I am not confused bro...Rom 4:2 is talking about works of the law, you have to read from verse 3 to get the understanding. Some conclude that it is all works
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Abraham was before the law of Moses. Romans 4:3 - What does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it (faith, not works) was accounted to him as righteousness. So what works did Paul mention here along with faith, which are not of the law, that were accounted to Abraham as righteousness?
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5 But to him who
does not work but
believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his
faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom
God imputes righteousness apart from works. This is not limited to specific works of the law, but all works. If it was not all works, then Paul would have listed these works along with faith, but he never said works are accounted for righteousness, or saved through faith and works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Paul also said that we are
not saved by works of righteousness which we have done (Titus 3:5) and He
saved us and called us not according to our works (2 Timothy 1:9). ALL works. Saved through faith, NOT WORKS. Crystal clear. [SUP]
[/SUP]In James 2:15-16, the example of a
"work" that James gives is: "If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" To give a brother or sister these things needed for the body would certainly be a
"good work/work of righteousness" yet to neglect such a brother or sister and not give them the things needed for the body is to
break the second great commandment "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39) as found written in the law of Moses (Leviticus 19:18).
In Matthew 22:37-40, we read: Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
On these two commandments hang ALL the Law and the Prophets. Please tell me, which good works could a Christian accomplish that are completely detached from these two great commandments which are found in the law of Moses? (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). Are there any genuine good works that Christians do which fall outside of loving God and our neighbor as ourself? The works of the law (Paul) vs. good works not of the law (James) argument is bogus.
It is obvious James is talking about those who have faith and refuse to do good works...that is a dangerous position to be in and it has nothing to do with trusting in works to save.
James is not talking about those who actually have faith but refuse to do good works. In James 2:14, James did not say what good is it if a man actually has faith, but he refuses to do good works. NO! James said, what good is it if a man
SAYS or
CLAIMS he has faith, but he has
no works. Can
that faith save you? Where is the evidence that he really has faith? 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. I will
SHOW you my faith by my works.
SHOW, not establish. Big difference! Faith is the root and works are the fruit of salvation. No fruit demonstrates no root. A phrase that James could have coined is the absence of evidence could be construed as evidence of absence.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Was it not a work of faith?
It was a demonstration of his faith which
proved or manifested the genuineness of his faith. Read the context from James 2:14. James is not using the word "justified" to mean that Abraham was finally accounted as righteous based on his works in Genesis 22, but was shown to be righteous. James is discussing the proof of faith (I will
show you my faith by my works), not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:2,3).
all this for what ? it does not show faith without works is not dead... Faith without works is still dead show me your faith without works ...if you are that good go on show it.. I will show you my faith by my works....
Again, James
does not teach that we are saved "by" works and neither does Paul. James' 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. I will show you my faith by my works.
SHOW, not establish. Big difference!
[SUP]12 [/SUP]Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, [SUP]13 [/SUP]because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Titus 3:5 -
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. See John 3:5; 4:10,14; 7:37-39.
[SUP]14 [/SUP]What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? [SUP]15 [/SUP]Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. [SUP]16 [/SUP]If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? [SUP]17 [/SUP]In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Notice the word
CLAIMS to have faith
but has no deeds. Also, can
SUCH faith save them? What kind of faith is that? Dead faith that cannot save. What kind of faith saves us? Living faith that has been made alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:5-10) and results in producing good works, demonstrating or showing that it's not a dead faith, but a living faith. Faith "by itself" (produces no good works) is not genuine living, saving, faith but an
empty profession of faith (James 2:14).
[SUP]18 [/SUP]But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
SHOW, not establish. Big difference!
[SUP]19 [/SUP]You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
They believe "mental assent" that "there is one God" but they
do not believe/entrust their spiritual well being to Christ.
[SUP]20[/SUP]
You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[SUP][
d][/SUP]? [SUP]21 [/SUP]Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
Notice that the NIV says Abraham was
considered righteous for what what he did. There is a difference between Abraham being
ACCOUNTED as righteous based on his faith (Romans 4:2-3) and being
CONSIDERED righteous many years later based on his works (James 2:21).
[SUP]22 [/SUP]You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. [SUP]23 [/SUP]And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,
Made "complete" by what he did means bring to maturity, carry to the end, to complete like love in 1 John 4:18. It doesn't mean that Abraham was finally accounted as righteous based on his works. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6. The Scripture was fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Abraham's faith was accounted for righteousness (Genesis 15:6) long before he offered up Isaac on the alter (Genesis 22).
Whoever told you They don't trust Christ? You are assuming people do good to trust Christ. Of course we have faith in Christ and we know that because of our actions. (good works)
Genuine good works demonstrate the genuineness of our faith, but if we are trusting in works to save us, then we are not trusting exclusively in Christ to save us. Works without faith are just as dead as faith without works. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Faith in works is not faith in Christ.
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil.. Do believers practice righteousness in order to become righteous or because they are righteous? Do unbelievers practice sin in order to become of the devil or because they are of the devil? What is the cause and what is the effect? Luke 6:45 - A
good man out of the
good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an
evil man out of the
evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.