Ephesians 2 is not preaching faith alone.

[FlyingDove]

Eph 2:8 is used by many Christians to preach a gospel of salvation and justification by faith alone without works; Which some say is justification by faith apart from any works that we may be doing at the time, whether good or evil. So what does the Scripture say?

Other than James 2 declaring that faith alone without works is dead, and can save no man; Eph 2 isn't talking about faith alone without works. Rather Eph2 is making the difference between the faith of God with works of grace, vs the faith of man with works to brag about.

Eph{2:8}
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

That not of ourselves, is that faith that is of God, and not of ourselves. And so we see the division made between the two. The same faith is not being spoken of throughout this verse of Scripture.

Only that faith by grace is the gift of God, but that faith of man is by his own will alone.

Psa 146:3
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

By grace, the gift of God is that faith in Jesus Christ, by which we can do the works of God that please Him, and not ourselves alone. We no more do our own works by our own faith, which we can temporarily boast of:

Rom 10:3
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

1Co 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

But now by grace through Jesus' gift of faith, we cease doing our own works of faith, and instead can by God's faith, do His good will forever:

Heb 4:9
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Gal 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1Co 15:10
t by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1Jo 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Rom 3:23 (A) For all have sinned

Rom 6:23 (A) For the wages of sin is death

All are sinners & deserve heavens wage/deatht

Grace = undeserved/unearned favor

Jn 3:16 God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.

Rom 12:3 (C) God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

GRACE is the Eph 2:8 Gift

We access God grace thru faith Rom 5:1-2

All the faith in the world is worthless without God's grace. There is no salvation (belief in His Son) to access without God's grace

If faith were the gift then everyone would be saved, which contradicts the entire NT.

By GRACE are you saved thru faith

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
(NOTE: Grace has a Name, it's Jesus the Christ)

 

[posthuman]

Certainly not from Scripture. But your liturgy is down pat, and I've seen it many times before.


Such as here. How can anyone be conformed to the image of Christ, if 'Faith + Works' is anathema to Christ?

Must be an inner conformity of the mind, more 'powerful' than the reality of the life.

The essence of OSAS, without all the fluff, is being justified by faith alone apart from works. That faith itself alone just keeps on saving the souls of them doing evil.

The 'penultimate plan' being born without lust and sin after the grave. For now born again with lust and sin.

because the faith must be defended, many will rise up to affirm that salvation is neither accomplished nor maintained by works, but only faith.

because this faith must so often be defended, we hardly ever get a chance to actually encourage each other to do good works.

Salvation is free. a number of people are afraid it will be stolen if they admit that. but the real truth is that we actually do feel like donating because we freely received.

 

[Mem]

If works were a vehicle and faith were gas, then gas without a vehicle is only dormant energy, but a vehicle without gas is a yard decoration.

We've all been given vehicles by which we can get somewhere once their tank is filled.

If you're trying to convince others that they must do good works in order to have faith, then I hypothesis it is because you have a fear that they will not have any good works to show for their faith and, as scripture says, fear is not of faith.

Those that have (faithful rather than fearful) faith, aren't worried about pushing works as much as igniting faith, confident that there is sufficient fuel for a trip it to the moon.

 

[ATG]

'Can faith save him?'

In James who is the 'him'?

It is the person who is being helped, not the person helping.

Not that's unique.

Eternal salvation is temporal food and shelter. Got it.

Of the course, the answer is no on both accounts:

Jas 2:17
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

I really thought I'd heard it all from the 'Faith Alone' justifiers. That's a good one for the record book, thanks.

 

[ATG]

Better [ grammatically ] said is:

Salvation Is By "Grace Through faith In Christ, By The Scriptures, For The Glory Of God" Alone!,
eh?

Amen!

Amen again.

And faith in Jesus Christ alone, not in ourselves.

But faith in itself alone is worthless without the works of that faith.

Everyone knows that believing and religion is nothing, if not seen in our deeds.

Jas 2:18
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.

It's why Missouri is the 'Show me' state.

We are known by what we do, not what we believe alone:

Luk 6:44
For every tree is known by his own fruit.

1 Peter {1:15}
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; {1:16} Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. {1:17} And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:

This warning of being judged by works is first to the believer naming Christ. God does not judge us with respect to what we believe, but what we do, just all like all men.

