I certainly have read James' rely in James 2:23, which you misinterpreted. Abraham believed God in Genesis 15:6 and was accounted as righteous many years before he offered up Isaac on the altar in Genesis 22. Romans 4:2 For if Abraham was justified (accounted as righteous) by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it (faith, not works) was accounted to him for righteousness.
Again, you are confusing works of the law with works of faith, and justification with righteousness.
And isn't it also written that God speaks of things
WHICH BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY ARE or were?
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 (which is like saying that a tree is dead until it produces fruit and then it becomes a living tree). James is simply saying faith that is not accompanied by evidential works demonstrates that it's dead. If someone merely says-claims they have faith, but lack resulting evidential works, then they have an empty profession of faith/dead faith and not authentic faith.
No, but it does mean the car is not going to start until
you turn the ignition key, step on the gas peddle, and steer the vehicle.
Without a corresponding work,
NOT WORKS, your faith is impotent, unable to do move or work for you.
I say again, God will not do anything for you until you act on His word in faith,
FIRST.
And I will go even further by saying,
it is your faith that does the work, after you do a corresponding work.
And works, as you understand it, are dead/impotent/useless/ of no effect, without the God kind of faith, which means, absolutely NO DOUBTING that what you have asked for is granted and shall come to pass. NOT EVEN FOR A MOMENT.
Whatever is done outside of faith, generally speaking, is sin.
So if someone tells you the food you are about to eat might make you sick, and another says you'll be fine, and you eat said food not knowing, but wondering if you will get sick or not, after you prayed and thanked God for it, then you just ate said food in sin.
In James 2:21, notice closely that James does not say that Abraham's work of offering up Isaac resulted in God 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 on the altar recorded in Genesis 22. The work of Abraham did not have some kind of intrinsic merit to account him as righteous, but it showed or manifested the genuineness of his faith. This is the "sense" in which Abraham was "justified by works." He was shown to be righteous.
That is correct as far as God not saying Abraham was not accounted righteous, because He used the word, "JUSTIFIED" instead.
Again, though the two words are similar, they are not the same.
Righteous has to do more with living morally and doing the right things, whereas being justified has more to do with being forgiven/acquitted of an offense/sin and MADE right through and via this wiping away or clearing of the offense.
We who have received Christ in faith, have been forgiven of our sins, by the grace of God, and
made righteous by the removal or cleansing of said sins by the blood of Christ.
That rap sheet of ours was wiped clean, so to speak, as if it we never did anything wrong...
until we sinned again.
But that is what happened to Abraham when he offered up Isaac.
He was justified and made as if he never sinned.
Job was a righteous man, but was never justified.
If a man does good/kind/moral works, as far as your understanding goes, they are seen by God as righteous.
BUT, if a person believes God's promises and acts on that in faith, then they will be made just before God.
No repentance of sin is necessary.
They are justified solely on their single, one time act or work of done in faith.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that
by a work [or act of faith] a man is justified,
and not by faith only [or without a corresponding work].
Rather than waste my time going through your whole post, I would like to point out that you are still taking James chapter 2 out of context.
James' account of faith plus a work, - [person is hungry and naked = faith] + [give food and clothing = ONE work]... End of faith and single act or work of faith.
Again, James' account of Abraham's justification, - [Abraham belied God would resurrect Isaac = faith] + [offered up Isaac
ONE TIME]... End of
faith and only
ONE SINGLE corresponding work to Abraham's specific faith.
Again, James' account of Rahab, - [Rahab believed and received spies = faith] + [sent spies out another way, ONCE, to save herself and family]... End of faith and single corresponding act or work of Rahab's faith.
Your interpretation of James chapter 2, - [a broad or general trust in Christ to move through the believer = calling it faith] + [going to church once or twice a week, reading the bible, fellowshipping with other believers, studying the bible, praying, worshipping God... etc. =
many many acts or works of the law and some works of faith OVER A LIFETIME]... NO end of faith and the NEVER ENDING acts or works (plural) of the so-called faith.
Even on the surface, I don't see how you can say your interpretation of James is within the context of what is written.
And if all these so-called works done in faith, prove you have the "TRUE FAITH", then how come you haven't found even one tare among the wheat IN THE CHURCH AND AMONG THE BELIEVERS?
What does that have to do with anything, you ask?
If your kind of works prove you have the real or true faith, then how is it that the wolves in sheep's clothing, goats, and tares among you in the church are doing the same thing?
My point is, the kind of works you are referring to, can and are done by the children of the devil with you, because they ARE AMONG YOU IN THE CHURCH AND INNER CIRCLES.
Some are your pastors and teachers.
I use to know a wicked man who was a deacon of a small church. There was nothing godly about him. He was a deacon because of his rank and because he gave them some money.
I know another man who, as I have said before in other posts, would put most Christians to shame by what he does concerning giving and helping others and the poor.
Point being, NONE of those
specific works you
failed to mention prove you have the true faith, because the wicked, ungodly, and sinners are doing the same.
