James in verse 24 is NOT talking about the TC, which is what our conversation should be focusing on, for it is that point in my original post that brought a response from you
I could give you twenty verses of Paul’s that all state we can have no righteousness of obeying the law. So it would not be wise to try and bring twenty verses to fit one, but rather the one to be in line with the twenty.
‘’’What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ‘’’
Absolutely, and at the end I will give you an example
‘’’You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[
d]?
21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[
e] and he was called God’s friend.
24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.’’’
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness years before he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac. So, he was already righteous in God’s sight. James is giving an example of a person’s faith seen to bring results, but it has nothing to do with the TC!
A genuine faith brings the evidence of results. A faith that justifies will always bring results, and a faith that is not genuine will not bring results. So no results, no genuine faith, in that respect the two are linked, and unless you want to bring James into contention with Paul’s core message, that is the way it needs to be accepted. Paul agrees with that, scripture can be supplied if you need it.
Example. A man beats his wife, gets drunk every night, has multiple affairs and is a habitual thief. He professes to have gotten saved. And, under Paul’s message he would be instantly justified even in that condition under a righteousness of faith in Christ. But what if, three months later say there has been no change whatsoever in the man, he still beats his wife, still gets drunk every night, still has multiple affairs, and is still a habitual thief? He never had saving faith to begin with, for faith in this respect without works is dead.
