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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Are faith and works an integral unit? | Romans | Robbert | 194466 | ||
My question concerns the issue of faith vs. works but is not asking exactly that. I heard that during biblical times one's faith and one's actions were considered a whole. That's why faith and works cannot be separated. So when in Deut 6:25 it is stated that doing the law will result in righteousness, it is not works that earns the righteousness but it is assumed the works comes from an intense desire to live the meaning of the law. Also, the faith vs. works issue in The Book of James has not to do with "is works also necessary" but a reflection of the cultural assumption that works follows faith and each exists as an integral part of the person--they cannot exist separate from one another. Am I correct that biblical persons only viewed works and faith as a unit and never understood them as being separate? | ||||||
2 | Are faith and works an integral unit? | Romans | TLAVISTA | 194467 | ||
Hi Robbert, I've always felt that scripture teaches separation between a man's faith and his works. As a basis, I'd like to quote from John Darby's Synopsis of the New Testement. His treatment of Romans Chapter 4 is as follows: In dealing with the Jew, and even in dealing with the question of righteousness, there was, besides the law, another consideration of great weight both with the Jews themselves and in the dealings of God. What of Abraham, called of God to be the parent-stock, the father of the faithful? The apostle, therefore, after having set forth the relation in which faith stood towards the law by the introduction of the righteousness of God, takes up the question of the ground on which Abraham was placed as well-pleasing to God in righteousness. For the Jew might have admitted his personal failure under the law, and pleaded the enjoyment of privilege under Abraham. If we consider him then thus according to the flesh (that is, in connection with the privileges that descended from him as inheritance for his children) and take our place under him in the line of succession to enjoy those privileges, on what principle does this set us? On the same principle of faith. He would have had something to boast of if he was justified by works; but before God it was not so. For the scriptures say, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not counted of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." For thereby, in fact, he glorifies God in the way that God desires to be glorified, and according to the revelation He has made of Himself in Christ. Thus the testimony borne by Abraham's case is to justification by faith. David also supports this testimony and speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom righteousness is imputed without works. He whose iniquities are pardoned, whose sins are covered, to whom the Lord does not impute sin-he is the man whom David calls blessed. But this supposed man to be a sinner and not righteous in himself. It was a question of what God was in grace to such a one, and not of what he was to God, or rather when he was a sinner. His blessedness was that God did not impute to him the sins he had committed, not that he was righteous in himself before God. Righteousness for man was found in the grace of God. Here it is identified with non-imputation of sins to man, guilty through committing them. No sin is imputed. We are saved by faith alone even though works might follow our salvation. (Eph. 1:3-7) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved: in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; |
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