Subject: And what about those who will die before |
Bible Note: Oh wonderful, I just lost everything I wrote... I hate it when web browsers do that... Anyway... Hello again... I'll sum up what got erased... I believe we are trying to convince each other of 2 different understandings of the word WORKS... Yes, salvation comes from the atoning blood of Jesus Christ and through faith in him... But if we do not exercise our Faith what will happen to it? Christ likened faith to a mustard seed, that if we water it, it will grow... But also if we do not water our seed, will it not shrink and die away? We must exercise our faith for it to maintain it and to grow it... We exercise our faith through our works... our obedience to the commandments, etc... So Tim, I'm going to quote you "'those who claim' to have faith, but do not live it - do not really have faith" Is absolutly correct, and is near to what I am saying, except that some people loose their faith because they do not exercise it It would make Faith, Grace, and Works all equally important... for works magnify our faith, and Grace is magnified by our faith... The Jews were scorned for holding on to the Law of Moses, they thought that obedience to the Law of Moses was enough... hence by their "Works" they are saved... which was false I'm not saying that by baptism we are saved, or by professing of the mouth we are saved... alone... And Tim, in Eph 2:9 "Not of works, lest any man should boast." This is a very historically verse, the pharisee's did many outwardly acts of righteousness, and were braggards to their self proclaimed righteousness... Which is why we were discussing 2 different meanings... Paul condemed the outwardly acts like the pharisee's, and James incouraged exercising faith... I believe this confusion is the basis for these way too indepth discussion of a simple topic... I hope this will more or less end this thread, 'least with my involvement... I would like to get onto other topics in the near future... Tim, you presented a well case and your explination I believe helped me realize a plainer way to express myself, thank you Joe |