Our faith alone is not judged, but our works judge us as good or evil.

 

[Soyeong]

Eph 2:8 is used by many Christians to preach a gospel of salvation and justification by faith alone without works; Which some say is justification by faith apart from any works that we may be doing at the time, whether good or evil. So what does the Scripture say?

Other than James 2 declaring that faith alone without works is dead, and can save no man; Eph 2 isn't talking about faith alone without works. Rather Eph2 is making the difference between the faith of God with works of grace, vs the faith of man with works to brag about.

Eph{2:8}
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

That not of ourselves, is that faith that is of God, and not of ourselves. And so we see the division made between the two. The same faith is not being spoken of throughout this verse of Scripture.

Only that faith by grace is the gift of God, but that faith of man is by his own will alone.

Psa 146:3
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

By grace, the gift of God is that faith in Jesus Christ, by which we can do the works of God that please Him, and not ourselves alone. We no more do our own works by our own faith, which we can temporarily boast of:

Rom 10:3
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

1Co 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

But now by grace through Jesus' gift of faith, we cease doing our own works of faith, and instead can by God's faith, do His good will forever:

Heb 4:9
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Gal 2:20
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

1Co 15:10
t by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1Jo 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Luther said that an idle faith is not a justifying faith, so the issue is correctly understanding the sense that he speaking about being saved by faith alone. For example, a couple can be alone apart from the company of others while not being alone apart from the company of each other, so someone can be alone and not alone at the same time in different senses. In Romans 3:27, Paul said that we are declared righteous by faith apart from works, so there is a sense that we are declared righteous by faith alone insofar as there are no works that we are required to have done first in order to earn our righteousness as the result, but Paul also said in Romans 3:31 that our faith upholds the Law of God, so there is also a sense that we are not declared righteous by faith alone insofar as what it means for someone to have the character trait of righteousness is for them to be a doer of righteous works in obedience to the Law of God (Romans 2:13, 1 John 3:4-7).

While it is true that Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God (Genesis 15:6), it is also true that he was a doer of righteous works because he believed God (Genesis 18:19) and that he obeyed God’s command to offer Isaac because he believed God (Hebrews 11:17), so the faith by which he was declared righteous was also embodied through being a doer of righteous works, but he did not earn his righteousness as the result of his works (Romans 4:1-5). In James 2:21-24, it quotes Genesis 15:6 to support saying that Abraham was declared righteous by his works when he offered Isaac, that his faith was active along with his works, and faith completed his works, so he was declared righteous by his works and not by faith alone insofar as they embodied his faith, but he was declared righteous by faith alone insofar as he did not earn his righteousness as the result of his works.

In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith alone.

 

[ATG]

Nothing is said in either passage of "faith that men boast of".

The passage doesn't speak of that which men boast of?

Eph{2:8}

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It's that faith of ourselves and works, that men boast of. Not that faith of works of God, that no man can boast of.

But nowhere in the Scripture of Eph 2, does it speak of any faith 'alone' nor faith 'without works'. Which being dead, cannot be the gift of God that saves the soul.

That dead faith alone can only be the gift of a dead god, but not of the living and true God:

Isa 45:20
They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

You're mixing things up again. The issue here is not about living in sin while having faith... at all.

Correct. Committing sin while having faith is rebuked in James 2, where believers sin by showing respect to others based upon worldly goods.

Eph 2 rebukes the faith man has of himself, with works he can boast of. That includes any works of pride, where the deeds are not the sin, but the pride without grace and faith toward God.

Success in work by faith in ourselves gains reputation with men, but not with God.

John 5:44
How can ye believe in me, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

1Co 9:24
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

He is stating that it does not come from or originate in us. It's two different things.

Exactly. Well said. Eph 2 speaks of two different faiths, that are not the same.

The one faith that saves is given by God to do His will, and not our own. It's not that faith of oneself with works that men boast of.

Only the faith of Jesus Christ, that is the gift of God to them that repent, has works by grace that justify the believer.

1Co 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Without the works and labour of grace, there is no faith given by grace, nor justification of the works and labour of faith in ourselves. People with faith of their own can do works to boast of in the name of Christ, but not with God:

Mat 7:22
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Further, having faith in oneself is not inherently wrong; it is the confidence born of skill and repetition.

