THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
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This is a general share on the commandments of Yahweh, God. You are entitled to show how to as you wish, but I also have the right in the Body of Yeshua to share as I understand and to warn any who may be off kilter. If you believe I am saying you are doing something, I am afraid you may have some reason other than any I know to believe such.
We obey God. When we fail temporarily on a point, we have the Medeator taught us by John Who is Jesus, Yeshua, and we have constant grace because of His love for us.
As for how to, well that is fairly simple, obey the Father as well as we are able, and obey what we know is good.
We obey God. When we fail temporarily on a point, we have the Medeator taught us by John Who is Jesus, Yeshua, and we have constant grace because of His love for us.
As for how to, well that is fairly simple, obey the Father as well as we are able, and obey what we know is good.
The reason this was accompanied by the quote of your post is because I want to stress the Commandments are not Laws. You made reference to Laws. Now, there are laws also we should obey, all which fall within the understanding of the Two Great Laws. The distinction between Laws and commandments are exactly what I was attempting to get across. It is regretable this is taken in the wrong spirit.
H
Hi Abiding,
Regarding whatever is not of faith is sin, note this scripture below.
And the law is not of faith Gal 3:12
Here are the scriptures around verse 12 to show it's context.
Gal 3:7-14
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
blessings
Regarding whatever is not of faith is sin, note this scripture below.
And the law is not of faith Gal 3:12
Here are the scriptures around verse 12 to show it's context.
Gal 3:7-14
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
blessings
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haz you do realize that that is a quote from the law of the priesthood. found in Leviticus?
However that aside, The law on stone is not of faith either.
Because if I look to it to be saved then It is works and not faith.
However I can speak for myself that I only Look to Jesus. I have Faith that he will change me from sin, in fact He does just that. I can see the fruit, I can not explain how it works, it is the workings of God in me.
All I know is once I broke the commandments, but now I delight in His law. Jesus was a living example of the law. If we are to be made in his image then by Faith we will walk as Jesus walked. This has been my experience.
I don't know how exactly God does it, but by Faith I trust in his promises to change my heart and cause me to keep his statues and commandments. and it just happens. THis is the power of Christ in us the hope of Glory. It is not the law that helps me, Jesus does.
However that aside, The law on stone is not of faith either.
Because if I look to it to be saved then It is works and not faith.
However I can speak for myself that I only Look to Jesus. I have Faith that he will change me from sin, in fact He does just that. I can see the fruit, I can not explain how it works, it is the workings of God in me.
All I know is once I broke the commandments, but now I delight in His law. Jesus was a living example of the law. If we are to be made in his image then by Faith we will walk as Jesus walked. This has been my experience.
I don't know how exactly God does it, but by Faith I trust in his promises to change my heart and cause me to keep his statues and commandments. and it just happens. THis is the power of Christ in us the hope of Glory. It is not the law that helps me, Jesus does.
This morning i received an understanding.
What is not of Faith is sin.
Through Faith in Yahshua the Messiah we are forgiven and guided and comforted on the path of Righteousness.
We know without Faith in Yahshua the Messiah we are dead in our sins.
A man would not keep Sabbath by simply resting that day from work because he was not scheduled to work that day..
All things through Faith.
James 2
What is not of Faith is sin.
Through Faith in Yahshua the Messiah we are forgiven and guided and comforted on the path of Righteousness.
We know without Faith in Yahshua the Messiah we are dead in our sins.
A man would not keep Sabbath by simply resting that day from work because he was not scheduled to work that day..
All things through Faith.
James 2
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
When I became aware of the Law of God I realized Te law was holy and just and good. (Rom 7:12)
however there was a problem, while the law was spiritual, I was Carnal. (Rom 7:14) I wanted to obey it and I tried with all my might, but the good in the law that I wanted to do I could not do. and the Sin/breaking the law, which I hated was what I did. I found myself a slave to sin. (Rom 7:15-23) Thus I realized that I was a wretch unable to do any good thing.(Rom 7:24) But then Jesus crucified became a beacon of light in my soul.(Rom 7:25) In Jesus I found new hope and a choice, I could continue to obey the law of sin which had held me captive before I met Jesus. Or I could obey the law of God which I had so long desired to do.
But how? I know Jesus freed me but how could I have this freedom?
Then Jesus said:
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
But how does this happen? how can I have this law on my heart?
Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
The Lord promised that He would give me a new heart, and give me a new spirit. and by this I could obey Him. But how do I get this Spirit?
