Faith without works is dead - Bonhoeffer

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May 31, 2020
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#81
The scriptures say nothing about picking up Jesus' cross.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Matt 10:38
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
Picking up your cross means having faith in Christ and being Christlike.
 

UnoiAmarah

Junior Member
Jul 28, 2017
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#82
Picking up your cross means having faith in Christ and being Christlike.
You said 'picking up Jesus' cross".
And faith comes by hearing not picking up one's cross.
 
May 31, 2020
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#83
You said 'picking up Jesus' cross" and faith comes by hearing not picking up one's cross.
You can’t pick up Jesus’ cross if you’ve never heard of Him.
 

UnoiAmarah

Junior Member
Jul 28, 2017
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#84
You can’t pick up Jesus’ cross if you’ve never heard of Him.
And you can't pick up your cross unless the LORD has given you one to bear. Hearing of him gives one hope, hearing him that sent him gives one faith.
 
May 31, 2020
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#85
And you can't pick up your cross unless the LORD has given you one to bear. Hearing of him gives one hope, hearing him that sent him gives one faith.
Who said otherwise?
 

MyrtleTrees

Junior Member
Sep 5, 2014
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#86
The scriptures say nothing about picking up Jesus' cross.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Matt 10:38
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
Yes it is figurative. It means to take up our "cross" - just like Jesus took up His. To take up our cross is to make the decision to surrender ourselves wholly to God's will in our lives, instead of to our own will. And being willing to suffer for it if need be.
 

MyrtleTrees

Junior Member
Sep 5, 2014
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#87
The scriptures say nothing about picking up Jesus' cross.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Matt 10:38
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27
Taking up Jesus' cross is figurative. We all have a "cross" to pick up and carry in making the decision to accept Jesus' gift of salvation or not, as it involves a cost of personal commitment. Salvation isn't give to those not willing to commit themselves.
 
May 31, 2020
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#88
Yes it is figurative. It means to take up our "cross" - just like Jesus took up His. To take up our cross is to make the decision to surrender ourselves wholly to God's will in our lives, instead of to our own will. And being willing to suffer for it if need be.
Thank you. That’s what I’ve been saying all along, albeit not as eloquently.
 
E

EleventhHour

Guest
#89
Taking up Jesus' cross is figurative. We all have a "cross" to pick up and carry in making the decision to accept Jesus' gift of salvation or not, as it involves a cost of personal commitment. Salvation isn't give to those not willing to commit themselves.
Where does scripture state we surrender our wills?
Jesus was actually making a statement about our inability.... which leads us to His work not our work.
 
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EleventhHour

Guest
#90
Why would you say believers ? He has compared this group with demons and referred to them as fools . James is addressing error .
Also why would James need write this
James 2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe-and shudder!
20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

if it were to believers ? Believers wouldn’t have spurious faith then no need to write anything.
Blessings
Bill
James 2:18-19 - James introducing an objection to his thesis.

So to quote James 2:18 as truth is a problem. It is quoting an objector as truth.

Suffice it to say that James is not a letter concerning ``mental assent`` nor is it about works proving sanctification.
He is writing about the profitable life and works energizing faith.
 

MyrtleTrees

Junior Member
Sep 5, 2014
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#91
Where does scripture state we surrender our wills?
Jesus was actually making a statement about our inability.... which leads us to His work not our work.
No - I think he was clearly talking about the need of the assent of one's will in order to get saved:

Mark 8:34-37

34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
KJV

To lose one's soul - means to end up in hell.

Matt 10:28

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
KJV
The rich young ruler wasn't willing to make a willful choice to accept salvation, if it meant giving away all of his wealth to the poor. That shows he loved his riches more than his wish to go to heaven.


Matt 19:21-24

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
KJV
 

Laish

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2016
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#93
James 2:18-19 - James introducing an objection to his thesis.

So to quote James 2:18 as truth is a problem. It is quoting an objector as truth.

