Not By Works

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Dec 12, 2013
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2330 pages......so have we figured it out yet?
by works or not by works?

HINT:
Ephesians 2
8For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.…
We had it figured out a long time ago....yet the workers for keep pushing the "I keep or get myself saved drivel"....so we keep firing for the one who needs the truth....!
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
11,634
372
0
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]James 2:14-26, “14 My brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him. 15, "And if a brother or sister is naked and in need of daily food, 16, "but one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” but you do not give them the bodily needs, what use is it? 17, "So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead. 18, "But someone might say, “You have belief, and I have works.” Show me your belief without your works, and I shall show you my belief by my works. 19, "You believe that Yah is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder! 20, "But do you wish to know, O empty man, that the belief without the works is dead? 21, "Was not Aḇraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitsḥaq his son on the slaughter-place? 22, "Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected? 23, "And the Scripture was filled which says, “Aḇraham believed Yah, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And He called him, “he who loves Yah. 24, "You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone. 25, "In the same way, was not Raḥaḇ the whore also declared right by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also the belief is dead without the works.”[/FONT]
 

Seohce

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2016
1,386
54
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Man...you should lay off the juice and leave suppositionville.....I could care less what any man thinks...and to be honest...your flawed view does not even make the bottom page of the list that does not matter......serious


James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and NOT BY FAITH ALONE.

James 2:22 You see that his FAITH and his ACTIONS were WORKING TOGETHER, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

EVEN IF WE HAVE FAITH YET WITHOUT LOVE, WE ARE NOTHING.

1 Corinthians 13:2,13 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and IF I HAVE A FAITH that can move mountains, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I AM NOTHING. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but FAITH WHICH WORKETH BY LOVE.

John 5:42 but I know you. I know that YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOUR HEARTS.

2 John 1:6 And this is love: that WE WALK IN OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDS. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you WALK IN LOVE.

1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to OBEY HIS COMMANDS. And his commands are not burdensome.

1 John 3:16-18 This is how we know WHAT LOVE IS: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, HOW CAN THE LOVE OF GOD BE IN HIM? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but WITH ACTIONS and IN TRUTH.

john 14:15-31 “IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY WHAT I COMMAND. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME WILL NOT OBEY MY TEACHING. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I DO EXACTLY WHAT MY FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME. “Come now; let us leave.

Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,402
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James 2:24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and NOT BY FAITH ALONE.

James 2:22 You see that his FAITH and his ACTIONS were WORKING TOGETHER, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

EVEN IF WE HAVE FAITH YET WITHOUT LOVE, WE ARE NOTHING.

1 Corinthians 13:2,13 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and IF I HAVE A FAITH that can move mountains, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I AM NOTHING. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but FAITH WHICH WORKETH BY LOVE.

John 5:42 but I know you. I know that YOU DO NOT HAVE THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOUR HEARTS.

2 John 1:6 And this is love: that WE WALK IN OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDS. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you WALK IN LOVE.

1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to OBEY HIS COMMANDS. And his commands are not burdensome.

1 John 3:16-18 This is how we know WHAT LOVE IS: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, HOW CAN THE LOVE OF GOD BE IN HIM? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but WITH ACTIONS and IN TRUTH.

john 14:15-31 “IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY WHAT I COMMAND. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. WHOEVER HAS MY COMMANDS AND OBEYS THEM, HE IS THE ONE WHO LOVES ME. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE ME WILL NOT OBEY MY TEACHING. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I DO EXACTLY WHAT MY FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME. “Come now; let us leave.

Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Context alludes you in almost every post you make...your works based false gospel will not save you......
 
R

Ralph-

Guest
I did think it was a different scripture but even with this you are still interjecting your own thoughts. In both scriptures there is nothing said about being rejected by Jesus. In fact this is part of the chapter:

Heb 12:4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.


Heb 12:5 You have forgotten the encouragement that is addressed to you as sons: "My son, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline or give up when you are corrected by him.


Heb 12:6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he punishes every son he accepts."


Heb 12:7 What you endure disciplines you: God is treating you as sons. Is there a son whom his father does not discipline?

Heb 12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up and causes you trouble, or many of you will become defiled.

