Jesus also said thru the Apostle James to "be ye DOERS OF THE WORD, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22)
Jesus apparently expects His people to DO some stuff after getting born again.
Of course Jesus expects His people to do some stuff after getting born again. We are saved to serve and not saved to sit. Ephesians 2:10 - For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Yet we are still
saved by grace through faith, not works. (Ephesians 2:8,9)
Reckon Jesus didn't get the memo from the so called reformers that salvation is by faith only??? (see James 2:14-26)
Faith "only" here in James is referring to an
empty profession of faith/dead faith that remains "alone" - barren of works, as we see in James 2:14.
SAYS/CLAIMS to have faith -
key word. *Not to be confused with faith that trusts in Jesus Christ "alone" for salvation. (Romans 4:5-6; Ephesians 2:8,9) Big difference!
In James 2:14, we read of one who
says/claims (key word) they have faith, but they have
no works (to evidence their claim). That is not genuine faith, but a
bare profession of faith. So, when James asks, "Can
that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an
empty profession of faith/dead faith. So, James does not teach that we are saved "by" works. His concern is to
show the reality of the faith
professed by the individual (James 2:18) and
demonstrate that the faith
claimed (James 2:14) by the individual is
genuine.
The Lord says the following thru the Apostle James:
James 2:24
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Again, "faith only" here equates to an
empty profession of faith/dead faith that
remains alone - "barren of works." James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is
shown to be righteous. James is discussing the
evidence of faith (
says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18) and
not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God. (Romans 4:2-3) Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.
In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:
1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2.
to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be
In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be
justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (and our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works are evidence for, or against a man being in a state of righteousness.
God is said to have been
justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads,
“acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads,
“they declared God just.” This is the "sense" in which God was “justified.” He was
shown to be righteous.
Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is
justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
In James 2:20, "faith without works is dead" does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that works are the source of life in faith. That would be like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree, and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. James is simply saying faith that is
not accompanied by evidential works demonstrates that it's dead.
If someone merely
says-claims they have faith, but lack
resulting evidential works, then they
demonstrate that they have an
empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith. (James 2:14) Simple!
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness (walking after the flesh – see Gal 6:7,8), and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
In regard to Galatians 6:7-8, the one who is continuously (Greek present tense) sowing to his own corrupt, flesh which is opposed to God and unrenewed by the Holy Spirit shall of the flesh reap corruption. Our life here is sowing of one kind or another. But he who sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life. In opposition to reaping corruption, eternal life is reaped by those who sow to the Spirit, which is only those who have placed their faith (belief, trust, reliance) in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. (John 3:15,16,18; 6:40,47; 11:25,26; Romans 1:16; 3:24-28; 4:5-6; 5:1; Ephesians 2:8,9 etc..).
Apparently one is justified by faith AND by works.... and the man that believes justification is by faith only is a "vain" man.
We are justified (
accounted as righteous - to render righteous or such he ought to be) by faith and not by works (Romans 4:2-6) and we are justified (
shown to be righteous - to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous) by works. (James 2:21, 24)
Sounds like either Jesus is wrong or the so called reformers are wrong since they teach an partial truth and leave the part out about works leaving the door open to sinful living (license to sin). Martin Luther was a known drunk so I can see how he would want to leave the part about works out so he could continue drinking his beloved booze which is living in sin! (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-13
Straw man argument. Attacking Martin Luther does not help your case and Roman Catholics are no strangers to drunkenness. 1 Corinthians 6:9 - Do you not know that the
unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And
such were some of you. But you were
washed, but you were
sanctified, but you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Verses 9 and 10 is descriptive of the
unrighteous and not the righteous. You seemed to have missed that.
In Galatians 5:19-21, we read - Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that
those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 John 3:9 -
No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
*You need to properly harmonize scripture with scripture before reaching your conclusion on doctrine.*
Quite the quandary here... who shall we say is in error the Lord or the reformers??? That tis the question!
Roman Catholics along with other works-salvationists are in error. That is the answer.