This scripture does not define faith in Jesus Christ, that alone saves and justifies a soul as a "doing", but simply teaches that such faith does not function or exist alone or apart from living a new, holy, obedient, and spiritual lifestyle.
Why won’t you believe the scripture?
That DEAD faith is NOT the most important faith ever known, it is dead.
For justification, yes. All sinners need to be forgiven, is the gift of faith to believe in the grace and salvation provided by Jesus Christ.
To be forgiven we have to REPENT.
Acts 20:21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must
turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
Acts 26:20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should
repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Matthew 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have
repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Matthew 12:41 The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they
repented when Jonah preached to them—and now, something greater than Jonah is here!
Mark 4:12 so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not
repent and be forgiven.”
Acts 3:19 Therefore
repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,
Acts 17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked such times of ignorance,
he now commands all people everywhere to repent,
Faith alone is dead and that dead faith is not saving faith.
No soul is saved by works.
Faith alone is dead. No soul is saved by faith alone. Why don’t you believe the scriptures?
Faith is gifted first to the sinner, and works follow, to evidence that saving faith is from God.
Agreed. We are saying the same thing in different words. . .
I do not think we are saying the same thing because you are saying all obedience is in the same category as obeying Jesus.
We do not have to circumcise ourselves, but we have to repent of our sins.
You are confusing faith alone that is Justification (forgiveness) with daily practice of faith that is Sanctification.
Justification and sanctification is the same thing.
When one is justified they are also sanctified.
After we are justified and sanctified, then we live our salvation living up to what we received.
2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.
Philippians 3:16 Only let us
live up to what we have already attained.
Ephesians 4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then,
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Colossians 1:10
so that you may
live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
Colossians 2:6
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live your lives in him,
1 Thessalonians 2:12
encouraging, comforting and urging you to
live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 4:1
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact
you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus
to do this more and more.
King James Bible
2 Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our
God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
2 Thessalonians 1:5 It is a clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom,
for which you also are suffering,
Two different doctrines.
Justification comes by grace and the gift of faith from God alone.
All have a measure of faith, even atheists. Anyone can have faith.
Faith towards God is not given supernaturally, it comes in a very human way, from hearing, being taught, persuaded, and convinced.
However, faith alone is always dead and cannot save anyone and therefore justify them.
When Paul says not of by works, he is speaking of the purification/ceremonial works where a person had to work at cleaning themselves.
Why do you think people misunderstand Paul? What do you think people misunderstand Paul about?
People misunderstand Paul and think that when he says faith and no works means faith and no obedience.
Paul is NOT saying that.
Paul is speaking about the ceremonial/purification works no longer save.
Paul would never ever tell anyone that faith and no obedience saves.
Peter says that people misunderstand Paul, and then Peter warns us all to obey.
See 2 Peter 3:16, 17.
Now again, tell me, what do you think people are misunderstanding Paul about if not works?
Sanctification is the new life of obedient faith that follows and witnesses to the glory of God.
Both doctrines teaching freedom from law and works in the Christian life!
We have a new law the law of Christ.
Convoluting these two truths is error (which the RCC is guilty of doing) and it is the Protestant teaching that distinguishes the blessings of Justification and Sanctification which preserves free grace along with free holy living in every child of God.
Don’t compare what I say to the made up rules of the Catholics. Catholics do NOT obey God. Catholics do what God hates.
