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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | don't just listen to gods word but do | James 1:22 | Morant61 | 79586 | ||
Greetings ACUYFMO6! One interesting point that many forgot when reading James 2 is the question of what issue James was addressing. He was not addressing how one gets saved. Rather, he was addressing the evidence of geninue faith. Here is a post I made some time ago on this topic: ********************************************* Allow me to take a stab at your question. :-) A very basic rule of interpretation is to interpret the less clear by the more clear. With that in mind, Eph. 2:8, Rom. 4, Gal. 2, and many other passages state in no uncertain terms that we are not, nor can we be saved by works. James does not actually contradict this because James is not talking about how one is saved, but the evidence that one is saved. James 2:14 sets the stage for this whole discussion in James 2. It says, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" Notice what situation is being discussed. Someone 'claims' to have faith, but they do not have works to back up their claim. Eph. 2:10 makes it clear that once a person is saved that there will be works, because we are created for good works. Christians are called to love one another, to demonstrate justice and mercy, ect... These works are a result of salvation, not the cause of salvation. This is exactly what James is saying. These people in James 2:14 say that they have faith, but they don't, and the evidence is that they don't provide for the needs of those who have no clothes or food (James 2:15). James 2:18 makes the point that faith is demonstrated by action. And, James 2:24 makes the point that one's faith is demonstrated by one's actions, not by simply claiming to have faith. So, the clear answer of Eph. 2:8-9, Rom. 4, Gal. 2, and many other verses is that works do not and cannot save us in any way. I hope this helps! ********************************************* p.s. - Welcome to the forum! :-) Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | don't just listen to gods word but do | James 1:22 | Totallypostal84 | 182365 | ||
In James 2:14, James asks a question... Can that faith save him? James believed the answer was, No! He proceeds to prove his point in the following verses. It seems James is indeed camparing "faith without works" to being in a position of not being saved. The book of James is written to Jewish believers, under the leadership of James, and he claimed that all were zealous of the law of Moses. I believe the book was written before Paul's epistles since the Jerusalem Council is not mentioned in it. James would have surely mentioned such a momentous meeting if it had been written after. Because of this James did not yet understand the difference between Paul's revelation of salvation by "faith alone" and the Twelve's gospel of "faith plus works" or "faith in conjunction with the law of Moses". After all they preached what Jesus taught and that was to follow the Law of Moses. Romans 11:6 Before Paul's revelation there was a salvation evidenced by works. The Twelve preached it to Israel and it was continued up until the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. Even Paul participated in this gospel of the kingdom when he made the Nazarite vow with his Jewish brothers. Gospel of the Circumcision Of course Paul adamently upheld the gospel of the grace of God, for the Gentiles, which all the Apostles were made to understand and accept at the Jerusalem Council. This difference was not accepted for the Jewish believers. Faith Alone! Gospel of the uncircumcision. |
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3 | don't just listen to gods word but do | James 1:22 | Morant61 | 182372 | ||
Greetings TP! If I am reading your post correctly, are you suggesting that James and Paul had differing understandings of salvation? How could this be since their writings are both the result of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit? Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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4 | don't just listen to gods word but do | James 1:22 | Totallypostal84 | 182375 | ||
Because James is writing to Jewish believers under James' leadership before the revelation to Paul of the disposation of Grace was made known to the Jerusalem Church at the Council. There was much dispute at this council concerning the understanding of what the Gentile believers would be required to do within the Body of Christ. The result was the release of the Gentile believers from following the commands of the Law of Moses but the Jewish believers were not released from this responsibility. I believe James had not been made aware of this at the time he wrote his letter and was teaching the then understood truth of the Holy Spirit. Why was there a need for a Apostle to the Gentiles if the message was the same. Gentiles were able to come into the Jewish church as proselytes under the message the Twelve were teaching. What was the big difference? Salvation apart from the Law. This news shows that there was a salvation before that worked in combination with the Law. Before Paul's revelation, under the Twelve, there was the Gospel of the Circumcision. |
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5 | don't just listen to gods word but do | James 1:22 | Morant61 | 182376 | ||
Greetings TP! There are a couple of holes in your theory! First of all, there is no definitive proof that James was written prior to the Jerusalem Council. So, one is left to assume that James was unaware of Paul's teachings at the time of his writing. Secondly, your theory is totally counter to everything Paul has to say about the Law and grace. For instance, Gal. 2:21 says, " I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!β Gal. 3:11 says, "Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ββThe righteous will live by faith.β" Gal. 3:21-25 says, "Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law." These verses simply do not allow room for two 'ways of salvation'. Paul is quite explicit that the Law cannot save anyone. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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