Luk 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Luk 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Praise the Lord, all I have to do is ask and it is mine. but how do I know that He has heard and answered?
Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
He will not cast me out, I can trust Him.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
I simply had to believe. have faith.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Even though I could not see it I trusted that He who has promised will perform that which he has promised.(rRom 4:21)
What Joy, it is faith that changed me, faith in who you ask? Faith in the complete and perfect gift of Grace in Jesus. When I believed then what He had promised became a reality.
He promised that He would give me a new heart, one that has his law written on it. And a new Spirit. He made me a new creature. It is by faith In Gods own son, Jesus that this takes place. Those things that I used to have to force myself to do and even then failed. now He changed me and I am new, It is natural for me to obey His 10 commandments. For that same law that brought death in the letter now is the law of liberty in my heart.
This is my experience and can be yours. but Faith must trust the God who promised before seeing it.
now his law is fulfilled in me. (Rom 8:1-4).
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
When I became aware of the Law of God I realized Te law was holy and just and good. (Rom 7:12)
however there was a problem, while the law was spiritual, I was Carnal. (Rom 7:14) I wanted to obey it and I tried with all my might, but the good in the law that I wanted to do I could not do. and the Sin/breaking the law, which I hated was what I did. I found myself a slave to sin. (Rom 7:15-23) Thus I realized that I was a wretch unable to do any good thing.(Rom 7:24) But then Jesus crucified became a beacon of light in my soul.(Rom 7:25) In Jesus I found new hope and a choice, I could continue to obey the law of sin which had held me captive before I met Jesus. Or I could obey the law of God which I had so long desired to do.
But how? I know Jesus freed me but how could I have this freedom?
Then Jesus said:
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
But how does this happen? how can I have this law on my heart?
Eze 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
Eze 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
The Lord promised that He would give me a new heart, and give me a new spirit. and by this I could obey Him. But how do I get this Spirit?
Luk 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Luk 11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Praise the Lord, all I have to do is ask and it is mine. but how do I know that He has heard and answered?
Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
He will not cast me out, I can trust Him.
Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
I simply had to believe. have faith.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Even though I could not see it I trusted that He who has promised will perform that which he has promised.(rRom 4:21)
What Joy, it is faith that changed me, faith in who you ask? Faith in the complete and perfect gift of Grace in Jesus. When I believed then what He had promised became a reality.
He promised that He would give me a new heart, one that has his law written on it. And a new Spirit. He made me a new creature. It is by faith In Gods own son, Jesus that this takes place. Those things that I used to have to force myself to do and even then failed. now He changed me and I am new, It is natural for me to obey His 10 commandments. For that same law that brought death in the letter now is the law of liberty in my heart.
This is my experience and can be yours. but Faith must trust the God who promised before seeing it.
now his law is fulfilled in me. (Rom 8:1-4).
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The commandments are indeed laws, but they are specified as the ten, the laws of Moses are not classified as commandments. The words, law, statute, ordinance, and command are distinct because they do have different meanings.
Words are written or spoken representations of concepts.
Now, we are saved by grace and by grace only.
Because we are saved and the curse of the law is dead, we have no reason to further fear the commandments of Yahweh, God.
No man gets to heaven by works.
Faith without works is dead.
We work after we are saved out of the great love and praise we have attained for our Father.
We want to obey Yahweh because of the great sacrifice of His giving His Only Begotten Son for our salvation.
The last thing we, any of us, desire is to disobey our Father's wishes, and His wishes are commands.
This is not living under the law, it is simply gratitude, thanksgiving and praise of the Authority, our Father.
To say once saved there is nothing to do, as per works, is nonsense. Works come in many forms, simply waiting for the Lord, praying, helping others where possible, teaching, healing, and many more. People work simply by having faith.
It seems there are those who would foul the waters by saying when we are saved we do not work because we cannot earn salvation. This is true, but no man who is saved can possibly sit idly by and do nothing, for the immense gratitude will not allow this.
Thanking and praising Yahweh, God is works.
Taking any one point above without regard to all the points here is just arguing. I have posted all of the above many times, but apparently it has to be all gathered together again to be heard and even together it is not understood.
So my bottom line here is read the Word, believe Jesus, and learn from Him. He is God, and He is the Master.
Words are written or spoken representations of concepts.
Now, we are saved by grace and by grace only.
