ‘Rahab’ in Smith’s Bible Names Dictionary. Cited from Biblegateway.com. Available on-line: http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionaries/dict_meaning.php?source=3&wid=S10094

[7] Leon Morris, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Hebrews/Exposition of Hebrews/VIII. Faith (11:1-40)/F. The Faith of the Exodus Generation (11:29-31), Book Version: 4.0.2

[8] Richard S. Hess, Joshua: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1996 (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries 6), S. 89

Romans 10:9&13: Say it! Know it! Do it!

Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 11 Sept. 2011
Corps 614 Regent Park, Toronto, 14 Feb. 2016

The Warehouse Mission, Cabbagetown, 11 Feb, 2018

TSA Alberni Valley Ministries, 11 May 2025

by Captain (Major) Michael Ramsay

Abbreviated 2018 version here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2018/02/romans-109-say-it-know-it-do-it.html

To view the 2025 Version, click here:

https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2025/05/romans-103-13-say-it-know-it-do-it.html

 

Today we are speaking about Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And, Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” These are some of the basics of the whole Christian faith (cf. TSA doc. 7). Therefore as we launch into our time today, along these lines I thought that I would share this piece of wisdom that was presented to us at Officer Camp by Major David Ivany – he is in charge of Spiritual Direction for all of Canada in The Salvation Army. He shared this story with us about a kind elderly lady, who in her heart upon a public confession of faith is experiencing the pure joys of Christian love.

This lady, Emma, she goes into a local Christian bookstore and sees a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker. Feeling particularly good that day because she has just come from a great choir practice and prayer meeting, she buys the bumper sticker and she put it on her car – professing her faith publicly. She recalls, “Boy, I’m glad I did! What an uplifting experience followed!” and then she launches into this story. She remembers stopping at a red light at a busy intersection just when she first had on her new ‘Honk if you love Jesus’ sticker. Lost in thought about the Lord and how good He had been to her, she didn’t notice the light had changed.

“It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus,” she said, “because if he hadn’t honked, I’d never have noticed that the light had changed!” She then noted that indeed, lots of people actually love Jesus because while she sat unmoving, blocking the lane of traffic, the guy behind her also honked like crazy before leaning out of his window and screaming, “For the love of God! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, Go!” She remembers thinking, “What an exuberant cheerleader he was for the Lord!”

Suddenly, it seemed as though she had started an epidemic and everyone started honking. Impressed by such a response, she leaned out of her window and started waving and smiling at all these loving people – while she was still parked in front of the intersection. “I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love!” she recited. Then she realized the mix of celebrants. “There must have been a man from Florida back there because I heard him yelling something about a “sunny beach… I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger in the air. I asked my teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant, and he suggested that it was probably an Hawaiian good luck sign or something…”

The woman admitted that she had never met anyone from Hawaii before and was unaware of their customs. “I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign right back,” she reminisced.

She also remembers that a few persons were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towards her. “I’ll bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended but that was when I noticed that the light had changed. So, I waved to all my loving sisters and brothers in Christ, grinned joyously, and drove on through the intersection. I noticed that I was the only car that made it through the intersection before the light changed again and I felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared, so I slowed the car down, leaned out of the window and gave them all the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time before I sped away.”

I love this story.

Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And, Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

These two verses are two critical verses to that famous ‘Romans Road to Salvation’ – there are many different versions to Romans Road, by the way, but these two verses, 9 and 13 seem to be regular stops so I thought that we would visit them today. Last week I mentioned that I had a teaching background. This week’s pericope tends to lend itself to an old style of teaching. The passage has in it a ready-made 3 points:

1) Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and 

2) Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And,

3) Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

1)      Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth.             Say it.

2)      Believe in your heart in His resurrection.             Know it.

3)      Call on the name of the Lord.                             Do it.

What we need to remember, pertaining to Salvation, when we leave here today – and forever more – to take advantage of the Salvation that God has offered the whole world as a free gift (Romans 6:23; John 3:16-17); to take advantage of God’s Salvation, we should

1)      Say it!

2)      Know it!

3)      Do it!

