There you go SeaBass, because you missed it. Scroll up and read.
Could one bitten by a serpent "do nothing" and be healed? Or must he go to look upon the serpent to be healed?
Mt 11:28 "
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Jn 6:45 "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father,
cometh unto me."
Man must come to Jesus or just sit and do nothing?
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In Eph 2:89, as I have said many times, "not of works" here refers to works of merit not doing obedient works. Faith is a work. So did Paul first tell the Ephesians they were saved by the work of faith, then turn right around and contradict himself by telling them they were not saved by any works at all? No. So "not of works" does NOT exclude ALL works such as the work of faith but excludes works of merits one could boast about.
Paul
NEVER excluded obedient works from salvation:
Rom 6:16 "
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
You serve either one of two masters. You serve either:
1) sin unto death
or
2) obedience unto righteousness
I can say I serve master #2. Unfortunately for you, your 'faith only' theology has ruled out #2 for you leaving you with a very bad master to serve.
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I see no "faith only" in 2 Cor 11:3.
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As far as your bonus question, in Matt 25 Jesus is speaking about His disciples and them helping one another:
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35 [/SUP]For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
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36 [/SUP]Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
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37 [/SUP]Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
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38 [/SUP]When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
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39 [/SUP]Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
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40 [/SUP]And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
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41 [/SUP]Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
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42 [/SUP]
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
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43 [/SUP]
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
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44 [/SUP]Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
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45 [/SUP]Then shall he answer them, saying,
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
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46 [/SUP]
And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Nowhere ever did Paul exclude obedient works from salvation.