Because we are saved and the curse of the law is dead, we have no reason to further fear the commandments of Yahweh, God.
No man gets to heaven by works.
Faith without works is dead.
We work after we are saved out of the great love and praise we have attained for our Father.
We want to obey Yahweh because of the great sacrifice of His giving His Only Begotten Son for our salvation.
The last thing we, any of us, desire is to disobey our Father's wishes, and His wishes are commands.
This is not living under the law, it is simply gratitude, thanksgiving and praise of the Authority, our Father.
To say once saved there is nothing to do, as per works, is nonsense. Works come in many forms, simply waiting for the Lord, praying, helping others where possible, teaching, healing, and many more. People work simply by having faith.
It seems there are those who would foul the waters by saying when we are saved we do not work because we cannot earn salvation. This is true, but no man who is saved can possibly sit idly by and do nothing, for the immense gratitude will not allow this.
Thanking and praising Yahweh, God is works.
Taking any one point above without regard to all the points here is just arguing. I have posted all of the above many times, but apparently it has to be all gathered together again to be heard and even together it is not understood.
So my bottom line here is read the Word, believe Jesus, and learn from Him. He is God, and He is the Master.
H
Hi gotime,
We have discussed this and we disagree over whether your doctrine of splitting the law into 2 is supported in scripture.
You say you only look to Jesus but I see you contradict this by teaching that Christians can still be charged with sin. And that in spite of Rom 8:33 "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect. It is God that justifies" . You even say that "deliberate" sin results in loss of salvation as well as unconfessed accidental sins. This is a complicated lukewarm gospel, mixing grace with works of the law.
We all need to be careful of what we teach, lest we cause harm to another Christian's growth with error teaching. I'll leave you with the following scripture to consider.
James 3:1-12
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.....
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. ...........
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing (GRACE) and cursing (Judging by works of the law). My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water (GRACE) and bitter (Judging by works of the law)?
The thief on the cross was God's example to mankind showing how salvation is by grace alone, without obedience/works of the law.
Our works are to believe on Jesus, John 6:29
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day, John 6:40
We should not add obedience/works of the law to the gospel.
We have discussed this and we disagree over whether your doctrine of splitting the law into 2 is supported in scripture.
You say you only look to Jesus but I see you contradict this by teaching that Christians can still be charged with sin. And that in spite of Rom 8:33 "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect. It is God that justifies" . You even say that "deliberate" sin results in loss of salvation as well as unconfessed accidental sins. This is a complicated lukewarm gospel, mixing grace with works of the law.
We all need to be careful of what we teach, lest we cause harm to another Christian's growth with error teaching. I'll leave you with the following scripture to consider.
James 3:1-12
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.....
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. ...........
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing (GRACE) and cursing (Judging by works of the law). My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water (GRACE) and bitter (Judging by works of the law)?
The thief on the cross was God's example to mankind showing how salvation is by grace alone, without obedience/works of the law.
Our works are to believe on Jesus, John 6:29
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day, John 6:40
We should not add obedience/works of the law to the gospel.
P
I have had to look into this before (those verses in James),
and I have found no better explanation than this, so I hope you will be okay with me repeating these words from CARM: (by Matt Slick)
In Romans it says,
Does the Bible Contradict Itself?
It is a fundamental Christian belief that we are justified by faith. Justification means that God declares a sinner to be righteous. He does this by crediting, by reckoning the righteousness of Jesus to the sinner. This is done by faith. That is, when the sinner puts his faith in the sacrifice of Jesus and trusts in Him and not himself for righteousness, then God justifies him. "And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," (Rom. 4:3). But, if the Bible teaches that we are justified by faith, does it also teach we are justified by works as James "seems" to say? Do we have a contradiction? The answer is no.
Context is Everything
It is erroneous to take a verse, read it without its context, and then attempt to develop a doctrine from that verse alone. Therefore, let's take a look at the context of James 2:24 which says that a man is justified by works. James chapter 2 has 26 verses: Verses 1-7 instruct us not to show favoritism. Verses 8- 13 are comments on the Law. Verses 14-26 are about the relationship between faith and works.
Notice that James begins this section by using the example of someone who says he has faith, verses 14. He then immediately gives an example of what true and false faiths are. He begins with the negative and demonstrates what an empty faith is (verses 15-17). Then he gives an example of the type of faith that isn't much different from the faith of demons (verse 19). Finally, he gives examples of living faith by showing Abraham and Rahab as the type of people who demonstrated their faith by their deeds.
