I never promised anyone here a rose garden. The usual Protestant reaction to James 2 is that, you see, works are "the result of God's grace; not the cause of it" (4143). But the only way that argument would make sense is if the doer of the good works does it without participating in them. Hence, “The Protestant error is that faith produces good works somehow, perhaps, through a chemical reaction.”
If you have another explanation why you tell people that works have nothing to do with our salvation, when the gospel teaches the exact opposite, I'd like to see it. So far, I haven't. If therefore I do not have a very high opinion of the intellectual probity of the people of Protestant persuasion generally and often make fun of them, well, this is an opinion forum and I opine. If you have a substantive argument, I am all ears, -- you, Belteshazzar of all often do, and I respond in kind, and thank you. If, on the other hand, you evade direct and textual questions based on nothing but the text of the scripture, then I think you should expect the ridicule, and I have an abundance of it. Dr. Eckleburg seems to be coming back for more all the time.
Then you're not looking. I've posted this a number of times.
Galatians 3 1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"?
7Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." 11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith." 12But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them." 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"— 14so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
And there are plenty of verses in Romans and Ephesians in addition which teach the same thing.
Why do Catholics take one out of context verse and focus on that to the exclusion of chapters of material that teach otherwise?
If you have a substantive argument, I am all ears, -- you, Belteshazzar of all often do, and I respond in kind, and thank you.
If, on the other hand, you evade direct and textual questions based on nothing but the text of the scripture, then I think you should expect the ridicule, and I have an abundance of it.
Matthew 5 38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Does this standard apply to Catholics when it comes to the sinlessness of Mary, her perpetual virginity, her immaculate conception, and her assumption?
So, when Catholics evade the clear teaching of Scripture about Jesus siblings, then by your standard we can ridicule you back? And you should expect it?