1) Say it! Romans 10:9: “…confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord…’

This is important. Whenever I hear this verse I immediately think of Peter, the rock upon which Christ was to build His church (Matthew 16:13-16; cf. Mark 8:27-29, Luke 9:18-20). We know this story, right? Jesus tells Peter that he is going to use him to help build his church. This is the point where Jesus gives him the name ‘Peter’ as a nickname – that wasn’t his given name; Simon was his given name – Peter means ‘Rock’ or even ‘Rocky’. Simon ‘Rocky-Peter’ here is to be one of Christ’s main ‘go to’ people after His resurrection and we remember the story about how Jesus told Rocky-Peter that he would deny him 3 times before the cock crows twice and then shortly after Peter’s saying ‘I don’t know what your talking about’; shortly after Peter’s third denial that he even knows Jesus; the rooster crows and Peter is devastated (Matthew 26:69-75; cf. Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-62, John 18:15-27).

Point #1 about Salvation today: Say it! (Cf. also Luke 21:12–15; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11; 1 Peter 3:13–16, 21) Simon Peter had his chance to confess Jesus as Lord but he declined it. Now, if the story had ended there it would be sad indeed but John 21:15ff, records Simon Peter’s restoration, as Rocky, as Peter.[1] The Resurrected Lord asks him 3 times to feed his sheep and he agrees to it.[2] Near the conclusion of the book of John, Jesus then blows on Peter -and the other disciples- giving him the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Luke picks up the story of Rocky-Peter in the book of Acts where Rocky-Peter is there at Pentecost, taking the lead as the Holy Spirit like a starting pistol sends the disciples and more out to proclaim salvation to the world. Acts Chapter 2, after they share the gospel in many different languages as the Spirit enables them, the Lord adds to their number daily those being saved (cf. also Deuteronomy 30:14; Matthew 10:32, 2 Corinthians 4:13-14; Philippians 2:11). Point 1, Romans 10:9, for us today, Say it!

Peter and the disciples said it and many were saved. And just to underscore that Peter did fully recover from his earlier denial, church tradition states that in the end Peter even earned his martyr’s crown. He was apparently crucified upside down as he left his life here for heaven to await the resurrection. Point 1: Say it! This brings us to Point 2.

2) Know it! Believe in your heart in His resurrection.

It is great and it is very important to proclaim the gospel but that is not the end of it. Speaking is one thing and believing is quite another. If you have any doubt about that, think about the general reputation (accurate or not) of our elected politicians – speaking is one thing, believing what you say is quite another. Paul in this section of scriptures is really addressing the whole problem of Israel (Romans 9-11; cf. also Deuteronomy 30, Leviticus 18). He is addressing the problem of the Law and their relation to the Law and their relationship to God. He is quite concerned about people who are quite happy to say what needs to be said – the Pharisees, as a group, did believe in the resurrection in general and as a group were quite evangelistic (cf. Acts 23:7-8)! But believing in your heart in Jesus’ resurrection is quite a different matter though (1 Corinthians 15:17; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14).  And the Apostle Paul - who was a Pharisee - celebrated the fact that Jesus has been raised from the dead but sadly many Israelites and even Pharisees did not. It pained Paul that people who were zealous for God’s Law were indeed missing out on the benefits of the culmination of the Law, Jesus, the one whom the Law points towards (cf. Romans 9:1-5; 10:1-4; Matthew 5:17,18; Luke 16:16; Acts 4:12; Galatians 3:19-24). Salvation is about, Point 1, Saying it, confessing that Jesus is Lord, and it is also about, Point 2, Knowing it, really believing in your heart in the resurrection and in Jesus’ resurrection, which is the central part of not only’ Paul’s message but of all of Christianity (Romans 6:9, Romans 9:16; 1 Corinthians 15:17, 20; 2 Corinthians 4:13-14; Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:9; Revelation 1:17-18; cf. Deuteronomy 30:14, Acts 4:12, cf. also Isaiah 28:16).[3] N.T. Wright tells us, “Almost all early Christians known to us believed that their ultimate hope was the resurrection of the body.  There is no spectrum such as in Judaism.  Some in Corinth denied the future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15.12), but Paul put them straight; they were most likely reverting to pagan views, not opting for an over-realized Jewish eschatology.”[4] Belief in the resurrection and the resurrection of Christ is central to Christianity.[5]

To review what we know so far about Romans 10’s three points of Salvation:

1) Say it! - Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth.      

2) Know it! - Believe in your heart in His resurrection.

3) Do it! Call on the name of the Lord.

3) Do it! Call on the name of the Lord.

