James 2: Claiming Salvation without works

[RBDERRICK]

2:1
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
James 2 is not about having no faith without works. James 2 is about not having the faith of the Lord Jesus, without doing His good works.

The error of James 2 is not about claiming any faith, but rather is specifically about claiming to have the faith of the Lord Jesus.

The general Bible principle is that any faith without works, is dead. The doctrine of Christ is that any faith in God without good works, is dead to God.

2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Trying to say James 2 is only about having dead faith without any works, is an error and a diversion from the specific rebuke in James 2: Which is against having one's own faith in God, that is not the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, because it has not the good works of Christ.

James e acknowledges some having faith in God, but their faith is their own alone, if it is without doing His good will. It's not the faith of Jesus. And therefore they are trusting in their own faith alone, apart from doing His good works, to save them.

2:14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Ps 12:3-4
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

And so, the faith they do have in God cannot save their own soul, because it is not the saving faith of Jesus, that is always doing those works pleasing to the Father.

James 2 is specifically against having any salvation without works. It rebukes anyone naming the name of Christ, and claiming to be saved by one's own faith apart from Christ's works.

Any faith one has in God, that is apart from His good works, is apart from His Christ.

Therefore, anyone preaching any gospel of having salvation only by faith alone, apart from doing Christ's good works, is preaching one's own gospel alone, and claiming to be saved by having their own faith in God, apart from the saving faith of Jesus.

Anyone on earth having faith without works, has dead faith. Anyone having faith in God without doing His good works, has faith of his own alone and dead to God.

Eph 2:8

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

The gift of God is the faith of Jesus to them that repent of sinning against God, to receive His Son and His saving faith always do the Father's good will.

Any faith in God apart from doing His works, is of oneself alone. It is not the gift of the God of Christ Jesus.

 

[gordontimmy]

James 2, is a rebuke/correction, to the rich, as they are far from the kingdom of heaven as Jesus told in Luke 6....


Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.



Likewise James 2 speaks of the situation for the poor, how they are CHOSEN:


Luke 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.



James 2 reveals the same teaching as Jesus already placed, and it is ALSO a continuation of the testimony in the old testament before Christ fulfilled it all, how Zechariah testified how the Lord would be broken, and this was done SO THE POOR OF THE FLOCK THAT WAIT ON THE LORD, KNOW IT IS THE WORD OF THE LORD...



Zechariah 11:11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord.

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?



The rich men are not the ones rich in faith, they are the oppressors, blasphemers as James 2 reveals. ( WITHOUT FAITH)

AGAIN Jesus had testified how those who have riches ar e rare to enter into the kingdom of God.


Luke 18:24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

James 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?



The final word on James 2, is the deadness of faith that is without mercy. ( the good works are mercy)

Looking AGAIN we SEE that we can have ALL FAITH TO REMOVE MOUNTAINS, but NOT HAVE CHARITY, and we can give all we possess to feed the poor, yet still HAVE NOT CHARITY, and we are NOTHING.

Charity is longsuffering, is kindness, no envy, ( and no strife as the forums are 100 percent) charity is not vaunted or puffed up, no unseemliness, no seeking for your own self, hard to provoke, no thinking of evil, because there is no rejoicing in iniquity, there is rejoicing in the truth, bearing all things, believing all things ( the poor are RICH IN FAITH) hope all things, ( the poor of the flock knew it was the word of the Lord) endure all things.

Godliness, kindness, charity, have to be in us and abound to never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, instead of being ( as the rich) blind and forgetful for the forgiveness from our old sins, we make our calling and election sure by doing those things to never fall. ( to have charity/believe all things, to not self seek, not be puffed up, to not be vain man.)..


James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.


2 Peter 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

 

[donadams]

Jn 15:1-6
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Matt 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Lost not simply “out of fellowship”!

You can’t say the branches are not saved (process of salvation) or not born again or spirit filled cos they were in Christ and connected to the vine!

The apostolic church is the mystical body of Christ.

Christ and His apostolic church are one! Acts 9:4 Eph 5:32

A limb that has a cut off from the body dies, life remains with the body!

Serious Sin causes spiritual death and requires repentance before physical death makes the separation permanent. 1 Jn 5:16

Jn 15:6
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Matt 25:30
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Lost not simply “out of fellowship”!

Thks

 

[RBDERRICK]

James 2, is a rebuke/correction, to the rich, as they are far from the kingdom of heaven as Jesus told in Luke 6....

James 2 begins with reminding the believers, that many of the rich are oppressors.

The Lord's rebuke is to the believers that show more respect to the rich hearers, than to their own poor brethren.

Looking AGAIN we SEE that we can have ALL FAITH TO REMOVE MOUNTAINS, but NOT HAVE CHARITY, and we can give all we possess to feed the poor, yet still HAVE NOT CHARITY, and we are NOTHING.

James 2 is rebuking the opposite: those having faith without doing good works.

Good works without faith, and faith without good works are unjustified by Christ.

