Sorry, I assumed you were following the conversation and knew what question I had asked. You know what they say when we assume
I wasn't asking about 2 Peter.
My question is about Romans 4 and especially the verse you posted. I suggest people will misuse that verse as their proof without considering the context. By Romans 4:1, Paul is in the middle of his argument. He uses Abraham to provide proof of the point he made in the previous chapter/s. No need to go back to Abraham's story, Paul tells us the parts of the story that make his point. I've asked several people to tell me their understanding of what Paul's point is and why Abraham is proof of that point, based on the context, but no one has answered it yet.
If you would like to tell your understanding that would be great, if not no problem.
“My question is about Romans 4 and especially the verse you posted. I suggest people will misuse that verse as their proof without considering the context. By Romans 4:1, Paul is in the middle of his argument. He uses Abraham to provide proof of the point he made in the previous chapter/s. No need to go back to Abraham's story, Paul tells us the parts of the story that make his point. I've asked several people to tell me their understanding of what Paul's point is and why Abraham is proof of that point, based on the context, but no one has answered it yet. “
Are you talking about the verse I posted from James ? Faith without works ?
aid you look at what James is saying and what Paul is sayong it completes the concept please consider
“
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man
say he hath faith, and have not works? ( i say I believe but my actions don’t match )
can faith save him?
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?
( if someone’s hungry to help you feed them it’s an action words can’t be eaten)
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ( saying i have faith but living like I don’t believe isn’t real faith )
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. ( you can’t actually show faith with words but with actions they speak also and you can show faith by how you live )
Thou
believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ( demons know that God is real)
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that
faith without works is dead?
Was not
Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?( genesis 22)
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
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.
Ye
see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. For as the body without the spirit is dead,
so faith without works is dead also.”
James 2:14-24, 26 KJV
rather than just looking at one verse if we consider what point James is making what do you see there ? The verse I quoted is o my James repetetive conclusion but what point do you see him making regarding faith ?
to really understand Paul’s point bout Abraham’s actions and what God told him we have to look at the story and events in Abrahams life the point both paul and James are making are right there in Abraham’s story
“And he brought him forth abroad, and said,
Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him,
So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
Genesis 15:5-6 KJV
after isaac is born
“And it came to pass after these things, that God did test Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
And he said,
Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
…And
Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and
he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said,
By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
Genesis 22:1-2, 10-12, 15-18 KJV
Do you see what I mean ? Then you read Paul or james like this
“Even as
Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that
they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
So then they which be of faith are blessed with
faithful Abraham.”
Galatians 3:6-9 KJV
both men acknolwedge that God told Abraham a promise and he believed God and God then considered Abraham righteous . James is saying that later Abraham’s obedience with what he did fulfilled that statement he proves to be truly righteous by his work wich fulfilled God sayong he was righteous beforehand
Abraham’s obedience is when the covenant was confirmed is James point it was promised and later because Abraham obeyed God saved Isaac and later provided christ his only begotten to fulfill the promise he made Abraham concerning his seed
It really will benefit readers of Paul to know anrahams story he touches on it often and makes profound points
“For it is written, that
Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.”….
Galatians 4:22-24 KJV
Again to really get what Paul’s saying we need to know the story of ishmael and isaacs blessing and lives to grasp the allegory