Exactly again. Well said. It's that faith born of ourselves, not of God. It's that faith with works that men can boast of, but not with God.

Again, don't confuse works to earn salvation with works resulting from salvation.

If I ever start preaching saved by works without faith, let me know.

Otherwise, Eph 2 is about the error earning salvation through our own faith with works we can boast of.

 

[ATG]

I didn't say that it was. It is a common term used in discussions among Christians.

Exactly. Among common Christians, yes. In Scripture, no.

It's the common error of man's traditions without Scripture of God, which is why you give no Scripture for it, but only preach your own tradition by your own faith alone.

Mat 15:9
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the traditions of men.

We are saved by "faith alone, not by works, not with works".

Exactly. Your tradition alone by your faith alone. But God judges our works:

1 Peter {1:15}
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; {1:16} Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. {1:17} And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:

God doesn't judge anyone's works differently, because of any respect for our faith alone. God doesn't see inward faith, where there are no outward works to judge.

We are known by our works, not by our faith alone:

Luk 6:44
For every tree is known by his own fruit.

That is Bible truth.

No, it's the common tradition of being saved by dead faith alone.

What James does is explain that faith without the evidence of application (works) is not valid faith.

Exactly. Faith alone is dead and cannot save. And yet, you hold to your tradition of preaching faith alone to be saved by.

James is speaking of works resulting from salvation;

Without which works there is no salvation, because dead faith cannot save a man. Having dead faith alone without works, is having a salvation by faith, that is not of the living God.

Isa 45:20
They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

Faith alone without works is dead wood carved in one's own image. Salvation by faith alone without works, is trust in a god that cannot save from dead works.

James{2:14}
What [doth it] profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?...Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Mark 13:22
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The passage is about living out the Christian life, growing in grace and adding one godly trait to another. It's not about "works".

A common delusion accompanying the doctrine of having saving faith alone without works, is that doing things is 'not about' works.

The delusion is that having faith alone, is 'doing something'.

James 2: 15
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

1Jo 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

James 2 is simple: Anyone having faith in God, without doing His will, is as profitless and dead as the faith of devils, that cannot save.

Jas 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

 

[ATG]

I have never heard of anyone thinking they have "saving faith" in themselves.

You've never heard of anyone having a saving faith within themselves alone, that is apart from the works they do?

Let's be clear. Let's see if I understand you, when you preach having salvation by faith alone without works.

Is that salvation apart and separate from any works you do? No matter what you may be doing at any time, so long as you have faith alone to be saved, then you are saved? Or, So long as God has faith to save you, then you are saved?

Are you saying that you do not have that faith of God that saves you, but only God has His faith to save you? You having that saving faith of God yourself, is no necessary to be saved by Him?

How about this, Only because God believes He can save you, is why you are saved? Therefore, no matter what works you may be doing, so long as God has His faith to save you, you are saved?

Being saved and justified with God has nothing to do with you having His faith yourself to do His good works? You don't have the faith of Jesus Christ to also know that you can do as He does?

Jhn 8:29
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

You will continue doing from time to time, your own dead works and displeasing the Father in this life. But only because God has His faith to save you, you will one day, after the grave, walk as He walks in the resurrection unto life?

 

[ATG]

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. - Heb 11:1 ESV. That is the biblical definition of faith. It says nothing about works. Faith follows works and is the proof thereof.

Heb 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The evidence of faith is works done with the body. This is why doctrine is not a translation matter alone, but context of all Scripture together.

Jas 2:17
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

It says without works of the body, faith within is dead, being alone on the inside apart from works on the outside.

In any case, Since your definition of faith says nothing about works, then why speak of works at all, whether with or following faith? Since you stand by faith alone without works, then why speak of any works, which have nothing to do with it.

The debate is not about faith with works after salvation. The debate is about faith without works is salvation, with works following having nothing to do with being saved first and forever by 'Faith Alone'. As though Faith Alone stands all alone forever, no matter what we are doing in life.

The hardcore 'Faith Alone' doctrine of some Christians, that James 2 rebukes, is having a faith that excludes works from being saved. The Faith Alone' justifiers don't mind 'talking' about works with their lips, so long as what we do with the body has nothing to do with being eternally saved by having faith alone within. Some Faith Aloners will even preach righteousness in life, so long as that righteous living is set apart from their eternal salvation.

