Why is faith only not genuine? It has no works, making works a necessary part of having a genuine faith that saves.
Faith only - per James - is not genuine because
claims to have faith but has
no works
demonstrates that this is
not genuine faith but an
empty profession of faith. Where is the evidence of this claim that can be seen? Works are the
demonstrative evidence that one
has genuine faith and
is saved. Good works are the fruit, by product and demonstrative evidence of genuine faith, but not the essence of genuine faith and not the means of our salvation. Faith is the root and works are the fruit of salvation. No fruit demonstrates that there is no root.
You post "You just gave a description of those who are lost and those who are saved. Are those who obey righteousness, obey the truth, do good, accomplish this from a lost condition or a saved condition?"
I see that you avoided answering my question so I will ask you again. Is obeying righteousness/the truth/doing good accomplished from a lost condition or a saved condition? Is this produced by a living faith or a dead faith?
No one is saved while they continue to NOT do righteousness, 1 Jn 3:10.
Nobody said that one is saved while they continue to practice sin and not righteousness (1 John 3:10). Children of God practice righteousness and not sin BECAUSE they are a child of God, not to become a child of God. Children of the devil practice sin and not righteousness BECAUSE they are a child of the devil, not to become a child of the devil. John did not mention a third camp that consists of children of God who continue to practice sin and NOT righteousness.
Salvation is not possible until one FIRST does righteousness. So it's not possible for one to first be saved, then obey.
Salvation is not possible until one FIRST believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, THEN he becomes righteous - his FAITH is ACCOUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Romans 4:5). Then working righteousness is the fruit of salvation.
Acts 10:35 one must first work righteousness to be accepted with God.
That's not what Peter said. A lost person does not work righteousness but unrighteousness. One must be saved through faith FIRST then one works righteousness from a righteous heart. Peter prefaced his message with a frank admission. He previously believed that God's favor was limited to the nation of Israel. Now he realized that God did not respect a man's person because of his nationality. Working righteousness is the result of an already existing faith. We are not saved by works of righteousness (Titus 3:5), but works in connection with salvation are always the result of, not the condition of, receiving salvation. These verses are giving a description of a believer (Christian), not a prerequisite to become saved. My goodness you have all of this backwards!
What one does determines what he is: If one does unrighteousness then he is unrighteous as Cain 1 Jn 3:12
By faith Abel offered a sacrifice (Heb. 11:4). Abel offered a sacrifice "by" (out of) a faith that "he already had" and confirmed his faith by what he did. Cain demonstrated an evil heart by his evil deeds, while Abel demonstrated a pious heart by his righteous deeds (1 John 3:12); and that Abel offered his sacrifice by faith and Cain did not. Because of Cain's faith, God accounted him as righteous. His faith was evidenced in obedience to God's requirement for sacrifice by which he obtained witness that he was righteous. That sacrifice did not make him righteous, but through it he was shown to be righteous because of his faith (James 2:18). Cain's sacrifice was evidence that his faith was not genuine. Abel's offering proved something about his faith that was not demonstrated by Cain's offering.
If one does righteousness then he is righteous 1 Jn 3:7
The one who practices righteousness does so BECAUSE he is righteous, not to become righteous, just as the one who practices sin does so BECAUSE is of the devil, not to become of the devil. Carefully read 1 John 3:7-10 again.
But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?."
So you believe it's all about works of righteousness which they have done that is the basis for receiving eternal life and faith didn't matter in the OT? What do we read under the New Covenant in Acts 3:19; 10:43-47; 11:17-18; Romans 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5 and 2 Timothy 1:9? The order is repent, believe the gospel, righteous standing with God, followed by working righteousness.
Order of events:
1) wicked
2) turn from sins and keep statutes, do lawful, right
3) then lives
Repent, faith, righteous, fruit - keep statutes, do lawful, right. Does a wicked person keep statutes, do lawful and what is right or a righteous person?
