Fear Is The Beginning Of Wisdom

[PeterJens]

Okay. It sounded like you were saying he unwisely misconstrued God's character. I think because you quoted him and then said what you did, I assumed you were talking to him and about his post.

This is the limitation of this medium, and how a thought expressed may not be
properly expressed, which I know I suffer from often. Sometimes I have to read
contributions a few times to get the mindset of the contributor. lol

But that is a good discipline in listening, which takes a lot of effort. But then
how else can we love one another.

 

[Stephen63]

Some has said that theological views aren't that important. I beg to differ. It's what we believe that determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell.

The fear of the Lord will help us make sure we aren't playing around the border line. I for one appreciate that.

 

[FreeNChrist]

Some has said that theological views aren't that important. I beg to differ. It's what we believe that determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell.

The fear of the Lord will help us make sure we aren't playing around the border line. I for one appreciate that.

Naw, it's Who we believe in that determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell. Get the Who right, and the what well surely follow.

 

[Stephen63]

Naw, it's Who we believe in that determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell. Get the Who right, and the what well surely follow.

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

◄ James 2:14 ►​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]Verse (Click for Chapter)

New International Version​

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

New Living Translation​

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?

English Standard Version​

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

Berean Study Bible​

What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

Berean Literal Bible​

What is the profit, my brothers, if anyone says to have faith, but has no works? Is the faith able to save him?

New American Standard Bible ​

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
​

 

[Stephen63]

Naw, it's Who we believe in that determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell. Get the Who right, and the what well surely follow.

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

◄ James 2:17 ►​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

New International Version​

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

New Living Translation​

So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

English Standard Version​

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Berean Study Bible​

So too, faith by itself, if it is not complemented by action, is dead.

Berean Literal Bible​

So also, faith by itself if it has not works, is dead.

New American Standard Bible ​

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
​

 

[Stephen63]

Naw, it's Who we believe in that determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell. Get the Who right, and the what well surely follow.

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

◄ James 2:22 ►​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

New International Version
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

New Living Translation
You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.

English Standard Version
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

Berean Study Bible
You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.

Berean Literal Bible
You see that his faith was working with his works, and by his works, his faith was perfected.

New American Standard Bible ​

You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
​

 

[Grace777x70]

Here is the wisdom of God in action. This will bring the right kind of awe and reverence for our Lord. Christ is the end of wisdom for us. He is our wisdom.

It is very interesting that in James's examples of faith "being made alive" by a work or a corresponding action. Both Rahab and Abraham each did a one time corresponding action to demonstrate their faith.

Abraham believed God and offered up Isaac on the alter. Rahab received the spies. Both one time events in their life - God calls this faith in action.


James 2:20-25 (NASB)
[SUP]20 [/SUP] But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

[SUP]21 [/SUP] Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?

[SUP]22 [/SUP] You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

[SUP]23 [/SUP] and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God.

[SUP]24 [/SUP] You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.

[SUP]25 [/SUP] In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

Paul and James completely go together and do not cancel each other out.

We do the very same thing when we hear the message of Christ and we believe and then God seals us with the Holy Spirit. This is our faith with a corresponding action or a "work".

Ephesians 1:13 (NASB)
[SUP]13 [/SUP] In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Romans 10:8-10 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,

[SUP]9 [/SUP] that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

[SUP]10 [/SUP] for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

This is faith with corresponding action - or a work.

 

[PeterJens]

Naw, it's Who we believe in that determines whether we go to Heaven or Hell. Get the Who right, and the what well surely follow.

Jesus talks about salvation in terms of His words being planted in the heart of the
listener. If it is hard soil, it gets no where and disappears.

So both the meaning of the word, and the reception of the word into the soul of
an individual is part of salvation, without both does not exist.

From our perspective, it is interesting seeing who denies these truths and who
agrees with them. This is probably the best measure of who knows Christ than
anything else I could think of.

 

[FreeNChrist]

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

◄ James 2:22 ►​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]

New International Version
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

New Living Translation
You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.

