Faith is a work.

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Smooth

Well-known member
Jul 22, 2019
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Precisely, but believe is a verb nevertheless, as what Jackson pointed out. If you don't want to call that work, I can agree, but its still an action one must do.

Not everyone is saved just because Jesus died for our sins, we have to receive the gift by believing, performing this simple action,
So you’re saving yourself through the “works” of believing?
 
Jan 12, 2019
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So you’re saving yourself through the “works” of believing?
I don’t believe in universalism. One must make a choice to respond to the free gift, that Jesus offered to us.

You believe otherwise?
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
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Faith may not work, but faith alone is dead


James 2:14-26 King James Version (KJV)

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


17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

James ask question

Can faith withou work save him?

Seem to me he expect people answer no.

It is complicated do we save by faith or faith + work.

I believe we save by faith alone but I agree with Martin Luther

For salvation need faith alone, but faith that save never alone.

And Martin show his faith with work, he protest catholic church
 

preston39

Senior Member
Dec 18, 2017
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Sounds like you have been thru the Herbert W. Armstrong wringer, the JW wringer and a few others. If your Church is espousing those doctrines get out. Immediately. Find an orthodox Church that holds to something like the Westminster confession or similar.
Surprise....I am a member of no denomination.
Most all churches have become money makers since the 1960's.
Now you....study scripture.
 
Jan 12, 2019
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Faith may not work, but faith alone is dead


James 2:14-26 King James Version (KJV)

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


17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

James ask question

Can faith withou work save him?

Seem to me he expect people answer no.

It is complicated do we save by faith or faith + work.

I believe we save by faith alone but I agree with Martin Luther

For salvation need faith alone, but faith that save never alone.

And Martin show his faith with work, he protest catholic church
instead of trying to force James to fit into Paul, its easier to think of them writing doctrine for 2 different time periods. James was writing to the Jews who will be left on Earth after the church is raptured.

During the Tribulation, they need to keep faith in Jesus, plus they need to reject the mark of the Beast. Thus, it will indeed be true that faith without works is dead. Hebrews and 1 John can be understood likewise. For example, if they sin wilfully by accepting the mark, even after they were warned, then no sacrifice can save them.

But now, we are in the Church age, where we are saved from faith alone, apart from works.
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
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instead of trying to force James to fit into Paul, its easier to think of them writing doctrine for 2 different time periods. James was writing to the Jews who will be left on Earth after the church is raptured.

During the Tribulation, they need to keep faith in Jesus, plus they need to reject the mark of the Beast. Thus, it will indeed be true that faith without works is dead. Hebrews and 1 John can be understood likewise. For example, if they sin wilfully by accepting the mark, even after they were warned, then no sacrifice can save them.

But now, we are in the Church age, where we are saved from faith alone, apart from works.
Seem to me James write to the church in his time, James never say now it is ok faith without work, but in the tribulation you have to show your work.

I believe James writing is also effective now.

Can you imagine a Christian claim to have faith in Jesus and become preacher but every week rob the bank?

I believe, if we have faith in Jesus, Jesus in our heart, it will show from the fruit or work we do
 
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Seem to me James write to the church in his time, James never say now it is ok faith without work, but in the tribulation you have to show your work.

I believe James writing is also effective now.

Can you imagine a Christian claim to have faith in Jesus and become preacher but every week rob the bank?

I believe, if we have faith in Jesus, Jesus in our heart, it will show from the fruit or work we do
First, who did James addressed his letter to in James Chapter 1? Was it to the church, or to the Jews?

Second, do you realized that James was the first NT letter ever written, even before Paul wrote any of his letters for the church?

Yet, why do you think the Holy Spirit saw fit to place James after Romans-Philemon? Do you think it was an arbitrary decision?
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
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First, who did James addressed his letter to in James Chapter 1? Was it to the church, or to the Jews?

Second, do you realized that James was the first NT letter ever written, even before Paul wrote any of his letters for the church?

Yet, why do you think the Holy Spirit saw fit to place James after Romans-Philemon? Do you think it was an arbitrary decision?
So you believe it is ok to have faith in Jesus and no fruit of loving work before tribulations.

I believe James was write to Christian
 

Smooth

Well-known member
Jul 22, 2019
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I don’t believe in universalism. One must make a choice to respond to the free gift, that Jesus offered to us.

You believe otherwise?
Heck no I don’t believe otherwise. My salvation is a free gift from God, unearned, undeserved yet irrevocable.
 
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Heck no I don’t believe otherwise. My salvation is a free gift from God, unearned, undeserved yet irrevocable.
So you do agree one need to respond to the message to be saved correct?

You may call that a work, or you may prefer to call it something else, it doesn't matter.
 
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So you believe it is ok to have faith in Jesus and no fruit of loving work before tribulations.

I believe James was write to Christian
Instead of presenting a false dilemma like that, why not simply ask, "What did Paul the Apostle instruct us regarding salvation from Romans to Philemon?"

If you want to believe James is also church doctrine for us now, well you are free to do so.
 

Smooth

Well-known member
Jul 22, 2019
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So you do agree one need to respond to the message to be saved correct?

You may call that a work, or you may prefer to call it something else, it doesn't matter.
Seems as though you’re talking about semantics. Faith is faith; works are works. It’s all at the foot of the Cross.
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
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Surprise....I am a member of no denomination.
Most all churches have become money makers since the 1960's.
Now you....study scripture.
I say to you: your eternal destiny depends upon whether you UNDERSTAND the Scriptures.
As of now you have no idea.
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
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Instead of presenting a false dilemma like that, why not simply ask, "What did Paul the Apostle instruct us regarding salvation from Romans to Philemon?"

If you want to believe James is also church doctrine for us now, well you are free to do so.
James teaching is inline with Jesus teaching

If you abide in Me you will bear fruit.

So you do not believe if you abide in Him or believe in Him will produce fruit ?

Fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, loving work
 
Jan 12, 2019
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James teaching is inline with Jesus teaching

If you abide in Me you will bear fruit.

So you do not believe if you abide in Him or believe in Him will produce fruit ?

Fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, loving work
The ascended Christ gave Paul a new message to share with the Gentiles, Galatians 1:11-12
 
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Is that new message say branch no need bear fruit of love?
No, but it specifically stated that one is to be saved, apart from the law, by ceasing from his works. It does not mean you should not do works
 
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Seems as though you’re talking about semantics. Faith is faith; works are works. It’s all at the foot of the Cross.
As long as you accept that to display Faith in our age now is to simply believe in Jesus's finished work, we are on the same page.

It was better than during the OT correct? As what we have discussed in the other thread, Abel had to bring the animal sacrifice to show faith. :)
 

cv5

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2018
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The ascended Christ gave Paul a new message to share with the Gentiles, Galatians 1:11-12
New message? No. Same message as JTB, Peter, Stephen, and every other disciple and apostle.
 
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New message? No. Same message as JTB, Peter, Stephen, and every other disciple and apostle.
I don't want to have to go through this again so just believe whatever you want. :)