Do you really believe that people who accept as true everything in my list of gospel doctrines but then also make the mistake of believing that James chapter two was written to all Christianity and that it applies as much to them as it did to James' actual audience, that they are therefore lost, as in still in their sin and not saved in spite of believing everything on that list?
I should make clear that the purpose of that list of doctrines is not any sort of attempt to communicate the whole gospel message but only what I've termed the "gospel proper". In theology generally, there is a sub-discipline known as "theology proper" which doesn't deal with anything other than the most basic, foundational issues that theology deals with, namely the being, nature and attributes of God. Theology proper doesn't deal with Christ or salvation or sanctification or sin or anything else. It simply answers the question, "Does God exist and if so what is He like?" Similarly, my 'gospel proper" only deals with the barest bones of the gospel and makes every attempt to intentionally leave out anything that is not logically NECESSARY to it.
So, for example, it starts with the statement that God exists because that is a logically necessary premise upon which the gospel is based. If God does not exist, the gospel is false. Likewise, if God did not create the universe and everything in it, the whole of the gospel is necessarily false. Etc, etc.
So, perhaps you're right and that, in order to be saved, one must believe that works play no role in one's salvation whatsoever. Would you care to make an attempt at establishing that claim biblically?
Clete
Let's get to the bottom line.
First, in the interest of clarity and understanding, I am not talking about people who believed the saving gospel and heard not to trust in works but were later weak and deceived into relying on some degree of work, as the Galatians were. That's not who I referred to.
Example of what I did mean:
Many right here on TOL say they believe Christ died for their sins and rose for their justification.
BUT they'll add that they've always believed some religious work (let's say submission to water baptism but whatever, it could be anything)
is non-negotiably required to enter heaven.
But that's not a new addition for them, as with the Galatians--works are a core component of saving faith for most of Christendom. That's what they've always believed since "becoming a Christian."
Or they always believed that must "bring forth fruits of repentance" to prove that they're been saved according to 1 Cor 15:3-4. Without those visible fruits, a professing believer is not saved (i.e., Lordship Salvation).
They ALL will tell you, "By all means go ahead and believe 1 Cor 15:3-4.
We do as well!
"BUT," they will add, "if you don't ALSO ______ you will not go to Heaven.
Without ______, Clete, your greasy grace easy faith alone in Paul's gospel cannot save you. "
These are the people I was talking about...the historical and present majority of Christianity.
Clete, do you believe such persons are saved?