This is important. Saying it is good. Knowing it is better. Doing it is imperative (This fact is also implied in v. 9).[6] The scriptures speak about this quite a bit (cf. for ex: Leviticus 18:5 and Deuteronomy 30:11-16, which are cited in vv. 5-8; Luke in Acts 2:16-21 and this passage by Paul are both quoting from Joel 2:32).[7] I believe that Matthew actually paints this picture quite vividly. In Chapter 25:31ff is recorded the parable of the sheep and the goats. In that parable you have two groups of nations. Both groups – the sheep and the goats – 1) say and 2) know that Jesus is Lord. But it is only the sheep that do anything about it. As a result, only the sheep are saved. The goats that didn’t do anything go off to where there is a weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 7:21 is quite clear on this matter: it is recorded that the Lord says “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven”: Say it! Know it! Do it!

We must actually call on the name of the Lord. We have to call on Him. We have to trust him.[8] This is important. For example, it is one thing for me to confess that I know my wife; it is another thing to believe in my heart the many wonderful things that have been done through her: these are wonderful things but my relationship with Susan only grows when I actually call on her, when I actually spend time with her. I can say she is my wife all I want; I can believe she is my wife all I want; but we only actually have a marriage if I bother to see her, to call on her sometimes. This is important. Christianity isn’t some academic pursuit. Christianity isn’t some code. Christianity isn’t some rules and regulations. Christianity isn’t some club. Christianity isn’t some principles to live our life by. Christianity is a relationship with the risen Christ. Jesus Christ raised from the grave and he promises that, Romans 10:13 “…everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” He loves us and he wishes that none would perish. And Salvation in our text today is as easy as 1, 2, and 3. It is my prayer today that every one of us here will:

1) Say it! - Confess Jesus as Lord with our mouths.      

2) Know it! - Believe in our hearts in His resurrection.

3) Do it! – That we would call upon the name of the Lord.

Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Matthew 11:30: “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Romans 10:15 and Isaiah 52:7, "...How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (cf. Psalm 118:26, Matthew 21:9, Matthew 23:39, Mark 11:9, Luke 13:35, Luke 19:38, John 12:13). Romans 10:9a, say it: confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Romans 10:9b, know it: believe in your heart in Jesus’ resurrection. And above all else, Romans 10:13, do it: call upon the name of the Lord and then even we will be saved. Halleluiah! Praise the Lord! Let it be.

 

Let us pray.

http://www.sheepspeak.com/

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[1] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, ‘John 21:15-23: We’re Back!’ Presented to Weston Corps of the Salvation Army, May 2006 and Nipawin Corps of The Salvation Army, 21 February 2009. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/02/john-2115-23-were-back.html

[2]Cf. George R. Beasley-Murray, John, (WBC 36: Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987), 404-405.

[3] Cf. William Hendricksen, Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, NTC (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic: 1981), 345

[4] Cf. N.T. Wright, 'Jesus’ Resurrection and Christian Origins' (Originally published in Gregorianum, 2002, 83/4, 615–635).  Reproduced by permission of the author on-line at http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Jesus_Resurrection.htm

[5] Cf. Everett F. Harrison, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-, ROM:Romans/Exposition of Romans/VI. The Problem of Israel: God's Righteousness Vindicated (9:1-11:36)/D. Israel's Failure to Attain Righteousness Due to Reliance on Works Rather Than Faith (9:30-10:21), Book Version: 4.0.2: Paul's statement in vv. 9, 10 is misunderstood when it is made to support the claim that one cannot be saved unless he makes Jesus the Lord of his life by a personal commitment. Such a commitment is most important; however, in this passage, Paul is speaking of the objective lordship of Christ, which is the very cornerstone for faith, something without which no one could be saved. Intimately connected as it was with the resurrection, which in turn validated the saving death, it proclaimed something that was true no matter whether or not a single soul believed it and built his life on it.

[6] Cf. John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans Vol. II, NICNT, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans, 1968), 56; John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World, (Leicester, UK: IV Press: 1994), 283;  F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1985 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 6), S. 201 - Doing it, though not specifically reference (it doesn’t need to be because it is referenced a few verses later in v.18), is implied as well in verse 9.

[7] F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1985 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 6), S. 201: There the statutes and ordinances of God were enjoined on the people so that they might do them and live. Here God says that his commandment ‘is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?” But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.’ (Paul significantly omits the italicized words.) That the doing of the commandment was the way to life in the Deuteronomy context is evident from the words of Moses which follow immediately: ‘See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, then you shall live …’ (Deut. 30:15–16).

[8] Cf. John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World, (Leicester, UK: IV Press: 1994), 285