James is examining two kinds of faith: one that leads to godly works and one that does not. One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive; hence, "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:20).
This is why in the middle of his section on faith and works, he says in verse 19, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." James says this because the demons believe in God, that is, they have faith, but the faith they have is useless. It does not result in appropriate works. Their faith is only a mental acknowledgment of God's existence.
Ascentia and Fiducia
Two words are worth introducing here: ascentia and fiducia. Ascentia is the mental assent, the mental acknowledgment of something's existence. The demons acknowledge and believe that God exists. Fiducia is more than mental acknowledgment. It involves a trust in something, a giving over to it, a complete believing and acceptance of something. This is the kind of faith that a Christian has in Christ. A Christian, therefore, has fiducia; that is, he has real faith and trust in Christ, not simply an acknowledgment that He lived on earth at one time. Another way to put this is that there are many people in the world who believed that Jesus lived: ascentia. But they do not believe that He is their savior, the one to whom they should look and trust for the forgiveness of their sins.
Ascentia does not lead to works. Fiducia does. Ascentia is not of the heart. Fiducia is.
What is James Saying?
James is simply saying that if you ‘say' you are a Christian, then there had better be some appropriate works manifested or your faith is false. This sentiment is echoed in 1 John 2:4 which says, "If you say you have come to know Him, yet you do not keep His commandments, then the truth is not in you and you are a liar."
Apparently, there were people who were saying they were Christians, but were not manifesting any of the fruit of Christianity. Can this faith justify? Can the dead ‘faith' that someone has which produces no change in a person and no good works before men and God be a faith that justifies? Absolutely not. It is not merely enough to say you believe in Jesus. You must actually believe and trust in Him. If you actually do, then you will demonstrate that faith by a changed and godly life. If not, then your profession is of no more value than the same profession of demons: "We believe Jesus lived."
Notice that James actually quotes the same verse that Paul uses to support the teaching of justification by faith in Rom. 4:3. James 2:23 says, "and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'" If James was trying to teach a contradictory doctrine of faith and works than the other New Testament writers, then he would not have used Abraham as an example.
Therefore, we are justified by faith. That is, we are made righteous in the eyes of God by faith as is amply demonstrated by Romans. However, that faith, if it is true, will result in deeds appropriate to salvation. After all, didn't God say in Eph. 2:8-10, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
James never mentions the OT law (one word...nomos--singular noun, meaning "law").
He never mentions the Jewish holy days.
He speaks to feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked.
He says not to say, "Go in peace; be warmed and filled.", which would be our equivalent of
seeing someone in need and saying, "I'll pray for you." instead of doing something to help them.
James is saying that the one who is justified by faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice
will show that is so by what they do.
We have to keep in mind who is being spoken of, and who is being spoken to.
-ellie
and I have found no better explanation than this, so I hope you will be okay with me repeating these words from CARM: (by Matt Slick)
In Romans it says,
- "because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight . . . " (Rom. 3:20)
- "for we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law," (Rom. 3:28)
- "For what does the Scripture say? ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness'" (Rom. 4:3)
- "Therefore, having been justified by faith . . . " (Rom. 5:1)
- "But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness" (Rom. 4:5).
- "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone," (James 2:24)
- " . . . so also faith without works is dead," (James 2:26).
Does the Bible Contradict Itself?
It is a fundamental Christian belief that we are justified by faith. Justification means that God declares a sinner to be righteous. He does this by crediting, by reckoning the righteousness of Jesus to the sinner. This is done by faith. That is, when the sinner puts his faith in the sacrifice of Jesus and trusts in Him and not himself for righteousness, then God justifies him. "And Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," (Rom. 4:3). But, if the Bible teaches that we are justified by faith, does it also teach we are justified by works as James "seems" to say? Do we have a contradiction? The answer is no.
Context is Everything
It is erroneous to take a verse, read it without its context, and then attempt to develop a doctrine from that verse alone. Therefore, let's take a look at the context of James 2:24 which says that a man is justified by works. James chapter 2 has 26 verses: Verses 1-7 instruct us not to show favoritism. Verses 8- 13 are comments on the Law. Verses 14-26 are about the relationship between faith and works.
