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NASB | Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
Subject: Is the Work of Christ Sufficient? |
Bible Note: Greetings. You wrote: "The attribute of Faith is having complete trust, confidence, reliance and loyalty in God. Faith is shown by a person?s willful obedience to God?s law and is not the simple belief that God?s law exists without need of any future consideration. To have faith means you act upon your belief! We understand God?s word is truth and that we live under a New Covenant. What is our obligation under that covenant? Why is the Law of Faith one that calls for action rather than passivity? Why is faith in God always associated with work?" Because true faith bears God-honoring works as its fruit. To have biblical faith does indeed mean that we act upon our beliefs. So we can conclude that biblical faith is inseparably united to works. Does that mean, however, that faith and works are the same thing? Does that mean that we are declared righteous before God because of our works? In other words, do our works earn us a place of honor before God? If our works (or our faith, for that matter) do earn us a place before God, where does grace come in? You also wrote: "How do we know faith involves more than simple belief? 1) It is empirically true: From a person?s own experience and observation we know faith defines an absolute conviction where belief is passive. We believe the airplane is safe, but it is our faith in its airworthiness that allows us to fly from Seattle to NY, thus proving our belief." Correct, our works prove our faith (2 Peter 1:10). However, did the faith itself exist prior to the works? In your example above, did the passenger's faith not exist before he boarded the flight, or did he actually have faith before getting on the plane (actually CAUSING him to get on the plane)? You added: "2) By example, O.T. faith in God was proven by deeds. He 11:1-2" Again, our works prove our faith to us and to men. Our works put our faith on display. But is it correct to say that the works ARE the faith? "3) By N.T. command, Christians are called to action. -Ph2:12-15 (work out your salvation) - JA 2:14 (what use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith..)" Amen. "Why are Christians to be faithful? -Faithfulness equals obedience. See Jo14:21-24" Yes. "-What is God?s law? Can it be found anywhere besides the N.T.?" Yes. Genesis through Malachi as well. "Scripture, or the Bible, is a reference manual for God?s people that teaches, and at the same time, demonstrates that only Christians will be saved! God?s word is truth (Jo 17:17) and all inclusive (i. e. there are no other routes to eternal life!) As our creator, he has made a covenant with us, or agreement. We must obey our part of the covenant if we are to expect our reward." Two things I would like to mention here: 1. One aspect of the covenant with Israel was the presupposition that it would be violated. That is the whole basis of the sacrificial system which prefigured our Lord Jesus. So, the disobedience of humans was factored into the covenant, and God in His grace provided the provision for forgiveness. What does that correspond to in the New Covenant? 2. I would say that habitual and continuous unrepentant and willful covenant-breaking is not a sign that faith is present without works, but rather that the covenant breaker does not have faith in the first place. The Reformation teaching of sola fide (faith alone) is not destroyed by the Bible-supported claim that true faith results in works. The works are the fruit of the faith, but it is the faith through which God declares Christian righteous because of what Christ accomplished on earth in our place. --Joe! |