Hebrews was written to Jews that had received Messiah. If you read the whole chapter with that thought in mind, you might get a different picture.

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.

People who claim to be justified in Christ but who are not changed in nature have failed to obtain the grace of God. They do not belong to Christ and they will be rejected by Him in spite of any claim to the contrary. To be an unchanged person and then claim to have only failed to obtain the grace of God in regard to obedience is not Biblical because there is no such thing as a believer without the new nature. That's how works and salvation are inseparable. If you don't have a new nature that's growing up into Christ you do not belong to Christ. Your life proves it.

How the person responds who claims to be in Christ but doesn't show it tells a lot about whether they really are in Christ and are just very immature, or they really just don't have the new nature and don't belong to Him at all. Constant defense of the fruitless life is what fake believers are noted for. Be wary of them.
 
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Rosemaryx

Senior Member
May 3, 2017
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Morning all from cold England...This is a wonderful reminder that once we are in the palm of our Fathers hand, there is no jumping out of it, God`s hand is Mighty, to deep to fall from His clasp, we are His for eternity, we are being raised by Him, chasen by Him, corrected by Him, hedged in by Him :)...

When we fall, He will always come for us because we are His, we are bought with the blood of Jesus, we are children of the creator of the heavens and the earth, we are children of God, and nothing can separate us from Him...

He has given us everything to help us to walk upright with Him, all His doing not ours, we are saved by grace through faith, and none of it is any of our doing...\0/...

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent...

We all fall short of the glory of God, we lose our way sometimes, but thank God His grace and mercies are fresh every morning, in Jesus name Amen...xox...
 
R

Ralph-

Guest
Morning all from cold England...This is a wonderful reminder that once we are in the palm of our Fathers hand, there is no jumping out of it, God`s hand is Mighty, to deep to fall from His clasp, we are His for eternity, we are being raised by Him, chasen by Him, corrected by Him, hedged in by Him :)...

When we fall, He will always come for us because we are His, we are bought with the blood of Jesus, we are children of the creator of the heavens and the earth, we are children of God, and nothing can separate us from Him...

He has given us everything to help us to walk upright with Him, all His doing not ours, we are saved by grace through faith, and none of it is any of our doing...\0/...

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent...

We all fall short of the glory of God, we lose our way sometimes, but thank God His grace and mercies are fresh every morning, in Jesus name Amen...xox...
The point is if you're not a changed person you don't belong to Christ. Whether you ever really believed to begin with or have lost your salvation is irrelevant. That doesn't change the truth that people who do not have a life of works do not have the grace of God in salvation in their lives. It doesn't matter if they never had it or lost it. They're still not saved either way. That is the important matter.

I wish people would stop clouding up this topic with once save always saved stuff. It always gets used as an excuse for not having any works. I'm not saying you're doing that. But there are many who do that around here.

People can cry once saved always saved all they want, but that don't change the fact that if they have no works, no changed nature in their salvation then they don't have salvation. There is no such thing as a saved person who doesn't have a new nature that is growing up into the image of Christ. Once saved always saved doesn't make it so a person can be unchanged and still be saved.
 
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Seohce

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2016
1,386
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48
Context alludes you in almost every post you make...your works based false gospel will not save you......
John 7:16-18 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
 

Rosemaryx

Senior Member
May 3, 2017
3,757
4,120
113
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The point is if you're not a changed person you don't belong to Christ. Whether you ever really believed to begin with or have lost your salvation is irrelevant. That doesn't change the truth that people who do not have a life of works do not have the grace of God in salvation in their lives. It doesn't matter if they never had it or lost it. They're still not saved either way. That is the important matter.

I wish people would stop clouding up this topic with once save always saved stuff. It always gets used as an excuse for not having any works. I'm not saying you're doing that. But there are many who do that around here.
Hi Ralph...Of coarse works do follow, anyone who is truly born again will want to do the Fathers will :)...Those of us who feed on the Word of God feeds the Spirit of God, and the Word changes us, renews our mind and keeps us in step according to Gods will, so fruit will be shown , but then there are people who say themselves that they are saved but really they are calling themselves to get saved by a gooey emotion at an alter call and not understanding that it is God alone who calls us, God alone who produces His good works in us...As Jesus said we will know them by their fruit...