Notice that James begins this section by using the example of someone who says he has faith, verses 14. He then immediately gives an example of what true and false faiths are. He begins with the negative and demonstrates what an empty faith is (verses 15-17). Then he gives an example of the type of faith that isn't much different from the faith of demons (verse 19). Finally, he gives examples of living faith by showing Abraham and Rahab as the type of people who demonstrated their faith by their deeds.
James is examining two kinds of faith: one that leads to godly works and one that does not. One is true, and the other is false. One is dead, the other alive; hence, "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:20).
This is why in the middle of his section on faith and works, he says in verse 19, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder." James says this because the demons believe in God, that is, they have faith, but the faith they have is useless. It does not result in appropriate works. Their faith is only a mental acknowledgment of God's existence.
Ascentia and Fiducia
Two words are worth introducing here: ascentia and fiducia. Ascentia is the mental assent, the mental acknowledgment of something's existence. The demons acknowledge and believe that God exists. Fiducia is more than mental acknowledgment. It involves a trust in something, a giving over to it, a complete believing and acceptance of something. This is the kind of faith that a Christian has in Christ. A Christian, therefore, has fiducia; that is, he has real faith and trust in Christ, not simply an acknowledgment that He lived on earth at one time. Another way to put this is that there are many people in the world who believed that Jesus lived: ascentia. But they do not believe that He is their savior, the one to whom they should look and trust for the forgiveness of their sins.
Ascentia does not lead to works. Fiducia does. Ascentia is not of the heart. Fiducia is.
What is James Saying?
James is simply saying that if you ‘say' you are a Christian, then there had better be some appropriate works manifested or your faith is false. This sentiment is echoed in 1 John 2:4 which says, "If you say you have come to know Him, yet you do not keep His commandments, then the truth is not in you and you are a liar."
Apparently, there were people who were saying they were Christians, but were not manifesting any of the fruit of Christianity. Can this faith justify? Can the dead ‘faith' that someone has which produces no change in a person and no good works before men and God be a faith that justifies? Absolutely not. It is not merely enough to say you believe in Jesus. You must actually believe and trust in Him. If you actually do, then you will demonstrate that faith by a changed and godly life. If not, then your profession is of no more value than the same profession of demons: "We believe Jesus lived."
Notice that James actually quotes the same verse that Paul uses to support the teaching of justification by faith in Rom. 4:3. James 2:23 says, "and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'" If James was trying to teach a contradictory doctrine of faith and works than the other New Testament writers, then he would not have used Abraham as an example.
Therefore, we are justified by faith. That is, we are made righteous in the eyes of God by faith as is amply demonstrated by Romans. However, that faith, if it is true, will result in deeds appropriate to salvation. After all, didn't God say in Eph. 2:8-10, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
James never mentions the OT law (one word...nomos--singular noun, meaning "law").
He never mentions the Jewish holy days.
He speaks to feeding the hungry, and clothing the naked.
He says not to say, "Go in peace; be warmed and filled.", which would be our equivalent of
seeing someone in need and saying, "I'll pray for you." instead of doing something to help them.
James is saying that the one who is justified by faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice
will show that is so by what they do.
We have to keep in mind who is being spoken of, and who is being spoken to.
-ellie
I was showing how Faith must come before works and then is made perfect
The example above about it being explained to me this morning..
I used the Sabbath as an example because of something that i considered a few weeks back about someone and even then knew that it is not the same
(but did not pull all this together), only this morning did the understanding come to me.
Yesterday i was going to ask Abiding to explain what he meant, but decided against and asked for the understanding to come, which i kid you not came while i lay between asleep and awake
I may of been too eager to share and not explained myself well.
The example above about it being explained to me this morning..
I used the Sabbath as an example because of something that i considered a few weeks back about someone and even then knew that it is not the same
(but did not pull all this together), only this morning did the understanding come to me.
Yesterday i was going to ask Abiding to explain what he meant, but decided against and asked for the understanding to come, which i kid you not came while i lay between asleep and awake
I may of been too eager to share and not explained myself well.
I didn't mean to correct you, my friend.
I was just trying to add understanding (which, since I stink at maths, I should probably avoid! ).
Perhaps it was I who was over-eager.
If I have offended you, I do apologize most sincerely.
-ellie ♥
I was just trying to add understanding (which, since I stink at maths, I should probably avoid!
).Perhaps it was I who was over-eager.
If I have offended you, I do apologize most sincerely.
-ellie ♥
It was an opportunity to re affirm that without Yahshua the Messiah we can not serve Yahvah God.
Revelation 14
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