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To those here who are on the fence ...
You must RECONCILE all of the NT verses!
You must RECONCILE all of the so-called OSAS verses with all of the anti-OSAS verses!
The only way to do this is to accept the fact ...
True saving belief = heart belief, unwavering faith, everlasting trust,
obedience, practicing righteousness, enduring in your faith until death,
and not taking the dreaded mark of the beast
When Paul said we are not saved by works he is speaking from a fleshy perspective of people trying to find favor with God apart from Christ,and Paul told them only be accepting Christ will you find favor with God.
When James said faith without works is dead,and we are justified by works,and not faith alone,he is speaking from a spiritual perspective after we are saved,allow the Spirit to lead you.
Paul is speaking before accepting Christ,your works is not going to help you to find favor with God,and James is saying after we are saved,be led of the Spirit doing the works of love towards people to have faith active in your life.
If we neglect the poor when we have the means to feed them,the love of God does not dwell in us,love not the world,or the things in the world,and if so,the love of the Father is not in you.
Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
If a person that claims Christ has sin in their life they will not give up,the Bible says at that point in time they are a sinner,have erred from truth,has to be converted,and there soul is not in a right position,for if they turn from their sin not wanting to do it anymore,then it saved their soul from death.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
If we have sin in our life we do not want to get rid of the blood of Christ cannot wash it away,for the sin cannot be washed away if we do not want to let it go.
If we live in sin not wanting to give it up the Bible states that we are not in a right position to receive salvation.
The Bible says that a Spirit led life will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh,and will show the characteristics of the Spirit,therefore they are not under the law,which means the law cannot touch them for prosecution,but if there is sin in their life then they are under the law,and the law,the moral laws,can touch them for prosecution.
Which there is no excuse for we can be led of the Spirit if we make the choice to do right,and can have the same power Jesus had to overcome the flesh,so there is no excuse for our sins.
But of course God always forgives us for our sin,even if we live in sin for a year,but at the time we have sin in our life we will not give up,we are not in the right position,but under the law,until we repent of it,then we are not under the law.