I think the parable of the soils explains it really well...xox...
 

Rosemaryx

Senior Member
May 3, 2017
3,757
4,120
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To my brothers & sisters in Christ Jesus...I love you all...We may not be where we want to be, but lets thank GOD we are not where we used to be...Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! :)...xox...

 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,475
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James 2:14-26, “14 My brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him. 15, "And if a brother or sister is naked and in need of daily food, 16, "but one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” but you do not give them the bodily needs, what use is it? 17, "So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead. 18, "But someone might say, “You have belief, and I have works.” Show me your belief without your works, and I shall show you my belief by my works. 19, "You believe that Yah is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder! 20, "But do you wish to know, O empty man, that the belief without the works is dead? 21, "Was not Aḇraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitsḥaq his son on the slaughter-place? 22, "Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected? 23, "And the Scripture was filled which says, “Aḇraham believed Yah, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And He called him, “he who loves Yah. 24, "You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone. 25, "In the same way, was not Raḥaḇ the whore also declared right by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so also the belief is dead without the works.”
In James 2:14, we read of one who says/claims he has faith but has no works (to validate his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an empty profession of faith/dead faith. *So 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. Simple!

In James 2:19, we see that the demons believe "mental assent" that "there is one God" but they do not believe/entrust their spiritual well being to Christ; have faith/reliance upon Christ for salvation. In other words, they do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31) and are not saved. Their trust and reliance is in Satan, as demonstrated by their rebellion in heaven and continuous evil works.

In James 2:20, "faith without works is dead" does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that works are the source of life in faith. That's like saying a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works is dead. If someone says-claims he has faith but lacks resulting evidential works, then he has an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.

In James 2:21, notice closely that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God's accounting Abraham as righteous. The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness was made in Genesis 15:6, many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to save him, but it proved or manifested the genuineness of his faith. This is the sense in which Abraham was justified by works. He was "shown to be righteous."

In James 2:22, faith made perfect or complete by works 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 saved based on merits of his works after he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.

In James 2:23, the scripture was fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Abraham was accounted as righteous based on his faith (Genesis 15:6) not his works (Romans 4:2-3) long before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22.

In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is "shown to be righteous." James is discussing the proof/evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18), not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3). Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.

In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:

1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (just like our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works will appear to be evidences for, or against a man's being in a state of righteousness.

God is said to have been justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads, "acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads, "they declared God just.." This is the sense in which God was justified, "shown to be righteous".

Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."

In James 2:25, Rahab believed in the Lord with authentic faith (Joshua 2:9-13), requested "kindness" (2:12), received the promise of kindness (2:14), and hung out the "scarlet line" (2:21), as the demonstration of her authentic faith. She showed that her faith in God was not a dead faith by her works, just as all genuine believers show theirs.

In James 2:26, the comparison of the human spirit and faith converges around their modes of operation. The spirit (Greek pneuma) may also be translated "breath." As a breathless body emits no indication of life, so fruitless faith exhibits no indication of life. The source of the life in faith is not works; rather, life in faith is the source of works (Ephesians 2:5-10).

In a nutshell, man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works (James 2:14-26). Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works. It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-26). *Perfect Harmony*
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
25,475
13,419
113
58
John 7:16-18 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.
There is a difference between doing God's will IN ORDER TO BECOME saved:

John 6:40 - For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.

AND doing God's will as believers AFTER we have been saved:

1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
11,634
372
0
In James 2:14, we read of one who says/claims he has faith but has no works (to validate his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an empty profession of faith/dead faith. *So 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. Simple!

In James 2:19, we see that the demons believe "mental assent" that "there is one God" but they do not believe/entrust their spiritual well being to Christ; have faith/reliance upon Christ for salvation. In other words, they do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31) and are not saved. Their trust and reliance is in Satan, as demonstrated by their rebellion in heaven and continuous evil works.

In James 2:20, "faith without works is dead" does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that works are the source of life in faith. That's like saying a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works is dead. If someone says-claims he has faith but lacks resulting evidential works, then he has an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.

In James 2:21, notice closely that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God's accounting Abraham as righteous. The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness was made in Genesis 15:6, many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to save him, but it proved or manifested the genuineness of his faith. This is the sense in which Abraham was justified by works. He was "shown to be righteous."