Suffice it to say that James is not a letter concerning ``mental assent`` nor is it about works proving sanctification.
He is writing about the profitable life and works energizing faith.
So you see James as Christian wisdom literature? Which does fit how the early church as wall as the reformers see it .
Blessings
Bill
 

SoulWeaver

Senior Member
Oct 25, 2014
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#94
So you believe murder and not repent, not make you lose your salvation?
Your continual twisting of what others said is really getting tiresome, Jackson. Do you even care to have a genuine conversation, or you just want to find someone to preach at and blame them for something they didn't say? I've seen you say this same thing to many members, who don't believe or claim - at all! - what you're saying here. Why do you do this?
 
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EleventhHour

Guest
#95
So you see James as Christian wisdom literature? Which does fit how the early church as wall as the reformers see it .
Blessings
Bill
Not sure what you mean by Christian wisdom literature....audience relevance is important and the letters are by the author's perspective written to believing Jews.
 

Yahshua

Senior Member
Sep 22, 2013
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#96
Faith (in Messiah) without (good) works is dead, and if faith is dead that faith can't save him.

(Good) Works without faith (in Messiah) is meaningless because without faith it's impossible to please the Almighty.

Only with faith (in Messiah) and (good) works together will one inherit the kingdom.

Without both, straying to the right or to the left, one is missing the mark.

The Messiah works inside and in heaven...

The believer works outside for Yah and for the good of others...

Until glory.
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
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#97
Your continual twisting of what others said is really getting tiresome, Jackson. Do you even care to have a genuine conversation, or you just want to find someone to preach at and blame them for something they didn't say? I've seen you say this same thing to many members, who don't believe or claim - at all! - what you're saying here. Why do you do this?
I put question mark. So it is my question to make sure is that what he try to say, if it is not what people try to say than just say no. Why I ask that question, because a lot of Christian believe as son as you say accepting pray, no matter what what you do you are save. Because salvation not by work.
 

MyrtleTrees

Junior Member
Sep 5, 2014
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#98
So you see James as Christian wisdom literature? Which does fit how the early church as wall as the reformers see it .
Blessings
Bill
I don't see that chapter in James as being only directed to stable Christians. To me, it was admonishing believers to remember the importance of sincerely obeying the gospel to the best of one's ability. And to not allow oneself to willingly give into sin, ever, as many professing Christians - unfortunately - do. It is a protective admonition, that helped to show it isn't safe to feel comfortable with sin.

And see this verse in the chapter, that specifically says that simple belief in the gospel - though essential - is not enough by itself - to save anyone. Failure to choose to live according to the knowledge of the gospel is hypocrisy, and isn't acceptable to God. Have you noticed the times Jesus showed His rejection of the Pharisees, because of their hypocrisy? I have. There are many professing Christians who really aren't true Christians. They need to be warned so that they're more likely to come to repentance than if Christians just regard them as "okay."

Here's this verse I was going to show you:

James 2:14

14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
KJV
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#99
Believing in God's Word, doesn't mean just the element of believing. It involves also - obedience to God's Word. Below, you can see how these Bible scholars in Jesus' time - in spite of their high level of Bible knowledge - had never "believed Moses". Jesus said that if they'd believed Moses, they'd have believed in His teachings too.

I listened to Detriech Bonhoeffer, last night after bedtime - in bed. He also emphasized how the reception of salvation must be accompanied with the willingness to obey God. And he said that many teach incorrectly on this - which leads many to a false assurance of having been saved. This is a serious problem, as many such people will find themselves among the rejected "goats" on Judgment Day - see Matthew 25.

John 5:44-47

44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
KJV
It is also important to rightly divide and understand the word, there are two covanents and in both mathew and John who were the people he was talking to and which covanent were they in? The new covanent didn't happen until the death of Jesus he was still alive and had not yet been on the cross when this was spoken and he spoke it to the Jews as they were at that time still under the old covenant

The thing with faith without works is that this was said by james but again who was he speaking to? James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, he was speaking to the jews and this was also before Jesus gave Paul the revelation of himself and how the church was to be Paul openly spoke against relying on works he always pointed to faith and the blood and testimony of Jesus Christ

We do works but not for salvation not because we have to not because that is what we are commanded to do but because it is he that lives in us our hearts just naturally do it, but the church is not the same as the jews they work for their salvation and know nothing about God the child like faith we have in him is all we need works has nothing to do with the equation