The wicked does not for some unknown, magical reason first live then do righteousness by turning and keeping God's statutes and doing right. He must FIRST turn THEN live not live then turn as faith onlyists always try to reverse this wanting him to first live then turn.
Repentance precedes saving faith in Christ, then this person keeps His commandments and practices righteousness (1 John 2:3; 1 John 3:10). By this we KNOW that we HAVE COME TO KNOW HIM if we keep His commandments, not finally come to know Him from a lost condition after we keep His commandments. Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, so only those who are born of God FIRST then practice righteousness.
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die....When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
It was his doing righteousness that made him righteousness and his NOT doing, turning from doing righteousness is why is trespasses and dies.
Ezekiel 33:13 - When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he
trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. Did you read that? “If he trust in his
OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS.” This is the heart of the matter here. This is describing a righteousness which is by the law rather than that which is by faith. The New Testament states in Romans 10:3-4 - “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their
OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who
BELIEVES.”
As James Fawcett Brown point out - righteous--one apparently such; as in Matthew 9:13, "I came not to call the righteous," that is, those who fancy themselves righteous. First please notice the underlined words "his righteousness" meaning that the "righteous" turns from his righteousness. That is his
OWN righteousness.
Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive."
Nothing about faith then at all? Is this salvation by works? We turn from wickedness when we repent and we believe the gospel and become saved (Acts 20:21; Acts 3:19; 11:17-18; Romans 1:16). Only righteous people because of their faith do what is lawful and right. In Genesis 26:4 - "I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws." Was this the point in which Abraham's faith was accounted for righteousness? NO. Read Genesis 15:5-6 which happened many years before. Genesis 15:5 - Then He brought him outside and said,
"Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." 6 And he
believed the Lord, and He
accounted it to him for righteousness.
The wicked FIRST obeys by turning from doing unrighteousness to doing righteousness then he shall his soul alive.
How do wicked people practice righteousness? Wicked people FIRST repent and believe on Him who justifies the ungodly, then their faith is accounted for righteousness. Then practicing righteousness follows. What you are saying is that a wicked person accomplishes works of righteousness in order to save themselves by works and then they shall save their soul alive based on these works of righteousness? (Titus 3:5). What happened to faith?
It's NOT he shall save his soul alive then obey by doing righteousness.
So a wicked person spends his entire life doing righteousness in order to be saved by works? Where do we read this in the NT? Lost souls do righteousness?
he shall save his soul" How can one save his own soul? By doing his role in his own salvation by turning from doing unrighteousness to doing which is lawful/doing righteousness.
What happened to faith in your works formula plan of salvation? When a person repents and believes the gospel, they become saved. Turning from doing unrighteousness to doing which is lawful/doing righteousness is the fruit of repentance/faith (Matthew 3:8; Acts 26:20). So according to you, we have not been saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9) but will be saved by works which follow?
That is why Paul says God renders to every man according to his DEEDS. For one's DEEDS determines if he saves his soul alive or not.
DEEDS determine and demonstrate the condition of our heart which determines if we will receive eternal life or not. Notice that ALL who will receive eternal life are described as everyone who does good and ALL who will not receive eternal life are described as everyone who does evil. Luke 6:45 - A
good man out of the
good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an
evil man out of the
evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Notice the
heart condition precedes the results. It's the same with DEEDS as the result of the heart condition.
Therefore OBEDIENT works precede being saved and after one is saved he must do good owrks to maintain his salvation.
False. We have been saved through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Then after one is saved/created in Christ Jesus - what follows? - UNTO/FOR good works (Ephesians 2:10). So contrary to scripture, you teach that salvation is "attained" and "maintained" by works. From beginning "have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8) to end "receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:9). It's obvious what you are trusting in for salvation - WORKS and not Christ alone. You are in the same boat with Roman Catholics and Mormons. Difference in style, but same in substance - "works based" false gospel.