In James 2:22, faith made perfect or complete by works 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 saved based on merits of his works after he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.

In James 2:23, the scripture was fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Abraham was accounted as righteous based on his faith (Genesis 15:6) not his works (Romans 4:2-3) long before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22.

In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is "shown to be righteous." James is discussing the proof/evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18), not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3). Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.

In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:

1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (just like our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works will appear to be evidences for, or against a man's being in a state of righteousness.

God is said to have been justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads, "acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads, "they declared God just.." This is the sense in which God was justified, "shown to be righteous".

Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."

In James 2:25, Rahab believed in the Lord with authentic faith (Joshua 2:9-13), requested "kindness" (2:12), received the promise of kindness (2:14), and hung out the "scarlet line" (2:21), as the demonstration of her authentic faith. She showed that her faith in God was not a dead faith by her works, just as all genuine believers show theirs.

In James 2:26, the comparison of the human spirit and faith converges around their modes of operation. The spirit (Greek pneuma) may also be translated "breath." As a breathless body emits no indication of life, so fruitless faith exhibits no indication of life. The source of the life in faith is not works; rather, life in faith is the source of works (Ephesians 2:5-10).

In a nutshell, man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works (James 2:14-26). Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works. It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-26). *Perfect Harmony*
I ejoyed this post, it Scriptualy based, but to simplify:


James 2:17, "So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead."


James 2:22, "Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected?"


James 2:24, "You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone."


What I don;t get is why anyone says obedience is required so many pople freak out, seems like they have been taght a different gospel than what Yahshua/Jesus taught:

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]John/Yahanan 5:24, "Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

John/Yahanan 12:48, "He who rejects Me, and does not follow My words has One Who judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same will be used to judge him in the last day."
[/FONT]





John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Yah remains on him.”


 
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eternally-gratefull

Guest
In James 2:14, we read of one who says/claims he has faith but has no works (to validate his claim). That is not genuine faith, but a bare profession of faith. So when James asks, "Can that faith save him?" he is saying nothing against genuine faith, but only against an empty profession of faith/dead faith. *So 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. Simple!

In James 2:19, we see that the demons believe "mental assent" that "there is one God" but they do not believe/entrust their spiritual well being to Christ; have faith/reliance upon Christ for salvation. In other words, they do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31) and are not saved. Their trust and reliance is in Satan, as demonstrated by their rebellion in heaven and continuous evil works.

In James 2:20, "faith without works is dead" does not mean that faith is dead until it produces works and then it becomes a living faith or that works are the source of life in faith. That's like saying a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree and the fruit is the source of life in the tree. James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works is dead. If someone says-claims he has faith but lacks resulting evidential works, then he has an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.

In James 2:21, notice closely that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God's accounting Abraham as righteous. The accounting of Abraham's faith as righteousness was made in Genesis 15:6, many years before his work of offering up Isaac recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to save him, but it proved or manifested the genuineness of his faith. This is the sense in which Abraham was justified by works. He was "shown to be righteous."

In James 2:22, faith made perfect or complete by works 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 saved based on merits of his works after he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. When Abraham performed the good work in Genesis 22; he fulfilled the expectations created by the pronouncement of his faith in Genesis 15:6.

In James 2:23, the scripture was fulfilled in vindicating or demonstrating that Abraham believed God and was accounted as righteous. Abraham was accounted as righteous based on his faith (Genesis 15:6) not his works (Romans 4:2-3) long before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22.

In James 2:24, James is not using the word "justified" here to mean "accounted as righteous" but is "shown to be righteous." James is discussing the proof/evidence of faith (says-claims to have faith but has no works/I will show you my faith by my works - James 2:14-18), not the initial act of being accounted as righteous with God (Romans 4:2-3). Works bear out the justification that already came by faith.

In the Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the Greek word for justified "dikaioo" #1344 is:

1. to render righteous or such he ought to be
2. to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered
3. to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be

In Matthew 12:37, we read - "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." This is because our words (just like our works) reveal the condition of our hearts. Words/works will appear to be evidences for, or against a man's being in a state of righteousness.

