Therefore, you and DC are correct that a person is justified by faith through Grace alone, but DC uses the text to teach that a person can be saved their whole life basically without doing anything, and claim they have faith or a new nature. The verse is GREAT. Using the verse to produce such an argument IS NOT.
How much do you suppose is required?🙄
Lol.
God does not need to see one work to know He quickened someones spirit.
I'll give you a story of a different man, you keep posting over and over again swinging at air.
This is from me, not brother dave.
There is a man who loves to drink
he loves to swear and be violent
he is bitter and holds grudges to the point of wanting harm on others
he is a fornicator
he loves,it and doesn't regret a moment of it
he loves to fight and eat junk food and smoke
he lies and manipulates and is very lazy every chance he gets....
this man hears God call
he tries to ignore it... but he ends up hearing the gospel
and it sinks in.... there is a core belief
now paired with the understanding he is in trouble
he is still lacking wisdom so he dives deeper into the word
at first he has many misconceptions
but God uses His children and His word to answer this mans prayers and shine light on the truth
this man now understands the saving gospel
he understands Jesus died for his sins
he understands the cost of sin
he understands that God is offering a free give of grace and ETERNAL life
God does not need one... not even one drop of outward evidence to see if this faith is genuine....
if this man is born again
he is saved
works do not prove he is saved
and lack of works before the eyes of man do not prove he isnt
now this man does not fornicate
but still struggles with lust sometimes in his thoughts <- before God his works dont justify him
before man he improved
but before God he will always need Jesus's righteousness which is by faith
this man no longer swears or is violent or even holds grudges ... but still has a temper and gets angry <- still misses the mark before God
this man still drinks too much from time to time
but instead of being joyful... it breaks his heart and he cries to God
where are this mans works....
to you it is impossible he is saved?
at what point can he be saved... how many works do you feel are required to justify a man before another man....
no one has argued against God working new desires in us and chastening us and making us turn from sin
you come to a thread which gives GOD GLORY AND PRAISE for salvation
His wonderful gift
then you bicker and ramble trying to point to works of man
why?
start an encouragement for walking with a clean heart thread unless you disagree we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in our Lord and savior Jesus Christ