That 'Faith Alone' set apart from works of the body is an idol, where she stands high and alone in the minds of them that have her, far above all works in the flesh on lowly earth.

Isa 14:12
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:

Lucifer first sinned by standing high on his faith alone, even above the stars of God.

 

[wattie]

Not that's unique.

Eternal salvation is temporal food and shelter. Got it.

Of the course, the answer is no on both accounts:

Jas 2:17
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

I really thought I'd heard it all from the 'Faith Alone' justifiers. That's a good one for the record book, thanks.

So..I'll come back to the can faith save him quote..

When you see the examples:

James 2:21-23 KJV - Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Abraham's already there faith was made complete by offering his son Isaac.. that did justify in terms of an acceptable sacrifice.. but did not justify.. as Paul wrote..in terms of eternal life.

Rehab.. used already there faith to do her act. Same idea..not eternal life justification, but an act pleasing to God.

So when you come back to 'can faith save him'..
The faith being described is not eternal salvation, but acts pleasing to God.

Thats the thrust of James' writing

 

[NightTwister]

Heb 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The evidence of faith is works done with the body.

But works IS NOT faith. They have a symbiotic relationship, they are different things.

Jas 2:17
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
It says without works of the body, faith within is dead,

Dead faith is no faith at all. It has no substance, hope, or evidence.

The formula is Faith --> Works, not Faith + Works.

 

[Dino246]

The passage doesn't speak of that which men boast of?

Eph{2:8} For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It's that faith of ourselves and works, that men boast of. Not that faith of works of God, that no man can boast of.

No. You've invented an entire narrative based on a negating clause. The faith that saves is not of/from men. Period.

But nowhere in the Scripture of Eph 2, does it speak of any faith 'alone' nor faith 'without works'. Which being dead, cannot be the gift of God that saves the soul.

It simply doesn't address those topics at all, just like it doesn't address 'speaking in tongues'. In other words, you're making an argument from silence, which is fallacious.

That dead faith alone can only be the gift of a dead god, but not of the living and true God:

Isa 45:20 They have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

Completely irrelevant.

Eph 2 rebukes the faith man has of himself, with works he can boast of. That includes any works of pride, where the deeds are not the sin, but the pride without grace and faith toward God.

Ephesians 2 does no such thing. Again, you're making an argument from silence.

Success in work by faith in ourselves gains reputation with men, but not with God.

As there is no such thing, your comment is nonsense.

Exactly. Well said. Eph 2 speaks of two different faiths, that are not the same.

No it doesn't. It simply tells us that (saving) faith is a gift from God, not from men themselves.

It's that faith with works that men can boast of, but not with God.

No, it's not. What you describe has nothing to do with what I described.

Otherwise, Eph 2 is about the error earning salvation through our own faith with works we can boast of.

No, it's not. It is telling us that saving faith comes from God, not from ourselves.

 

[ATG]

And what of the millennium? For the time when the influence of the enemy is completely bound?

There will be greater liberty to do righteousness and less excuse to do evil. Even more so than in the garden, where the Lord walked in the cool of the day.

There is no growth of the saints?

Growth of obedience is with obedience, not in disobedience. No one is learning to obey by disobeying.

2 pet 1:4
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Heb 10:26
For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,... seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

It is once saved always saved for eternal safety, it is not once saved always saved from corruption.

Exactly. You say it better than me, since it's your gospel, not mine: It's the delusion of being conformed to Christ within by faith alone, but not being conformed to Christ with evil works.

Always saved by faith alone, even when not saved from works of corruption.

Go dis not a respecter of person's by natural birth nor by faith alone, where the believer is justified when doing evil, while the unbeliever is condemned while doing the same thing:

Rom 2:3And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

Even as circumcision is made uncircumcision by transgression, so faith is made unbelief by the same disobedience.

The faith that saves, obeys the Lord. The faith that does not save, disobeys the Lord.

1 Peter {1:15}
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; {1:16} Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. {1:17} And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:

If the saint does not learn it in his lifetime, he or she will be conformed during the millennium.

If the saint does not learn it in his lifetime, he or she is not a saint. He or she that does not learn it in this lifetime, neither would he learn it in the life to come.