God is said to have been justified by those who were baptized by John the Baptist (Luke 7:29). This act pronounced or declared God to be righteous. It did not make him righteous. The basis or ground for the pronouncement was the fact that God IS righteous. Notice that the NIV reads, "acknowledged that God's way was right.." The ESV reads, "they declared God just.." This is the sense in which God was justified, "shown to be righteous".

Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified/vindicated/shown to be right by her deeds."

In James 2:25, Rahab believed in the Lord with authentic faith (Joshua 2:9-13), requested "kindness" (2:12), received the promise of kindness (2:14), and hung out the "scarlet line" (2:21), as the demonstration of her authentic faith. She showed that her faith in God was not a dead faith by her works, just as all genuine believers show theirs.

In James 2:26, the comparison of the human spirit and faith converges around their modes of operation. The spirit (Greek pneuma) may also be translated "breath." As a breathless body emits no indication of life, so fruitless faith exhibits no indication of life. The source of the life in faith is not works; rather, life in faith is the source of works (Ephesians 2:5-10).

In a nutshell, man is saved through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9); yet genuine faith is vindicated, substantiated, evidenced by works (James 2:14-26). Christ saves us through faith based on the merits of His finished work of redemption "alone" and not based on the merits of our works. It is through faith "in Christ alone" (and not by the merits of our works) that we are justified on account of Christ (Romans 3:24; 5:1; 5:9); yet the faith that justifies is never alone (solitary, unfruitful, barren) if it is genuine (James 2:14-26). *Perfect Harmony*
this James 2 debate with the same people is starting to become crazy, if people can not understand that a “dead” faith is not a true faith at all. But a lifeless faith which does not do anything, which is why it cannot save anyone, then I do not know what can be done to help them.
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
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this James 2 debate with the same people is starting to become crazy, if people can not understand that a “dead” faith is not a true faith at all. But a lifeless faith which does not do anything, which is why it cannot save anyone, then I do not know what can be done to help them.
I agree but want to pose the thought; Why do so many people fight againt obeience being a requirement then? If obedience is not required then faith without works is valid and wil save... However if true faith has obedience and only that true faith with obedience saves would it not be misleading to say faith alone? and more accurate and correct to say obedience perfects faith, making it true?
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
I ejoyed this post, it Scriptualy based, but to simplify:


James 2:17, "So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead."


James 2:22, "Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected?"


James 2:24, "You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone."


What I don;t get is why anyone says obedience is required so many pople freak out, seems like they have been taght a different gospel than what Yahshua/Jesus taught:

John/Yahanan 5:24, "Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

John/Yahanan 12:48, "He who rejects Me, and does not follow My words has One Who judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same will be used to judge him in the last day."






John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Yah remains on him.”


Saying obedience is REQUIRED is much different than saying Obedience is the OUTCOME.

If you say a working Diesel engine will do the work of pulling a heavy load. And a user You do not say pulling a heavy load is required. It is the end result of a working engine being used.

The same thing goes with a child of God.. You do not say the heavy work is required, the heavy work is the end result of a person who has faith in God.

Saying work is required is making work a requirment, which makes salvation not of grace through faith, but of belief plus works.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
I agree but want to pose the thought; Why do so many people fight againt obeience being a requirement then? If obedience is not required then faith without works is valid and wil save... However if true faith has obedience and only that true faith with obedience saves would it not be misleading to say faith alone? and more accurate and correct to say obedience perfects faith, making it true?

Again, It makes obedience a requirment of one being saved, which makes salvation by works. Vs obedience being an end result of faith. Which means EVERYONE who has true faith will be obedient, as apposed to those who may have belief (even demons believe) but has no power to work.

think of a Diesel engine, If it has no fuel it will not do the work.

If a child of God has no faith, it will not do the work. Work is not required, it is the end result of a person who has TRUE faith.
 

mailmandan

Senior Member
Apr 7, 2014
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What I don;t get is why anyone says obedience is required so many pople freak out, seems like they have been taght a different gospel than what Yahshua/Jesus taught:
By teaching that obedience/works "which follow saving faith in Christ" are required to become saved, then we have a different gospel of faith "plus works." What multiple acts of obedience did Jesus mention in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26 and "add" to "believes in Him" and say we must accomplish in order to receive eternal life?

