Bingo. Faith without works is dead. Unprofitable. Useless. And will be burned up. BUT the believer will still be saved as if through fire.
AND, if James was really talking about unbelievers and the "really not saved." Why wouldn't he instantly pull out John 3:16 and Acts 16:31 for them?! Why try to explain works to an unbeliever? They cannot possibly do them if they are not saved first and filled with the Spirit.
Faith without Christ and His Grace is no salvation.
Faith without works is dead. Unprofitable and rewardless. And believers will be saved as if through fire in The Lords evaluation of them(Bema seat.)
AND, if James was really talking about unbelievers and the "really not saved." Why wouldn't he instantly pull out John 3:16 and Acts 16:31 for them?! Why try to explain works to an unbeliever? They cannot possibly do them if they are not saved first and filled with the Spirit.
Faith without Christ and His Grace is no salvation.
Faith without works is dead. Unprofitable and rewardless. And believers will be saved as if through fire in The Lords evaluation of them(Bema seat.)
Let's take a look at that commonly misused chapter. We will start in verse nine.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry,ye are God's building.
We are God's. His building. His vineyard. This verse speaksof each and every believer individually and God's ownership of them and Hislaboring with the labors (Apostles, prophets; evangelists, pastors andteachers) to ensure the vineyard (new converts, the laity, those who are butbabes) continues to be fruitful. As His building God uses His labors; theApostles, prophets; evangelists, pastors and teachers to ensure the newconverts, the laity, those who are but babes are built correctly and remainstable.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, asa wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
We are GOD’s building. Our foundation is laid, Jesus Christ.This is confirmed in verse 11 "For other foundation can no man lay thanthat is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
What makes up the rest of the believer, the new convert, thelaity, those who are but babes is based upon the doctrine that a labourer or a"masterbuilder" like Paul or another used on them and or theiracceptance of the building material (the doctrine) used in constructing them.So if we have a ministry, (are a laborer; a master builder by the Grace of Godlike Paul) whose duty is the perfecting of the saints, for the work of theministry, we need take heed how we buildeth thereupon those to whom we areministering to.
In other words we need to be sure what we are teaching orshowing is the truth and of God. If we take part in the building of a house,and use shady material, it will not hold up. Will it? Same applies to the workof the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. False doctrine or abad witness will only destroy those who fed on it or allow themselves to bebuilt with it.
Let's classify the doctrinal building material to whichGOD’s building (HIS People) are constructed of.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation; gold, silver,precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
The Foundation is Jesus Christ. That does not change. We asconverts are the building. Which means we are the material that was used toconstruct us. What type of building material we are will depend on ouracceptance of the New Covenant, the writing, or the putting of His will, HisCommandments, His Love on our hearts and minds. The building material that aprofessing Christian is depends on their acceptance of the Gospel. They will beas either gold, silver, and precious stones or wood, hay, and stubble
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the dayshall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall tryevery man's work of what sort it is.
Upon the Judgment Day every man’s; the laborers, or masterbuilders like Paul’s work, the buildings which are the converts, those undertheir ministry shall be manifested.
A professing Christian is what they believe and do. If theyare Gold, silver or precious stones they will be refined or cleansed by thefire. If they are wood, hay, or stubble they will be burned up, because that iswhat happens to it when fire is introduced to it. There will be weeping andgnashing of teeth.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, heshall receive are ward. 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall sufferloss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Some might take the latter part of verse fifth-teen to saythat even though the minister was a heretic in spreading false doctrine andbecause of their ministry people were lead astray and were burned up on theJudgement Day that they themselves are saved. That is not what the verse issaying at all. Otherwise the admonition in verse ten to take heed would be fornaught. Usually what ends up happening when building is various tradesmen cometo do the various aspects of building, Brick layers, Carpenters, Roofers...etc.etc. So is it with the making of a Christian. "And he gave some apostles;and some prophets; and some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. So just asit takes many tradesman, not all tradesmen are very apt at his trade and mayuse faulty material or poor craftsmanship. So is it with ministers with falsedoctrine or the leading by poor example as to how a Christian is to be and act.Through God if we are and have used the Gold, the Silver, and or the PreciousStones, at some point in the edification of any convert or ourselves; we didour part with God. But it is up to the building, the convert to maintain thebuilding. It is up to them whether or not they keep the Gold, the Silver, andor the Precious Stones within themselves. If they have not, and they have letanother builder remodel or they themselves remodeled and they use wood, hay andstubble. They will not hold up on the Last Day and they will be destroyed byGod's cleansing fire. But because we had the privilege to know them andlovingly share the precious gems that our Lord has placed in our capable handsfor the edifying, the building of those would be of the household of God, thebody of Christ. We will suffer loss because we love them for God is Love and asHe is so are we. We love them so much because they are a part of us, but theyare destroyed. So we will be sad as we will and are for all those who refusethe Gospel. But we will be saved. Because we did our part through God andshared His precious treasures found in His Word.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that theSpirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, himshall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
We need to take heed as verse ten admonishes. Because if weourselves use inadequate material or lead by a poor example and cause a childof God to be defiled by it, or we ourselves are defiled by the use of theinadequate material; the spreading of heresy; sin. We will be destroyed. Thisis what verse sixteen and seventeen unfold.