Only the good works of God done by the faith of Jesus from the heart, are justified by Christ.

Abraham offering up Isaac, and Rahab recieving the spies to escape, are the examples of works being Justified with God by faith.

Godliness, kindness, charity, have to be in us and abound to never be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, instead of being ( as the rich)

Nothing is said about rich or poor, but only them not adding good works to faith.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not anti-rich for the envious and coveteous.

blind and forgetful for the forgiveness from our old sins, we make our calling and election sure by doing those things to never fall. ( to have charity/believe all things, to not self seek, not be puffed up, to not be vain man.)..

True. We can ensure all the works we do are justified by Christ, by adding His virtue, godliness, and charity to our faith recieved from Him.

That's why repenting from dead works, is first necessary to have His faith and do His righteousness at all times.

James 2 is condemnation of anyone claiming to be saved by their faith, without doing good, espceially not with doing evil:

1 Cor 6:9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

True. The soul is dead by sinning, which includes by not doing good.

Jas 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Which is the evil of the dead believers, who only give lip-service to brothers and sisters in need.

Those doing transgressions are judged as unbelievers. James 2 is not a rebuke to unbelievers, but only to the dead unbelievers.

 

[RBDERRICK]

The apostolic church is the mystical body of Christ.

The body of Christ is His righteous members on earth, and those in His presence in heaven.

Eph 5:30
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Lost not simply “out of fellowship”!

Thks

Exactly. The self-justifiers will teach anything to separate the judgment of their works from their own souls.

Including separating God's salvation from His own fellowship.

 

[donadams]

James 2 begins with reminding the believers, that many of the rich are oppressors.

The Lord's rebuke is to the believers that show more respect to the rich hearers, than to their own poor brethren.


James 2 is rebuking the opposite: those having faith without doing good works.

Good works without faith, and faith without good works are unjustified by Christ.

Only the good works of God done by the faith of Jesus from the heart, are justified by Christ.

Abraham offering up Isaac, and Rahab recieving the spies to escape, are the examples of works being Justified with God by faith.


Nothing is said about rich or poor, but only them not adding good works to faith.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not anti-rich for the envious and coveteous.



True. We can ensure all the works we do are justified by Christ, by adding His virtue, godliness, and charity to our faith recieved from Him.

That's why repenting from dead works, is first necessary to have His faith and do His righteousness at all times.

James 2 is condemnation of anyone claiming to be saved by their faith, without doing good, espceially not with doing evil:

1 Cor 6:9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19
Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.






True. The soul is dead by sinning, which includes by not doing good.

Jas 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Which is the evil of the dead believers, who only give lip-service to brothers and sisters in need.

Those doing transgressions are judged as unbelievers. James 2 is not a rebuke to unbelievers, but only to the dead unbelievers.

Noah had to build the ark, not just believe they would be rescued

Mosses had to lead Israel out of bondage and had to go thru the sea

Joshua had to march around jerico seven times

And boldly cross the Jordan into the land of milk and honey

 

[JLB]

2:1
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
James 2 is not about having no faith without works. James 2 is about not having the faith of the Lord Jesus, without doing His good works.

The error of James 2 is not about claiming any faith, but rather is specifically about claiming to have the faith of the Lord Jesus.

The general Bible principle is that any faith without works, is dead. The doctrine of Christ is that any faith in God without good works, is dead to God.

2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Trying to say James 2 is only about having dead faith without any works, is an error and a diversion from the specific rebuke in James 2: Which is against having one's own faith in God, that is not the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, because it has not the good works of Christ.

James e acknowledges some having faith in God, but their faith is their own alone, if it is without doing His good will. It's not the faith of Jesus. And therefore they are trusting in their own faith alone, apart from doing His good works, to save them.

2:14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

Ps 12:3-4
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

And so, the faith they do have in God cannot save their own soul, because it is not the saving faith of Jesus, that is always doing those works pleasing to the Father.

James 2 is specifically against having any salvation without works. It rebukes anyone naming the name of Christ, and claiming to be saved by one's own faith apart from Christ's works.

Any faith one has in God, that is apart from His good works, is apart from His Christ.

Therefore, anyone preaching any gospel of having salvation only by faith alone, apart from doing Christ's good works, is preaching one's own gospel alone, and claiming to be saved by having their own faith in God, apart from the saving faith of Jesus.

Anyone on earth having faith without works, has dead faith. Anyone having faith in God without doing His good works, has faith of his own alone and dead to God.

Eph 2:8

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

The gift of God is the faith of Jesus to them that repent of sinning against God, to receive His Son and His saving faith always do the Father's good will.

Any faith in God apart from doing His works, is of oneself alone. It is not the gift of the God of Christ Jesus.

Maybe we could examine what James is saying about "works" to see if he and Paul teach the same thing concerning salvation?


What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:14-26

• Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

Here in this verse begin to see the same principle or law of faith that Paul taught.


Would you care to discuss this?




JLB