John/Yahanan 5:24, "Most certainly I tell you, he who
hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."
Those who choose to believe in Jesus as the all sufficient means of their salvation are those who "hears my word, and believes him who sent me."

John/Yahanan 12:48, "He who rejects Me, and does not follow My words has One Who judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same will be used to judge him in the last day."
Which is only descriptive of believers, not unbelievers.

John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son possesses everlasting life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of Yah remains on him.”
In John 3:36, "He that BELIEVES on the Son has everlasting life." *Notice that this BELIEF is not in yourself or in good works. *Notice also that this BELIEF is not in Jesus Christ "plus something else," otherwise the BELIEF (trust, reliance) would not be "ON THE SON".

In regards to "does not obey the Son" in the New American Standard translation of the Bible, obeying the Son here does not mean salvation by works, but obey by choosing to believe on the Son. If John wanted to make obedience the central theme in salvation here, he would have said: "He who believes and obeys the Son has eternal life," but that is not what John said.

To obey the Son here is to believe on the Son. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36, NASB). The King James Version renders this same verse as: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that "believeth not the Son" shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. The NKJV says "does not believe the Son" and the NIV says "rejects the Son."

The Greek word translated as "believeth not" in that verse is apeitheo and it means: not believe, disobedient, obey not, unbelieving. Strong’s definition of apeitheo is "to disbelieve willfully and perversely." In the context of 3:36, to not obey the Son means to reject His message by refusing to believe on the Son. Seeking salvation by works is not obeying Him.




 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
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By teaching that obedience/works "which follow saving faith in Christ" are required to become saved, then we have a different gospel of faith "plus works." What multiple acts of obedience did Jesus mention in John 3:15,16,18; 5:24; 6:29,40,47; 11:25,26 and "add" to "believes in Him" and say we must accomplish in order to receive eternal life?

Those who choose to believe in Jesus as the all sufficient means of their salvation are those who "hears my word, and believes him who sent me."

Which is only descriptive of believers, not unbelievers.

In John 3:36, "He that BELIEVES on the Son has everlasting life." *Notice that this BELIEF is not in yourself or in good works. *Notice also that this BELIEF is not in Jesus Christ "plus something else," otherwise the BELIEF (trust, reliance) would not be "ON THE SON".

In regards to "does not obey the Son" in the New American Standard translation of the Bible, obeying the Son here does not mean salvation by works, but obey by choosing to believe on the Son. If John wanted to make obedience the central theme in salvation here, he would have said: "He who believes and obeys the Son has eternal life," but that is not what John said. To obey the Son here is to believe on the Son. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36, NASB). The King James Version renders this same verse as: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that "believeth not the Son" shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. The NKJV says "does not believe the Son" and the NIV says "rejects the Son."

The Greek word translated as "believeth not" in that verse is apeitheo and it means: not believe, disobedient, obey not, unbelieving. Strong’s definition of apeitheo is "to disbelieve willfully and perversely." In the context of 3:36, to not obey the Son means to reject His message by refusing to believe on the Son. Seeking salvation by works is not obeying Him.




SO does not obey actually means does not beleive?

Odd.

How about this one?

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]John/Yahanan 12:48, "He who rejects Me, and does not follow My words has One Who judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same will be used to judge him in the last day."


Also do those who "do not love Him" in this verse have eternal life?

[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]John 14:23-24, "[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]יהושע [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]answered him, “If anyone loves Me, he shall guard My Word. And My Father shall love him, and We shall come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not guard My Words. And the Word which you hear is not Mine but of the Father Who sent Me.”[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
[/FONT]
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
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Honestly what I see is a constant reasoning that excuses the "believer" from obedience and accusing any who say obebience is required of "false teaching".

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Yah has to believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Hebrews 5:9, “And having been perfected, He became the Causer of everlasting salvation to all those obeying Him.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Romans 6:16, "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, you are servants of the one whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?"[/FONT]


Mat 7:21-27, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’” Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does them, shall be like a wise man who built his house on the rock, and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not do them, shall be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat on that house, and it fell, and great was its fall.”


John 12:25-26, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall preserve it for everlasting life." Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”