English Standard Version
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

Berean Study Bible
You see that his faith was working with his actions, and his faith was perfected by what he did.

Berean Literal Bible
You see that his faith was working with his works, and by his works, his faith was perfected.

New American Standard Bible ​

You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;

​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
​

You do understand that James is speaking about faith in Jesus Christ, right??

 

[Grace777x70]

You do understand that James is speaking about faith in Jesus Christ, right??

The gospel always comes back to it being all about the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. True faith comes from hearing of Christ Himself. His life in us will bear His fruit as we look to Him in all things. He is our life.

Romans 10:17 (NASB) [SUP]17 [/SUP] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Colossians 3:16 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Jesus Christ our Lord is our wisdom and the true fear of the Lord shows in how we view Him.

 

[Stephen63]

It is very interesting that in James's examples of faith "being made alive" by a work or a corresponding action. Both Rahab and Abraham each did a one time corresponding action to demonstrate their faith.

Abraham believed God and offered up Isaac on the alter. Rahab received the spies. Both one time events in their life - God calls this faith in action.

What are you trying to say?

Why don't you just state your facts & make it clear?

If your statement is vague, both sides will either agree or argue with you.

Is works necessary to prove faith or not?

Give the people a break & be plain, sheesh!

 

[PeterJens]

Give the people a break & be plain, sheesh!

If you make it plain, it is often plainly wrong, yet you believe you are totally
right, so you have to fudge the issue, lol.

For us lesser mortals we just need to work away at getting a clearer definition
which cannot be easily distorted, though given the state of their hearts, probably
not actually possible.

 

[PeterJens]

The gospel always comes back to it being all about the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. True faith comes from hearing of Christ Himself. His life in us will bear His fruit as we look to Him in all things. He is our life.

Romans 10:17 (NASB) [SUP]17 [/SUP] So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Colossians 3:16 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Jesus Christ our Lord is our wisdom and the true fear of the Lord shows in how we view Him.

If it was just down to Christ we would all be lost.
Christ reality only works when hearts open to it.
But if yours has never responded, then maybe your view for you is a true reflection
of your faith, which explains a lot of why you miss so constantly everything we are
sharing, or even a testimony of how God healed and made you whole.

Either you are still broken, or you never admitted you need to be made whole.
I wonder which is true, because Bruce you certainly do not believe I know
Christ truly.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.
Matt 5:8

So if you have seen God you must have a pure heart.
If you do not have a pure heart, then you cannot have seen God.

So which of these options is it?

 

[Sac49]

Christianity is actually a mixture of both WHO you believe in and WHAT you believe. And all Christians who study the Bible in order to become closer to God are theologians. (Theology is the study of God.) As per the "who and what" we believe they are both important to understand to have a relationship with Christ. Take the JW for example. They believe in Jesus but what they believe about Jesus is wrong. They will even say they have "faith in Jesus". The "what" that they get wrong is in "who" they believe Jesus is. They do not believe that Jesus is God in human form. They believe Jesus is a creation, Gods son, and is a "god" not God.

So both the "who and what" are both important to our faith in Christ. And theology is important to our faith as well. Without us each being a "theologian" we could not grow closer to God in that we would not be studying about God in His Word to grow closer to Him.

(Yes i know there is more too it but this is just a basic simple explanation. I think lol)

 

[Stephen63]

Originally Posted by Grace777x70

It is very interesting that in James's examples of faith "being made alive" by a work or a corresponding action. Both Rahab and Abraham each did a one time corresponding action to demonstrate their faith.

Abraham believed God and offered up Isaac on the alter. Rahab received the spies. Both one time events in their life - God calls this faith in action.

What are you trying to say?

Why don't you just state your facts & make it clear?

If your statement is vague, both sides will either agree or argue with you.

Is works necessary to prove faith or not?

Give the people a break & be plain, sheesh!

BTW, How can you say that Abraham only did a "one time corresponding action?"

He left his father's country believing God's word, looking for a city that had foundations whose builder & maker was God.

By faith he helped save Lot & his family.

He became "the friend of God"