Not By Works

I've been gone a couple of years now, and if i am correct in my memory this was the last thread I read and its still going lol.

James was not saying that if you don't have work then you don't have faith, and to get out there and get your good works in, no that's not it at all.
James was saying that if it is true saving that good works will automatically come with it what is not something you set out to do it comes naturally with your face in the truth because you are set free to do good work as you fleas out of love not out of any status quo because you know God because he loves you not because he wants you to go out and try to complete physical Acts and call them righteous. You have it wrong

Welcome Back!

Thank you for the welcome back Magenta

If I have it wrong then so do you, because I agree with what you said here. What you described are some of the defining characteristics I mentioned.

Don't fully understand the term generic but I would say that works are generic as a result of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

When concerning works we are talking about works done for the right reason.
Not to earn it, but because we are the children of God and do it for the right reason.

For me works are two fold. Works towards others and works in our lives for us.

Jesus said "Go the extra mile" put in its historical concept to the Jews this was alien to them. The Jewsish mail could be ordered to carry the battle fatigue for a Roman soldier for a mile.
If you refused then you could be put to death.

Jesus also said "Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you"

Now if we look at the fruit of love I think we find that as this fruit grows then we progress to the extra mile.

What we then display is the love of God that is in use and we show God to others.
That then opens up the opportunity for those who see it to ask questions.

Can you imagine a conversation between the Roman soldier and the Jewish man he seconded to carry his battle fatigues?

Ok you Jew, you've done the mile your free to go.
The Jewish man says"Lets walk another mile"
Roman soldier "Why would you want to,? I don't like you and you don't like me"
The Jewish man says "Because I love (agape) you and so does Jesus"

So we grow in the fruit of love our enemies and go the extra mile.

To me the work here is generic as a result of the fruit.
Is it possible that the generic is the fruit that leads to the work?

I think so.
Our new nature is the generic nature of that as child of God.

Exception to your post.

"You will go out and do those works"
Replace with "I want to go and do those works you have predestined for me to do, please help me"

To say you will go out and do those works places a burden on the believer when they may not have the capacity to do so.

You only have to look at the concourse of Peters restoration "Peter do you love me? To understand this. Peters love for Jesus was not the same love that Jesus asked of him.
On the third time Jesus accepted that but still said to him "Go feed my sheep"

Peter moved from Phileo to Agape love.

Any believers who use it for a license to sin should be corrected as it was in Romans, if they reject it then wipe the dust the sand of your sandals.

Yeah, but sadly, the OP has been banned.

Me too. It is always good when a long-time member returns. I am hoping that Tintin comes back one day too.

Glad to have you back in the fold Phil.

Thank you tourist for the welcome back

I have no problem with that

but when we belittle and cut down those who disagree with us, we are not acting christlike

Yes

and if anyone claims to have faith, but has no works, can their faith save them?

in James. Jew. No, a dead faith never saved anyone

now this is not promoting works, its condemning a false faith

Why would you make this accusation?

Heya stranger!

Amen

works are a byproduct of faith, not proof and not a prerequisite

Me too

Hi EG