[metmom]

That passage is telling us how to distinguish true saving faith from intellectual assent, not to add works to try to make intellectual assent become saving faith.

That’s the path of deception because then the person can be deceived into thinking they have true faith because they do the *do’s*...

True saving faith will naturally result in works being manifest, not as a matter of conscious choice but just because one is walking in the Spirit.

Besides, read 1 Corinthians 13. All the works in the world are meaningless without the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit.

The actual evidence of the Spirit filled life is the fruit of the Spirit, not a certain set of works that some men has determined must be the evidence.

[Salvation]

Don’t you have the book of James in your Bible?

Or do you choose to ignore it as you are ignoring the scripture quoted by johngrace?

All I need is a simple answer — Yes, I have the book of James in my Bible.

Or No, I don’t have the book of James in my Bible.

[johngrace]

I think this argument is mute at times. I have friends who believe like you and do great good for others in Christ. I know Catholics who have Christ without a doubt too. Who give out in the name of Christ too.

You may call it stewardship of grace. I may call it a state of grace. We still believe in Christ. I pray to Christ. I know Christ. We still do it because we love Christ. I still hold Christ so can brothers and sisters who see it from a different angle. I believe we like to split hairs.