Again my friend. You need to study math.
1 by itself is still one, it is not dead, it has value.
There is NO SUCH THINGS AS FAITH ALONE (Faith which is not followed by works produced by that faith)
the questions is. How is one saved, By faith (before works were even completed. as paul said in romans 4. The works just proving his faith was real.
Or only after the first work was produced?
if the answer is the second one (as your preaching) we might as well throw all Pauls writings out of scripture. they are in error.
Romans 4 was also written for all to read and study, Yet you want to focus on james. and completely ignore romans 4. which according to YOUR INTERPRETATION does contradict james.
My interpretation does not. it leaves them in unity.
romans 4. -
4 What then shall we say that
Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?[SUP][
a][/SUP] [SUP]2 [/SUP]For
if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For what does the Scripture say?
“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[SUP][
b][/SUP] [SUP]4 [/SUP]Now
to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]But to him
who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, [SUP]6 [/SUP]just
as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
[SUP]7 [/SUP]“Blessed
are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
[SUP]8 [/SUP]Blessed
is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”[SUP][
c][/SUP]
James says the complete opposite.
so who is right? james or paul? Is salvation and justification a debt we earn by our works. or is it a gift of God given to those who trust him (faith) And the works which naturally procede from true faith proves the person was really saved?
you can not have it both ways..
Math has nothing to do with it. As James said "faith without works is dead" 'Faith only' has no works so it qualifies as being dead according to James. And a dead faith cannot save.
Why do you run away from James 2 to Romans 4? Romans 4 does not contradict, undo or change what James 2 says.
James - faith without works does not justify
Paul - works without faith does not justify.
James is speaking about obedient works/obeying God (as Abraham offering Isaac) and Paul speaks of works of merit.
As to Rom 4:
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Gal 3:12 the OT law was not of faith, so the Jews were seen to faithlessly do works of merit trying to earn salvation. It is this work of merit Paul speaks of in Rom 4:4. If the worker of merits earned his salvation, then salvation is not of grace but something owed to him, a debt. But in Rom 4:5 Paul explains Abraham was not a worker of merit who tried to earn his salvation, but rather Abraham was justified by an obedient belief in God - which fits perfectly with what James said of Abraham.