And if the one not learning it is naming Christ, then at the return of Christ he or she will be appointed with the hypocrites of the earth.
Mat 24:48
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I can show you all my points in scripture but you are so sure of yours you wouldn’t hear it.

You wouldn't know, since you never quote any Scripture, but just your own faith alone.

That's why I am sure to always quote Scripture, to show I'm not just preaching my own faith alone.

 

[Dino246]

It's the common error of man's traditions without Scripture of God, which is why you give no Scripture for it, but only preach your own tradition by your own faith alone.

Using a common phrase is not preaching "my own tradition". Your accusation is ridiculous.

Exactly. Your tradition alone by your faith alone. But God judges our works:

**sigh**

God doesn't see inward faith, where there are no outward works to judge.

Prove it with Scripture.

No, it's the common tradition of being saved by dead faith alone.

Do you honestly think that anyone believes that "dead faith" saves? A straight answer with no deflection will do.

Exactly. Faith alone is dead and cannot save. And yet, you hold to your tradition of preaching faith alone to be saved by.

Firstly, it's not "my tradition". Secondly, you are misrepresenting what I do believe.

A common delusion accompanying the doctrine of having saving faith alone without works, is that doing things is 'not about' works.

Your baseless dismissal is a waste of your time.

The delusion is that having faith alone, is 'doing something'.

Irrelevant blather.

 

[Dino246]

You've never heard of anyone having a saving faith within themselves alone, that is apart from the works they do?

That's not what I said. You are wasting your time misrepresenting my words and then arguing against your own misrepresentation.

Let's be clear. Let's see if I understand you

You don't.

 

[ATG]

What exactly do you mean by faith alone?

That's the big question, especially if preaching it.

What the Bible means by faith alone, is faith without works that is dead, being alone...

 

[Blue155]

That's the big question, especially if preaching it.

What the Bible means by faith alone, is faith without works that is dead, being alone...

What does faith alone mean?

 

[ATG]

Rom 3:23 (A) For all have sinned

Rom 6:23 (A) For the wages of sin is death

All are sinners & deserve heavens wage/deatht

All have sinned. Not all are sinning. All were sinners, not all are sinners.

Psa 1:4
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Sinners are the ungodly, not the righteous.

Grace = undeserved/unearned favor

Heb 4:14
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Grace = help not to sin. Sinning = no grace.

The righteous have grace not to sin. Sinners sin without grace.

GRACE is the Eph 2:8 Gift

True. Not to sin through the faith of God.

We access God grace thru faith Rom 5:1-2

No one sinning has access to God nor His grace.

1Jo 3:8
He that is committing sin is of the devil; for the devil is sinning from the beginning.

And so, we see the difference between sinners preaching a gospel of sinning, by their faith alone. And the preaching the gospel of righteousness by faith in the Scriptures.

Heb 7:26
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

All the faith in the world is worthless without God's grace.

Exactly. Now you have it.

Eph 2 rejects faith with works that men boast of. James 2 rejects faith alone without works.

No one is saved by either faith to boast with, or faith that is dead.

 

[ATG]

If faith were the gift then everyone would be saved, which contradicts the entire NT.

So then, you do preach having your own faith alone. You preach having the faith of the Son of God by the gift of grace.

You reject having the faith of Jesus to please God and walk as He walked:

Rev 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Jhn 8:29
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Instead you have your own faith alone, to walk your own walk of sin. And so, by your own faith alone, and not by the faith of Jesus, you preach a gospel of sinning while saved.

Rom 6:1
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Which is not the gospel of righteousness, that is through the faith of God given by grace, that keeps His commandments:

Psa 106:3
Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that is doing righteousness at all times.

1 John{3:7}
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that is doing righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1 John{2:29} I
f ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that is doing righteousness is born of him.

1Jo 3:10
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever is doing unrighteousness is not of God.

The is why sinners must preach their gospel of salvation by their own faith alone. So they can by their faith alone, separate their works from their personal salvation, since they be sinful and unrighteous.

No person's own faith alone will separate them from God's righteous judgment of our works, who has no respect to any faith of any person, if doing unrighteousness of the world.

1 Cor 6:9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?

Gal 5:19
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness...drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which are doing such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Peter {1:15}
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; {1:16} Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. {1:17} And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear: